Purpose and Scope
This policy sets procedures for identifying hazardous chemicals at [Organisation Name] facilities, communicating hazards, and training personnel who work with or near hazardous materials.
It applies to all employees and contractors who handle, use, or may be exposed to hazardous chemicals on site. This includes chemicals used in production, maintenance, facility upkeep, and cleaning operations.
Consumer products used in the workplace at the same frequency, duration, and manner as typical household use are exempt. Any chemical used more frequently, longer, or more intensely than normal household use falls under this program.
This program aligns with the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200), the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS), and applicable state and local rules.
Working through related paperwork at the same time? See also our US PPE Policy & Hazard Assessment Template, Job Hazard Analysis Template and NY Retail Worker Safety Act Policy Template.
Responsibilities
- Program Coordinator (
[Role]): Maintains the written program, master chemical inventory, and SDS library. Approves chemical purchases before site arrival, coordinates employee training, and conducts regular program reviews. - Purchasing Personnel (
[Role]): Blocks chemical orders that lack prior approval from the Program Coordinator and requires suppliers to submit a compliant SDS before or with the initial delivery. - Supervisors (
[Role]): Enforce container labeling and safe handling in assigned areas, verify that crews wear required personal protective equipment (PPE), and pull unlabeled containers from service immediately. - Employees: Read chemical labels before using products, know SDS locations, wear assigned PPE, and immediately report missing labels, missing SDSs, spills, or exposures to a supervisor.
Chemical Inventory Management
The Program Coordinator maintains the master chemical inventory at [Location/System]. The inventory lists the product name from the SDS, manufacturer details, storage and use locations, estimated quantity ranges, and the date the SDS was last verified.
The chemical inventory is maintained using the following procedure:
- Submit requests for new chemical purchases to the Program Coordinator for evaluation before issuing purchase orders.
- Obtain the SDS, add the product to the master inventory, and set labeling and PPE protocols before work starts.
- Audit all storage and work areas at
[Frequency]to reconcile physical stock with the master inventory. - Quarantine unlisted chemicals found during audits immediately until resolved, and drop discontinued chemicals from active lists.
- Dispose of obsolete or discontinued chemicals per
[Disposal Arrangement]instead of holding them in storage.
Safety Data Sheets
Keep a current 16-section GHS Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for every chemical on the master inventory. SDSs are stored at [Location/System] and must remain accessible to all workers on every shift without delay or administrative checks.
SDS management follows these steps:
- Access the secondary offline backup at
[Offline Backup Location]if primary electronic systems fail. - Contact the manufacturer or supplier immediately if an SDS is missing, incomplete, or updated after product reformulations.
- Review Sections 4 (First Aid), 5 (Firefighting), and 6 (Accidental Release Measures) with first aid personnel and spill response teams for chemicals in their work areas.
- Archive rather than delete SDSs for discontinued chemicals to meet employee exposure record rules.
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Container Labeling and Warnings
Shipped containers must keep their original manufacturer GHS labels intact, including product identifier, signal word, hazard statements, precautionary statements, pictograms, and manufacturer details. Report and replace damaged or unreadable labels immediately.
Workplace container labeling is governed by the following rules:
- Secondary containers (e.g., spray bottles, transfer cans, buckets) must show the product identifier and clear hazard warnings using
[Workplace Labeling System Description]. - Portable secondary containers do not require labeling only if filled directly from a labeled container by the person using the chemical, provided it is fully used during that same shift. If left unattended or carried past shift end, label it immediately.
- Treat unlabeled containers as unknown hazards. Pull them from service immediately, report them to
[Role], and identify or dispose of them properly. Never smell or run unapproved tests to identify unknown chemicals. - Identify fixed piping, tanks, and reaction vessels holding hazardous substances using
[Signage/Color Coding System].
Training and Information
Employees must complete hazard communication training before their first assignment with hazardous chemicals, and whenever a new chemical hazard class enters their work area. Deliver training in a language and format employees understand.
Training records are logged using the following procedure:
- Instruct employees on Hazard Communication standard requirements, written program location, inventory access, and SDS library operation.
- Train personnel to read GHS labels, navigate 16-section SDS formats, and recognize physical and health hazards in their work areas.
- Demonstrate release detection methods (
[Monitoring System/Odor/Visual Appearance]) and cover protective measures, safe work practices, PPE rules, and emergency response. - Review general hazard classes (e.g., flammables, corrosives, sensitizers) and specific high-hazard chemicals on site (
[Chemical List]). - Run a comprehension check to confirm understanding before assigning work involving hazardous materials.
- Log training attendance, dates, trainer name, topics covered, and comprehension completion at
[Location/System].
Non-Routine Tasks and Contractor Safety
Before starting non-routine tasks involving chemical hazards (such as tank cleaning, line breaking, or coating removal), supervisors and the Program Coordinator must brief affected crew on specific hazards, engineering controls, safety procedures, and required PPE. Document the briefing details.
On-site contractors must know the chemical hazards in their work areas, SDS locations, and emergency procedures. The designated representative ([Role]) must exchange chemical safety data with contractors before work starts to cover all chemicals brought on site.
Records and Program Review
Keep the written program, master chemical inventory, SDS library, and training records at [Location/System].
The Program Coordinator ([Role]) reviews this program at [Frequency], after process or layout changes, following chemical inventory updates, and after any spill, exposure, or regulatory audit.
- Program Owner:
[Role] - Last Review Date:
[Date] - Next Scheduled Review Date:
[Date]
FAQs on a hazard communication program
What is a hazard communication program?
A hazard communication program sets procedures for identifying hazardous chemicals at your organisation’s facilities, communicating hazards, and training personnel who work with or near hazardous materials.
Having it written down means the same rules apply to everyone, so managers are not making judgement calls case by case under pressure.
What does a hazard communication program include?
This template covers chemical inventory management, safety data sheets, container labeling and warnings and training and information.
Every section is written to be filled in. The bracketed placeholders mark the decisions that are yours to make, such as timescales, approval owners and retention periods.
How to implement a hazard communication program with Whale
Copy this template into Whale and work through the bracketed placeholders so it reflects how your organisation actually operates.
Assign it to the teams it applies to so it sits where people work rather than in a shared drive, and set a review date so it gets revisited on schedule instead of quietly going out of date.
Use our templates to fast-track your documentation
Customize this template and 100s of others for free in Whale, the fastest way to get your team aligned.