Final answer:
The 2012 revision to the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard was primarily intended to improve workers' understanding of chemical hazards in the workplace by standardizing labels and safety data sheets globally.
Step-by-step explanation:
In 2012, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) implemented a major revision to the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS), also known as HazCom. The main purpose of this revision was to transform the right of employees to know about workplace hazards into the "right to understand" the workplace hazards they might be exposed to. This change was aimed at improving the effectiveness of the HCS by ensuring that the information about chemical hazards and protective measures is conveyed to workers clearly and understandably.
The revision introduced alignment with the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS), which included standardized labeling, signal words, pictograms, and safety data sheets that provide consistent information. This global approach to classification and labeling aims to improve employee comprehension and to provide a common, coherent approach to classifying chemicals and communicating hazard information on labels and safety data sheets.
The update to the HCS provided a major enhancement in worker protection and reduced trade barriers by harmonizing with systems around the world. It addressed workers' rights to receive safety training about chemical hazards in a language and vocabulary they can understand and to have access to safety data sheets. It also enhanced employer responsibilities to communicate effectively about these hazards.