CSS Chemical Safety and Hazard Communication 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200), how many sections are required on a Safety Data Sheet (SDS)?
- 8
- 12
- 16 (Correct answer)
- 20
Correct answer: 16
The GHS-aligned HazCom Standard requires all SDSs to contain exactly 16 standardized sections covering hazard identification through disposal considerations.
Question 2: The GHS pictogram featuring a flame placed over a circle indicates which type of hazard?
- Flammable material
- Oxidizing substance (Correct answer)
- Explosive material
- Corrosive material
Correct answer: Oxidizing substance
A flame over a circle is the GHS pictogram for oxidizers, which can intensify fires by releasing oxygen.
Question 3: Under OSHA's HazCom Standard, what is the primary responsibility of chemical manufacturers regarding hazard communication?
- Training all downstream end users of their chemicals
- Classifying chemicals and providing SDSs and compliant labels (Correct answer)
- Disposing of hazardous chemicals at end of product life
- Monitoring employee exposure levels at customer facilities
Correct answer: Classifying chemicals and providing SDSs and compliant labels
Chemical manufacturers and importers are responsible for classifying the hazards of the chemicals they produce and communicating that information via SDSs and labels.
Question 4: Which section of a Safety Data Sheet covers first-aid measures?
- Section 3
- Section 4 (Correct answer)
- Section 6
- Section 8
Correct answer: Section 4
Section 4 of the SDS is dedicated to first-aid measures, including symptoms/effects and required treatment by exposure route.
Question 5: Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs) set by OSHA are most commonly expressed as which type of value?
- Parts per billion (ppb) averaged over a 40-hour workweek
- Parts per million (ppm) as an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) (Correct answer)
- Milligrams per cubic meter averaged over a 12-hour shift
- Micrograms per liter measured in the bloodstream
Correct answer: Parts per million (ppm) as an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA)
OSHA PELs are typically expressed as 8-hour time-weighted average concentrations in ppm or mg/m³ that workers may be exposed to without adverse effects.
Question 6: On an NFPA 704 hazard diamond, what does the blue quadrant represent?
- Flammability hazard
- Health hazard (Correct answer)
- Reactivity hazard
- Special hazard
Correct answer: Health hazard
The blue (left) quadrant of the NFPA 704 diamond indicates health hazard severity on a scale of 0 to 4.
Question 7: Which of the following is NOT a required element on a GHS-compliant chemical label?
- Signal word
- Hazard pictograms
- Manufacturer's stock or catalog number (Correct answer)
- Precautionary statements
Correct answer: Manufacturer's stock or catalog number
GHS-compliant labels must include the product identifier, signal word, hazard statements, precautionary statements, pictograms, and supplier information — a stock number is not required.
CSS Chemical Safety and Hazard Communication 1
Under OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200), how many sections are required on a Safety Data Sheet (SDS)?