Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC) Safety Assessment Practice Test

Which entity identifies chemicals and sets limits for their use?

1. HAZMAT

2. DOT

3. MSDS

4. OSHA

The correct answer is: OSHA

The correct answer is OSHA, which stands for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. OSHA is responsible for ensuring safe and healthy working conditions by setting and enforcing standards, including those related to chemical safety in the workplace. They identify hazardous chemicals and establish permissible exposure limits to protect workers from potential health risks associated with these substances. OSHA's regulations include the requirement for manufacturers and employers to maintain Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for hazardous chemicals, which provide detailed information about the properties of each chemical, including health risks and safe handling instructions. By doing this, OSHA helps organizations create safer workplace environments where the risks of chemical exposure are minimized. The other options do not fulfill the role of identifying chemicals and setting limits for their use in the same comprehensive manner as OSHA. For instance, HAZMAT refers to hazardous materials but does not have regulatory authority. The Department of Transportation (DOT) is primarily concerned with the safe transportation of hazardous materials rather than workplace exposure limits. MSDS, now called SDS, are documents that provide information about specific chemicals but do not set regulatory limits themselves.