Chemical Safety

occupational hazards

chemical safetyoccupational hazards, occupational health hazards

Occupational Hazards in Chemical Safety: What Employers Must Manage

Occupational hazards in chemical safety are any workplace conditions that can harm workers through chemical exposure, unsafe handling, or failures in communication and controls. These risks are a major category of occupational health hazards because they can cause both immediate injury (burns, poisoning) and long-term illness (asthma, organ damage, cancer).

In the U.S., OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard (HCS), 29 CFR 1910.1200, is the cornerstone regulation requiring employers to identify chemical hazards, maintain Safety Data Sheets (SDSs), label containers, and train employees. Effective chemical safety also connects to other OSHA standards like Respiratory Protection (29 CFR 1910.134) and PPE (29 CFR Subpart I).

Chemical safety isn’t only about “what chemicals you have”—it’s about ensuring every worker can quickly find accurate hazard information and follow consistent controls every time.

Common Chemical-Related Occupational Hazards

Chemical hazards show up in many forms, and the same chemical can present multiple hazard types depending on concentration, process, and route of exposure.

Health hazards (acute and chronic)

These are classic occupational health hazards linked to toxicology and exposure:

  • Acute toxicity (inhalation, skin contact, ingestion): headaches, dizziness, unconsciousness, death
  • Skin/eye corrosion and irritation: chemical burns, dermatitis, vision damage
  • Respiratory sensitization and asthma: triggered by isocyanates, cleaning agents, certain resins
  • Carcinogenicity and mutagenicity: risk increases with repeated or prolonged exposure
  • Target organ effects (liver, kidney, nervous system): often associated with solvents and heavy metals

OSHA’s HCS requires hazard classification and communication consistent with GHS-aligned SDS content, enabling workers to understand hazards through standardized SDS sections.

Physical hazards (fire, reactivity, and energy release)

Not all chemical incidents are “toxic exposures.” Many are physical events driven by chemistry:

  • Flammables and combustibles: flash fires from vapors, ignition during transfer
  • Oxidizers: intensify fires, react violently with organics
  • Explosives/self-reactives/organic peroxides: rapid decomposition, blast potential
  • Corrosives: damage to equipment leading to secondary failures and releases
  • Incompatible mixing: heat release, toxic gas generation (e.g., acids + bleach)

These hazards tie directly to labeling and employee training requirements under 29 CFR 1910.1200, and also relate to safe storage, transfer, and housekeeping practices.

Exposure route hazards

Understanding routes of exposure helps target controls:

  • Inhalation: vapors, gases, aerosols, dusts (common in cleaning, painting, mixing, welding adjacent work)
  • Dermal absorption: solvents, pesticides, some pharmaceuticals
  • Injection: high-pressure equipment, sharps in labs
  • Ingestion: contamination from poor hygiene practices or mislabeled containers

OSHA Requirements That Shape Chemical Hazard Management

OSHA doesn’t expect perfection—it expects a functioning system that identifies hazards and protects workers consistently. Several standards commonly apply.

Hazard Communication Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200)

Under OSHA HCS, employers must:

  1. Maintain an SDS for each hazardous chemical and ensure it’s readily accessible to employees.
  2. Ensure containers are labeled (primary and workplace/secondary containers where applicable) with product identifier and hazard information.
  3. Develop and implement a written Hazard Communication Program.
  4. Train employees on chemical hazards, protective measures, and how to use SDSs.

A frequent breakdown is access: SDSs that exist but can’t be found quickly during a spill, exposure, or inspection. Centralizing and standardizing SDS access is a practical way to reduce risk and improve compliance.

PPE and respiratory protection

Chemical hazards often require PPE selection and respiratory controls:

  • 29 CFR 1910 Subpart I (PPE): hazard assessment, selection, and training for gloves, goggles, face shields, protective clothing
  • 29 CFR 1910.134 (Respiratory Protection): written program, medical evaluations, fit testing, training, and appropriate respirator selection when respirators are required

When SDS sections on exposure controls and PPE are consistent and accessible, it becomes easier for supervisors and safety teams to align actual workplace practices with the chemical’s requirements.

Exposure assessment and other applicable standards

Depending on your chemicals and processes, additional OSHA requirements may apply, such as substance-specific standards (e.g., for certain carcinogens) or rules affecting labs, construction, and process safety. Even when OSHA doesn’t have a chemical-specific standard, employers still need to address recognized hazards.

Building a Chemical Safety Program That Reduces Occupational Hazards

Chemical safety works best as a layered system—relying on more than training alone.

Apply the hierarchy of controls

Use a structured approach to reduce exposure and incident potential:

  • Elimination/Substitution: remove or replace higher-hazard chemicals where feasible
  • Engineering controls: local exhaust ventilation, closed transfer systems, splash guards
  • Administrative controls: standard operating procedures (SOPs), restricted access, job rotation, spill drills
  • PPE: gloves, goggles, face shields, protective suits, respirators (as required)

SDS information supports each layer: incompatibilities affect storage and segregation; exposure limits guide ventilation and respirator decisions; first-aid measures inform emergency response.

Strengthen chemical inventory and storage practices

Inventory control is a direct lever on occupational hazards—less unnecessary chemical stock reduces exposure opportunities.

  • Track locations and quantities so workers know what’s present before work begins
  • Identify expired or degraded chemicals (e.g., peroxide formers)
  • Segregate incompatibles (acids/bases, oxidizers/organics)
  • Standardize secondary container labeling and ensure the label matches the SDS

How SwiftSDS Helps Manage SDS Access, Compliance, and Chemical Risk

Many organizations struggle with scattered binders, outdated SDS versions, and inconsistent access across shifts and sites. SwiftSDS is designed to solve these SDS management challenges by supporting a more reliable hazard communication process.

With SwiftSDS, teams can:

  • Maintain a centralized SDS library in a secure cloud-based location
  • Support OSHA compliance with 29 CFR 1910.1200 by improving SDS availability and organization
  • Use GHS support to align labels and hazard classification information with modern SDS formats
  • Track chemicals through chemical inventory management (locations, quantities, and expiration dates)
  • Enable mobile access so workers can retrieve SDS information instantly from any device—critical during spills, exposures, or urgent decision-making

When SDS information is easy to find, current, and standardized, employers reduce confusion in the field and improve consistency in training, PPE selection, storage decisions, and emergency response.

Practical Steps to Reduce Occupational Health Hazards Today

To make immediate progress, focus on high-impact fundamentals:

  1. Verify SDS completeness and currency for every hazardous chemical onsite.
  2. Confirm access: employees must be able to obtain SDSs without barriers during every shift.
  3. Audit labels on incoming and secondary containers for alignment with SDS hazards.
  4. Train for real tasks: include how chemicals are actually used, transferred, stored, and disposed.
  5. Use inventory data to remove expired chemicals and reduce unnecessary stock.

If a worker can’t find the SDS in under a minute during an emergency, your system is not truly “accessible.”

Take Control of Chemical Occupational Hazards with SwiftSDS

Reducing occupational hazards and occupational health hazards in chemical environments requires more than a binder on a shelf—it takes fast access to accurate SDS information, strong inventory visibility, and consistent hazard communication across your organization.

Ready to simplify SDS management and strengthen your hazard communication program? Explore SDS Management Software or request a demo of SwiftSDS to modernize your chemical safety system and support OSHA-aligned compliance.