You Have the Right to Know

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123456789 The following three agencies work together to imple- 123456789 123456789

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123456789 ment the Worker and Community Right to Know Act: 123456789HOW TO OBTAIN INFORMATION LOCALLY New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services You can obtain copies of the Right to Know Survey, Right to Know Program YOU HAVE THE PO Box 368 Community Right to Know Survey, and Hazardous Trenton, NJ 08625-0368 Substance Fact Sheets from your designated Right to (609) 984-2202 Know county agency listed below: RIGHT TO www.state.nj.us/health/eoh/rtkweb Atlantic ...... (609)645-5971 Ext. 4295 Enforces all provisions of the RTK Act in public work- Bergen...... (201)634-2786 KNOW places and RTK labeling in private workplaces. The Burlington ...... (609)265-5521 Ext. 5521 Program prepares Hazardous Substance Fact Sheets, Camden...... (856)374-6046 the RTK brochure, and other materials to increase Cape May ...... (609)463-6413 awareness of hazardous chemicals and help employ- Cumberland ...... (856)453-2156 ers comply with the RTK Act. Printed materials are Essex ...... (973)497-9401 available upon request. Many are translated into Spanish. Gloucester...... (856)307-4805 New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Hudson ...... (201)223-1133 Office of Pollution Prevention and Right to Know Hunterdon ...... (908)788-1110 PO Box 405 Mercer ...... (609)278-7165 Trenton, NJ 08625-0405 Middlesex ...... (732)745-8480 (609) 292-6714 Monmouth ...... (732)431-7456 www.nj.gov/dep/opppc/crtk/ Morris ...... (973)631-5485 Ocean ...... (732)341-9700 Ext. 7477 Enforces the community provisions of the RTK Act in the private sector (except for labeling). The Department Passaic ...... (973)225-3651 is also responsible for implementing Title III (Emergency Salem...... (856)935-7510 Planning and Community Right to Know) of the federal Somerset ...... (908)231-7506 Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act Sussex...... (973)579-0370 ABOUT HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES IN (SARA), which establishes requirements for indus- Union ...... (908)654-9730 try regarding emergency planning and reporting of Warren ...... (908)475-7960 YOUR WORKPLACE AND COMMUNITY hazardous chemicals. New Jersey Department of Labor and YOU HAVE A Workforce Development RIGHT TO KNOW Office of Public Employees Occupational Safety and Health ABOUT HAZARDOUS PO Box 386 SUBSTANCES Jon S. Corzine Heather Howard Governor Trenton, NJ 08625-0386 IN YOUR Commissioner (609) 292-7036 Public Health Services Branch www.nj.gov/labor/lsse/lspeosh.html WORKPLACE AND COMMUNITY. Division of Epidemiology, Environmental and Occupational Health Collects RTK fees from private employers and inves- USE IT. tigates complaints by public employees who suspect they Occupational Health Service are being discriminated against for exercising their rights Right to Know Program 04/08 J0017 under the RTK Act. 1234567 12345678

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1234567 123456789 12345678 1234567THE RIGHT TO KNOW ACT 123456789HOW THE ACT WORKS 12345678HOW TO USE YOUR WORKPLACE RIGHTS TO PROTECT YOUR HEALTH The New Jersey Worker and Community Right to Employers covered by the Act must complete surveys Know Act requires public and private employers to pro- listing the names and amounts of hazardous chemicals The Right to Know Act gives employees certain rights vide information about hazardous substances at their stored and used at their workplaces. and access to information about hazardous chemicals in workplaces. The Act: their workplace. This information, kept in the RTK central Right to Know Surveys are completed by public file, informs workers about the health hazards of chemi- T informs public employees about chemical hazards at agencies and sent to the New Jersey Department of cals and ways to reduce or prevent their exposure to the their workplace so they can work safely with these Health and Senior Services (NJDHSS). hazardous substances; chemical hazards. Learn to work safely with chemical Community Right to Know Surveys are completed hazards to protect your health and the health of your family T helps firefighters, police, and other emergency by private employers and sent to the New Jersey members. To do so: responders adequately plan for and respond Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP). to incidents such as fires, explosions or spills; 1. Work only with labeled containers. T provides data for monitoring and tracking hazard- Copies of these surveys are required to be sent ous substances in the workplace and the to local fire and police departments,designated 2. Check your workplace RTK Survey to find out which environment. Right to Know county agencies (mostly county products contain hazardous chemicals. health departments), and local emergency 1234567

1234567 1234567 3. Read Material Safety Data Sheets and Hazardous 1234567 planning committees. 1234567

1234567 1234567HOW THE ACT CAN PROTECT YOU AND Substance Fact Sheets about the health hazards YOUR FAMILY Public employers are required to label containers of the hazardous chemicals in the products. These according to the New Jersey Right to Know Act and documents are kept in the RTK central file. Harmful substances may be present at your workplace PEOSHA, and maintain a RTK Central File that contains and at other workplaces in your community, or may be information about hazardous substances at their You do not have to work with a product if your released into the environment. They may also be carried facilities. Private employers are required to label containers home to your family on your work clothes. employer has not given you the ingredient information according to OSHA and the New Jersey Right to Know Act. you requested in writing within five working days. Call 12345678

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12345678 12345678 the NJDHSS for more information before you refuse Hazardous substances can cause irritation to the 12345678

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12345678 eyes, skin, and respiratory tract. Exposure to hazardous 12345678HOW PUBLIC EMPLOYERS COMPLY WITH to work with a product. substances has been linked to health problems such as THE RIGHT TO KNOW ACT cancer, birth defects, and heart, lung and kidney diseases. You can file a complaint against your employer for not Public employers have the responsibility to assist These diseases may develop many years after exposure. complying with the RTK Act. Your name will be kept As a public employee, you can obtain information workers in learning about the hazards of the products they confidential. about hazardous substances that may harm you or your work with. The employer must: family from documents in your workplace's Right to Know This brochure is being distributed to you as part of your 3 Complete the Right to Know Survey (RTK) central file. training about hazardous chemicals in the workplace 3 Label Containers Knowing about hazardous substances and how they under the PEOSH Hazard Communication Standard. For 3 Create and Maintain a Right to Know Central File harm you can help you obtain the proper diagnosis and more information about training, contact the Public treatment if you should become sick. More importantly, 3 Post the Right to Know Poster. Employees Occupational Safety and Health (PEOSH) awareness about hazardous substances and your Program, New Jersey Department of Health and Senior potential exposure to them can help you make Public employees can obtain a copy of the survey by Services, P O Box 360, Trenton, NJ 08625-0360, (609) important decisions about your employment. contacting their employer, the NJDHSS, or the designated 984-1863, www.nj.gov/health/eoh/peoshweb. county agencies at the numbers listed in this brochure.