6.0 Employee Information and Training
Revised February, 2021
6.1 General Hazard Communication Training
EH&S provides general hazard communication training as an online course. All employees should complete this training when they begin working at the University. A training schedule for EH&S training classes is available at unr.edu/ehs, then go to the EH&S Learning Management System to register for a training class.
Groups that want to present training other than the EH&S course should contact EH&S for guidance. General training topics must include:
- Location and availability of the University Hazard Communication Program.
- Details of the University Hazard Communication Program, including an explanation of container labeling requirements, availability of SDSs, and how employees can obtain and use chemical hazard information.
- How to access the chemical inventory maintained by EH&S.
- Methods used to detect hazardous chemicals (such as chemical monitoring, visual appearance, and odor).
- Health and physical hazards of chemicals, which may be presented for specific chemicals or by chemical class.
- Methods and procedures that employees can use to prevent overexposure to hazardous chemicals, to include engineering controls, safe work practices, and personal protective equipment.
- General emergency procedures pertaining to hazardous chemicals
Facilities Maintenance provides Hazard Communication training to its employees. This training is similar in content to the training provided by EH&S.
6.2 Workplace Specific Hazard Communication Training
In some cases, workplace specific training is needed to supplement general Hazard Communication training. In these cases, workplace specific training must be provided prior to an employee working with, or being exposed to, a hazardous chemical. Additional training is required when new hazardous chemicals are introduced to the work area. The responsible supervisor is responsible for ensuring that appropriate workplace specific training is provided. Workplace specific training must be documented, to include: 1) name and signature of person presenting training, 2) name and signature of persons receiving training, 3) date, and 4) outline of training topics presented.
Training for standard procedures may be based on chemical hazard categories, such as flammables, corrosives, oxidizers, and other specific hazard categories; however, training must provide information on specific safe work practices to be used. Training must cover the following topics (as applicable):
- Hazardous chemicals present in the workplace, including the locations where chemicals are stored and used.
- The specific scheme used for labeling secondary containers in that particular workplace.
- The procedure for maintaining the workplace chemical inventory (whether maintained by workplace personnel or by EH&S) and if maintained by workplace personnel, how to access the inventory.
- Health and physical hazards of chemicals in the workplace, as needed to supplement the general training provided by EH&S. This information can be provided by chemical category or specific chemical.
- Specific methods to be used to prevent overexposure to hazardous chemicals, to include engineering controls, safe work practices, and personal protective equipment.
- Location and selection of appropriate personal protective equipment such as eye, hand, foot and skin protection
- Incident response procedures, to include response to fire, personnel exposures (decontamination and first aid procedures), spills and other releases, and other applicable incidents.
- Location of emergency equipment including emergency showers, eyewashes, and fire extinguishers.
- Within the context of the specific workplace, how to access SDSs and the University Hazard Communication Program (this document).
6.3 Maintenance of General Hazard Communication Training Records
EH&S maintains records of all hazard communication training presented in the EH&S Learning Management System (LMS). Individuals can review their training records and print certificates of completion by accessing the EH&S Learning Management System.
6.4 Maintenance of Workplace Specific Training
The supervisor is normally responsible for ensuring that records of workplace specific training are maintained; however, a separate individual within the department or other administrative group can be assigned this responsibility by the chair or director.