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Pennsylvania Worker and Community Right to Know Act

Pennsylvania Worker and Community Right to Know Act. Environmental Health and Safety Penn State University. Worker and Community Right to Know Act. Enacted October 4, 1984 Gives employees access to information about hazardous substances. Employee Workplace Notice.

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Pennsylvania Worker and Community Right to Know Act

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  1. PennsylvaniaWorker and Community Right to Know Act Environmental Health and Safety Penn State University

  2. Worker and Community Right to Know Act • Enacted October 4, 1984 • Gives employees access to information about hazardous substances

  3. Employee Workplace Notice

  4. Seven Important Provisions of the Right to Know Act 1. Creates a list of 2336 chemicals that are defined as hazardous substances

  5. 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

  6. Seven Important Provisions of the Right to Know Act, continued… 3. Requires that the list be made available to you

  7. 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

  8. Seven Important Provisions of the Right to Know Act, continued… 5. Requires labeling of hazardous substances to identify hazardous ingredients

  9. Seven Important Provisions of the Right to Know Act, continued… 6. Requires the employer (PSU) to provide an initial and annual training program for employees who may be exposed to any of the 2336 listed substances

  10. 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 The University has special exceptions:

  11. 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.

  12. 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.

  13. In the training packet you will find: • A workplace notice containing the synopsis of the law • A list of terms and definitions that describe chemicals, their properties, and their effects on people • A sample Material Safety Data Sheet You should become familiar with the general form of a MSDS and what information it contains about a hazardous substance.

  14. 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

  15. 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)

  16. 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

  17. 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)

  18. MSDS • Section Four: Fire & Explosion Hazard Data • flash point • extinguishing media • special fire fighting procedures • unusual hazards

  19. 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

  20. 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

  21. 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

  22. Contact • Breathing • nasal and lung irritants • absorb into bloodstream • Skin • skin irritation • allergic reaction • absorbed directly into bloodstream (ex. Gasoline)

  23. 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.

  24. 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

  25. 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, immediately contact Environmental Health and Safety. • During normal working hours, 865-6391 • Nights, weekends and holidays, contact University Police, 863-1111 • 911 for fire, explosion, illness or other serious emergency

  26. MSDS • Section Eight: Protective Equipment • respirators • gloves, boots, lab coats, coveralls, jump suits • splash goggles • safety glasses • Emergency drench shower and eyewash station

  27. 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?

  28. How to Get MSDSs • Call EHS (814) 865-6391 requesting MSDS(s) • Send a note to EHS through campus mail requesting MSDS(s) • Search on-line MSDS libraries: • http://www.ehs.psu.edu/hazmat/msds.cfm

  29. 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. • Contact The Environmental Health and Safety Office for specific questions

  30. For More Information: • Pennsylvania State University Environmental Health and Safety 6 Eisenhower Parking Deck University Park, PA 16802-2116 Phone: (814) 865-6391 Fax: (814) 863-7427

  31. Acknowledgements • Presentation originally prepared by Dave Lesher and Doug Hilderhoff, Penn State Behrend • Modified by Curt Speaker

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