OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard (HCS)

The Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) ensures chemical safety in the workplace by requiring chemical manufacturers to provide information through labels, safety data sheets, and training to employees about hazardous chemicals they may be exposed to. New labelling requirements has economic impacts on specialty chemical manufacturers, by requiring companies to develop new labels for products. The rule also provides beneficial flexibility for labelling of small packages, bulk shipments and chemicals already released for distribution.

Updates to the Rule

The final HCS rule incudes these provisions:

Beneficial updates to the rules on small package labeling
Flexibility for chemicals already released for distribution
Flexibility for labeling of bulk shipments
Concentration ranges for labeling of products containing “trade secrets”
Modifications to the Hazard Classification Requirements

SOCMA has created guidance for the update to the HCS rule, which can be viewed in the resource section of this page.

SOCMA Successful Advocacy

SOCMA supported inclusion of provisions on small package labeling, flexibility for chemicals released for distribution, labeling for bulk shipments, and extended compliance dates, which were all considered in the final rule published in May of 2024.

SOCMA also obtained clarification from OSHA in the Hazard Classification Requirements, eliminating ambiguity in the required labeling of all “foreseeable uses” of the chemical.

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SOCMA Guidance: HCS Key Changes Document

SOCMA has created an itemized list for our membership of each major provision of the HCS rule and what has changed in each of them. This guidance can be viewed below.

Download Guidance

SOCMA Guidance: HCS Compliance Dates

OSHA decided to stagger the compliance dates, so companies had adequate time to get their information from their suppliers. This was in part due to successful SOCMA advocacy through comments to OSHA on the proposed HCS rule.

Download Compliance Dates

OSHA HCS Side-by-Side Comparison

OSHA released a document that redlines the changes between the previous HCS rule and the current one. They highlight the changes in definitions and provisions in the new HCS rule.

Download OSHA's Comparison Document

OSHA HCS FAQ Document

OSHA has also released a question-and-answer document for the final HCS rule, providing answers to frequently asked questions about the rule.

Download OSHA's FAQ Document

Issue Overview

Learn more about SOCMA’s position on OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard (HCS).

Download Issue Overview

SOCMA provides input to OSHA on its Proposed Hazard Communication Standard

OSHA asked industry for comments on their proposed HCS rule in 2021. SOCMA provided key information on where this proposed rule had unjust negative impacts our membership, and where we supported their provisions.

Download Comments

SOCMA's Response to OSHA's Proposed Hazard Communication Standard

SOCMA participated in a hearing on HCS, providing feedback on the proposed standard.

Download Testimony