“The United States exports nearly $700 billion of chemicals each year and imports approximately $60 billion per year,” write Goldberg Segalla product liability attorneys David S. Osterman and Sean T. Stadelman in this article co-authored with Peter B. Harnett, President of Counsel in Occupational and Environmental Health, Inc. (COEH).

“Chemical manufacturers, importers, and downstream customers alike are required to evaluate the hazards of the chemicals, and they must prepare labels and safety data sheets to convey the hazard information to their downstream customers. These communications are mandated and regulated by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA’s) Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) — a regulation that, each year, ranks among those with the greatest number of violations in the American workplace.”

This article examines OSHA Hazard Communication 2012 (HazCom 2012), a new rule that has altered the game for those in the chemical industry by changing the regulations governing OSHA’s HCS. It explains the evolution of HazCom 2012, including the intersection with the United Nations Globally Harmonized System (GHS), liability implications for failing to comply with the HCS, and strategies for ensuring companies are ready to continually meet the standards.

Read the article here:

• David S. Osterman, Sean T. Stadelman, and Peter B. Harnett, “Implementation of Hazard Communication 2012: Are Your Clients Adequately Prepared?” Toxic Torts, Defense Research Institute, August 30, 2013