Title 8 . Labor and Workforce Development

Chapter 61 . Boiler and Pressure Vessel Construction Code

Section 1110. Additional hazard communication standards

8 AAC 61.1110. Additional hazard communication standards

(a) In addition to the requirements set out in 29 C.F.R 1910.1200, as amended, an employer shall have a physical agent data sheet for each physical agent present in the employer's workplace.

(b) Each physical agent data sheet must be in English and must contain at least the following information:

(1) the name of the physical agent;

(2) a description of the physical agent;

(3) the health hazards of the physical agent, including signs and symptoms of exposure, and any medical conditions that are generally recognized as being aggravated by exposure to the physical agent;

(4) the permissible exposure limit established by these regulations or American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists threshold limit value;

(5) whether the physical agent is a or a potential carcinogen;

(6) any generally applicable precautions or safety procedures;

(7) any generally applicable control measures, such as appropriate engineering controls, work practices, or personal protective equipment;

(8) appropriate emergency or first aid procedures related to exposure to the physical agent;

(9) the date of preparation of the physical agent data sheet or the date of the last change to the sheet;

(10) the name, address, and telephone number of the person responsible for the preparation and distribution of the physical agent data sheet.

(c) Physical agent data sheets may be kept in any form, including in a manual of operating procedures, and may be designed to cover groups of physical agents in a work area where it may be more appropriate to address the hazards of an entire process rather than of individual physical agents. The physical agent data sheets must be readily accessible during each work shift to employees at their work areas.

(d) Upon an employee's request, an employer must provide a copy of the most recent physical agent data sheet or equivalent written information for a physical agent to which the employee may be exposed. If the copy or information requested by the employer under this subsection is not made available, the employer shall take measures to assure that employees are not exposed to the physical agent to which the copy or information pertains until the copy or information is made available to the employee. This subsection does not alter, deny, or abrogate any legal right an employee may have to refuse to work under hazardous circumstances.

(e) Upon request of the employee, the designated representative of the employee, or the commissioner, the employer must readily make available to the representative or the department physical agent data sheets in the same manner that records must be made available under AS 18.60.067 .

(f) An employer must comply with the following posting, information, and training requirements:

(1) a poster that contains the provisions of AS 18.60.065 - 18.60.068 must be displayed at the work site; a poster meeting this requirement is available from the department, but an employer may use any poster that meets this requirement;

(2) material safety data sheets, physical agent data sheets, or equivalent information for each toxic or hazardous substance and physical agent to which an employee may be exposed in the work place must be posted;

(3) instead of posting the information required under (2) of this subsection, an employer may post a list of the chemical name and product name of each toxic or hazardous substance and physical agent to which an employee may be exposed in the workplace, together with an identification of a location, in or near the workplace and accessible to employees, where an employee may inspect the material safety data sheets, physical agent data sheets, or equivalent information at any time during the work shift;

(4) an employer must provide employees with information and training on physical agents in their work area at the time of their initial assignment and whenever a new physical agent is introduced into their work area.

(g) In this section,

(1) "physical agent" means heat stress, cold stress, hand-arm (segmental) vibration, ionizing radiation, lasers, noise, radio frequency and microwave radiation, or ultraviolet radiation which exceeds the threshold established in the 1995-1996 edition of Threshold Limit Values for Chemical Substances and Physical Agents and Biological Exposure Indices in the Work Environment published by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH);

(2) "physical agent data sheet" means written or printed material concerning a physical agent that is prepared in accordance with (b) of this section.

History: Eff. 12/6/95, Register 136

Authority: AS 18.60.020

AS 18.60.030

AS 18.60.075

Editor's note: Physical agent data sheets are prepared by the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development and are available at no cost to the employer. An employer may develop its own data sheets or use data sheets prepared by an entity other than the department as long as they contain the information outlined in 8 AAC 61.1110(b).

A copy of the edition published by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) adopted in 8 AAC 61.1110(g)(1) may be obtained by contacting ACGIH, Technical Affairs Office, 6500 Glenway Ave., Bldg. D-7, Cincinnati, Ohio 45211-4438; phone: (513) 742-2020; Fax: (513) 661-7195. A copy may also be reviewed at the offices of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, division of labor standards and safety, in Juneau and Anchorage.

As of Register 151 (October 1999), the regulations attorney made technical revisions under AS 44.62.125 (b)(6) to reflect the name change of the Department of Labor to the Department of Labor and Workforce Development made by ch. 58, SLA 1999 and the corresponding title change of the commissioner of labor.