Safety & Health Guide for the Chemical Industry.

More than two thousand deaths from a methyl isocyanate chemical leak in Bhopal, India, drew world attention to the industry. Following that tragedy, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration OSHA developed guidelines to aid employers in reducing the number of potential hazards in chemical industries. This publication is designed to encourage chemical industry employers to review and strengthen overall safety precautions to guard against chemical disasters. It contains guidelines used by OSHA compliance officers to evaluate employer safety programs particularly in the areas of disaster prevention and emergency response. It also includes two lists of acutely toxic chemicals whose presence in the workplace should signal the need for safety and health measures to protect workers. The guidelines are aimed at the conditions and processes found in the chemical industry, including but not limited to firm in SICs 28 and 29. However, they are written to he used in a wide spectrum of workplaces which produce industrial and consumer chemical products. OSHA also publishes a manual called How to Prepare for Workplace Emergencies which can help any type of business in developing an emergency plan. A free copy may be obtained from any OSHA area office.