Free written program · 29 CFR 1910.1200
Hazard Communication Program Template for Your Workplace
A hazard communication program explains how you tell employees about chemicals they may encounter at work. This template covers your chemical inventory, safety data sheets, container labels, employee instruction, and contractor coordination. Owners and safety managers can use it to assign responsibility for those tasks, then replace general statements with the labeling and information systems their crews actually use.
The full hazard communication program template
Hazard Communication Program. Blanks in [brackets] are for your own details.
The printable copy downloads as a web page file: open it in your browser, then print it or save it as a PDF.
Written program ensuring employees are informed about chemical hazards through labels, Safety Data Sheets, and training.
1. Purpose & Scope
This Hazard Communication Program ensures that [Company Name] complies with OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200). All employees who may be exposed to hazardous chemicals in their work area have the right to know about those chemical hazards. This program covers all hazardous chemicals used, stored, or produced at our facility.
2. Chemical Inventory
The Safety Manager maintains a current list of all hazardous chemicals present in the workplace. This inventory is:
- Updated whenever a new chemical is introduced or a chemical is removed.
- Available at [location] and electronically at [system/path].
- Cross-referenced with Safety Data Sheets.
- Includes chemical name, manufacturer, location of use, and quantity on-site. Departments must notify the Safety Manager before purchasing any new chemical products.
3. Safety Data Sheets (SDS)
SDS are maintained for every hazardous chemical on the inventory list. SDS are:
- Available 24/7 at [physical location and/or electronic system].
- In English and accessible to all employees during their shift.
- Reviewed when new chemicals arrive.
- Organized alphabetically by product name. Key sections for employees: Section 2 (Hazards), Section 4 (First Aid), Section 7 (Handling/Storage), Section 8 (Exposure Controls/PPE).
4. Labeling Requirements
All containers of hazardous chemicals must be labeled with:
- Product identifier (matching the SDS).
- Signal word (Danger or Warning).
- Hazard statement(s).
- Pictogram(s).
- Precautionary statement(s).
- Manufacturer name, address, and phone. Secondary containers must be labeled with at minimum the product name and primary hazard. Workplace labels must be legible, in English, and prominently displayed.
5. Employee Training
Training is provided:
- At time of initial assignment to a work area with hazardous chemicals.
- Whenever a new chemical hazard is introduced.
- Annual refresher training. Training covers: location and availability of the written program and SDS, how to read GHS labels and SDS, physical and health hazards of chemicals in the work area, protective measures and emergency procedures, and how to detect the presence or release of hazardous chemicals.
6. Non-Routine Tasks & Contractors
Before employees perform non-routine tasks involving hazardous chemicals, they will receive additional briefing on specific hazards and required precautions. Outside contractors working on-site will be:
- Informed of any chemical hazards they may encounter.
- Provided access to relevant SDS.
- Informed of our labeling system.
- Required to provide SDS for any chemicals they bring on-site.
The printable copy adds effective and review dates and approval signature lines for management and the safety manager.
A starting point, not legal advice. Have a qualified person check it against your site, your state's rules and the standard before you rely on it.
Hazard communication program: when it’s needed
Under 29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(1), workplaces where employees are exposed to hazardous chemicals need a written hazard communication program. It must describe labels and other warnings, safety data sheets, and employee training, and include a hazardous chemical list. Consider products used for cleaning, maintenance, and production rather than checking only chemicals stored in a dedicated room. At multi-employer workplaces, 1910.1200(e)(2) also requires procedures for exchanging hazard information. Review the draft against actual chemical use before introducing it to employees.
How to use this hazard communication program template
- Walk each department and build a product inventory that matches the identifiers on your containers and safety data sheets.
- Assign someone to obtain missing sheets, approve incoming chemicals, and keep both paper and electronic records current.
- Describe your workplace labeling method, including how employees identify hazards when products move into secondary containers.
- Set training arrangements for initial assignments, newly introduced hazards, unusual tasks, and contractors working near your chemicals.
- Test whether a worker on each shift can find the written program and relevant chemical information without delays.
Before you use this hazard communication program template: what to fill in and check
- The person responsible for purchases, chemical inventory updates, and missing safety data sheets.
- Actual sheet storage locations, electronic access arrangements, and backup access during outages.
- Chemical hazards created by non-routine tasks and products brought by contractors.
- Workplace labeling details, employee languages, and any applicable state-plan hazard communication rules.
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- Blanks marked for your company details
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Hazard communication program questions
Can safety data sheets be stored electronically?
Yes, provided employees can readily access them during every work shift, as required by 29 CFR 1910.1200(g)(8). An electronic folder is not enough if workers lack a device, permission, or knowledge of how to use it. Check access from the work area and plan for outages. Explain the retrieval process during training rather than assuming everyone knows where the files live.
Does hazard communication training have to happen every year?
Federal hazard communication training is required at initial assignment and when a new chemical hazard enters the work area under 29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(1). That provision does not impose a general annual refresher schedule. The template includes annual refreshers as a company practice. Decide how you will deliver that commitment, and check whether a state plan adds requirements affecting your workplace.
What chemical information must contractors receive?
For multi-employer workplaces, your program must explain how other employers obtain relevant safety data sheets, learn necessary precautions, and understand your labeling system under 29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(2). Identify who exchanges this information before work begins. Also ask about chemicals the contractor introduces, so your own employees receive information about hazards they may encounter during the project.