Two cleaning products. One supply closet. A hospitalization that proper HazCom training would have prevented.
Healthcare workers handle chemicals daily - disinfectants, sterilants, lab reagents, medications. OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard gives every employee the right to know what chemical hazards are in their workplace. EZBunny's course covers GHS labels, Safety Data Sheets, and the practical skills your team needs to stay safe.
Start your free trialOSHA's HazCom Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200) requires training for all employees who work with or near hazardous chemicals.
Course Details
25 minutes
OSHA Safety
OSHA HazCom Standard
Online, self-paced
October 2026
What your team will learn
- Your rights under OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard (right to know)
- What changed with GHS Revision 7 (2024 updates)
- How to read a GHS label - the six required elements
- The eight OSHA pictograms, plus the optional environment symbol, and what each one means
- How to navigate a 16-section Safety Data Sheet
- Common chemical hazards in healthcare practices (cold sterilants, nitrous oxide, dental amalgam, disinfectants)
- What to do when you encounter an unlabeled container
Who needs this training?
Required for employees who work with or near hazardous chemicals. R = Required by regulation. May apply = whether this applies turns on your setting and your work; your compliance lead decides.
| Practice Type | Status | Authority |
|---|---|---|
| Physician Practices & Medical Groups | Required | OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1200 |
| Dental Offices | Required | OSHA (chemicals, mercury, disinfectants) |
| Urgent Care Centers | Required | OSHA |
| Home Health Agencies | Required | OSHA |
| Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs) | Required | OSHA (sterile processing chemicals) |
| Pharmacies | Required | OSHA (medications, chemicals) |
| Community Health Centers (FQHCs) | Required | OSHA |
| Behavioral Health & SUD Treatment | May apply | Ask your compliance lead |
| Chiropractic Offices | May apply | Ask your compliance lead |
| Physical Therapy & Rehab Clinics | May apply | Ask your compliance lead |
| Mental Health Private Practices | May apply | Ask your compliance lead |
| Telehealth Providers | May apply | Ask your compliance lead |
Which roles must complete this training?
Any employee who works with or may be exposed to hazardous chemicals:
- Medical Assistants: Handle disinfectants, sterilants, and cleaning chemicals
- Lab Technicians: Work with reagents, fixatives, and staining chemicals
- Sterilization Technicians: Handle high-level disinfectants and sterilants
- Dental Hygienists / Assistants: Mercury, disinfectants, impression materials
- Pharmacy Technicians / Compounding Staff: Medications and compounding chemicals
- Housekeeping / Environmental Services: Cleaning and disinfection chemicals
OSHA requires training at first assignment and whenever a new chemical hazard employees have not been trained on comes into their work area.
Common HazCom training questions
Who needs HazCom training?
OSHA requires HazCom training for all employees who work with or are potentially exposed to hazardous chemicals. In healthcare, this includes clinical staff, lab workers, housekeeping, sterilization techs, and pharmacy staff. Even office staff may need training if cleaning chemicals are accessible in their work area.
What is a Safety Data Sheet and when do I need one?
An SDS is a 16-section document that provides detailed information about a chemical's hazards, safe handling, storage, emergency procedures, and disposal. Employers must have an SDS for every hazardous chemical in the workplace, and employees must know where to find them. SDS documents must be readily accessible during each work shift.
What changed with GHS Revision 7?
GHS Revision 7 (adopted by OSHA in 2024) updated hazard classification criteria, added new hazard categories, and revised precautionary statements. Suppliers update labels and Safety Data Sheets on a phased schedule. Employers have until November 20, 2026 for single-chemical products, and May 19, 2028 for mixtures, to update in-house labels, their written program, and training where the new rules changed something. Key changes include updated criteria for aerosol classification and new categories for desensitized explosives.
How often is HazCom training required?
OSHA requires training when an employee is first assigned to work with hazardous chemicals, and again whenever a new chemical hazard they have not been trained on comes into their work area. A practice can also set its own refresher schedule, and a state plan or accreditor may have its own rules.
Give your team the chemical safety training OSHA requires
25 minutes per person. Certificate on completion. Start your 14-day free trial now.
Get started freeRegulatory Disclaimer
Training requirements vary by organization type, size, state, payer mix, and accreditation. This guide reflects common federal and state requirements as of April 2026 and is not legal advice. Consult your compliance officer or legal counsel for requirements specific to your organization. EZBunny provides state privacy-law training for California, Texas, and New York. Our state-specific safety and harassment courses are awareness training and may not, on their own, satisfy your state's specific mandate. Other states may have requirements not covered here. Last reviewed: April 2026.