EMPLOYEE RIGHT-TO-KNOW

HAZARD COMMUNICATION

Minnesota Valley Education District 2025-2026 TRAINING

MVED INFORMATION

• Employee Right-to-Know (ERtK) program coordinator for MVED: Sara Kral
• ERtK records location: MVED, health and safety files
• Safety Data Sheet (SDS) book location: Master book in District Office, each area has area-specific book

EMPLOYEE RIGHT-TO KNOW

WHAT IS NEEDED

• Written program that includes:
• Inventory of hazardous substances/agents
• Identification of exposed employees
• SDS sheets
• Training
• Labeling/warnings

TAKE INVENTORY OF HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES

& AGENTS

Hazardous substances

Noise

Heat

Ionizing radiation

Non-ionizing radiation

Infectious agents

HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES!

• CHEMICALS
• Don’t miss
• CO- combustion bi-product
• N02 (nitrogen dioxide)- diesel bi-product, kerosene heaters, gas heaters
• Wood dust
• Welding fumes

NOISE & HEAT

• NOISE
• Close to 85 dB over 8-hours
• Over 85 dB- needs hearing conversation program
• If you must shout to be heard- includes
• Lawn Mowers
• Power Tools
• Hammering

• HEAT
• Should include if not air-conditioned

IONIZING & NON-IONIZING RADIATION

IONIZING RADIATION

• X-rays
• Radioactive material
• Radon- working underground

NON-IONIZING RADIATION

(RADIO & MICROWAVE FREQUENCIES)

• Radio waves
• Radar
• Communication equipment

INFECTIOUS AGENTS

• Bloodborne pathogens
• Others
• Legionella
• MRSA
• Salmonella
• Measles
• H 1 N 1
• Influenza
• COVID- 19

(MATERIAL) SAFETY DATA SHEETS (M)SDS)

• Have for all substances
• Employee access-

“May keep the MSDSs in binder or on computers as long as the employees have immediate access to the information without leaving their work area when needed and a back-up is available for rapid access to the MSDS in the case of a power outage or other emergency”

• Keep updated
• Safety Data Sheets (SDS) since 2016

IDENTIFY EXPOSED EMPLOYEES

• Not all employees exposed to same hazards

TRAINING

• ​

• Before exposure
• Annually
• Subcontractors/Temps
• Records to include
• Date
• Employees name and title
• What was included
• Name and qualifications of trainer

LABELING

• ​

• All hazardous substances
• High noise areas
• Radiation
• Infectious waste

ERTK PROGRAM ANNUAL REVIEW

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ERTK PROGRAM ANNUAL REVIEW

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• RECOMMENDED

GHS

• THE GHS is an acronym for The United Nations Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals

WHAT IS GHS?

• Globally Harmonized System (GHS)
• Logical and comprehensive approach to standardize hazardous information
• Defines health, physical, and environmental hazards of chemicals
• Created a classification process that uses available data on chemicals for comparison with defined hazard criteria
• Communicates hazard information, as well as protective measures, on labels and SDS
• GHS was designed to replace the 100s of classification and labeling standards used throughout the globe, into the consistent criterium.

WHY GHS?

• Why GHS?
• To have a common worldwide approach to classifying and communicating chemical hazards.
• Harmonized definition of hazards
• Specific criteria for labels
• Harmonized format for safety data sheets

• “Layman” definition of GHS
• A worldwide effort to standardize hazardous information

EFFECTIVE DATES FOR NEW RULES

• Minnesota OSHA has a State Plan
• Minnesota adopted Sept. 10, 2012

EFFECT

• Chemical manufacturers or distributors
• Reclassification
• Labeling
• SDS (Safety Data Sheets)
• Training

• All employers
• Train on label elements
• Pictograms
• Signal words
• Hazard statements
• Precautionary statements
• Train on new SDS format
• Update to SDS

GHS CHANGE- 9 PICTOGRAMS

RED VS. BLACK BORDERS

• OSHA is requiring red borders regardless of the shipment’s destination.
• The red borders increase comprehensibility.
• Blank red diamonds are not permitted on a label.

