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2013Q1. Worker and Community Right to Know Act. Enacted October 4, 1984 Gives employees access to information about hazardous substances. Seven Important Provisions of the Right to Know Act. 1. Creates a list of 2336 chemicals that are defined as hazardous substances.
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Worker and Community Right to Know Act • Enacted October 4, 1984 • Gives employees access to information about hazardous substances
Seven Important Provisions of the Right to Know Act 1. Creates a list of 2336 chemicals that are defined as hazardous substances
Seven Important Provisions of the Right to Know Act, continued… 2. Requires that a list of hazardous substances used at your campus be posted where you work
Seven Important Provisions of the Right to Know Act, continued… 3. Requires that the list be made available to you
Seven Important Provisions of the Right to Know Act, continued… 4. Requires that a MSDS (material safety data sheet) for each substance be made readily accessible to you. The MSDS tells you about the hazards of a substance and what you can do to reduce those hazards
Seven Important Provisions of the Right to Know Act, continued… 5. Requires labeling of hazardous substances to identify hazardous ingredients
Seven Important Provisions of the Right to Know Act, continued… 6. Requires the employer to provide an initial and annual training program for employees who may be exposed to any of the 2336 listed substances
Seven Important Provisions of the Right to Know Act, continued… 7. Allows you to refuse to work with a hazardous substance if we fail to provide you or your representative with an MSDS, or fail to furnish proof of a diligent effort to obtain the MSDS
Right to Know Act Exemptions • Chemicals used in research, teaching and testing laboratories, or chemical storage areas are not required to be on the list of hazardous substances.
Right to Know Act Exemptions • Substances bought for personal use or consumption such as foodstuffs, cosmetics, tobacco and prescriptions are not required to be listed.
About the MSDS • Section One • Manufacturer’s name, address, emergency telephone number • Chemical name, trade name, synonyms, chemical abstract service number (CAS#) • The CAS number is a unique number assigned to each chemical (similar to a social security number) that helps differentiate between chemicals with similar names
MSDS • Section Two: Hazardous Ingredients • Lists hazardous ingredients and the percentage of each in the substance • TLV (Threshold Limit Value), the concentration of a substance believed to be safe for a person to be exposed to for 8 hours/day, 40 hours/week. Established by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) • May also be listed as a OSHA PEL (Permissible Exposure Limit) or a NIOSH REL (Recommended Exposure Limit)
MSDS • Section Two: Hazardous Ingredients • Exposure Limits aretypically expressed in parts per million (ppm) • For comparison purposes: 1 part per million = 1 inch in 16 miles
MSDS • Section Three: Physical Data • Physical Characteristics • State of matter (solid, liquid, gas) • Color • Odor • Taste (not generally a good idea!) • Boiling point (temperature where material begins to boil) • Vapor pressure (Measure of evaporation rate) • Vapor density (Sink or rise in air?) • Solubility (Dissolve in water?) • Specific gravity (Sink or float in water?) • Volatility (Tells how much will evaporate) • Evaporation rate (high # = evaporate fast)
MSDS • Section Four: Fire & Explosion Hazard Data • flash point • extinguishing media • special fire fighting procedures • unusual hazards
General Classes of Chemicals • Corrosives/irritants • Ex. Drano (which contains Sodium Hydroxide), Sulfuric acid, Ammonia • Poisons/toxics • Includes potassium cyanide, mercury, and hydrogen sulfide (sewer gas) • Flammable/ignitable • Sodium metal, gasoline, hydrogen gas
MSDS • Section 5: Exposure & Health Effects • Can cause harm in a variety of ways • Does not always have harmful effects • Factors determine whether you will be harmed: • concentration of the substance • personal susceptibility to the substance • how contact with the substance occurs
Possible Effects from Exposure • Acute - immediate reaction to short term exposure • Chronic - develop slowly over a long period of time • Carcinogen - causes cancer • Mutagen - causes a change in the genetic material in human cells • Teratogen - causes damage to a fetus
Contact • Breathing • nasal and lung irritants • absorb into bloodstream • Skin • skin irritation • allergic reaction • absorbed directly into bloodstream (ex. Gasoline)
Contact continued… • Swallowing • Can happen by handling chemicals then eating without washing your hands. • So always remember to wash your hands directly after being exposed to hazardous chemicals.
MSDS • Section Six: Chemical Reactivity • stability • dangers when combining with other common substances • hazardous substances produced from burning or heated • conditions to avoid during storage
MSDS • Section Seven • steps to take in case of a spill or leak • handling precautions • any special methods of disposal • In the event of any spill or leak, immediate contact information
MSDS • Section Eight: Protective Equipment • respirators • gloves, boots, lab coats, coveralls, jump suits • splash goggles • safety glasses • Emergency drench shower and eyewash station
MSDS • Section Nine: Special handling precautions • Includes information about the environment in which the substance should be stored. • Dry? • Warm or Cool? • Electrically grounded? • Away from sunlight? • Other special controls?
How to Get MSDSs • Each Station, the Administration office and the Fire Shop, should have copies of the MSDS sheets for the items in that facility.
Conclusion • Always read labels and follow the instructions on them • You should know about the potential hazards of substances in your workplace. • Working together we can make our workplace as safe as possible • If you are unable to identify the product or locate a MSDS sheet, contact your station/shift safety representative.
