Hazard Communication & Focus Four
Hazard communication is the “Right to Know” law, and these OSHA basics round out the safety section of any trade exam.
SDS: 16 sections, readily accessible · GHS signal words: “Danger” / “Warning” · Focus Four: falls, struck-by, caught-in/between, electrocution · General Duty Clause: a workplace free of recognized hazards · Report: fatality in 8 hr · hospitalization/amputation/eye loss in 24 hr.
Hazard Communication (HazCom)
- Every hazardous chemical has a Safety Data Sheet with 16 standardized sections, kept readily accessible.
- Container labels use GHS pictograms and the signal words “Danger” (more severe) or “Warning.”
- Workers have the Right to Know the hazards of the chemicals they work with, and how to protect themselves.
OSHA basics
- The Focus Four — falls, struck-by, caught-in/between, and electrocution — cause most construction deaths.
- The General Duty Clause [Section 5(a)(1)] requires a workplace free of recognized serious hazards.
- Report a fatality within 8 hours; a hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye within 24 hours.
Practice: Hazard Communication & Focus Four
Frequently asked
What is a Safety Data Sheet (SDS)?
How quickly must a workplace fatality be reported to OSHA?
More Construction Safety topics
Fall Protection
Construction fall protection: the 6-foot rule, guardrail heights and strength, personal fall arrest anchorages and arresting force, and hole covers — from OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart M.
Read & practice →Ladders & Scaffolds
Ladder and scaffold safety: the 4:1 ladder angle, 3-foot rail extension, three points of contact, the 10-foot scaffold fall-protection rule, 4× load capacity, and competent-person inspections.
Read & practice →Excavation & Trenching
Trench safety: protective systems at 5 feet, the 2-foot spoil setback, egress within 25 feet, daily competent-person inspections, soil types A/B/C, and Type C sloping — from OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P.
Read & practice →Electrical & Lockout/Tagout
Electrical safety on the jobsite: GFCIs and the assured-grounding program, the 10-foot overhead-line clearance, lockout/tagout, grounded or double-insulated tools, and treating conductors as energized.
Read & practice →PPE, Silica & Respiratory
Personal protective equipment and health hazards: employer-paid PPE, hard hats and eye protection, the 85 dBA noise action level, the 50 µg/m³ silica limit, dust controls, and respirator requirements.
Read & practice →