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Review and Approve a Plan

This guide walks you through reviewing a HazCom plan that has been submitted for approval and making your decision.

For: Admin, Coordinator, Manager | Tier: Standard+

Steps​

  1. Navigate to Plan Builder from the main menu

  2. Open the Versioning & Approvals tab in the HazCom Plan Hub

  3. Find the plan in the Pending Approval section. Plans are displayed as cards showing the plan name, version number, coordinator, and type.

  4. Click the plan card to open it

  5. Review all 7 sections of the plan content. Check that:

    • All sections are complete and accurate
    • The named Program Coordinator is correct
    • The chemical inventory description matches your current inventory
    • SDS access procedures are realistic for all shifts
    • Training procedures describe what actually happens
    • Contractor coordination procedures are workable
    • The plan is specific to this site, not a generic template

  6. Make your decision:

    To approve: Click Approve. You can optionally add notes (e.g., "Review Section 5 at the next annual review"). The plan moves to Approved status.

    To reject: Click Reject. You must enter a reason explaining what needs to change. The plan returns to Draft status so the author can revise and re-submit.

Tips​

  • Rejection is not a bad thing. A rejected plan goes back to the author with clear feedback. This is how good plans get made -- through review and iteration.
  • Be specific in rejection reasons. Instead of "Needs work," write "Section 4 says SDSs are in the break room binder, but we moved them to the digital system last month. Update to reflect current access method."
  • Check the audit trail. If this is a new version of an existing plan, review the audit trail to understand what changed from the previous version.
  • You do not have to approve immediately. Take the time to read through the entire plan. A thorough review now prevents compliance issues later.

After Approval​

Once approved, the plan is ready to be published. The plan author (or anyone with edit permission) can publish it to make it the active plan for the site.

See Publish a HazCom Plan for the next step.