1. Health Science Warm Up 1.What does the acronym RACE stand for?
2. What are MSDS used for in science?

2. Hazard Communication Healthcare Workers Slide Show Notes
Welcome to hazard communication training. This session is designed for healthcare workers who may be exposed or potentially exposed to hazardous chemicals.
Hazard Communication—what should it mean to you? Specifically, it means knowing about the possible dangers of the hazardous chemicals that you use in your job, and how to protect yourself against those hazards.
Healthcare facilities like ours contain many different chemicals and chemical products, many of which can be hazardous to your health as well as present physical hazards, such as fires and explosions.
We’re required by law to provide you with information about chemical hazards. You have a right to know about those hazards. And you also have a responsibility to use the information you are given about chemical hazards so that you can use chemicals safely.

3. Session Objectives You will be able to: Understand chemical hazards
Interpret hazard information on labels
Access and understand the information on the MSDS
Take adequate safety precautions
Respond effectively to emergencies
Slide Show Notes
The main objective of this session is to tell you about the hazards of chemicals used in our healthcare facility, and how to find the information you need to protect yourself and work safely. By the time this session is over, you should be able to:
Understand the hazards of chemicals you work with;
Interpret the hazard information on chemical container warning labels;
Access and understand the information on material safety data sheets, or MSDSs;
Take adequate safety precautions to protect yourself against chemical hazards;
And finally, respond effectively to emergencies involving hazardous chemicals.

4. What You Need to Know Hazard Communication Program
Hazard Communication Standard
Physical and health hazards of chemicals
Where to find vital safety and health information
Required personal protective equipment
Emergency response
Slide Show Notes
During the training session we will discuss:
The facility’s Hazard Communication Program;
The requirements of OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard;
The physical and health hazards of chemicals;
Where to find vital safety and health information about the chemicals you handle on the job;
Required personal protective equipment;
And finally, emergency response in the event of an incident involving hazardous chemicals.

5. Encounters with Chemicals
We encounter chemicals almost every day
Filling your vehicle with gasoline
Cleaning the house
Applying pesticides or insecticides
Using solvents or acids at work
Many chemicals can cause injury or illness
Slide Show Notes
We all use chemicals almost every day, both at home and at work. Here are some examples of how we encounter chemicals:
Filling the car with gasoline, which can expose us to chemical vapors;
Cleaning the house with liquid cleansers, which may contain harmful chemical ingredients;
Using pesticides or insecticides—these are poisonous to plants and insects, and they can also be harmful to humans;
And finally, using solvents, acids, and other strong chemicals when we work.
Not all chemicals are hazardous, and many chemicals are hazardous only if we are exposed to them in large quantities or over long periods of time. But there also are chemicals that can cause injury or illness if you don’t know how to handle them properly and safely.
Think about the chemicals you use on the job. Have you ever felt sick after using a chemical? If so, you may have been overexposed to a hazardous chemical.
Ask trainees to identify the chemicals and chemical products they handle and use regularly on the job.

6. Encounters with Chemicals (cont.)
30 million workers exposed or potentially exposed to 650,000 chemicals annually
20,000 incidents of exposure result in lost workdays annually
Slide Show Notes
Hazardous chemicals are found in many workplaces, and millions of workers are exposed to them every day. Here are some facts:
An estimated 30 million workers are exposed or potentially exposed to more than 650,000 hazardous chemicals each year.
There are typically 20,000 incidents of exposure to hazardous chemicals annually that result in one or more lost workdays due to illnesses or injuries from these chemicals.
Numbers like these show why it’s so important to know about chemical hazards in the workplace, and how to get the information you need to protect yourself. It’s especially important in a healthcare facility where, depending on your job, you could be exposed to a variety of hazardous chemicals.
Think about the ways you might be exposed to hazardous chemicals when doing your job.
Ask trainees to suggest ways they might be exposed to hazardous chemicals when doing their job.

