CCRI Biology

Hazard Communications

Your “Right to Know”

Resource: Oklahoma State University

RHODE ISLAND HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE
RIGHT-TO-KNOW-ACT, CHAPTER 28-21.

 The Right-To-Know Act, administered by the Rhode

Island Department of Labor is designed to protect
employees who may be exposed to one or more of
1100 hazardous chemicals on the "State of Rhode
Island Hazardous Substance List". All CCRI
employees who may be exposed to any chemicals
stored and used in the College buildings are covered
by this law.
 Posters around the College inform you of your rights
under the law.
 Copies of the Law itself, Chapter 28-21, and the
State of Rhode Island Hazardous Substance List are
on reserve in the Learning Resource Centers of all
three campuses.
 Hazard Communications

Compliance: The Four Part Program

 Material Safety Data Sheets

(MSDSs)/Chemical Inventory

 Labeling and Marking Systems

 Employee Training

 Written Plan
 Hazard Communications

Material Safety Data Sheets

Hazard Communications

Material Safety Data Sheets

• Company Information • Reactivity Data

• Hazardous Ingredients • Spill & Leak Procedures
• Physical Data • Special Protection
• Fire and Explosion Data Information
• Health Hazard Data • Special Precautions
Hazard Communications

MSDSs: Your Rights

 1. An MSDS for every hazardous substance used as

part of your job must be available to you the entire
time you are in the workplace.

 2. If you request to see a copy of an MSDS for a

product you use, and it cannot be provided to you
after 3 working days, you may refuse to use that
product or work in an area where it is being used.
 Hazard Communications

Labeling and Marking

Systems
Hazard Communications

Labeling and Marking Systems

 NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) Diamonds

 HMIS Labels (Hazardous Materials Identification System)

 Uniform Laboratory Hazard Signage System

 Labeling and Marking Systems:
NFPA Diamonds

 Color coded, numerical

rating system

 Should be near main

entrances, fire alarm
panels, or on outside
entrance doors

 Provide at-a-glance
hazard information
 Labeling and Marking Systems
NFPA Diamonds
 Blue = Health

 Red = Flammability

 Yellow = Instability

 White = Special hazard

information
 Labeling and Marking Systems
NFPA Diamonds

 4= Deadly Hazard

 3= Severe Hazard

 2= Moderate Hazard

 1= Slight Hazard

 0= No Hazard
 Labeling and Marking Systems
HMIS
 Designed to go on
individual containers of
products that don’t have
manufacturer’s labels

 Same color
code/numerical rating
system as the NFPA
diamonds
 Labeling and Marking Systems
HMIS Labels

 Blue = Health

 Red = Flammability

 Yellow = Instability

 White = Personal Protective

Equipment or special
protection information

 Numerical Rating of 0-4

 Labeling and Marking Systems
HMIS Labels

 You should never have any

unattended, unlabeled
containers in your workplace!
Labeling and Marking Systems
Uniform Laboratory Signage

 Located on laboratory
and chemical storage
area doors

 Pictographs depict
worst hazards present
in lab or area
Labeling and Marking Systems
Uniform Laboratory Signage

 Always check with the appropriate

personnel (lab manager, chemical
hygiene officer, etc.) before
performing work or maintenance in
a laboratory!
Hazard Communications

Employee Training
 Employee Training
 In order to comply with the Rhode Island Hazardous
Substance Right-to-Know Act (Chapter 28-21), CCRI
offers its employees training sessions which are
available on videotape at each campus Library. All
new employees, within 30 days after their first day of
employment, must view these Hazardous Materials
Right-to-Know videos. Employees must sign at the
audiovisual desk so that the College will have a
record of participation, which is required by law.
 Training must be repeated annually and whenever a
new hazard is introduced.
 Employee Training

 The training covers:

 Requirements of regulations
 Location and availability of MSDSs
 Hazardous chemicals used in the workplace
 Method to detect release
 Physical and health hazards
 Measures for personal protection
 Details and location of Chemical Hygiene Plan
Hazard Communications

The Written Plan

 1. MSDS Management and Accessibility

 The Community College of Rhode Island has a comprehensive program,

administered by the Department of Security and Safety and Campus Police, for
managing its hazardous substance inventory and material safety data sheet (MSDS)
file. The MSDS management program may be accessed from CCRI's Environmental
and Safety web page.

 MSDSs are available to any employee who wants to learn about a particular
substance. MSDS files are maintained at each workplace for your perusal. A copy of
each MSDS is placed in a wall-mounted MSDS station in the vicinity of the room in
which substances are stored or used. The MSDS station is intended for the use of
emergency fire and medical responders. MSDSs should never be removed from
these wall stations by anyone else. Anyone at CCRI may obtain an MSDS hard copy
for any room or area by calling call the Department of Security and Safety and
Campus Police.

 Anyone at the College or any outside interested party such as a fire department
representative or private citizen may access MSDS pro (http://216.19.113.56/) and
search the database for CCRI's Hazardous Substance Inventory and MSDS file. The
program allows you to search for all hazardous materials currently in use or used in
the past at CCRI by substance name or by location at each of CCRI's
: three sites, the
Flanagan Campus (Lincoln) the Knight Campus (Warwick) or the Liston Campus
(Providence).
2. Chemical Inventory

 Once every year, in compliance with Rhode Island Chapter 28-21, the Rhode Island
Hazardous Substance Right-To-Know Act, a request goes to each CCRI department for an
updated list of its hazardous substances. The hazardous substance inventory for that
department is updated by the Department of Security and Safety and Campus Police and
the MSDSs are entered into the College's database. Questions about updating the
department's inventory should be referred to the Department of Security and Safety and
Campus Police at 825-2201.

 A paper copy of the inventory is placed in the wall-mounted MSDS station in the vicinity of
the room in which the substances are stored or used. The MSDS station is intended for the
use of emergency fire and medical responders. Informative materials should never be
removed from these wall stations by anyone else.

 In accordance with Rhode Island Chapter 28-21, an updated hard copy of the hazardous
substance inventory is sent yearly to the local (Lincoln, Providence, Warwick) fire
department that serves each campus.

 Anyone at the College or any outside interested party such as a fire department
representative or private citizen may access MSDS pro (http://216.19.113.56/) and search
the database for CCRI's Hazardous Substance Inventory and MSDS file. The program
allows you to search for all hazardous materials currently in use or used in the past at CCRI
by substance name or by location at each of CCRI's three sites, the Flanagan Campus
(Lincoln) the Knight Campus (Warwick) or the Liston Campus (Providence).
3. EMPLOYEE TRAINING

 CCRI personnel who used hazardous substances are trained

yearly to recognize chemical hazards in their workplaces and
how to read and interpret Material Safety Data Sheets.
Hazard Communications

BE SAFE,
NOT SORRY!
 Exposure

If you are exposed to a hazardous substance

at work, File an Incident Report with College
Security and send a copy to the Chemical
Safety Coordinator.
 ?????Questions?????

Contact:
Dr. E. Terezakis
CCRI Chemical Safety Coordinator