osha secondary container requirements
Check with your supervisor about labeling secondary containers when in doubt. Flammable or combustible liquids shall be stored in tanks or closed containers. Our interpretation letters explain these requirements and how they apply to particular circumstances, but they cannot create additional employer obligations. The secondary containment system âmust have sufficient capacity to contain at least 10% of the total volume of the primary containers or 100% of the volume of the largest container, whichever is greater.â Okay, take a deep breath. This is the big one, the most well-known of the secondary containment regulations, but also the most confusing! When chemicals or hazardous materials are transferred from a parent container to a secondary container, OSHA requires the secondary container to be labeled. When you transfer a chemical from its original container to another container, the container you transfer it into is called a "secondary container." The only exceptions are if you take the time to first place a label that displays all the required information onto the new container, or mark the information onto the secondary container with a permanent marker. The "old" Primary Container Label Requirements. Secondary container for a specimen. This secondary container label should contain all of the safety information from the parent container, so that workplace hazards are clearly communicated to everyone. These regulations focus on training and range from specific OSHA spill kit requirements to somewhat nebulous guidelines for secondary containment. secondary containers used to contain the product. Any label already placed on a primary container ⦠... OSHA requirements are set by statute, standards and regulations. IF IN DOUBT, LABEL IT! The Occupational Health and Safety Administration's rules for spill containment work in conjunction with guidelines from the EPA, DOT and others. What if that same employee leaves the secondary container and starts working in a different area, no longer controlling the container during his or her shift, and does not return to use up the product or empty the container? The chemical manufacturer must ensure that primary label is marked with the following information: Primary containers are typically the large barrels, boxes, or drums that come directly from a manufacturer. When Do Secondary Containers Have to Be Labeled? For your convenience, EH&S designed secondary chemical labels that can be downloaded from our website and printed onto Avery 5163 labels. OSHA 29 CFR 1910.106 (a)(9): Closed container shall mean a container as herein defined, so sealed by means of a lid or other device that neither liquid or vapor will escape from it at ordinary temperatures. This letter constitutes OSHA's interpretation of the requirements discussed. OSHA 29 CFR 1910.106 (e)(2)(iv)(a): What is a Secondary Container? If the employee loses positive control of the container, the container becomes a secondary container and must be labeled. Primary and secondary containers. If an employee transfers a cleaning solvent from its original container into a smaller, secondary container does it have to be labeled? Any other containers such as flasks, beakers, and smaller bottles are considered secondary containers. Both primary and secondary containers need to be labeled in order to be considered GHS compliant. Except for a few cases, secondary containers must be labeled. OSHA inspectors routinely find unlabeled or improperly labeled containers in the workplace. 3. If your laboratory uses secondary containers filled with chemicals, the secondary containers must comply with OSHAâs Hazard Communication Standard for Labels and Pictograms. Their labels must meet requirements of OSHAâs Hazard Communication standard. OSHA requires every original chemical container to have a primary shipping label from the manufacturer with a few exceptions: Drugs for patient care, consumer chemicals, and pesticides, including disinfectants and dental unit waterline cleaners, are not subject to the labeling requirements. Containers. The standard has a few specific requirements for secondary containers labels that must always be met.