Information Regarding New RTK Online Submittal System and Database

As part of NJ Right to Know (RTK) requirements, the University is required to electronically submit annual surveys of hazardous chemicals to the NJ Department of Health. Next year, we will be transitioning to the online system and all submittals must be completed online.

To comply with this regulation, an online hazardous chemical inventory database program has been created.  The online program will allow you to:

• Submit your survey
• Access previous submissions
• Easily update previous surveys
• Search the database for specific information, such as quantities and locations of chemicals

This program will also:

• Reduce paper
• Increase reporting efficiency
• Ensure compliance

Each department must designate an account administrator.  The administrator will be given access rights to the database and will have the ability to assign additional personnel who can enter data.  For example, custodial supervisors can be the administrator and can add all of his/her forepersons or a department administrator can add TA’s or GA’s.

To assist departments with the new system, REHS can provide short training sessions to help your staff become familiar with the database.
The sessions will be approximately 1 hour in length. The training is designed for staff who are responsible for submitting RTK chemical inventories as well as those that have management responsibilities for areas with reportable chemicals. These sessions would be most beneficial for departments with teaching laboratories, Facilities, Housing, Dining and other departments that report chemical inventories. If your department is mainly research and development laboratories, this session would not be appropriate.

REHS will also offer sessions in early 2009 to help departments complete next year's survey. Information regarding these sessions will be posted on this site at a later date.

A central file of the University's chemical inventory must be submitted to the NJ Department of Health and Senior Services every 5 years. A survey update is required annually for the intermediate years. REHS provides MSDS/HSFS management, NJRTK training and chemical inventory data management.

Use this link to login to the NEW NJRTK database to create your report:
https://www.rci.rutgers.edu/~rehs/rtk/

The forms for the 2007 (Due in 2008) reporting year can be found at the following links:

The New Jersey Right to Know labeling requirements involve exact identification of chemicals in the workplace by using the chemical names and Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) numbers of the chemicals contents. Any hazardous ingredients which are not in the top five ingredients must also be listed on the label (except if it is below 1%, or below 0.1% for carcinogens, mutagens, and teratogens).

Container labels must list the chemical name and CAS number of the five most predominant chemical ingredients in the container whether they are hazardous or non-hazardous. This is commonly referred to as "universal labeling." The Right to Know Hazardous Substance List provides a list of synonyms of chemical names which may also be used on the label. For chemicals not listed on the Right to Know Hazardous Substance List, any chemical name recognized by the Chemical Abstracts Service may be used.

If the content of the container is not known or if only some of the contents are known, the container must bear a label stating either "Contents Unknown" or "Contents Partially Unknown" and a good faith effort must be made to find out the ingredients. In the latter case, whatever chemicals are known must be listed on the label. A good faith effort must involve at least two contacts by letter and/or documented phone calls to the product's manufacturer or supplier. If an employer finds out any additional ingredients of a product, the employer has up to 5 working days to add these ingredients to the existing label on the container.

The label must be a sign, emblem, sticker or marker of a durable nature affixed to or stenciled onto a container. The printing on these labels must be easy to read, not obscured, and prominently displayed on the container. (N.J.A.C. 8:59-5.8) Labels must be affixed to new direct use containers before containers are opened or within five working days of the container's arrival at the facility, whichever is sooner. A "direct use" container is the container that directly holds the product, such as a can of paint or a 55 gallon drum.

Labeling Exemptions

The Worker and Community Right to Know Act requires New Jersey public employers to provide their employees who are exposed or potentially exposed to hazardous chemical substances in the workplace with initial and annual education and training programs. The required course content must contain, at a minimum, the topics listed below and must include the opportunity for the employees to ask questions. Topics covered include: a general overview of occupational health including hazard identification, exposure assessment, and the provisions of the RTK law.

Rutgers University offers both departmental and general RTK training sessions. Click here to access the general training session schedule.

Department-specific training can be arranged by contacting Jennifer Mancini at 732/445-2550.

REHS Office Information:

REHS Offices
27 Road 1 Building 4086, Livingston Campus
Piscataway, NJ 08854
(732) 445-2550

The REHS offices are open from 7:30am till 5pm, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.

Hazardous Substance Fact Sheets (HSFS) and Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)
HSFS and MSDS are available at the REHS office. Please contact REHS for more information.

HSFS are also available on line through the NJ Department of Health and Senior Services (NJDOHSS) website.

MSDS are also available on line. Click here to go to the REHS MSDS link.

References