Real-Time Hazard Communication: Meeting HazCom Standards with Digital Signage

We all know the importance of rules. Yet often, many of us don’t pay close attention to why they exist. 

Candace was a college student who worked at a paper mill one summer. Like many of her coworkers, she learned some risky shortcuts that others had been using for years. 

One day, a simple misstep on a conveyor belt led to a devastating injury. Her foot was pulled into the machinery, resulting in a life-changing amputation.

To ensure that Candace’s story is not recreated on your floors, your employees have to pay attention to workplace hazard communication.

Clear instructions and warnings can prevent accidents like these from happening. But how can we share these warnings in a proper way?

Relaying them through a speaker every 30 minutes can get annoying and distract your workers even more. You will need something that’s less distracting but more easily accessible.

This sounds like a job for digital signage!

By displaying safety protocols and hazard communication messages on your digital signage, you create an environment where information is accessible and consistently reinforced. 

HazCom Standard is one such important set of regulations that help govern the safety of workers in a factory and helps inform employees about the dangers of chemicals in their workplace.

Let's explore what is HazCom Standard​ and how digital signage can transform the way you approach it at work.

Understanding the HazCom Standard

First of all, what does HazCom stand for?

HazCom is simply the short form for Hazard Communication. As the second-most-cited OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) violation in 2022, it isn’t something employers can afford to ignore.

OSHA’s HazCom requirements are designed to minimize the risks associated with hazardous chemicals, ensuring that workers have access to critical safety information—because everyone has the right to know what they’re dealing with.

Failing to comply with any HazCom Standard can turn out to be very costly—metaphorically and literally. We're talking hefty fines of over $150,000, legal troubles, and even inclusion in OSHA’s severe violator enforcement program.

Key elements of HazCom

So, what is hazard communication? 

Hazard communication, or HazCom, is about making sure everyone in the workplace understands the dangers of the chemicals they’re working with and knows how to stay safe. It’s a system designed to keep both employees and employers informed and protected.

At its core, HazCom revolves around a few key ideas:

• Hazard classification: Chemicals must undergo standardized testing, and results must be documented
• Safety data sheets (SDS): These documents provide a detailed breakdown of each chemical, including its hazards and handling instructions
• Chemical labeling: All containers must display clear, standardized labels detailing the chemical’s name, hazards, and safety precautions

How Digital Signage Communicate HazCom Standards

Now that we know what the hazard communication standard is, let’s address the challenges of communicating it effectively across your workplace.

HazCom challenges are universal—keeping safety information up-to-date and engaging enough to catch workers’ attention is no small feat.

Digital signage steps in as an innovative answer, offering solutions like real-time data access, centralized control, and many more benefits. Let’s unpack the most popular methods through which digital signage succeeds in communicating what is hazard communication.

Also Read: Transforming Industrial Operations with Digital Signage: Production Line and Shop Floor Innovations

Interactive dashboards and multilingual support

The first challenge in communicating HazCom Standard in the workplace is visibility.

With live data feeds on your digital signage—updated safety protocols, emergency alerts, and performance metrics become instantly visible to everyone on the floor.

Employees benefit from dynamic dashboards that showcase essential details such as production rates, equipment status, and safety incidents. This enables quick adjustments and enhances both safety and productivity of workers.

The beauty of digital signage lies in its ability to speak everyone’s language—literally. With 56% of U.S. employers forecasting a growing need for multilingual workers over the next five years, ensuring clear communication about what is HazCom Standard​  is critical.

Digital screens address this by supporting multilingual content and universally recognizable visual aids like pictograms, making complex safety messages about HazCom Standard simple to understand for all, regardless of their language or literacy levels.

A centralized content management system (CMS) allows customized hazard communication content for specific roles or locations. Machine operators can receive equipment-specific alerts, while supervisors track broader operational goals.

Meanwhile, automated scheduling features ensure the HazCom content stays timely, with updates aligned to shift patterns or real-time data thresholds. For example, maintenance reminders can trigger automatically when certain conditions are met, ensuring proactive responses to potential issues.

Simplifying SDS safety data management

We're moving past the days of rifling through dusty binders, scrolling through endless email chains, or ultimately chasing down the one coworker who knows where the SDS files are hidden.

So, what's new? 

With interactive digital displays, SDS (Safety Data Sheet) is always at your team’s fingertips—literally. 

Centralized access ensures that every employee has instant, on-demand access to these essential documents.

Digital signage offers automation updates and version control to keep you ahead of compliance requirements. The best part is that the updates align with shift patterns or real-time thresholds to ensure your HazCom Standard messaging stays relevant.

Let’s not ignore the importance of chemical labeling: We’ve all encountered the infamous mystery bottle in the corner, but digital signage can put an end to that with timely reminders for labeling secondary containers. 

Combine that with visual prompts showing proper storage and handling procedures, and you’ve got a recipe for a safer, more organized workplace that agrees with the HazCom Standard.

All this comes together in a system that’s both functional, flexible, and interactive.

Also Read: Integrating Digital Signage for Effective Employee Communication and Safety Management

Supporting employee training and education

Here's the bit most employers tend to forget—supporting employee training and education.

You need to make sure that new safety measures don’t just look good on paper (or screens) but actually work in practice.

Interactive training solutions can make a huge difference here. 

By showcasing engaging training videos and tutorials directly on the signage, employees can learn what is the HazCom Standard​ and understand proper safety protocols connected to it. 

Moreover, with cloud-based systems, training content can be refreshed on the fly. And these systems integrate live data connections and powerful content editors to keep the messaging timely and relevant.

Example: During a busy production shift, workers can view up-to-date protocols and ensure all HazCom Standard regulations are followed promptly.

Strengthening emergency preparedness

When emergencies strike, the last thing you want is a room full of people shouting instructions over each other.

Digital signage is your best gamble in such a scenario.

Real-time alerts and centralized messaging ensure that safety measures are communicated clearly and instantly, keeping everyone on the same page about following the HazCom Standard regulations.

Here’s a quick snapshot of how digital signage performs in various emergency scenarios:

HazCom Made Easy with L Squared’s Digital Signage

The Irish Republican Army legend F.S. Hughes once said, “Safety brings first aid to the uninjured.” It’s a timeless truth—and digital signage is the modern way to bring it to life.

From real-time hazard updates to centralized safety data and multilingual support—digital signage covers all the bases to keep your workplace informed, compliant, and, most importantly, safe.

If you’re ready to see how digital signage can transform your workplace safety game, L Squared has you covered.

With over 17 years of experience and the trust of Fortune 500 companies, we deliver solutions tailored to your specific needs. Setup takes just an hour, and a 24/5 live support ensures you’re never left hanging. Add customizable features, and you’ve got a system that’s as flexible as it is reliable.

Ready to take the leap? Contact L Squared today and let your safety protocols shine—literally!

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the purpose of the Hazard Communication Standard?

The purpose of the Hazard Communication Standard (HazCom) is to ensure that workers are informed about the dangers of hazardous chemicals they might encounter in the workplace. Solutions like digital signage can be used to communicate more about HazCom to workers and reduce chemical-related risks by mandating clear labeling, detailed safety data sheets (SDS), and effective communication of hazards.

2. What does HazCom stand for?

HazCom stands for Hazard Communication. It is a regulation developed by OSHA to provide workers with essential information about hazardous chemicals, their risks, and safety precautions, ensuring workplace safety and compliance. Digital signage can be used by industries to visually communicate about HazCom and send regular reminders to employees about the various safety protocols and hazards.