Environmental, Health and Safety - Training offered by Chemical Distributors, Incorporated

• In an emergency, seconds count. First aid, cardiac and breathing emergencies will happen. Is your staff ready? Every 40 seconds, someone in the U.S. has a heart attack. 70% of deaths from heart attacks occur before reaching the hospital. Survival rates double with CPR and AED use.
• Research shows more than 90% of employees would take First Aid training if offered by their employer. Go beyond compliance and train ALL your staff so they are ready to respond to a medical emergency.

• The simplest formula for safety is knowledge. Understanding the hazards that may arise from the chemicals in your facility and providing training on the safe use and handling of, and the recommended PPE to keep your workers safe, equals a safer, more productive workplace.

• Number of violations in 2020: 3,193
• The OSHA Hazard Communication Standard is designed to protect employees from hazardous chemicals used or stored in the work setting. Also referred to as Right to Know, it requires that training and information be provided to any employees who have the potential of being exposed to a hazardous chemical "under normal condition of use or in a foreseeable emergency."
• HazCom training requires the presence of hazardous chemicals be communicated to employees in a variety of ways, including:
  • The hazardous chemical inventory
  • Safety Data Sheets (SDS)
  • Labels, tags or signs
  • The written hazard communication program
• In 2020, HazCom was the second most violated standard. The majority of the 3,193 citations written to employers were for failing to train their employees on SDS and GHS and for failure to provide SDS information to employees.

• The 10-hour training program is primarily intended for entry level workers. The 30-hour training program is intended to provide workers who have some safety responsibility a greater depth and variety of training. All outreach training is intended to cover an overview of the hazards a worker may encounter on a job site. Training emphasizes hazard identification, avoidance, control, and prevention, not OSHA standards.

• Number of violations in 2020: 2,065
• It is the employer's responsibility to protect employees from hazardous energy sources on machines and equipment during service and maintenance. Employees servicing or maintaining machines or equipment may be exposed to serious physical harm or death if hazardous energy is not properly controlled. Craft workers, machine operators, and laborers are among the 3 million workers who service equipment and face the greatest risk. Compliance with the lockout/ tagout standard prevents an estimated 120 fatalities and 50,000 injuries each year. Workers injured on the job from exposure to hazardous energy lose an average of 24 workdays for recuperation. In 2020, there were 2,065 citations issued for violations of this standard-the majority of which were for failure to train employees.

• Number of violations in 2020: 1,932
• Powered industrial trucks, commonly called forklifts or lift trucks, are used in many industries, primarily to move materials. The hazards commonly associated with powered industrial trucks vary depending on the vehicle type and the workplace where the truck is used. Each year, an estimated 100 workers are killed and nearly 20,000 are injured in forklift-related incidents. Reducing the risk of forklift incidents requires a safe work environment, a complete forklift program that includes a written plan and employee training that complies with the regulation, and safe work practices. Failure to train operators is the biggest cause for the 1,932 violations in 2020.

• Number of violations in 2020: 2,649
• The Respiratory Protection Standard was initiated to make employers train employees regarding potentially unhealthy or hazardous inhalation hazards. Employers are required to establish and maintain an effective respiratory protection program when employees must wear respirators to protect against workplace hazards. Different hazards require different respirators, and employees are responsible for wearing the appropriate respirator and complying with the respiratory protection program.

• Falls from heights and on the same level (a working surface) are among the leading causes of serious work-related injuries and deaths. OSHA estimates that, on average, approximately 202,066 serious (lost-workday) injuries and 345 fatalities occur annually among workers directly affected by the final standard. In 2017 OSHA implemented its final rule on Walking-Working Surfaces and Personal Fall Protection Systems intended to better protect workers in general industry from these hazards by updating and clarifying standards and adding training and inspection requirements. The rule affects over 6.9 million worksites employing an estimated 112 million workers. Specifically, the rule updates general industry standards addressing slip, trip, and fall hazards (subpart D), and adds requirements for personal fall protection systems (subpart I). The rule requires employers to protect workers from fall hazards along unprotected sides or edges that are at least 4 feet above a lower level. OSHA estimates this rule will prevent 29 fatalities and 5,842 lost-workday injuries every year.

• The objective of OSHA's Process Safety Management (PSM) of Highly Hazardous Chemicals (HHC) is to prevent the unwanted releases of hazardous chemicals, especially into locations that could expose employees and others to serious hazards. Facilities that utilize HHCs above a specified threshold quantity are required to develop and maintain a PSM plan. HHCs are dangerous because, if they are accidentally released, they have the potential to cause a catastrophic incident that could cause injury or death at the facility and even in the surrounding community. Under the PSM standard, OSHA wants to eliminate having untrained workers in the workplace and wants to ensure that everyone who needs training receives it. If your company uses HHCs you may be subject to the regulations under the PSM standard.

• The Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) program identifies and regulates high-risk chemical facilities to ensure they have security measures in place to reduce the risks associated with these chemicals. These facilities are identified based on the types and quantities of chemicals stored.
• We offer assistance with:
  • Top-Screen Submission
  • Security Vulnerability Assessment
  • Site Security Plans
  • Audit preparation

• Mandated by Section 312 of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act (EPCRA) - also known as SARA Title III - the Tier II form captures information about the types, quantities and locations of hazardous chemicals at a given facility. The form also lists contact information for the facility's designated emergency point-of-contact. The purpose of this form is to provide State, local officials, and the public with specific information on potential hazards. This includes the locations, as well as the amount, of hazardous chemicals present at your facility during the previous calendar year.

• Each year, companies across a wide range of industries (including chemical, mining, paper, oil and gas) that produce more than 25,000 pounds or handle more than 10,000 pounds of a listed toxic chemical must report it to the TRI. TRI tracks the management of certain toxic chemicals that may pose a threat to human health and the environment. U.S. facilities in different industry sectors must report annually how much of each chemical is released to the environment and/or managed through recycling, energy recovery and treatment. (A "release" of a chemical means that it is emitted to the air or water, or placed in some type of land disposal.
• The information submitted by facilities is compiled in the Toxics Release Inventory. TRI helps support informed decision-making by companies, government agencies, non-governmental organizations and the public.

• HAZMAT EMPLOYEE - Definition from 49 CFR (171.8) means a person who is employed by a hazmat employer and who in the course of employment directly affects hazardous materials transportation safety. This term includes an owner-operator of a motor vehicle which transports hazardous materials in commerce. This term also includes an individual, employed by a hazmat employer who, during the course of employment:
  • loads, unloads, or handles hazardous materials
  • manufactures, tests, reconditions, repairs, modifies, marks, or otherwise represents containers, drums, or packagings as qualified for use in the transportation of hazardous materials
  • prepares hazardous materials for transportation
  • is responsible for safety of transporting hazardous materials
  • operates a vehicle to transport hazardous materials.
• DOT regulations require hazmat employees to receive initial training upon hire and refresher training every three years.

Are your hazmat employees up to date with training? We offer both initial and refresher training. Material includes General Awareness, Function Specific, Safety Training, Security Awareness, Security Plan Training.

If your company employs workers who perform any of the above duties, they are hazmat employees and must be trained in accordance with Subpart H - 49 CFR 172.704.

• The DOT requires shippers of certain hazardous materials to develop and adhere to a transportation security plan and train relevant employees regarding the security plan.
• The HM-232 regulation applies not only to those who transport the hazardous materials, but also to facilities that offer hazardous materials to third party drivers and rail carriers.
• As a company who ships or offers hazardous materials to outside carriers, does your HM-232 Security Plan meet the DOT's requirements? We can help you get into compliance by assessing your security risks and developing a customized plan to fit your needs.