Soap Warehouse Blog

As of December 1, 2013 you need to have given and completed with all your employees training about the new Safety Date Sheet (SHS) requirements. Not to will make you non compliant and you could face fines.

OSHA has been sending out information about this first deadline for GHS (Global Harmonization System) for quite some time but many small business owners and contractors still have no idea what this is, why it is needed and what they have to do. There are many companies that are charging businesses for this training at various price levels but all this information is also free. 

To first understand what exactly must be complete by 12/1/13 you can read the OSHA fact sheet; https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3642.pdf 

If you have never gone and looked at the OSHA web site before, you need to check it out and bookmark it on your computer, https://www.osha.gov/dsg/hazcom/index.html

Here they answer many frequently asked questions in regards to the new changes. 

There are free quick cards available to print out for use in training:

https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3492QuickCardLabel.pdf

https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3491QuickCardPictogram.pdf

https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3493QuickCardSafetyDataSheet.pdf 

Along with a sample new SDS to use in training 

https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3514.pdf

This current requirement of training should not take more than 30-60 minutes for most businesses to give to their employees but with all OSHA training more time is required of the business owner to document all steps that are taken for training; what supplies, print outs or manual was used in the training, details of the time and place of training. A list of all of the participants with their signatures next to their name acknowledging they attended training and a short test page, usually multiple choice, showing the employee understood, by passing the test, the training they received. 

This is why many businesses just pay for training, they do not want to bother or take the time to do these above steps themselves. 

But at this late date, if you have done nothing by now, what can you do to be done in time? 

First be sure you are currently in compliance with the old MSDS training and OSHA rules; that you gave each employee upon hire and annually MSDS training. That you have MSDS books or binders in all locations OSHA required i.e. at your office/location where the chemicals are received, handled, stored or distributed. A duplicate MSDS binder anywhere off site where employees would come in contact with chemicals ex: on your vehicles, wash rigs/trailers. If you have never done this, now is the time while OSHA is taking a hard look at all business due to the HCS deadline. 

Here are the steps you need to do:

• Obtain and understand the OSHA rule (29CFR1910.1200) osha.gov
• Read and understand the requirements you must follow
• Assign someone responsible for tasks, such as an HAZCOM Coordinator
• Prepare an inventory of all chemicals used in your business

Then the important tasks that effect your employees

• Ensure all containers are properly labeled
• Obtain SHS for each chemical
• Prepare a Hazardous Communication written program
• Make SHSs available to workers via a book or binder
• Conduct training for workers upon hire, annually and with any change

Lastly

• Establish procedures to maintain the current program
• Establish procedures to evaluate effectiveness of all steps 

There are many companies that have created and uploaded to the web, slide shares and Youtube videos of their GHS training. So feel free to take a look at them. 

Slide Share

http://www.slideshare.net/theukfan/ghs-training-approved

http://www.slideshare.net/CrisNeuman/presentation-haz-com-26065530 

Youtube.com videos

OSHA GHS training (this one is free)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCI7XXExs7s

ClickSafety is very inexpensive for on line training

http://www.clicksafety.com/osha/globally-harmonized-system-ghs-courses  

I hope this helps get you moving toward HAZCom compliance.

Keeping your crews safe and working in the Summer should not be hard or expensive but there are things you can do that will make a difference in them wanting and being able to do the work you need them to do the entire summer.

First have your equipment working in tip top shape and that includes the A/C in your trucks. Although it is not good for workers to experience a large temp shift going in and out of a vehicle while working (from the Sahara to the Arctic), having the A/C set at a reasonable temp, 10 degrees cooler than the outside temp, with a large volume of air moving does help.

Have plenty of water available while at work. Large plastic water coolers, like Igloos are a good investment for your employees. Every worker should have there own water bottle that they can fill from the cooler. Remember they should be consuming at least 8-12 oz of water per hour while working outside.

Tip: Save on the cost of buying ice; clean and use 1/2 gal or quart size (juice or milk) bottles filled with water that you freeze over night in your work freezer (or at home). You can fit 3-4 of these at the bottom of the cooler before filling it each day and the ice bottles will slowly melt and even when the cooler is empty the melted bottles can be poured out and used them selves. Have extras and each morning when you take the frozen ones out put new ones in and they will be ready for the next morning.

Make sure everyone has and wears a hat and UV sun glasses. Wide brims are better then baseball caps but anything helps. If your uniform or employees own shirts are short sleeved ask them to use sun screen. Long pants and water proof shoes are best to work in but can be hot. Suggest light cotton instead of jeans for pants and suggest thin moisture wicking socks instead of the heavy cotton which will trap sweat and become even heavier. Heat escapes the most from the head and feet, keeping the feet hot can really make you feel worse. Materials should be light weight but tight weaved or come with UV protection in the fabric if possible.

