Hazard Communication in Healthcare Facilities Training

Maintaining a safe healthcare environment requires a thorough understanding of the hazardous materials present in the workplace. This course provides an essential overview of the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard (HAZCOM), including the 2024 “Right to Understand” updates.

Participants will explore the primary sources of chemical safety information, identify various classes of health and physical hazards, and learn the necessary protocols for protection, storage, and emergency response.

• Regulatory Standards: Understand the history and requirements of OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard and the 2024 Final Rule.
• Information Sources: Learn how to effectively use Safety Data Sheets (SDS), container labels, and your facility’s written Hazard Communication Program.
• Exposure Science: Identify common routes of entry—inhalation, ingestion, and skin contact—and how dose and duration impact health.
• Hazard Classification: Differentiate between toxic substances, corrosives, irritants, carcinogens, and radioactive materials.
• Physical Hazards: Recognize the dangers of flammables, combustibles, explosives, and oxidizers, including the importance of flashpoints.
• Safety Protocols: Determine appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), such as respirators and splash-proof goggles, for different chemical types.
• Storage and Disposal: Review safe storage practices for compressed gases and reactive chemicals, as well as regulated waste disposal requirements.
• Emergency Response: Learn immediate first aid actions for exposures and the basic steps for spill containment and reporting.

By the end of the course, you will have learned:

• How to locate and interpret critical safety information on GHS-compliant labels and Safety Data Sheets.
• The specific health risks associated with materials common in healthcare, such as formaldehyde, ethylene oxide, and various disinfectants.
• Practical methods to prevent workplace exposure through the correct selection and use of PPE.
• The vital role of ventilation and temperature control in the safe storage of hazardous chemicals and compressed gases.
• Standardized procedures for responding to hazardous material spills and providing initial first aid for chemical exposures.