Each year in the United States, many thousands of workers are made sick from chemical exposures, and the long-term effects of chemical exposures in the past are believed to cause as many as 50,000 deaths annually, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Over the years, NIEHS Worker Training Program (WTP) staff and awardees have explored a variety of topics related to chemical hazards and risk, with a particular focus on protecting workers from exposure to hazardous chemicals through the use of effective training approaches. This page provides safety and health resources on issues such as chemical hazard identification and assessment, chemical safety and security, and chemical incident response.

For additional resources related to chemical emergency preparedness and response, please visit our Chemical and Biological Terrorism and All-Hazards Resources pages.

Training Resources

The National Clearinghouse creates training tools to aid in the development of awareness-level courses or other awareness-level materials. These tools provide health and safety guidance to those involved in disaster response and cleanup activities.

Chemical Incident Response Training Tool

• Protecting Yourself While Responding to Chemical Incidents: Safety and Health Awareness for Responders to Chemical Incidents(16MB)
• Protecting Yourself While Responding to Chemical Incidents: Safety and Health Awareness for Responders to Chemical Incidents(2MB)

WTP Awardee Resources

• Midwest Consortium for Hazardous Waste Worker Training
  • 8-Hour Hospital-Based Decontamination Instructor Manual(775KB)
  • 8-Hour Hospital-Based Decontamination Student Manual(2.36MB)

Other NIEHS Resources

• How Will the Changes to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Impact Workplace Chemical Safety and Health?(3.5MB)

WTP Technical Workshops

• Spring 2015 Technical Workshop – Protecting Workers from Hazardous Chemical Exposures through Training
• Spring 2014 Technical Workshop – Chemical Facility Safety in an Era of Climate Change: Training for Worker Participation and Community Engagement
• Fall 2009 Technical Workshop – Global Safety and Health Issues and Their Impact on Worker Training
• Spring 2009 Technical Workshop – Local, State, and Federal Partnerships for Chemical Preparedness and Response
• Spring 2004 Technical Workshop – Training Partnerships for Prevention, Protection, and Preparedness: A Conference to Build Stronger Partnerships on Disaster Response Training
• Fall 2003 Technical Workshop – Training from the Inside Out: Assessing and Refining Our Programs

Federal Links and Documents

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)

• Managing Hazardous Materials Incidents Series
• National Toxic Substance Incidents Program
• Pictures of the Graniteville Derailment Response(2.67MB)
• Toxic Substances Portal

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

• Chemical Emergencies Page

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

• NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards (PDF and Mobile App)
• Occupational Exposure Banding

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

• Best Practices for Hospital-Based First Receivers from Mass Casualty Incidents Involving the Release of Hazardous Substances
• Chemical Hazards and Toxic Substances Page
• Hazardous Waste Page
• Occupational Chemical Database
• The Application of HAZWOPER to Worksite Response and Cleanup Activities

U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB)

• CSB Home Page

U.S. Coast Guard (USCG)

• 2005 Hazardous Materials Response Special Teams Capabilities and Contact Handbook(3.07MB)

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

• Chemical Hazards Emergency Medical Management (CHEMM) website

U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)

• National Institute of Justice: Guide for the Selection of Chemical Agent and Toxic Industrial Material Detection Equipment for Emergency First Responders

U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)

• Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration Home Page

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

• Envirofacts System Data Searches
• Decontamination, Cleanup, and Associated Issues for Sites Contaminated with Chemical, Biological, or Radiological Materials(9.27MB)

U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM)

• Toxicology Data Network (TOXNET)

U.S. National Response Team (NRT)

• NRT Worker Safety and Health Subcommittee Graniteville Train Derailment January 2006 Conference Call: Background Presentation(521KB)

State/Local Links and Documents

• New Jersey Department of Health: Right to Know Hazardous Substance Fact Sheets

Please refer to your state or local emergency management agency website for additional guidance on chemical incident preparedness and response.

Other Links and Documents

Hazardous Substances/Toxicology Databases

• ChemHAT.org: Chemical Hazard and Alternatives Toolbox
• European Trade Union Institute RISCTOX Database
• Extension Toxicology Network (EXTOXNET) Global Search

Initiatives and Reports

• Council on Foreign Relations Testimony: Ending the Post 9/11 Security Neglect of America’s Chemical Facilities(53KB)
• International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA) Responsible Care Initiative
• Sciencecorps Report: Chemical Hazards in Floods and Disasters – Fuels
• Teamsters Rail Conference Survey: High Alert – Workers Warn of Security Gaps on Nation’s Railroads(2.25MB)