According to Dr. David Mudarri, former EPA Senior Scientist, Indoor Air Quality, the heightened awareness of chemical safety issues urged by OSHA and the UN’s Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) should prompt a look at alternatives to toxic cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting methods and related training burdens, and this should include evaluating Advanced Vapor Technologies’ (AVT’s) patented TANCS steam vapor process.

"Given the advent of GHS, the new regulatory and safety climate, and the well-known hazards of chemicals used in the workplace, it is vital that cleaning and facility professionals consider modalities such as the TANCS® steam vapor system for cleaning and sanitizing surfaces," said Mudarri. "The TANCS system, based on the data I have reviewed, is a viable replacement for common chemical-laden cleaners and disinfectants in several applications, and does not bear the burden of training compliance under GHS because it is both chemical-free and non-toxic."

Under the new stricter hazard or “right to understand” rules, training programs must be in place by 12-1-13, an onerous task for many organizations, given the number and volume of cleaning chemicals used in commercial environments.

OSHA states: “The GHS [stresses] … the importance of training all target audiences to recognize and interpret label and/or SDS [safety data sheet] information, and to take appropriate action in response to chemical hazards,” and that “training requirements should be appropriate for and commensurate with the nature of the … exposure.”