Online Course · Chemical Safety
Hazard Communication Training: Labels, SDSs and Your Right to Know
Every container of cleaner, solvent, fuel or coating carries information meant to protect the person using it. This hazard communication training teaches employees how to read that information and act on it.
The Purpose of HazCom
OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard, 29 CFR 1910.1200, is often called the right-to-know rule. Chemical manufacturers and importers classify the hazards of what they produce; they pass that information downstream on labels and safety data sheets; and employers make sure workers can find it and understand it. The standard is aligned with the United Nations Globally Harmonized System (GHS), which is why labels look the same whether a product was made in Texas or overseas.
Training is the piece that turns paperwork into protection. Employers must train employees on hazardous chemicals in their work area at the time of initial assignment and whenever a new chemical hazard is introduced. HazCom appears year after year on OSHA's list of most frequently cited standards, and missing or thin training is a common reason.
What Hazard Communication Training Covers
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Reading a GHS label
Product identifier, signal word (Danger or Warning), hazard statements, pictograms, precautionary statements and supplier contact details.
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The pictograms
What the flame, skull and crossbones, corrosion, exclamation mark, health hazard, gas cylinder, exploding bomb and flame-over-circle symbols mean.
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The 16-section SDS
Where to find first aid, firefighting, handling and storage, exposure controls and PPE information quickly.
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Secondary containers
When a spray bottle or transfer can needs a workplace label, and what that label must convey.
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Detecting releases
Odor, visual cues and monitoring methods that signal a chemical is present where it should not be.
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Your written program
Where the chemical inventory, SDS library and written HazCom program are kept at your site.
Site-Specific Training Still Matters
An online course explains the system; it cannot list the specific chemicals in your paint booth or janitorial closet. The standard expects employees to learn the hazards of the chemicals in their own work area and the measures they can take to protect themselves, including your specific procedures, emergency steps and PPE. Most employers pair this course with a short walk-through of the local SDS binder or electronic system, and the chemical inventory for that department.
OSHA updated the standard in 2024 to align more closely with a later revision of the GHS, with compliance dates phased in for manufacturers and employers. The core training topics — labels, SDSs, pictograms and protective measures — remain the same, and the course reflects the current format.
Who Needs HazCom Training
- Production and maintenance staff who handle lubricants, solvents, adhesives or process chemicals
- Custodial and housekeeping crews using cleaning and disinfecting products
- Laboratory, biotech and quality control personnel
- Construction trades using fuels, coatings, sealants and concrete products
- Supervisors who introduce new products or approve chemical purchases
- Anyone who could be exposed during a foreseeable emergency such as a spill or leak
A Simple HazCom Rollout Plan
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Update your inventory
Confirm the chemical list and SDS collection for each department are current before training starts.
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Assign the online module
Employees complete the general GHS lessons on their own schedule, from a break-room computer or their phone.
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Add a local walk-through
A supervisor shows where SDSs live, reviews the products used in that area and explains the site's spill and exposure procedures.
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Repeat when products change
When purchasing adds a new chemical with a different hazard, brief the affected crew and reassign the course to new hires.
Hazard Communication FAQs
When must hazard communication training be given?
At the time of initial assignment and whenever a new chemical hazard the employee has not been trained on is introduced to the work area.
How many sections does a safety data sheet have?
Sixteen, in a standard order. Sections 1 to 8 cover the information most workers need day to day, such as hazards, first aid, handling and exposure controls.
Is HazCom the same as hazardous waste training?
No. HazCom protects workers using chemicals. Waste handling is governed by EPA rules and is covered in our RCRA awareness course.
Does this replace chemical-specific training?
It satisfies the general concepts. Some substances, such as lead or benzene, have their own OSHA standards with additional training. Our chemical safety course expands on safe handling.