The Right to Know Program in the Division of Epidemiology, Environmental and Occupational Health of the Public Health Services Branch of the Department of Health and Senior Services proposes to readopt without change N.J.A.C. 8:59, the Worker and Community Right to Know Act Rules.

N.J.A.C. 8:59 provides vital information to public employees and emergency responders through labels on containers that identify hazardous contents and enable public employees and responders to determine how to handle the material properly during normal working conditions and in emergencies.  Similarly, the rules provide vital information to public employees, emergency responders and community residents by the identification of hazardous substances present at public workplaces through Right to Know Surveys that contain inventories of these hazardous substances.  N.J.A.C. provides important health and safety information to employees, citizens, firefighters, health agencies, hospitals, local, county, state and Federal agencies, and others about hazardous substances through hazardous substance fact sheets prepared by the Department in both English and Spanish.

            The information provided through N.J.A.C. 8:59 protects the health and safety of public employees, emergency responders and members of the public.  The rules also enable firefighters, police, local government agencies and the public to evaluate risks to community safety and public health and plan for emergencies.  

         N.J.A.C. 8:59 contains the Right to Know Hazardous Substance List (RTKHSL) and the Special Health Hazard Substance List (SHHSL), which identify the hazardous substances that pose a threat to the health and safety of public employees, emergency responders and community residents.   These lists are used by public and private employers that are required to label the containers at their facilities that contain hazardous substances.

         The proposal appears in the August 16, 2010 issue of the New Jersey Register.  LexisNexis® provides free on-line public access to the New Jersey Administrative Code and the New Jersey Register at http://lexisnexis.com/njoal.

         The public has until October 15, 2010 to comment on the proposal.  Persons wishing to comment on the proposal must submit their comments in writing to Ruth Charbonneau, Director, Office of Legal and Regulatory Affairs, New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, PO Box 360, Trenton, NJ 08625-0360.  Written comments on the proposal must be postmarked on or before October 15, 2010, which is the close of the 60-day public comment period.