Hazard Communication (HAZCOM) (US)

Chances are, you are not terribly excited to be taking this hazard communication course. But hazard communication is an important topic, which is why your employer is asking you to use your valuable time to take this training. So, why does hazard communication matter? The best way to explain is by telling you a true story. One afternoon, an employee was using paint remover in a small space. Although she didn’t know it, the paint remover she was using was a hazardous chemical. Her company didn’t have a hazard communication program, so her employer hadn’t told her about the potentially dangerous health hazards of the paint remover. She didn’t realize that she needed to protect herself by wearing gloves, long sleeves and respiratory protection. She also should have been using a ventilation system. Unfortunately, she inhaled vapors from the chemical and got it on her skin, where it was absorbed into her body. Sadly, she was found dead five hours after beginning to use the product. Take a moment to think about how hazard communication might have prevented this tragedy. If she had known that the paint remover was potentially hazardous, what would she have done differently? If she had known how to protect herself from exposure, would she be alive today? Nothing is certain, but having the right knowledge might have made the difference between life and death. That’s why we have hazard communication programs, and that’s why you are taking this course today.