© 2003 Liberty Mutual Group – All Rights Reserved 1

Construction Safety Talks

Right To Know - Labels

No. 75

How This Talk Applies To My

Crew:

Some Things To Know Before You Give Your Talk.

As a supervisor, you need to tell your crew about the right-to-know program. Sometimes called Hazard Communication, it's a program for letting them know about the hazards of materials used at the job site so that they can take steps to protect themselves from over exposures.

The program has three main parts: training, labeling and material safety data sheets (MSDS). Today, we’re going to talk about labeling.

Labels

Your main sources of information about hazardous chemicals are labels on containers. They contain much of the same information as Material Safety Data Sheets but are usually less detailed. As such, there are a few rules about labels your crew should understand.

• Do not use materials from unlabeled containers. This also goes for containers where the label is impossible to read because it has been torn, defaced, or damaged.

• Make sure your crew understands all of the warnings and precautions on the label before using or working with the material. If they're not sure, tell them to ask you or to check the MSDS.

• When transferring a small amount of material to a secondary container, copy the label’s information to a blank self-adhesive label and affix it to the secondary container. If this is a common procedure because the material is purchased in bulk, the company can have labels preprinted for easy application.

• Secondary containers have to be appropriate for the material they will hold. A metal container with self-closing lid is appropriate for flammable liquids. Soda bottles and coffee cups are not appropriate for anything other then soda and coffee!

• Bond the secondary container to the original container when dispensing flammable and combustible liquids.

© 2003 Liberty Mutual Group – All Rights Reserved 2

Other aspects of hazardous material use your crew should understand includes the importance of:

• Providing ventilation to dilute vapors.

• Watching for and avoiding sources of ignition such as welding, cutting, open flame heaters, dryers or grinding operations.

• Wearing the appropriate personnel protection such as glasses, gloves, or respirator.

Training

The training your crew receives on using these materials takes into consideration the potential hazards of the material and how it is to be used. If they do not understand something about the hazards or how it is to be used safely, now is a good time for them to bring it up.

Conduct training when the material is introduced to the job, when new people become part of the crew, after a near miss, and at least annually to remind them of the hazards and precautions.

Questions You Can Use To Get Them Talking:

• How do you find out what type of secondary container is appropriate? (answer: Read the label or MSDS.)

• Has anyone ever had an accident - or know of one - involving hazardous materials?

• What hazardous substances do we use on this job that are transferred to secondary containers?

Attended By:

The illustrations, instructions and principles contained in the material are general in scope and, to the best of our knowledge, current at the time of publication. No attempt has been made to interpret any referenced codes, standards or regulations. Please refer to the appropriate code, standard or regulation making authority for interpretation or clarification.