WASHINGTON – As
part of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s efforts to protect
workers from the hazards of chemicals, the agency plans to issue new guidance on
how to apply the Weight of Evidence approach when dealing with complex
scientific studies. On February 16, OSHA will begin accepting comments on its Guidance on Data
Evaluation for Weight of Evidence Determination, which is intended to help
employers consider all available information when classifying hazardous chemicals.
The “weight of evidence” approach assists
manufacturers, importers and employers to evaluate scientific studies on the
potential health hazards of a chemical and determine what information must be
disclosed on the label and safety data sheet (SDS) for compliance with the
Hazard Communication Standard. This draft is a companion document to a recently
posted Hazard
Classification Guidance.
“It is vitally important that workers and employers be given
complete and accurate information about the hazards associated with exposure to
the chemicals with which they work. Without that, how can they ensure they are
protected,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and
Health Dr. David Michaels. “This guidance will help educate chemical
manufacturers and importers about OSHA’s expectations on how to prepare
accurate safety data sheets and labels required to protect worker safety and
health.”
Under the Hazard
Communication Standard, chemical
manufacturers and importers must review all available scientific evidence
concerning the physical and health hazards of the chemicals they produce or
import to determine if they are hazardous. This document helps the label and
SDS preparer apply the Weight of Evidence approach when dealing with complex
scientific studies.
This guidance
document is not a standard or regulation and it does not create any new legal
obligations and is intended to assist employers in providing a safe and
healthful workplace. The recommendations are advisory in nature, informational
in content, and intended to educate scientists and non-scientists alike
who prepare labels and SDSs so that they provide accurate and consistent
information.
For more information and to review the draft guidelines and
provide comment, visit OSHA’s Guidance on Data Evaluation for Weight of
Evidence Determination webpage at http://draft.osha.gov/weightofevidence/index.html.
Comments will be accepted until March 31, 2016. Comments may also be posted
directly to www.regulations.gov using Docket
OSHA-2016-004.
Under the
Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for
providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role
is to ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting
and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For
more information, visit www.osha.gov.
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