HazCom in 2026: What Employers Need to Know
OSHA’s update modernizes the HazCom Standard to ensure clearer, more consistent chemical hazard communication across U.S. workplaces. The alignment with GHS Revision 7 introduces revised hazard classifications, updated labeling requirements, and expanded Safety Data Sheet (SDS) content. This transition aims to improve worker understanding of chemical risks and reduce injuries and illnesses related to chemical exposures.
Deadlines: By January 19, 2026, chemical manufacturers, importers, and distributors must comply with updated requirements for substances. Employers must update workplace programs and labels by July 20, 2026.
Key Changes Employers Must Address
1) Updated Safety Data Sheets (SDS)
SDSs must reflect new hazard classifications and follow the revised GHS-aligned content requirements. OSHA enforcement will focus on whether SDSs are complete, accurate, and updated across all active chemical inventories.
2) Revised Labeling Requirements
Employers must ensure that workplace labels match updated manufacturer information, including:
- Modified pictograms
- Revised hazard statements
- Updated precautionary statements
- Signal words that reflect the new classification scheme
3) Changes to Hazard Classification
OSHA inspectors will expect:
- More precise classification of mixtures
- Updates based on new toxicological data
- Revised flammable and reactive hazard categories
These revisions require coordination between purchasing, safety, and environmental health functions to ensure records and hazard analyses reflect current information.
4) Meaningful, Updated Employee Training
Workers must be trained on what has changed—including new pictograms, SDS sections, and labeling formats—to ensure they can recognize and respond to hazards under the updated system. Meaningful, site-specific training will be a critical enforcement focus in 2026.
Best Practices for Employers Preparing Now
1) Conduct a Full Chemical Inventory Audit
Compare current SDSs with updated versions from manufacturers and ensure revision dates reflect post-2024 classifications.
2) Update Your Written HazCom Program
Revise:
- Hazard classification procedures
- Labeling protocols
- Training outlines
- Non-routine task procedures
- Contractor chemical communication processes
3) Retrain Employees on the New Requirements
Tailor training to job tasks and ensure workers can:
- Recognize new pictograms
- Understand revised hazard statements
- Navigate updated SDSs
4) Engage Purchasing & Supply Chain Early
Work proactively with suppliers to ensure you receive updated SDSs and product labels well ahead of enforcement deadlines.
5) Prepare for Inspections
With OSHA intensifying inspections across high-hazard industries in 2026, accurate chemical hazard communication will be a visible and high-impact compliance area.
Why This Matters for Tennessee Employers
In Tennessee, hazard communication is consistently listed as a most cited standard across construction, manufacturing, health care, and the public sector.
Tennessee employers should anticipate state inspectors prioritizing:
- Updated labeling
- SDS management
- Annual HazCom training
Given TOSHA’s active emphasis programs and history of detailed chemical safety inspections, early preparation will reduce the likelihood of citations and costly follow-up.