Understanding chemical and hazardous materials in the workplace
Chemical and hazardous materials are substances that can cause harm to people, property, or the environment through exposure, reaction, or improper handling. In day-to-day operations, these materials can appear as liquids, gases, dusts, vapors, aerosols, or solid chemical hazard sources such as powders, pellets, and reactive solids.
From a chemical safety standpoint, it’s less important what a product is called and more important how it behaves—whether it burns, corrodes, poisons, sensitizes, reacts, or displaces oxygen. The most reliable way to understand those hazards is to use the product’s Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and label information aligned to OSHA and the Globally Harmonized System (GHS).
If employees can’t quickly find the correct SDS, they can’t verify hazards, PPE, first aid, or spill response—creating avoidable risk and compliance exposure.
What are the hazardous chemicals? (and why it matters)
Many people ask, “what are the hazardous” substances at work? Under OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard (HazCom, 29 CFR 1910.1200), a hazardous chemical is any chemical classified as a physical hazard or a health hazard (including simple asphyxiants, combustible dust, pyrophoric gas, and hazards not otherwise classified).
Physical hazards vs. health hazards
Physical hazards describe a chemical’s ability to cause harm through energy release or dangerous reactions.
- Flammables (flammable liquids, gases, aerosols)
- Oxidizers and organic peroxides
- Explosives and self-reactives
- Corrosive to metals
- Water-reactive or air-reactive materials
- Compressed gases
Health hazards describe the potential to injure the body through exposure.
- Acute toxicity (poisoning)
- Skin corrosion/irritation and serious eye damage
- Respiratory or skin sensitization
- Carcinogenicity, mutagenicity, reproductive toxicity
- Specific target organ toxicity (single or repeated exposure)
- Aspiration hazards
OSHA HazCom requires employers to:
- Maintain an SDS for each hazardous chemical.
- Ensure container labeling is present and legible.
- Keep a written Hazard Communication Program.
- Provide effective employee training.
Common chemical hazard examples across industries
A “chemical hazard” isn’t limited to labs or manufacturing—hazardous chemicals exist in offices, healthcare, food production, schools, and maintenance operations.
Chemical hazard examples you may already have on site
- Solvents (e.g., acetone, toluene): flammable vapors, CNS effects
- Cleaning chemicals (e.g., bleach, ammonia): corrosivity, toxic gas potential if mixed
- Acids/alkalis (e.g., muriatic acid, sodium hydroxide): severe burns, reactive hazards
- Fuels and aerosols: flammability and explosive atmospheres
- Isocyanates (some paints/foams): respiratory sensitization
- Welding fumes and gases: toxic exposure and oxygen displacement
Even “routine” products become hazards when used in confined spaces, heated, sprayed, or mixed. Reviewing SDS Sections 2 (Hazard identification), 4 (First-aid measures), 7 (Handling and storage), 8 (Exposure controls/PPE), and 10 (Stability and reactivity) is a practical way to connect hazards to real tasks.
The often-missed risk: solid chemical hazard scenarios
A solid chemical hazard can be underestimated because it doesn’t splash like a liquid or disperse like a gas—until it becomes airborne dust, reacts with moisture, or is cut/ground into fine particles.
Solid hazards to watch for
- Combustible dust: fine organic or metal dusts can ignite and explode. OSHA includes combustible dust under HazCom, and many facilities also follow NFPA guidance to control dust accumulation and ignition sources.
- Reactive solids: some solids react with water or air, generating heat, flammable gases, or corrosive byproducts.
- Toxic powders: pigments, metal salts, catalysts, and pharmaceuticals can be hazardous by inhalation or skin contact.
- Sensitizing solids: dust can trigger allergic reactions even at low levels.
Controls typically include local exhaust ventilation, dust collection, housekeeping, appropriate respirators where required, and strict compatibility/storage practices based on SDS guidance.
How OSHA HazCom and GHS support safer chemical handling
OSHA HazCom (29 CFR 1910.1200) is designed to ensure employees know what chemicals they’re exposed to and how to protect themselves. It aligns with GHS for hazard classification and communication.
The SDS: your primary chemical safety document
An SDS provides standardized information in 16 sections. Key uses include:
- Selecting PPE and engineering controls (Section 8)
- Understanding incompatibilities and dangerous reactions (Section 10)
- Planning spill response and disposal (Sections 6 and 13)
- Training workers on symptoms and first aid (Sections 4 and 11)
Labels: fast hazard recognition
GHS-aligned labels communicate:
- Signal word (Danger/Warning)
- Hazard statements and precautionary statements
- Pictograms
- Product identifier and supplier info
When labels are missing, smeared, or inconsistent across secondary containers, risk increases—especially for maintenance teams, contractors, and new hires.
Building a practical chemical safety program
A strong chemical safety program turns hazard information into consistent actions.
Core elements to implement
- Chemical inventory: know what you have, where it is, and how much
- SDS accessibility: ensure workers can access SDSs during every shift
- Training: cover hazards, labels, SDS use, protective measures, and emergency procedures
- Storage compatibility: segregate incompatibles (acids vs. bases, oxidizers vs. organics, etc.)
- Exposure controls: ventilation, closed systems, substitution, and PPE
- Emergency planning: spill kits, eyewash/showers, response procedures, and reporting
Common failure points (and how to avoid them)
- Outdated SDS versions: request updated SDSs when products change or suppliers update classifications
- Uncontrolled “shadow chemicals”: products brought in by departments without review
- Poor secondary container labeling: enforce labeling for spray bottles, sample containers, and transfer vessels
- Unclear chemical locations: chemicals stored in multiple areas without visibility
Using a purpose-built SDS management platform can help close these gaps.
How SwiftSDS simplifies SDS management and OSHA compliance
Managing chemical and hazardous materials across multiple departments and sites is difficult when SDSs live in binders, shared drives, or email threads. SwiftSDS is a comprehensive SDS management platform that helps businesses centralize and control hazard information while supporting OSHA HazCom compliance.
With SwiftSDS, organizations can:
- Maintain a centralized SDS library in a secure cloud location so employees can find SDSs quickly
- Support OSHA compliance with 29 CFR 1910.1200 by improving SDS availability and program consistency
- Use GHS support to keep hazard communication aligned with standardized SDS and labeling concepts
- Track chemicals with chemical inventory management (locations, quantities, expiration dates) to reduce unknowns and prevent stockpiles
- Enable mobile access so workers can retrieve SDS details at the point of use—on the floor, in a storeroom, or during an emergency
If your chemical safety program depends on quick access to accurate SDS information, a centralized system reduces downtime, confusion, and the chance of using the wrong controls.
Take the next step toward safer chemical handling
Chemical safety starts with knowing your hazards—especially when you’re dealing with diverse chemical hazard examples and overlooked risks like solid chemical hazard dusts and reactive solids. OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200) makes SDS access, labeling, and training non-negotiable, but the real goal is preventing exposures and incidents.
Ready to strengthen your chemical safety program? Organize your SDS library, improve access for every shift, and gain inventory visibility with SwiftSDS.
Explore SwiftSDS SDS Management or request a demo to see how SwiftSDS can simplify compliance and protect your team.