University at Albany: Environmental Health and Safety




	Office of Environmental Health and Safety Policy Number:OS-01 Title: Hazard Communication & Employee Right to Know Effective Date: 9/88 Revision: R3 - 2/08 Number of Pages:5 Purpose: To ensure the employees at the University at Albany are aware of their rights under New York State's Right to Know Law and the Occupational Safety & Health Administration's (OSHA) Hazard Communication Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200). This Policy seeks to inform and define employer and employee responsibility, expectations and actions involving the workplace and the safe handling of chemicals therein. Adherence to this Policy by all responsible parties is required to come into compliance with the intent of the aforementioned laws. Scope: All University employees, regardless of funding sources, are included in this program. Your Rights: You (or someone representing you) may request, and must receive upon request, information about any chemical substance(s) that you are required to use to perform your job. You also have the right to request information about any chemical substance used in or near your work area, whether it is used by another University employee or an outside contractor. You may refuse to work with a toxic substance, if you have requested information and have not received a written reply within 72 hours. You can exercise these rights without fear of being discriminated against by the University. You can not be required to waive rights under the RTK Law as a condition of employment. You can file a complaint with the NYS Department of Labor if you have been discriminated against in violation of the RTK Law. The Hazards of Chemicals: *"The dose makes the poison"* Pericles Chemicals, in and of themselves, are not all hazardous. The amount, the length of time, the route of entry into the body and environmental circumstances are some of the factors that can make a chemical hazardous to your health. Chemicals must come in contact with your body to cause you harm, with one exception, flammables. (Refer to The Safe Handling of Chemicals). Routes of Exposure: Absorption - Direct chemical contact with the skin is the most common type of chemical exposure. The substance can enter the bloodstream through the outer layers of the skin, contact with eyes, through hair follicles, or surface openings from cuts and bruises. Symptoms of skin exposure to dangerous materials are: dry, whitened skin, redness and swelling, rashes or blisters, and itching. If these symptoms occur, immediately reduce your exposure. Inhalation - Another way chemicals can enter the body is through inhalation. This happens by inhaling toxic vapors, mists, fogs or dusts. Once in the body, these substances can produce a poisoning by being absorbed through the nose and mouth. It is this way, also, that toxins enter the lungs where they can damage lung tissue, or enter the blood stream. Symptoms of exposure to inhalation hazards include headaches, eye, nose, and throat mucous. Other symptoms include confusion, dizziness and collapse. If these symptoms occur, immediately reduce your exposure by leaving the area or providing ventilation. Ingestion - Though not a common route of entry, ingestion is an easy way to get substances into your body. This occurs when you eat, drink or smoke without washing your hands after using a substance. This is also called "Hand to Mouth"contamination. Ingestion can damage various tissues in your body. If Exposure Occurs - How Severe Will Your Reaction Be? An educated estimate can be made by knowing : How powerful the substance is. (Dangerous Properties) How much entered the body. (Dose) How the body reacted to the substance. (Physical Response) Each individual reacts differently to different substances. At a given dose of a chemical, some people will have a severe reaction and other will show no evidence of a reaction. These differences are caused by various factors including: General Health Heredity Diet Age Sex Over time, exposure to certain substances can lead to the development of an allergic skin rash or other reaction. The reaction flares up with exposure to only a small amount of the substance. Smoking, Drinking and Nutritional Habits can change the effects of some substances. Acute and Chronic Exposure to harmful chemicals fall into the following two categories. Acute - Short term exposure. An Acute Exposure results from a single dose in which the body's ability to protect itself is overcome by the substance. Acute exposures are usually reversed over a period of time. Chronic - Long term Exposure Chronic exposure is a low level exposure over a long period of time in which the rate of exposure is greater than the body's ability to eliminate the substance. Chronic effects often do not appear until years later. Exposure Levels No one can function in daily life without being exposed to chemicals. Most exposures to chemicals are not hazardous to your health. In