OSHA’s Top 10 Most Cited Standards: Why Hazard Communication Matters in 2026

Each year, OSHA publishes its list of the most frequently cited workplace safety standards. While the rankings can shift slightly from year to year, the takeaway is consistent: these are the areas where employers most often fall short.

For medical, dental, and veterinary practices, one standard is of particular importance: Hazard Communication.

Human and animal healthcare environments rely heavily on chemicals, including disinfectants, sterilants, anesthetic agents, laboratory reagents, and cleaning products. When Hazard Communication is not properly managed, employees may be exposed to chemical risks without the information, training, or labeling needed to stay safe.

Why Hazard Communication Matters in Healthcare and Veterinary Settings

Hazard Communication, often called HazCom, is designed to ensure employees understand the chemical hazards they may encounter at work. This includes knowing what chemicals are present, how to read labels, where to find Safety Data Sheets, and what precautions to take when handling hazardous substances.

In healthcare and veterinary settings, HazCom issues often show up in practical, everyday ways:

  • Unlabeled spray bottles or secondary containers
  • Outdated or incomplete Safety Data Sheet binders
  • New disinfectants or chemicals added without updating the chemical inventory
  • Employees who know where chemicals are stored but not how to respond to exposure
  • Written HazCom programs that do not reflect the practice’s actual procedures

3 Hazard Communication Tips for 2026

1. Keep Your Chemical Inventory Current

Many practices create a chemical inventory once and then forget to update it. But your chemical inventory should be a living document that reflects what is actually used in your facility.

This includes:

  • Cleaning products
  • Disinfectants
  • Sterilants
  • Laboratory chemicals
  • Anesthetic agents
  • Any other hazardous chemicals used in the workplace

Best practice: Review your chemical inventory at least annually and anytime a new chemical product is introduced.

2. Label Every Container, Including Secondary Containers

One of the most common HazCom issues is the use of unlabeled secondary containers, such as spray bottles, squeeze bottles, or containers filled from a larger product supply.

If a hazardous chemical is transferred into another container, employees still need to know what it is and what hazards it presents.

Labels should clearly communicate key hazard information, including the product identifier and appropriate hazard warnings.

Best practice: Do not allow unlabeled chemical containers in the workplace, even if staff believe they know what the container holds.

3. Make HazCom Training Practical and Role-Specific

HazCom training should not be treated as a checkbox. Employees need to understand how chemical safety applies to their actual work environment.

Training should cover:

  • Where Safety Data Sheets are located
  • How to read chemical labels
  • What protective measures are required
  • How to respond to spills or exposures
  • Which chemicals employees may encounter in their specific roles

Best practice: Use examples from your own practice during training so employees can connect the requirements to real situations they may face.

3 Important Hazard Communication Topics to Understand

1. Safety Data Sheets

Safety Data Sheets, or SDS, provide detailed information about hazardous chemicals, including health hazards, protective measures, handling instructions, storage guidance, and emergency response information.

SDS must be readily accessible to employees during their work shift. If employees cannot quickly locate SDS when needed, the practice may not be meeting OSHA expectations.

For healthcare and veterinary teams, SDS access is especially important because chemical exposure can happen quickly. Staff should know where SDS are kept, whether they are maintained physically, electronically, or both, and how to use them in an emergency.

2. GHS Labeling

HazCom labeling is aligned with the Globally Harmonized System, commonly referred to as GHS. GHS helps standardize how chemical hazards are communicated through labels and pictograms.

Important label elements may include:

  • Product identifier
  • Signal word, such as “Danger” or “Warning”
  • Hazard statements
  • Precautionary statements
  • Pictograms
  • Supplier information

Employees should be able to recognize these elements and understand what they mean. This is especially important when working with disinfectants, sterilants, laboratory products, and other hazardous chemicals commonly used in clinical settings.

3. Written Hazard Communication Program

OSHA requires employers with hazardous chemicals in the workplace to maintain a written Hazard Communication program.

This written program should explain how the practice manages chemical safety, including:

  • How the chemical inventory is maintained
  • How containers are labeled
  • How Safety Data Sheets are managed and accessed
  • How employees are trained
  • How the practice handles non-routine tasks or special chemical hazards

The written program should match the practice’s real procedures. A generic document that does not reflect how the workplace actually manages chemicals may create problems during an inspection or internal review.

Final Takeaway

Hazard Communication continues to appear among OSHA’s most cited standards because it affects daily operations in many workplaces, including human and animal healthcare environments.

For healthcare and veterinary practices, HazCom compliance is not just about having a binder on a shelf. It requires an active system for identifying chemicals, maintaining SDS, labeling containers, training staff, and documenting procedures.

By keeping your chemical inventory current, labeling containers properly, and making training practical, your practice can reduce risk and stay better prepared for OSHA-related questions or inspections in 2026.