7. Hazard Communication: Laws and Regulations
We must provide you with:
A written hazard communication program
A list of hazardous chemicals
MSDSs
Training
Slide Show Notes
Hazard communication is a requirement of state and federal law. There is a government regulation called the Hazard Communication Standard that describes what employers must do to inform employees about chemical hazards. For example, we must provide you with:
A written Hazard Communication Program that explains how the information is communicated to you;
A list of the hazardous chemicals used in the facility;
MSDSs, for each type of hazardous chemical, which we’ll talk more about later in the session; and
Training that teaches you about the Hazard Communication Standard, tells you how to read and understand the information on MSDSs and container labels, and shows you ways you can protect yourself against chemical hazards.
Your supervisor can tell you how to obtain a copy of the facility’s Hazard Communication Program.
Review the highlights of your Hazard Communication Program.

8. Hazard Communication: Laws and Regulations (cont.)
You must be able to:
Read labels and MSDSs
Follow instructions and warnings
Slide Show Notes
Although the Hazard Communication Standard applies mainly to employers, hazard communication is not effective unless you also do your part in working safely with chemicals. You should:
Be able to read chemical labels and MSDSs, and understand the information they contain. You should know where MSDSs are located and how to find the one you need to learn more about specific chemicals. And you should know how to find the specific information you need on each MSDS, such as how to protect yourself against exposure.
Always follow instructions and warnings about how to use hazardous chemicals safely. These include both written instructions on labels and MSDSs, and also verbal instructions and safety information you may receive from supervisors or safety trainers.

9. Hazard Communication: Laws and Regulations (cont.)
You must be also be able to:
Identify hazards before starting a job
Participate in training
Slide Show Notes
The Hazard Communication Standard also requires you to:
Identify the possible hazards of using a chemical BEFORE you start to use it. Don’t wait until you have already been exposed to find out that you’ve put yourself in danger.
And finally, participate actively in the safety training your employer provides. All the safety information in the world won’t help protect you if you don’t listen, pay attention, or understand the information you are given. Remember, you should never hesitate to ask questions so that you clearly understand what it takes to protect yourself from chemical hazards.
Your supervisor can tell you how to obtain a copy of OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard.
Briefly review the key requirements of the Hazard Communication Standard.

10. Types of Chemicals You May Encounter at Work
Chemicals may be used:
To clean and disinfect
To sterilize
To treat certain diseases
For research and testing in the lab
Hazardous chemicals might also be contained in waste materials
Slide Show Notes
As we said, healthcare environments contain a variety of hazardous chemicals. Depending on where you work, you might encounter hazardous chemicals that are used:
To clean and disinfect;
To sterilize medical equipment;
To treat certain diseases, such as the chemicals in antineoplastic drugs used to treat cancer patients; or
For research and testing in the laboratory.
Hazardous chemicals are also contained in waste materials. So if your job brings you into contact with any kind of waste materials, you could be exposed that way, too.

11. Physical Hazards of Chemicals
Flammable
Explosive
Reactive
Slide Show Notes
Whether they are solid, liquid, or gas, hazardous chemicals present two basic types of hazards—physical hazards and health hazards.
Chemicals with physical hazards include those that are:
Flammable, meaning they can catch fire easily. Examples are gasoline, propane, and some solvents;
Explosive, meaning they can explode, such as compressed gases and chemicals in aerosol cans; and
Reactive, meaning they can react dangerously if they come into contact with another substance, such as by mixing bleach and ammonia.
Think about the chemicals you use that have any of these physical hazards.
Ask trainees to identify chemicals they use that have physical hazards.

12. Health Hazards of Chemicals
Short-term effects include headache, dizziness, skin irritation
Long-term effects may be liver or lung damage or even cancer
Some examples of health hazards are:
Corrosive
Toxic
Slide Show Notes
In addition to physical hazards, some chemicals have health hazards and can cause illnesses or other health problems. These problems can include:
Short-term effects, such as headaches, dizziness, or skin irritation; and
Long-term effects, such as damage to the liver or lungs, or even cancer.
Chemicals with health hazards include those that are:
Corrosive, meaning that they can eat away or otherwise damage other substances, including your skin; and
Toxic, meaning that they are poisonous; highly toxic chemicals can even cause death.
Are any chemicals that you work with corrosive or toxic? If you don’t know, talk to your supervisor.
Ask trainees to identify chemicals that they work with that could present health hazards.

