Safety Tidbit 3.44 - Tanks need love (labeled) too

Safety Tidbit 3.44 – Tanks need love (labeled) too

Reference:       OSHA Hazard Communication Standard

An important aspect of the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard is to communicate to workers the hazards of the contents of various containers found in the workplace. Recently, I have come across various tanks and batch vessels located both inside and outside the facility. Oftentimes, the only label on a tank is a faded NFPA diamond with numbers that were hard to make out.

I asked an employer if they knew what was in a tank located in the maintenance area, they said fuel. I pushed a bit further to ask what the hazard (other than being flammable) to the workers might be. There was no answer. I asked if anyone knew what the numbers on the NFPA diamond meant? Again, no answer. I asked how they use the tanks and they said they routinely dispense from the tank into vehicles and other smaller containers. No PPE was used.

1910.1200(f)(7) states: “The employer may use signs, placards, process sheets, batch tickets, operating procedures, or other such written materials in lieu of affixing labels to individual stationary process containers, as long as the alternative method identifies the containers to which it is applicable and conveys the information required by paragraph (f)(6) of this section to be on a label. The employer shall ensure the written materials are readily accessible to the employees in their work area throughout each work shift.”

So, bottom line, all containers in the workplace need to be labeled, even permanently mounted storage and fuel tanks. All employees need to know how to protect themselves from the materials they are required to use.

Hope this was helpful and thank you for reading my Safety Tidbits! Comments and questions are always welcome. ~ Bryan
P.S. If you have an interesting safety or health question please let me know.