the work place the amount of exposure to certain chemicals is limited by Federal Regulations, specifically 29CFR 1910.1000, tables Z-1, Z-2 and Z-3. Levels of exposure are called Permissible Exposure Limits (PEL). PEL is the amount of air contaminant concentration to which a worker can be exposed on a regular basis, without developing adverse effects. The employer must provide the employee with the proper protection to prevent the employee from receiving an exposure exceeding the PEL. (Refer to the University @ Albany's Personal Protective Equipment Policy and standard operating procedures for each job). To find out if the chemical with which you are working has a PEL , read the Material Safety Data Sheet for that substance. How to Obtain Information on a Chemical Substance There are a number of sources available to each employee required to use a chemical product on the job. It is the responsibility of each employee to obtain information on the safe use of chemical substance(s), prior to their use, as part of his/her job dutites. "You (or your representative) may request, and must receive upon request, information about a substance you are working with or near." Information on the substances used in the workplace can be obtained from: Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) - Product literature that describes the physical hazards, intrinsic hazards and possible ramifications of mishandling or incorrect storage. Labels - Found on the primary container. The label usually lists the hazards or has warnings. The warnings should be taken seriously and correct use instructions followed. All secondary containers must be labeled by the dispenser or user. The labels must state the contents of the container and the primary hazard(s) of the substance. EH&S Office - MSDS's can be obtained by going to the LINKS section on our web page. You will then be directed to Useful Links. Hit the link to the University at Vermont under Material Safety Data Sheets. You will then be directed to the SIRI MSDS database, which contains several thousand MSDSs. If you cannot find the MSDS you are looking for or if you have a question regarding a MSDS, call the EH&S Office for assistance at 442-3495. The Safe Handling of Chemicals I. FLAMMABLE LIQUIDS/ SOLVENTS (such as thinners, gasoline, varnishes and acetone) Avoid contact with the skin. Use with adequate ventilation, avoid directly inhaling vapors. Do not use or store near heat or flames. Keep containers tightly sealed. Do not store or use near oxidizing agents, such as acids or bleaches. Wear appropriate protective equipment. II. Dusts (such as soap powders, cleansers and absorbents) Avoid inhaling dusts. Avoid sweeping contaminated areas. Wet surfaces if necessary. Wear a respirator if required. Note: Asbestos dust requires special attention. If you suspect the material you are working with is asbestos, contact the Office of Environmental Health & Safety at 442-23495. III. Fumes (Such as lead, cadmium, nickel and chromium) Use local exhaust. Avoid inhaling direct fumes. Wear a respirator, if required. Wear protective eyewear or faceshield. IV. Corrosives (Acids & Alkalis) (Such as muriatic acid, caustic soda, sulfuric acid and chlorine) Avoid contact with the skin. Use Protective eyewear. Wear gloves and protective clothing. Do not mix or store with solvents. Use acids in a well- ventilated areas. Do not store acids with alkalis. Store in a cool, dry area. Hazardous Substance Categories "A rose by anyother name..." William Shakespeare Carcinogen: Substances capable of inducing the development of cancerous growths in otherwise normal healthy tissue. Mutagen: A substance known to cause genetic alterations. Teratogen: A chemical or physical agent that may interfere with the normal stages of embryonic development, possibly resulting in fetal deformities. Asphyxiant: An asphyxiant is any substance that deprives the body of oxygen necessary to maintain normal life support. Neurotoxin: A neurotoxic substance is any one of a variety of chemical substances that may cause central nervous system impairment or disorders. Narcotic/ Anesthetics: Any substance capable of producing sensory loss to all or specific parts of the body. Respiratory Irritant: This type of substance is capable of causing irritation to the upper and lower respiratory tracts when allowed to enter the body. Allergen/ Sensitizer: If allowed to come in contact with body tissues by inhalation, ingestion or skin absorption, this type of chemical substance may cause an allergic reaction. Skin Irritant: Any substance that may cause irritation to skin tissue upon contact. Eye, Nose & Throat Irritant: A substance that may cause irritating or damaging effects upon contact with mucous membranes of the eyes, nose and throat. Systemic Toxins: A chemical substance, which upon contact, will effect and cause damage to the normal operation of body systems and specific target organs.

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