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Medical College of Georgia Administrative Policies and Procedures
Office of Primary Responsibility: Environmental Health &
Safety, Chemical Safety
No. 4.2.01
Hazardous Chemical Protection and Right-To-Know Plan
1.0 Purpose
The Medical College of Georgia has established this plan in order to
comply with the Georgia Public Employees Hazardous Chemical Protection and
Right-To-Know Act of 1988 as amended, and Georgia Department of Labor
Chapter 300-3-19 Public Employee Hazardous Chemical Protection and
Right-To-Know Rules.
2.0 Policy
All employees of the Medical College of Georgia (MCG) shall comply with the
MCG Right-To-Know (RTK) Plan. This plan is available by contacting the MCG RTK
Coordinator in the Division of Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S). No
employee of MCG shall be discharged, disciplined, or discriminated against for
exercising their rights under this plan.
3.0 Procedure
3.1 Procurement of Hazardous Chemicals
MCG employees will purchase hazardous chemicals according to MCG procurement
policies and will ensure that copies of material safety data sheets for these
chemicals are sent to the MCG RTK Coordinator.
3.2 Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)
A central file of MSDSs will be maintained by the MCG RTK Coordinator. Access to
MSDSs will be provided to MCG employees during normal duty hours. Emergency
access MSDSs can be obtained by contacting the Public Safety Division. Public
Safety will contact the EH&S on-call staff member for emergency access. MSDSs
are also available from the MCG EH&S web site at
http://www.mcg.edu/Services/EHS/chemsafe/MSDSLinks.htm
3.3 Container Labeling
3.3.1 Original Containers
Any MCG employee ordering a chemical or product containing a hazardous
chemical should verify that all containers received for use will:
- Be clearly labeled as to the contents;
- Display the appropriate hazard warnings;
- List the name and address of the manufacturer.
3.3.2 Secondary Containers
Supervisors will ensure that all secondary containers, i.e., containers that
chemicals are placed into from “original containers,” are labeled with
either an extra copy of the original manufacturer's label or with a label
containing the:
- Identity of content;
- Appropriate hazard warnings.
If the secondary container is intended only for short-term storage (one
week or less), it shall be labeled at a minimum with the name of the
contents and date of filling. Vials and test tubes may have hazard labels
affixed to the rack or container in which they are held as long as every
vial or test tube in the rack or container presents the same hazard.
3.3.3 Unlabeled Containers
If an employee finds a container in the workplace, and it is unlabeled or
carries a defaced label and is thought to contain a hazardous chemical, the
employee should immediately notify his or her supervisor or the Chemical
Safety Officer during normal duty hours. After hours employees should
contact the Public Safety Division who will notify the EH&S on-call staff
member.
3.4 Employee Training
3.4.1 Basic Awareness RTK Training.
Prior to beginning work, all MCG employees will receive Basic Awareness RTK
Training. The training can be accessed through the web site at
http://www.usg.edu/ehs/training/rtkbasic/ and covers:
- An overview of the hazardous chemical protection laws, regulations,
and policies in place for MCG.
- A summary of employee rights in hazardous chemical protection.
3.4.2 Chemical-specific RTK Training.
MCG employees who work with chemicals or who work in an area where chemicals
are stored or used will receive Chemical-specific RTK Training in addition
to Basic Awareness RTK Training before beginning work. The training can be
accessed through the web site at
http://www.usg.edu/ehs/training/chemical/ and covers:
- How to identify hazardous chemicals in the workplace.
- Physical and health effects of the chemicals.
- Methods and observation techniques used to determine the presence or
release of the chemicals in the work area.
- How to lessen or prevent exposure to these chemicals by proper work
practices and use of personal protective equipment.
- Emergency procedures to be followed in the event of exposure.
- Procedures for safe disposal of waste chemicals.
3.4.3 Hazardous Waste Awareness RTK Training.
MCG employees that work with hazardous chemicals and therefore generate
hazardous waste will receive Hazardous Waste Awareness Training before
beginning work. The training can be accessed through the web site at
http://www.usg.edu/ehs/training/hazwaste/ and covers:
- Identifying the regulatory drivers for hazardous wastes at
University System of Georgia (USG) institutions.
- Types and identification of hazardous wastes.
- Characteristics of hazardous wastes.
- Determination of hazardous waste status and generator identification
number.
- Common areas on campus where hazardous wastes are generated.
- Hazardous waste accumulation and disposal.
- Hazardous waste and emergency response
3.4.4 Bloodborne Pathogens RTK Training
MCG employees who work with or are exposed to fresh human or non-human
primate material (blood, fluid, tissue) will receive Bloodborne Pathogens
RTK Training before beginning work. The training can be accessed through
the web site at
http://www.usg.edu/ehs/training/pathogens/ and covers:
- Definition of bloodborne pathogens.
- Explanation of Universal Precautions.
- Recognizing the sign or label indicating bloodborne pathogen hazard.
- Examples of ways bloodborne pathogens are transmitted from person to
person in the workplace.
- Differentiation between engineering control and workplace control.
- Emergency response involving blood or body fluids and waste
disposal.
3.4.5 Annual Refresher RTK Training.
MCG employees who are required to take Chemical Specific RTK Training,
Hazardous Waste Awareness RTK Training, and/or Bloodborne Pathogens RTK
Training will take annual refresher training for each during each calendar
year.
3.4.6 Training Records.
RTK Training will be recorded and records will be maintained for three years
by the Chemical Safety Office.
3.5 Informing Contractors
Renovation/construction contracts with MCG require the contractors to comply
with various MCG procedures. These requirements are outlined in the MCG
Guidelines for Contractors and Vendors at
http://www.mcg.edu/services/ehs/firesafe/MCGCVG.pdf
3.6 Hazardous Chemical Lists
The MCG RTK coordinator will provide the University System of Georgia RTK
Coordinator with a list of all hazardous chemicals present at MCG in June and
December of each year.
4.0 Responsibilities
4.1 MCG RTK Coordinator shall:
- Act as liaison between MCG and the University System of Georgia on
hazardous chemicals issues.
- Resolve questions regarding applicability of the Chapter 300-3-19 rules
to individual workplaces and work areas at MCG.
- Make arrangements for and/or provide training to all MCG Employees as
required in the University System of Georgia RTK Plan;
- Ensure that MCG employees have access to current chemical hazard
information for those chemicals to which they are exposed or potentially
exposed to as part of their employment at MCG.
4.2 Supervisors shall:
- Ensure that employees are informed of any operations in their workplaces
where hazardous materials are present.
- Ensure that MCG employees under their supervision receive initial and
annual RTK Training as required in this plan.
- Provide employees under their supervision with information and training
on specific hazardous chemicals in the work area at the time of their
initial assignment and whenever a new hazard is introduced into their work
area.
Date: 1 April 1993 | Rev. No: 06-2 | Rev. Date: 1 December 2006 | No. 4.2.01 |