Most workplaces have some types of chemicals. Hazardous chemicals can cause injury and illness – therefore, there are regulations that require information on what chemicals are (or were) in use or that employees may have been exposed to.
The Hazard Communication standard (§1910.1200) requires employers to keep a record of what hazardous chemical is being used. That list, the chemical inventory, becomes a part of the workplace written Hazard Communication plan.
The Employee Exposure and Medical Record standard, §1910.1020, requires that the employer keep a record of what chemical was used in what area, and when that chemical was used. This information must be kept for at least thirty years.
Employers have to keep chemical records in order to comply with environmental requirements such as the Toxic Release Inventory (Form R) and chemical inventory reports (Tier I & II) under the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act.
Proper hazardous waste disposal depends on knowing the chemical components of a waste. Using chemical records to identify what is in a waste can help employers segregate to save on costs.
Federal, state, and local governments, citizens, and employees are interested in what chemicals you have, how you handle them, and what the dangers are. Employers have a great responsibility to keep chemicals under control and safe for employees, communities, and the environment.
The Chemical Recordkeeping tool in KOL can help you keep track of the chemicals you receive, store, use, and discard, including hazardous waste.
You can find MSDSs and associate them with your chemicals, indicate where chemicals are used in your facility, and locate the hazardous ingredients that a compound contains. You can create custom reports using chemical names or CAS#, location, work area, or by ingredient.
KOL also offers a Chemical Crossreference tool, which contains information for approximately 8,000 chemicals. For each of those chemicals, this program tells you exactly if and how various agencies regulate it. This enables you to make decisions about how to handle the chemicals in your facility.
For more information, visit the J.J. Keller & Associates Web site at www.jjkeller.com.