GHS CHANGE: LABELING REQUIREMENTS

• (1) Product identifier
• (2) Signal words: “Danger or “Warning”
• (3) Hazard statements- standard phrases assigned to a hazard class and category
• (4) Precautionary statements
• (5) Supplier Information
• (6) Pictogram
• Shipping container (vendors/distributors)
• All containers shipped from chemical manufacturers must have appropriate labeling.
• Secondary containers (spray bottles)
• Name of product, hazard warnings

SIGNAL

WORDS

• The signal word indicates the relative degree of severity a hazard. The signal used in the GHS are:
• “Danger” for the more severe hazards, and “Warning” for the less severe hazards.

HAZARD STATEMENTS:

• A statement that describes the nature of the hazard(s) of a chemical; including, where appropriate, the degree of hazards
• Examples: Flammable liquids
• Extremely flammable liquor and vapor
• Highly flammable liquid and vapor
• Flammable liquid and vapor
• Combustible liquid

• HAZARD STATEMENTS EXAMPLES:
• Fatal if swallowed
• Toxic if swallowed
• Harmful if swallowed
• May be harmful if swallowed

PRECAUTIONARY STATEMENTS:

• Precautionary information supplements the hazard information by briefly providing measures to be taken to minimize or prevent adverse effects from physical, health or environmental hazards. First aid is included in precautionary information.

• Precautionary Statement Examples:
• Only use non-sparking tools
• Keep container tightly closed
• Use with explosion-proof equipment
• Wear splash protection for face
• Wash hands after handling

SECONDARY CONTAINER EXEMPTIONS

• The chemical will be used only by the person who transferred it from the labeled container:
• It will be under the control of the same person.
• The chemical in the container is going to be used during the work-shift.

The product must still be identifiable!

HMIS NUMBERING SYSTEM

• Hazardous Materials Information System: Informs workers about the hazards of chemicals in workplace under normal conditions of use and foreseeable emergencies.
• Numbering system 0-4
• 4- most severe hazard
• 0- least severe hazard
• Numbering is not required on labels. (This was changed with the update to GHS, when numbering was previously reversed).

NFPA 704 Labeling

Health Hazard

4 – Deadly

3 – Extreme danger 2 – Hazardous

1 – Slightly hazardous 0 – Normal material

Reactivity

4 – May detonate

3 – Shock and heat may detonate

2 – Violent chemical change

1 – Unstable if heated 0 - Stable

Fire Hazard – Flash Points

4 – Below 73

3 – Below 100

2 – Below 200

1 – Above 200

0 – Will not burn

Specific Hazard OXY - Oxidizer ACID - Acid ALK - Alkali

COR - Corrosive

W – Use no water

- Radiation hazard

© IEA, Inc.

© IEA, Inc.

GHS CHANGE- SAFETY DATA SHEETS (SDS)

• Material Safety Data Sheets will be called:
• Safety Data Sheets (SDS)
• 16 section standardized format

SAFETY DATA SHEETS:

• SDSs list all important information about a product.
• Can and should be used in an emergency or for research
• Previously referred to as a Material Safety Data Sheets
• 16 Sections Include:
• Product identification
• Hazard identification
• Composition information
• First aid measures
• Firefighting measures
• Accidental release measures
• Handling and storage
• Exposure control/ PPE

9. Physical and chemical properties

10. Stability and reactivity

11. Toxicological information

12. Ecological information

13. Disposal consideration

14. Transportation information

15. Regulatory information

16. Other information

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PLEASE TAKE EMPLOYEE RIGHT-TO-KNOW QUIZ

To finish this training, you must click on the link below and complete a short quiz.

MVED Employee Right-to-Know 2025-26 Quiz

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Thank you for your attention!

Shannon O’Connor, IEA Inc.

shannon.oconnor@ieasafety.com

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MVED Employee Right-to-Know Coordinator: Sara Kral

Phone Number: (507)- 934-5420 ext. 8254

Email Address: skral@mnved.org