Skip to content
All safety questions
Asked by a personUnited Statesen-US

hazard communication Maine

A person submitted this question to Rosie's free generator. The asker's identity is neither imported nor published.

Rosie's answer

Published by SALUS

While the documents provided are specific to Oregon's hazard communication regulations, the general principles of hazard communication are applicable across the United States, including Maine, due to the federal OSHA standards. Here are some key points to consider for hazard communication in the workplace:

  1. Safety Data Sheets (SDS): Employers must maintain copies of safety data sheets for each hazardous chemical used in the workplace. These should be readily accessible to employees during each work shift. Electronic access is permissible as long as it does not create barriers to immediate access [1].
  1. Labeling: All containers of hazardous chemicals must be labeled with the appropriate hazard information. This includes product identifiers, signal words, hazard statements, pictograms, and precautionary statements [2].
  1. Employee Training: Employers are required to provide effective information and training on hazardous chemicals at the time of an employee's initial assignment and whenever a new chemical hazard is introduced. Training should cover detection methods, physical and health hazards, protective measures, and details of the hazard communication program [3].
  1. Written Hazard Communication Program: Employers must develop, implement, and maintain a written hazard communication program. This program should describe how labeling, safety data sheets, and employee training requirements will be met [4].
  1. Multi-Employer Workplaces: If employees of other employers may be exposed to hazardous chemicals, the primary employer must ensure that the hazard communication program includes methods to provide access to safety data sheets and inform other employers of necessary precautionary measures [2].

For specific regulations in Maine, it is advisable to consult the Maine Department of Labor or OSHA's regional office for guidance tailored to state-specific requirements.

4 source record(s)

Sources used for this answer

[1] Rules for the Administration of the Oregon Safe Employment Act (General Occupational Safety and Health, Division 2, OSHA Oregon)

Page 3373

Open source document

Source excerpt

## HAZARD COMMUNICATION - (ii) The methods the employer will use to inform the other employer(s) of any precautionary measures that need to be taken to protect employees during the workplace's normal operating conditions and in foreseeable emergencies; and, - (iii) The methods the employer will use to inform the other employer(s) of the labeling system used in the workplace. - (3) The employer may rely on an existing hazard communication program to comply with these requirements, provided that it meets the criteria established in this paragraph (e). - (4) The employer shall make the written hazard communication program available, upon request, to employees, their designated representatives, the Assistant Secretary and the Director, in accordance with the requirements of 29 CFR 1910.1020 (e). - (5) Where employees must travel between workplaces during a workshift, i.e., their work is carried out at more than one geographical location, the written hazard communication program may be kept at the primary workplace facility. - (f) Labels and other forms of warning. - (1) Labels on shipped containers. The chemical manufacturer, importer, or distributor shall ensure that each container of hazardous chemicals leaving the workplace is labeled, tagged or marked. Hazards not otherwise classified do not have to be addressed on the container. Where the chemical manufacturer or importer is required to label, tag or mark the following shall be provided: - (i) Product identifier; - (ii) Signal word; - (iii) Hazard statement(s); - (iv) Pictogram(s); - (v) Precautionary statement(s); and - (vi) Name, address, and telephone number of the chemical manufacturer, importer, or other responsible party. - (2) The chemical manufacturer, importer, or distributor shall ensure that the information provided under paragraphs (f)(1)(i) through (v) of this section is in accordance with Appendix C, Allocation of Label Elements, for each hazard class and associated hazard category for the hazardo

[2] Rules for the Administration of the Oregon Safe Employment Act (General Occupational Safety and Health, Division 2, OSHA Oregon)

Page 3372

Open source document

Source excerpt

## HAZARD COMMUNICATION - (2) Chemical manufacturers, importers or employers classifying chemicals shall identify and consider the full range of available scientific literature and other evidence concerning the potential hazards. There is no requirement to test the chemical to determine how to classify its hazards. Appendix A to §1910.1200 shall be consulted for classification of health hazards, and Appendix B to §1910.1200 shall be consulted for the classification of physical hazards. ## (3) Mixtures. - (i) Chemical manufacturers, importers, or employers evaluating chemicals shall follow the procedures described in Appendices A and B to §1910.1200 to classify the hazards of the chemicals, including determinations regarding when mixtures of the classified chemicals are covered by this section. - (ii) When classifying mixtures they produce or import, chemical manufacturers and importers of mixtures may rely on the information provided on the current safety data sheets of the individual ingredients except where the chemical manufacturer or importer knows, or in the exercise of reasonable diligence should know, that the safety data sheet misstates or omits information required by this section. ## (e) Written hazard communication program. - (1) Employers shall develop, implement, and maintain at each workplace, a written hazard communication program which at least describes how the criteria specified in paragraphs (f), (g), and (h) of this section for labels and other forms of warning, safety data sheets, and employee information and training will be met, and which also includes the following: - (i) A list of the hazardous chemicals known to be present using a product identifier that is referenced on the appropriate safety data sheet (the list may be compiled for the workplace as a whole or for individual work areas); and, - (ii) The methods the employer will use to inform employees of the hazards of nonroutine tasks (for example, the cleaning of reactor vessels

[3] Rules for the Administration of the Oregon Safe Employment Act (General Occupational Safety and Health, Division 2, OSHA Oregon)

