For the next few articles, I would like to talk about toxicology and hazard communication, or “HazCom,” which often appears in the top 10 of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) citations. As the name implies, HazCom is the communication of chemical hazards to the workforce. We also call it the “right to know.”
OSHA estimates at least 32 million workers face potential exposure to one or more chemical hazards in the workplace. Experts estimate these exposures result in roughly 22% of workplace diseases and injuries. Depending on the toxicology of the chemical and type of exposure, injuries or illnesses may show up within seconds, minutes or hours, or may not show up for weeks or even years.