News Release USDL: 95-406
Friday, October 6, 1995
Contact: Susan Hall Flemin, (202) 219-8151

The National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health (NACOSH) workgroup on hazard communication (HazCom) will meet Oct. 19-20 in Washington, D.C., the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced today.

OSHA asked NACOSH to form the workgroup to identify ways to improve chemical hazard communication in the workplace. The meeting, open to the public, will run from 9 a.m. until approximately 4:30 p.m. Oct. 19 and 9 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. Oct. 20 in Room S4215 of the Frances Perkins Building at 200 Constitution Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C.

The workgroup is inviting representatives of small businesses and labor organizations to offer recommendations for improving hazard communication during the afternoon of Oct. 19 and the morning of Oct. 20. The workgroup will begin the first morning with a review of issues to be covered and confirmation of dates and agenda items for the remaining meetings.

Specifically, OSHA has requested the NACOSH workgroup to recommend ways to simplify material safety data sheets, reduce the amount of required paperwork, improve the effectiveness of worker training and revise enforcement policies to focus on the most serious hazards. The workgroup is expected to meet monthly over the next six months and will devote at least two of its sessions, including this first meeting, to hearing suggestions from representatives of labor organizations, employers and the public. Draft recommendations prepared by the workgroup will go to the full committee for deliberation in public session.

Presentations at the workgroup sessions will be limited to 10 minutes, with additional time for committee members to question presenters. Additional information and/or documentation may be submitted and will be entered into the record.

Members of labor organizations and small businesses who wish to address the HazCom Workgroup should notify Joanne Goodell, Directorate of Policy, Room N-3641, 200 Constitution Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210, telephone (202) 219-8021, extension 107, or fax (202) 219-4383, no later than Oct. 13. Presenters must provide their names, the capacity in which they will appear, a brief outline of the content of their presentations, their preferred appearance date, mailing address, telephone and fax numbers. If there is sufficient time, others who have not notified OSHA in advance will be permitted to speak on Oct. 20 after all those on the schedule have been heard.

Written data, views or comments may be submitted, preferably with 20 copies, to Joanne Goodell at the address above. Submissions received prior to the meeting will be provided to committee members and included in the meeting records.

Individuals with disabilities who wish to attend the meeting and who require special accommodations should contact Tom Hall, OSHA Division of Consumer Affairs, at the above address or telephone (202) 219-8615 no later than Oct. 16.

NACOSH was established by the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 to advise the secretaries of labor and health and human services on occupational safety and health programs and policies. Members of the 12-person advisory committee are chosen on the basis of their knowledge and experience in occupational safety and health.

Notice of the HazCom workgroup meeting appeared in the Sept. 28, 1995, Federal Register.