13. How Chemicals Enter Your Body
Skin absorption and eye contact
Inhalation
Swallowing (eating contaminated food)
Penetration (cut, puncture, or injection)
Slide Show Notes
Chemicals can enter your body in several ways:
Skin absorption or eye contact—this is especially true of liquid chemicals;
Inhaling hazardous fumes, vapors, mists, or dust. These can be taken into the lungs and travel from there into the bloodstream and to other organs of the body;
Swallowing, or ingestion. Even though you may not intentionally swallow hazardous chemicals, chemicals can be transferred onto food if your hands are contaminated, and then swallowed accidentally; and
Direct penetration, such as when a chemical enters the body through an open cut or skin puncture.
Can you think of ways that chemicals might enter your body through skin contact, inhalation, ingestion, or penetration?
Ask trainees to suggest ways chemicals might enter their bodies.

14. How Chemicals Affect Your Body
Dosage
Acute effects
Chronic effects
Slide Show Notes
The kind of exposure you have to a chemical often determines how the chemical might affect your health.
The dosage refers to the amount of the chemical you are exposed to. With some chemicals, it takes a very large amount to do any serious harm, but with others, only a tiny amount can be very dangerous.
Acute effects are short-term effects on the body that usually disappear if you are no longer exposed. Examples include skin irritation from touching a chemical, or irritation of your nose and throat by inhaling fumes.
Chronic effects are long-term effects that develop over a long period of exposure—even exposure to small amounts. Examples include damage to the liver or other organs, or developing cancer as a result of chemical exposure.

15. Chemical Hazards
Do you understand the information that has been presented so far?
Slide Show Notes
Now it’s time to ask yourself if you understand the information that has been presented so far.
Do you understand what we’ve discussed about the Hazard Communication Standard and our Hazard Communication Program?
Do you understand what we’ve said about chemical hazards?
It’s important for your safety that you understand hazard communication and types of chemical hazards.
Answer any questions trainees have about the information in the previous slides.
Conduct an exercise, if appropriate.
Now let’s talk about the information concerning chemical hazards that you can find on warning labels and material safety data sheets.

16. Check the Label for Safety and Health Information
Chemical identity
Manufacturer contact information
Physical/health hazards
Special handling
PPE recommendations
First aid, fire response, and spill cleanup
Slide Show Notes
The label on a chemical container is usually the first place to look for information about the hazards of what’s inside. Each label is different, but every label should contain the same basic information about the chemical:
The identity of the chemical;
The company that manufactured or produced it;
Its physical and health hazards;
Special handling instructions;
Personal protective equipment, or PPE, to wear when using the chemical; and
What kind of first aid should be given in an emergency, as well as fire response and spill clean-up.
Remember, every chemical container should have a label. This includes secondary containers used for chemicals that were dispensed out of a larger container.

17. What Else Is on the Label?
The product label also shows:
The name of the chemical
The manufacturer
Miscellaneous safety information
Hazard warnings
List of hazardous ingredients
Slide Show Notes
Let’s review the basic information that every chemical label should have, because reading the label is an important first step in using the chemical safely. Once you have completed this session, find some chemical labels in your facility and be sure you understand the information on them.
The label includes:
The name of the chemical;
The manufacturer of the chemical;
Miscellaneous safety information about handling and using the chemical;
Hazard warnings about the chemical;
And finally, a list of the hazardous ingredients of the substance in the container.
Never use a chemical without knowing what it is and its possible hazards. If a container does not have a label, or if you cannot read the information, notify a supervisor before using the substance inside.

