When most people think of chemical safety, images of spills, fires, explosions and environmental damage appear. However, many chemical incidents are less dramatic and not as obvious, such as the health damage caused by long-term exposure or sudden reactions due to short-term exposure with caustic chemicals. Therefore, it is important to recognize and effectively communicate the presence of the most common forms of chemical hazards in the workplace.
Most chemical safety issues fall under the subject of "hazard communication." OSHA's Hazard Communication standard (OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1200), which in many ways has become "the mother of all safety regulations" and ranks high among OSHA citations, is comprehensive because it applies wherever there is any kind of hazardous chemical.