The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) estimates that there are approximately 32 million workers who are exposed to or have the potential for being exposed to one or more chemical hazards in the workplace. The number of exposed or potentially exposed individuals, the rate at which chemicals are being introduced yearly, in addition to over 600,000 chemicals that already exist support the need for workers to be informed about the chemical hazards they may encounter in the workplace (OSHA Fact Sheet 93-26).
Public sector as well as private sector workers can be exposed to hazardous chemicals in the workplace. Examples of potentially hazardous groups of chemicals present in public sector workplaces include:
PEOSH Public Employer's Guide for the Hazard Communication Standard [pdf 346k]
Designed to help employers and employees understand the requirements of the PEOSH Hazard Communication Standard (HCS), N.J.A.C. 12:100-7. An overview of the major components of the PEOSH HCS and explanations of how components of the New Jersey Worker and Community Right to Know Act interact with the PEOSH HCS are provided.
PEOSH Model Written Hazard Communication Program [doc 63k]
Designed to show employers how to develop their own written program. The format and content of the sample written program must be modified to reflect the actual activity and policies of each individual workplace in order to make it an effective management tool for protecting the health and safety of employees. Every workplace that uses hazardous substances must have a written program and is required to implement an effective hazard communication program.