Page 3379

Open source document

Source excerpt

## HAZARD COMMUNICATION - (3) Training. Employee training shall include at least: - (i) Methods and observations that may be used to detect the presence or release of a hazardous chemical in the work area (such as monitoring conducted by the employer, continuous monitoring devices, visual appearance or odor of hazardous chemicals when being released, etc.); - (ii) The physical, health, simple asphyxiation, combustible dust, and pyrophoric gas hazards, as well as hazards not otherwise classified, of the chemicals in the work area; - (iii) The measures employees can take to protect themselves from these hazards, including specific procedures the employer has implemented to protect employees from exposure to hazardous chemicals, such as appropriate work practices, emergency procedures, and personal protective equipment to be used; and, - (iv) The details of the hazard communication program developed by the employer, including an explanation of the labels received on shipped containers and the workplace labeling system used by their employer; the safety data sheet, including the order of information and how employees can obtain and use the appropriate hazard information. ## (i) Trade secrets. - (1) The chemical manufacturer, importer, or employer may withhold the specific chemical identity, including the chemical name, other specific identification of a hazardous chemical, or the exact percentage (concentration) of the substance in a mixture, from the safety data sheet, provided that: - (i) The claim that the information withheld is a trade secret can be supported; - (ii) Information contained in the safety data sheet concerning the properties and effects of the hazardous chemical is disclosed; - (iii) The safety data sheet indicates that the specific chemical identity and/or percentage of composition is being withheld as a trade secret; and, - (iv) The specific chemical identity and percentage is made available to health professionals, employees, and designated rep

[4] Rules for the Administration of the Oregon Safe Employment Act (General Occupational Safety and Health, Division 2, OSHA Oregon)

Page 3378

Open source document

Source excerpt

## HAZARD COMMUNICATION (vii) Chemical manufacturers, importers, and distributors need not provide safety data sheets to retail distributors that have informed them that the retail distributor does not sell the product to commercial accounts or open the sealed container to use it in their own workplaces. - (8) The employer shall maintain in the workplace copies of the required safety data sheets for each hazardous chemical, and shall ensure that they are readily accessible during each work shift to employees when they are in their work area(s). (Electronic access and other alternatives to maintaining paper copies of the safety data sheets are permitted as long as no barriers to immediate employee access in each workplace are created by such options.) - (9) Where employees must travel between workplaces during a workshift, i.e., their work is carried out at more than one geographical location, the safety data sheets may be kept at the primary workplace facility. In this situation, the employer shall ensure that employees can immediately obtain the required information in an emergency. - (10) Safety data sheets may be kept in any form, including operating procedures, and may be designed to cover groups of hazardous chemicals in a work area where it may be more appropriate to address the hazards of a process rather than individual hazardous chemicals. However, the employer shall ensure that in all cases the required information is provided for each hazardous chemical, and is readily accessible during each work shift to employees when they are in their work area(s). - (11) Safety data sheets shall also be made readily available, upon request, to designated representatives, the Assistant Secretary, and the Director, in accordance with the requirements of 29 CFR 1910.1020(e). ## (h) Employee information and training. - (1) Employers shall provide employees with effective information and training on hazardous chemicals in their work area at the time of their initial a

Related Q&A

Keep exploring.

Human questionUS

Osha standards for warehouse with robotic environment

For warehouses using robotic and automated material handling systems, OSHA compliance is typically built from existing general industry requirements rather than a robot-specific warehouse standard. The core regulatory areas are machine guarding, hazardous energy control, powered industrial trucks, hazard communication

Read the thread
Human questionGeneral

Lock out tag outs

Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) Procedures and Safety Regulations ======================================================= *Date:** 2025-09-23 *Duration:** \[DURATION] minutes *Presenter:** \[PRESENTER NAME] *Location:** \[LOCATION] Objective To understand and apply Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) procedures to ensure equipment is safely

Read the thread
Human questionGeneral

Painting from ladder

Painting at Height Using Ladders ================================ Document Number: \[SWP-NUMBER] Revision Date: \[DATE] Next Review Date: \[NEXT REVIEW DATE] Department: \[DEPARTMENT NAME] 1\. Scope This Safe Work Procedure (SWP) outlines the safety requirements for painting at height using ladders. It applies to all

Read the thread
Human questionGeneral

no access no work

Preventing Work Commencement Without Proper Authorization and Access Control ============================================================================ *Date:** 2025-11-19 *Duration:** \[DURATION] minutes *Presenter:** \[PRESENTER NAME] *Location:** \[LOCATION] Objective To ensure all work activities are authorized

Read the thread
Human questionGeneral

ground disturbance

Ground Disturbance Safety Procedures ==================================== Document Number: \[SWP-NUMBER] Revision Date: \[DATE] Next Review Date: \[NEXT REVIEW DATE] Department: \[DEPARTMENT NAME] 1\. Scope This safe work procedure (SWP) outlines the requirements for safe ground disturbance activities, including

Read the thread
Human questionUS

Write a risk assessment for warehouse

A warehouse risk assessment should be documented as a task-based assessment that identifies hazards by area, job step, hazard source, body part at risk, severity, probability, risk code, required controls, responsible person, and review date. A suitable method is to carry out a walk-through survey, break each job into

Read the thread
Discussion thread

Add your experience.

Community answers can add practical context. They are moderated, but they are not SALUS-reviewed safety guidance.

New contributions are temporarily closed while the moderation queue is configured.

Community answers(0)

No community answers have been approved yet.

Comments on Rosie's answer(0)

No comments have been approved yet.

Ready to put operational safety to work?

Join 400K users across 150K sites already on SALUS.

No commitment · 30-minute personalized walkthrough