Employers want to protect employees and are required to comply with applicable regulations and standards designed to ensure employee protection from hazardous exposure to chemicals. It can be overwhelming trying to understand for every chemical what you are required to do and best management practices for safely handling chemicals.

To help employers out, OSHA has developed a database tool. The database is an online online resource you can use to:

  • Look up chemicals by identification and physical properties
  • Find exposure limits
  • See comprehensive sampling information from multiple government agencies and organizations in one location
  • And find
    • Relevant OSHA regulations and exposure limits applicable to each substance
    • References to other potentially applicable health and safety regulations

The database allows searching by chemical name or CAS number, viewing all chemicals by alphabetical or CAS number order, or viewing all chemicals that are classified in a specific group such as carcinogens. For each chemical, the database includes chemical information, physical properties, allowed monitoring methods, exposure limits under various regulatory bodies and standards, and additional resources or literature references. This database can be a valuable tool in assisting employers with all components of chemical safety programs.

From hazard communication to exposure assessments and choosing required personal protective equipment and respiratory protection, it is important that an employer identify and understand all potential employee exposures to chemicals, how to protect employees and how to comply with applicable regulations. If you aren’t sure where holes in facility or employee compliance might currently exist, please reach out to one of our experts who can help!