Believe it or not but Dollar Stores like the chain "Dollar Tree" can be both you and your employees best friend. They carry many things for summer. You or your employees can spend around $5 per person and be set for all day in the sun.

Things you can get for $1:

Neck bands that you can soak in cold water that contain water gel beads that expand and then retain the cold that you tie around the neck. These are a Great value. I use these myself when working outside or down at hunt camp and they are great.

Sun Screen Sticks UV rated 30-50 in packs of 2-4 (depends on the store) great for the face, ears and neck. They also carry sun screen in liquid and sprays.

UV lip balm, because almost 70% of lip cancer is from the sun, not tobacco products.

UV Sun Glasses, even ones that wrap around, to stop eye sun exposure. May not be the most fashionable and supplies vary but at least worth a look, plus not a big loss when they are lost or break. Be sure to check that they are UV, some of them are not.

Water bottles. They have all types, plastic and metal, and in all sizes, shop around to find what you like. Some even have belt clips or loops. 

Fine mist spray bottles. Keeping a spray bottle with cold water in it that employees can mist on themselves will help keep body temps down, fend off heat stroke and allows evaporation from dampening clothing keeping them cooler.

Tip: these bottles can also be put in the freezer half filled with water so more water can be added beginning of the day and lets the ice melt over time.

Hats or visors. They may not be a fashion statement but I have seen some nicer ones sometimes. Keep checking and when you find one you like buy 2-3.

Small hand fans or clip on fans. Even though you have to spend another $1 for batteries these little fans can help a lot when used while sitting in the shade on a break to cool you down.

Dollar Tree even has a web site where you can buy items direct by the case so you do not have to go looking for them. Check out http://www.dollartree.com products change all the time so check often.

If you want to spend a little more money, then head to a Wal-mart or similar and buy the spray bottles with the built in fans. Those mist and blow air at the same time. 

OSHA does not have set rules as to how much water you need to supply, just that you do. They do not require employers to supply clothes, sun screen, UV sun glasses or other sun protection items but anything you want and can give your employees will make them feel like a well thought of and valuable member of your business.

But Please follow OSHA guidelines they do suggest  https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3166/osha3166.html 

and OSHA also has a new Summer campaign "Water. Rest. Shade." that you can read about here; https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/heatillness/heat_index/work_rest_schedules.html 

Have a great rest of your Summer and stay safe.

Well September is here and with it the last quarter of the year. Now is a good time to look and see what business goals you set back at the first of the year still have to be done, evaluate things you have tried this year so far to see if you want to continue with them next year or put on the front burner things you still need to do before this year runs out.

So far we have done all the major products we had planned like putting out a monthly newsletter, writing in this blog at least once a month, trade shows and new advertising campaigns in new channels. But even I still have some things that got pushed aside that I need to get done and marked off my to do list.

One big one is to contact every customer to make sure they have a copy of an MSDS for every product they have purchased from us. This one item is very important for you, for your business and for your employees if you have them. This needs to be done and checked at least once a year. So very soon you will be getting either an email or letter in the mail with a list of the MSDS's you should have on hand especially if you still have the product at your house, on your truck or rig.

MSDS's are always sent out by us the first time you buy a new product, when the product contains Hydrofluoric acid or when it is requested by you, our customer. You can get a needed copy by calling 800-762-7911, emailing us or downloading it from the website.

By law (OSHA either federal or state) you need to have a book made up of all MSDS for every product you use routinely in your work, that you or employees can be exposed to. So many more products than just ours should be in there. They need to be cataloged in alphabetical order; by letter tabs are even better, you should probably have more than one MSDS book in your possession. The first should be at your home or office where the bulk of your chemicals are delivered and stored. Other copies should be carried out on the road with you in your truck or on your rig itself. And if you have more than one truck or rig, one for every one of those as well. It is also best for at least the ones on the road to be kept in a waterproof binder with the pages inserted in plastic page covers so dirt and water will not mess them up. If you do not have these books in place yet, this is a great time of year to get them at the lowest possible cost, while back to school supply sales are happening.

If you do not know what is found in an MSDS, or all the sections of an MSDS, now would be a great time to learn. You can go here to learn everything you need to know about an MSDS, like why you should have them, what are the different sections of an MSDS so you know where to look if the situation comes up and you need it.

During an emergency is not the time to wonder if the health cautions or first aid directions are found in section III or VII! Plus if you ever get asked for your MSDS by OSHA, the DOT, a police officer or even a customer to prove what is or is not in a product you are using at their home, this will help your business look professional and possibly not be fined for not having them.

The most frightening calls I have gotten are when customers call us frantic with an injured employee and they do not know where an MSDS is or they did not keep the MSDS we sent them and that employee needs immediate emergency care. I hope you never have a need to open your MSDS books but it sure is important that they are there if you ever do.