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Hazardous and Toxic Substances Safety and Health Topics
Hazardous and Toxic Substances

In Focus
Hazardous and toxic substances are defined as those chemicals present in the workplace which are capable of causing harm. In this definition, the term chemicals includes dusts, mixtures, and common materials such as paints, fuels, and solvents. OSHA currently regulates exposure to approximately 400 substances. The OSHA Chemical Sampling Information (CSI) file contains listings for approximately 1500 substances; the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA) Chemical Substances Inventory lists information on more than 62,000 chemicals or chemical substances; some libraries maintain files of material safety data sheets (MSDS) for more than 100,000 substances.

It is not possible to address the hazards associated with each of these chemicals in this safety and health topics page, however, the following questions link to information relevant to many hazardous and toxic substances in the workplace.

OSHA Standards What OSHA standards apply?
Standards | Standard Interpretations
Hazard Recognition How can hazardous and toxic substances be recognized in the workplace?
Specific Chemical Information
Possible Solutions What are examples of possible solutions to workplace hazards?
 
Additional Information What additional information is available?
Related Safety and Health Topics Pages | Training | Other Resources

In Focus
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Content Reviewed 11/22/2006
 
 


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Contact the OSHA Directorate of Science, Technology and Medicine at 202-693-2300 for assistance accessing OSHA PDF materials.

 
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