18. NFPA Labeling Systems Blue = Health hazard Red = Flammability
Yellow = Instability
White = Other hazards
Numbers: 0 (No Hazard) to 4 (Extreme Hazard)
Slide Show Notes
The National Fire Protection Association, or NFPA, and other organizations have developed a color/number coded labeling system. The NFPA system was developed for short-term, often acute exposure to chemicals under conditions of fires or spills. The ratings are intended to provide firefighting and evacuation information. These labels are used as a quick identifier so you can easily determine the basic hazards associated with a chemical.
Blue means there is a health hazard—the chemical can cause health problems, such as cancer;
Red means flammability—the chemical can catch fire easily;
Yellow means instability (formerly called reactivity)—the chemical can react if it comes in contact with other substances;
White means there are other hazards;
Finally, numbers ranging from 0, for no hazard, to 4, for extremely hazardous, are also used.
You should learn to recognize these codes when you see them on a label.
Bring samples of NFPA labels to the meeting and show trainees each of the features identified in the slide.

19. Material Safety Data Sheets
Read the MSDS before working with a chemical. The MSDS:
Provides a written description of a hazardous chemical
Describes the risks, precautions, and remedies to exposure
Must be readily available to you
Slide Show Notes
While labels are important, it’s the material safety data sheet, or MSDS, that provides the most complete and detailed information about a hazardous chemical. Depending on the format in which it was written, it may contain from 8 to 16 sections.
You should always read the MSDS before starting to work with a chemical. The MSDS:
Provides a written description of the chemical;
Describes the risks, as well as precautions and remedies for hazards; and
Needs to be readily available for you to obtain and read.
Do you know where to find the MSDSs you need for the chemicals you handle on the job?
Tell trainees where they can find MSDSs.

20. MSDS (cont.) Chemical and manufacturer identity Hazardous ingredients
Physical and chemical properties
Fire, explosion, and reactivity
Slide Show Notes
The next three slides describe the types of information you will find on an MSDS.
The identity of the chemical and its manufacturer. This includes its chemical and common names, and the emergency phone number for the manufacturer.
The hazardous ingredients of the chemical, including the percentage of different hazardous chemicals in the product. Exposure levels, such as the PEL or TLV, may also be included.
Physical and chemical properties describe how the chemical appears, how it smells, and how it behaves. For example, does it give off vapors? Can it be mixed safely with water?
Information on fire, explosion, and reactivity. For example, what should be used to fight a fire involving this chemical? Does it give off vapors that can burn? Does it create a hazard if it comes into contact with and reacts with other substances?

21. MSDS (cont.) Health hazards: Routes of entry
Exposure levels (PEL or TLV)
Symptoms of exposure
First-aid and emergency information
Slide Show Notes
The “health hazards” section of an MSDS is particularly important. This section will tell you:
Routes of entry into the body, such as by skin contact, inhaling vapors, or swallowing.
Exposure levels, meaning the maximum safe concentration of the chemical that the average person can be exposed to. These are safety guidelines established by OSHA and American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, or ACGIH, for the average adult. However, each person is affected differently. In fact, two people conducting the same work can react differently. One person could become sick from a chemical, while the other might not feel anything.
Physical symptoms of exposure to the chemical; if these symptoms appear, you may have been overexposed and should stop using it immediately.
Finally, first-aid and emergency response information if someone has been overexposed.

22. MSDS (cont.) PPE Safe handling and storage Spills and leaks
Compliance issues
Slide Show Notes
Other important safety information on the MSDS includes:
Personal Protective Equipment—This is very important because it tells you how to protect yourself from hazards by wearing the right PPE.
Information on safe handling and storage—For instance, how should it be handled to prevent spills or leaks? How should it be stored to reduce the possibility of fire or explosion?
What to do in the case of a spill or leak.
Compliance issues—This is information is about complying with laws and regulations that apply to the chemical. This might include legal requirements for disposing of it or transporting it safely.
Do you know where to find all this vital safety and health information on an MSDS?
Bring samples of MSDSs to the meeting and point out where to find each of the pieces of information identified in the slide.

23. MSDS and Labels
Do you understand the information about MSDSs and labels?
Slide Show Notes
Do you understand the information presented concerning MSDSs and chemical warning labels?
It’s important for your safety that you know how to access and interpret information about chemical hazards.
Answer any questions trainees have about the information in the previous slides.
Conduct an exercise, if appropriate.
Now let’s discuss personal protective equipment to protect against chemical hazards and emergency procedures for incidents involving hazardous chemicals.

