04/21/23P.E.S.A.W.(public employees safe at work)1

Safety Webinar: Hazard Communication and “Your

Right to Know”

Sponsored by the Georgia Department of Labor

& the Department of Administrative Services

Safety Webinar: Hazard Communication and “Your Right to Know”

04/21/23P.E.S.A.W.(public employees safe at work)2

Introduction

Good afternoon and welcome to all of you who have joined us for the Safety Webinar-”Hazard Communication & Your Right to Know. Co-sponsored by GDOL/DOAS. My name is Tom Johnson and I will be your presenter today.

Before I begin I would like to thank the DOAS for hoisting today’s Safety Webinar. I would like to also acknowledge two of DOAS Representatives Mr. C.G. Lawrence and Mr. Ted Lowe for there work on the GDOL Hazardous Chemical Advisory Board, who is responsible for today’s webinar

Intro-Continued

Are Public Employees safe today as it regards hazardous chemicals in the workplace? We will discuss and review key elements of the Public Employees Hazardous Chemical Protection & Right to Know Act, that State Agencies need to address, in order to comply with the law

In 1988 the Georgia Assembly passed into law the “Public Employees Hazardous Chemicals Protection and Right to Know Act

04/21/23P.E.S.A.W.(public employees safe at work)3

Intro-continued The law was written to protect the State’s Public

Employees from exposures to hazardous chemicals in the workplace, and to ensure that all Public employees who are exposed to hazardous chemicals are informed of the hazards of those chemicals, and of the measures to protect themselves.

The Georgia Department of Labor Safety Engineering Division, was assigned the administrative duties as required under the Act to ensure compliance with the law.

04/21/23P.E.S.A.W.(public employees safe at work)4

Presentation Objectives

Our objective today is to provide information to assist Georgia’s State Agencies in complying with the “Public Employees Hazardous Chemicals Protection and Right to Know Law.

We will be discussing the Georgia 300-3-19 rules governing the law. The rules of the law can be found at the GDOL website and the Secretary of State website as well

The purpose of these rules off course, is to ensure that all Public employees understand their “Right to Know” as it regards hazardous chemicals in the workplace

04/21/23P.E.S.A.W.(public employees safe at work)5

State Agencies Responsibilities

Under Georgia rule 300-19-02 each Public Employer covered by the Act and the regulations shall ensure that all Public employees who work for state agencies are aware of the Act, the regulations, and their responsibilities by means of having a (written Hazardous Chemical Communication Program or Hazard Communication Plan.

04/21/23P.E.S.A.W.(public employees safe at work)6

State Agencies Responsibilities-Cont

Public Employers are required to designate a Hazardous Chemical Protection Communication Coordinator or “Right to Know Coordinator” within their agency

The “Right to Know Coordinator” will be provided with authority sufficient enough to carry out the duties of the assigned position

04/21/23P.E.S.A.W.(public employees safe at work)7

They're six Provisions governing the Rules for the Public Employee

Hazardous Chemicals Protection and Right to Know Law

Administration of the law Training Contractors Responsibilities Employee Grievance/Complaints Exemptions Monitoring of the law

04/21/23P.E.S.A.W.(public employees safe at work)8

Administration300-3-19.02

The Department of Labor Safety Engineering Division shall as required under the Act ensure compliance with all training programs required under the law

GDOL must provide written approval of all agency training programs required under the law

GDOL must also provide written approval of the Hazard Communication Plan

04/21/23P.E.S.A.W.(public employees safe at work)9

Training300-3-19.03

Each employees shall be provided with training as required by the Act at the time of initial assignment to a workplace

Re-training must occur at least annually Department of Labor will verify annual

Right to Know training A written training log must be kept for

three years

04/21/23P.E.S.A.W.(public employees safe at work)10

Contractors300-3-19.04

It is the responsibility of independent contractors working on State property to ensure it’s contract employees are provided information and trained on hazardous chemicals

Workplace Managers shall be notified at least (30) thirty days prior to any hazardous chemical work at a State site by an independent contractor

04/21/23P.E.S.A.W.(public employees safe at work)11

Employee Grievance/Complaint

300-3-19.05 Any grievance/complaint filed by a

Public employee alleging that the employee has been adversely affected by a violation of the Act, first must be processed through the employer’s established grievance/complaint procedure

04/21/23P.E.S.A.W.(public employees safe at work)12

Exemptions300-3-19.06

Students enrolled in educational institutions are not required to receive hazardous chemical training, unless employed by the institution either full or part-time

The law does not cover local, city, school systems or private colleges or the employees of these institutions including county governments

04/21/23P.E.S.A.W.(public employees safe at work)13

Monitoring300-3-19.07

The Safety Engineering Division of the Georgia Department of Labor will monitor public employer compliance with the Act

04/21/23P.E.S.A.W.(public employees safe at work)14

State AgencyReporting

Requirements File with GDOL Safety Engineering Division the Name

of your agency Right to Know Coordinator File with GDOL Safety Engineering submit for an

approval of your Written Hazardous Communication Plan

File with GDOL Safety Engineering by January 1st and July 1st of each year a List of Hazardous Chemicals used at your agency

Provide a log of Employees hazardous chemical training conducted annually.

04/21/23P.E.S.A.W.(public employees safe at work)15

04/21/23P.E.S.A.W.(public employees safe at work)16

In Review: Agencies covered under the Act are required to:

Designate a Right to Know Coordinator for your State Agency Inform employees of their right to receive formal training and

education on hazardous chemicals Ensure Public employees know what a Material Safety Data

Sheet (MSDS) or Safety Data Sheet (SDS) is, and how to use it

Designate certain areas where “Your Right to Know Posters” are placed so that all employees can see

An finally inform Pubic Employees that their physician’s have a right to receive information on the chemicals to which they may be exposed