What this checklist covers
The OSHA Hazard Communication Checklist is a 15-point scorecard for Safety Data Sheets, chemical labelling, employee training, paint/solvent handling, storage, PPE, and exposure control. Each criterion is scored from 1 to 5 on what the auditor sees on the day, and every gap goes into an action plan with an owner and a close date.
AutoSmart tip: OSHA HazCom compliance in automotive dealerships is frequently non-compliant in the parts of the operation furthest from the paint shop — shop supplies (brake cleaner, carburetor cleaner, penetrating oil, battery acid) often lack SDSs, are stored in unlabelled secondary containers, and are used by technicians who have never received HazCom training specifically referencing those products. Expand the chemical inventory audit to include every product on every shelf in the shop, not only the products the bodyshop considers ‘hazardous chemicals’.
The checks
Tap Yes, No or Maybe to try it: your answers stay in this page and clear when you refresh. For a detailed walkthrough, download our PDF or book a demo.
Safety data sheets
- Is a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) available for every hazardous chemical used in the workplace, as required by OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200)?
- Are SDSs readily accessible to employees during each work shift — not locked in an office or only accessible to supervisors — in either paper or electronic format?
- Are SDSs current — using the GHS-aligned 16- section format required since June 2015 — with any outdated MSDS documents replaced with current SDS versions?
- Is a chemical inventory maintained — listing all hazardous chemicals present in the workplace — and is the SDS file confirmed as containing an SDS for every chemical on the inventory?
Chemical labelling
- Are all containers of hazardous chemicals labelled with the required GHS elements — product identifier, pictograms, signal word, hazard statements, and supplier information — or an equivalent workplace label?
- Are secondary containers (portable containers, spray bottles, mixing cups) labelled with at least the chemical identity and the hazards — not left unlabelled or with informal handwritten identifiers?
- Are paint components, hardeners, thinners, and activators labelled correctly — including the isocyanate hazard warning (skin sensitiser, respiratory sensitiser) for two-component systems containing isocyanates?
- Are damaged, faded, or illegible labels replaced immediately — with no container left in use with a label that cannot be clearly read?
Employee training
- Have all employees who work with or may be exposed to hazardous chemicals received HazCom training at time of initial assignment — covering the HazCom standard, SDS content, label elements, and how to find chemical hazard information?
- Is training updated when new chemical hazards are introduced into the work area, or when existing chemicals are reformulated and their hazard classification changes?
- Are training records maintained — documenting the employee's name, training date, and topics covered — demonstrating compliance if OSHA requests evidence of training during an inspection?
Exposure control and governance
- Is a written HazCom program maintained — covering the dealership's approach to labelling, SDS management, and employee training — available to employees and OSHA inspectors on request?
- Are exposure controls specified for chemicals with significant inhalation or skin absorption risk — covering engineering controls (ventilation), administrative controls, and the specific PPE required for each hazardous chemical use?
- Is the chemical inventory reviewed when new products are purchased — confirming an SDS is obtained and the product is added to the inventory before it is used in the workplace?
- Is HazCom compliance reviewed as part of the dealership's regular safety audit cycle — with chemical inventory accuracy, SDS completeness, label condition, and training currency all verified at defined intervals?
How to run it
How the scoring works
Before the visit, fill in the dealer or centre, the auditor, the date and the audit cycle. Then score each of the 15 checks from 1 to 5 on what you see on the day, not on what the site aims for, and add them up out of 75.
- 1Not in place
- 2Attempted
- 3Defined
- 4Managed
- 5Fully sustained
- Green60–75 · 80–100%Compliant. Keep the standard.
- Amber38–59 · 50–79%Improvement needed: a structured action plan within 30 days.
- Red0–37 · Below 50%Priority intervention, escalated to regional management.
Then close every gap
Each gap goes into the action plan tracker and moves through four stages until the auditor closes it.
- 1PendingOwner and close date set
- 2In progressWork under way, evidence gathered
- 3CompletedEvidence submitted for review
- 4ApprovedVerified and closed by the auditor
