EMPLOYEE RIGHT-TO-KNOW ACT The Minnesota Employee Right-to-Know Act is intended to ensure that employees are aware of the dangers associated with hazardous substances, harmful physical agents, or infectious agents that they may be exposed to in their workplaces. The Act requires employers to evaluate their workplaces for the presence of hazardous substances, harmful physical agents, and infectious agents and to provide training to employees concerning those substances or agents to which employees may be exposed. Written information on hazardous substances, harmful physical agents or infectious agents must be readily accessible to employees or their representatives. Labeling requirements for containers of hazardous substances and equipment or work areas that generate harmful physical agents are also included. The Employee Right-to-Know Act applies to all Minnesota employers regardless of size (with the exception of federal agencies). Special provisions apply to certain technically qualified individuals as defined in the standard, farming operations, and waste service employers regulated by the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. Employers should conduct an inventory of their workplaces to determine what hazardous substances, harmful physical agents or infectious agents are present and which employees are at risk of exposure. Once the survey is completed, the employer must obtain, and have accessible to employees, written information on those substances or agents. This written information on hazardous substances is usually in the form of a material safety data sheet (MSDS) which can be obtained from the manufacturer of the substance. Material safety data sheets will provide the basic information that must be presented in the oral training program. The Employee Right-to-Know Standard is being enforced as part of the Minnesota Occupational Safety and Health program. The standard provides guidelines concerning the type of information that must be included in the written training program, how often training must be provided, requirements for documentation and maintenance of training records, and labeling of hazardous substance containers and equipment that generates a harmful physical agent or infectious agents. The standard also includes lists of hazardous substances, harmful physical agents and infectious agents to assist employers in evaluating their workplaces. Information about the Employee Right- to-Know Standard is available online at MNOSHA Compliance: Standards and Regulations. Questions concerning the Employee Right-to-Know Act may be directed to one of the Occupational Safety and Health Division offices, also listed in the Resource Directory section of this Guide. WORKPLACE SAFETY CONSULTATION The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry Workplace Safety Consultation (WSC) offers a number of programs, including a grant program, to employers to identify potential hazards at their work sites and improve their safety management systems. For more information on these topics, see MNOSHA Workplace Safety Consultation.
187
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker