OSHA requires that healthcare facilities institute a written program that meets the requirements of the
Hazard Communication Standard (HCS), which includes employee training, clearly-marked warning labels, as well as readily-available Safety Data Sheets (SDSs). The principle and importance of the HCS or Haz-Com standard, is to establish awareness of the hazardous chemicals and drugs that healthcare employees may be exposed to while working. Chemicals utilized in various types of healthcare settings include those which can involve potentially serious health hazards as well as produce physical hazards, such as fires and explosions.
A hazardous chemical, as defined by the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS), is any chemical which can cause a physical or a health hazard. This determination is made by the chemical manufacturer, as described in the HCS (29 CFR 1910.1200(d)).