24. Personal Protective Equipment
Commonly required PPE includes:
Safety goggles
Face shields
Gloves
Other skin protection
Respiratory protection
Slide Show Notes
Using PPE is an essential way to protect yourself against the potential hazards of chemicals you use. Here are some of the types of PPE that might be required:
Safety goggles to protect from chemical splashes—regular prescription eyeglasses do NOT qualify as proper eye protection;
A face shield to protect your face;
Gloves to protect your hands from contacting chemicals;
Other skin protection—aprons, lab coats, gowns, and so forth; and
Respiratory protection, such as face masks and respirators, when other measures for controlling airborne levels of chemical contaminants are inadequate or when cleaning up chemical spills.
Depending on your job, you may need other types of PPE.
Think about the situations in which you should wear PPE when using hazardous chemicals. What kinds of PPE should you wear in these situations? If you’re not sure, ask your supervisor.
Bring samples of required PPE to the meeting, and discuss when each type of PPE should be used. Make sure trainees know how to fit and inspect PPE.

25. Emergency First-Aid Procedures
Eyes: Flush with water for 15 minutes
Skin: Wash with soap and water, remove contaminated clothing
Inhalation: Move to fresh air
Swallowing: Get emergency medical assistance
Slide Show Notes
Knowing proper emergency procedures is another important part of chemical safety. That’s why you should always read the label and MSDS for every chemical to find out exactly what to do in case you or a co-worker is overexposed. Emergency procedures may include:
Flushing eyes with water for 15 minutes in case of chemical contact;
Washing skin with soap and water, and removing contaminated clothing;
Moving to fresh air if a person has been inhaling hazardous dust, fumes, or vapors; and
Getting emergency medical assistance if a person has accidentally swallowed a hazardous chemical.
Think about the emergency procedures you should use if you or a co-worker are overexposed to a chemical. Do you know where eyewash stations, emergency showers, and first-aid kits are located? Do you know how to use them?
Identify the location of emergency equipment, and tell trainees whom to call to report a medical emergency.

26. Emergency Response to Chemical Spills or Leaks
Notify a supervisor or the emergency response team
Alert others in the area
Evacuate
Stay away until told it’s safe to return
Slide Show Notes
Major chemical spills or leaks involving large amounts of chemicals or highly toxic chemicals should be considered emergencies and responded to as such. The label and MSDS for the chemical should give you the specific information you need for responding to spills and leaks. As a general rule, when a hazardous chemical spills, you should:
Notify a supervisor or emergency response personnel;
Alert others in the area;
Evacuate the area of the spill unless you’ve been trained to handle it; and
Stay away from the area until it has been contained or cleaned up.
Even small spills or leaks should be taken seriously and reported to a supervisor, even if they seem to be too minor to bother with. Do you know how to report a chemical spill or other incident involving a hazardous chemical?
Tell trainees how and to whom to report hazardous chemical incidents.

27. Key Points to Remember Identify chemical hazards Read labels and MSDSs
Follow warnings and instructions, or ask your supervisor if in doubt
Use the correct PPE
Practice sensible, safe work habits
Learn emergency procedures
Slide Show Notes
Here are the main points to remember from this session on Hazard Communication for Healthcare Workers:
Always identify the hazards of a chemical before you start to use it;
Read the label and the MSDS for a chemical; these are the best ways to find out about hazards and what to do about them;
Always follow the safety instructions and warnings for a chemical, and if you’re not sure what to do, ask your supervisor;
Always use the correct PPE to protect yourself against hazards;
Practice sensible and safe work habits when using hazardous chemicals;
And finally, learn proper emergency procedures, because responding properly can help protect yourself as well as the people you work with.
This concludes the Hazard Communication training session.
Give trainees the quiz, if appropriate.

28. Cool Down
Explain general First Aid for the following: Eye exposure? Skin exposure? Inhalation of hazardous material?

29. Cool Down
What are MSDS’s? How do chemicals enter your body?