Hazard communication remains one of the most important day-to-day safety responsibilities in manufacturing, and recent national data offer a timely reminder that strong routines still matter. OSHA recorded 36,984 hazard communication violations from 2021 through 2025, with manufacturing accounting for 10,021 of them, more than any other industry. The basics are familiar: accurate labels, current safety data sheets and clear employee training on chemical hazards.

The takeaway is not alarmism. It is discipline. Keeping safety data sheets updated, making hazard information easy to access and reinforcing training can help manufacturers strengthen compliance and support safer, more consistent operations.

“The manufacturers that do this well usually are not doing anything flashy. They are doing the basics consistently,” said Jacob Sargent, director of public policy services for the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association. “When hazard communication slips, the risk is not just a citation. It can affect safety, training, consistency and day-to-day operational performance.”

Chemical safety remains one of those fundamentals that rewards steady attention. 3/17/2026