Policy Manual sample

MDT Home Health Care Agency, Inc. sufficient to establish a hazardous effect. Hazard determination is required for hazards known to be present in the workplace and to which employees may be exposed under normal conditions or in a foreseeable emergency. Intermediate process streams do not have to be analyzed, if they are part of a closed system. Labels and other Forms of Warning: The labeling requirement pertains to both in-plant containers and shipping containers,- although less information is required for the labeling of in-plant containers. Batch tickets, operating procedures, production sheets, etc., are acceptable but these must contain the same information as a label would contain and must be readily visible from the work area. This labeling requirement does not apply if a label is required by another Federal agency (e.g., pesticides). The label must contain the following: 1. Product NAME or chemical identifier exactly as it appears on the material safety data sheet. This allows a clear association between the MSDS and the container. 2. Appropriate hazard warning(s), including health and physical hazards. 3. The name and address of the manufacturer. Labels and warnings must be written in English; but other languages may be used as well if appropriate to the workforce. OSHA regulates some hazardous materials in substance-specific health standards. Where this is the case, chemical products having such components must have labels or warnings which conform with that specific standard. MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEETS (MSDSs): 1.Our Agency shall have an MSDS for each hazardous chemical for which possible exposure is forseeable. 2. MSDSs must be written in English. 3. An MSDS shall contain all chemicals in the Agency 4. We must have a copy of the MSDSs for each hazardous chemical in the workplace and maintain these MSDSs in such a way that they are readily accessible during each work shift to employees when they are in their work area(s) . 5. MSDSs may be in any form, including integrated into operating procedures, and may cover groups of chemicals in the work area where addressing a process as a whole is more appropriate. F. EMPLOYEE TRAINING Employees must be trained so that they are aware of chemical hazards before they are exposed to those chemicals. Training must be performed at the time of an employee's initial work assignment and whenever a new type of chemical hazard is introduced into the work area. The content of training includes informing employees of: 1. The requirements of the Hazard Communication Standard. 2. Operations in their work area(s) where hazardous chemicals are present. 3. Identification of these materials and the location, availability, and interpretation of MSDSs and labels for these chemicals. 4. Training must include process or product specific information on: a. Methods and observations an employee can use to detect the presence or release of hazardous chemicals in the workplace. b. Hazards of chemicals and processes in the workplace (physical effects and immediate and long- term health effects). c. Protective measures and proper work practices: What the employee can do to reduce his/her risk of occupational illness or injury related to chemical exposures, and measures we have taken to minimize such risks. 5. How the employee can obtain additional information on potentially hazardous materials. 6. The hazards of non-routine tasks, such as tank cleaning or tasks which are performed at infrequent intervals. 7. The hazards of chemicals in unlabeled pipes. Supervisors and managers at all levels are commonly responsible for enforcing work rules and assuring that work is done in the proper fashion; however, the concept of explaining the logic behind their actions to their employees is often foreign. Employee hazard awareness does more than improve compliance with work rules through motivation, it empowers workers to observe the workplace environment and understand the implications of specific occurrences. The supervisor or manager cannot be everywhere all the time utilizing the eyes and minds of employees to identify problems and possible solutions can produce significant benefits. Considering the requirements of the HCS and related regulations, our Agency identified the Home Health Agency. - - Personnel/Operations Policies B-171