Hazard Recognition

Many workers are unaware of chemicals that create potential hazards in their work environment, making them more vulnerable to exposure and injury. The following references aid in recognizing hazards associated with chemical hazards and toxic substances.

General

• Laboratory Safety – OSHA Laboratory Standard. OSHA Fact Sheet (Publication 3464), (2011). Discusses OSHA's Laboratory standard and the unique problems associated with laboratory use of hazardous chemicals.
• Report on Carcinogens (RoC). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), National Toxicology Program (NTP). Identifies and discusses agents, substances, mixtures, or exposure circumstances that may pose a health hazard due to their carcinogenicity. The listing of substances in the RoC only indicates a potential hazard and does not establish the exposure conditions that would pose cancer risks to individuals.
• NIOSH Numbered Publications - Criteria Documents. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Publications. References links to documents that identify specific hazards associated with a chemical, an industry, or a process. Industry trends, potential hazards, and recommended control procedures are also presented.
• NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Publication No. 2005-149, (September 2007). Serves as a source of general industrial hygiene information on several hundred chemicals and classes for workers, employers, and occupational health professionals.
• NIOSH Numbered Publications - Current Intelligence Bulletins (CIB). National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Publications. Provides safety and health information on approximately 57 topics, many of which are chemicals or chemical related.
• Documentation for Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health Concentrations (IDLHs). National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
• International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSC). National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Contains the collective views of the IPCS Peer Review Committee and summarizes essential health and safety information on chemicals for use by workers at the "shop floor" level and employers in factories, agriculture, construction and other work places.
• Right to Know Hazardous Substance Fact Sheets. New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services. Includes detailed reports on specific chemicals, covering hazard summaries, identification, exposure routes, health hazards, and ways of reducing exposure.
• Hazard Evaluation System and Information Services (HESIS) Publications. California Department of Public Health (CDPH). Provides access to numerous publications about chemicals, other toxic substances, and hazards in selected occupations.
  • Understanding Toxic Substances: An Introduction to Chemical Hazards in the Workplace. (2008). Answers basic questions and provides an extensive glossary of terms. Includes a checklist to aid a worker in gathering facts and getting answers regarding chemical exposure in the workplace.
  • If I'm Pregnant, Can the Chemicals I Work With Harm My Baby?. Provides a useful guide to inform pregnant workers of the hazards in their workplace environment.

Hazardous Waste

• Hazardous Waste. OSHA Safety and Health Topics Page. Provides information on OSHA, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and national consensus standards, as well as links to National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and other chemical safety resources.
• ToxFAQs™. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). Provides a series of summaries and answers to frequently asked questions about contaminants found at hazardous waste sites and hazardous substances excerpted from ATSDR's Toxicological Profiles and Public Health Statements. Each fact sheet serves as a quick and easy-to-understand guide.

Ventilation

• Ventilation. OSHA Safety and Health Topics Page. Provides links to engineering resources, OSHA Technical Manual (OTM), and Field Inspection Reference Manual (FIRM) sections, as well as National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) resources.