Who is responsible for ensuring that employees understand the hazards of chemicals they work with?

The responsibility for ensuring that employees understand the hazards of the chemicals they work with primarily falls on supervisors or employers. This duty is encapsulated in the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS), which mandates that employers assess the hazards of chemicals and communicate that information to employees.

Supervisors and employers must provide appropriate training, labeling, and safety data sheets (SDS) to inform workers of chemical hazards effectively. It is their role to ensure a safe working environment where employees are aware of the risks associated with the materials they handle, which includes understanding how to read labels and SDS, recognizing hazards, and knowing safe handling practices.

While employees certainly have a role in understanding and following safety practices, the primary obligation to facilitate that understanding lies with the employer. Safety committees and local regulatory agencies may contribute by providing guidelines or support, but they do not directly ensure that individual employees are knowledgeable about specific hazards.