Opinion ID: 518856
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: the allegedly conflicting statutes

Text: 5
6 Section 14 of the New Jersey Right to Know Act, N.J.Stat.Ann. Sec. 34:5A-14, requires employers to label certain chemical containers. 1 Section 14(a) provides that [e]very employer shall have until October 30, 1985 to label containers containing a hazardous substance. A hazardous substance is defined as any substance on the New Jersey Department of Health's workplace hazardous substance list, which consists of (1) [a]ny substance ... regulated by OSHA under 29 C.F.R. part 1910, subpart z; (2) [a]ny environmental hazardous substance; and (3) [a]ny other substance which the [D]epartment [of Health] ... determines poses a threat to the health or safety of an employee. N.J.Stat.Ann. Secs. 34:5A-3(m), 34:5A-5(a). An environmental hazardous substance is defined as any substance on the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection's environmental hazardous substance list, which consists of substances which, when used, manufactured, stored, packaged, ... disposed of or released into the environment of [New Jersey], ... may be linked to the incidence of cancer; genetic mutations; physiological malfunctions ... and other diseases; or which ... may pose a threat to the public health and safety. N.J.Stat.Ann. Secs. 34:5A-3(i), 34:5A-3(j), 34:5A-4(a). 7 Section 14(a) thus requires hazardous substance labeling with respect to both environmental hazardous substances and workplace hazardous substances that are not environmental hazardous substances. Section 14(a) requires the label to include the chemical name and Chemical Abstracts Service number of the hazardous substance or the trade secret registry number assigned to the hazardous substance. 2 8 Section 14(b) is considerably broader than section 14(a) with respect to the containers to which it applies. Section 14(b) requires that by August 29, 1986 (two years after the effective date of the Act), every employer shall label every container at his facility unless the container falls into one of a number of statutory exclusions. Exclusions aside, the universal labeling requirements of section 14(b) apply to all chemicals, whether hazardous or nonhazardous. If a container contains a mixture of chemicals, an employer must ensure that the label identifies the chemical names and Chemical Abstracts Service numbers or the trade secret registry numbers of the five most predominant substances contained in the mixture, although the presence of a chemical need not be recorded on the label if it constitutes less than 1% of a mixture unless the substance is present at the facility in an aggregate amount of 500 pounds or more. Section 14(b)'s label content requirements for each chemical are essentially identical to section 14(a)'s requirements; the only difference is that under section 14(b) employers may substitute the common name for the chemical name with respect to those substances that the Department of Health has determined are widely recognized by their common names. N.J.Stat.Ann. Sec. 34:5A-14(d).
9 Section 6(b)(7) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, 29 U.S.C. Sec. 655(b)(7), and its implementing regulations, 29 C.F.R. Sec. 1910.1200, require that employers provide information to their employees concerning hazardous chemicals. Chemical manufacturers are required to develop a material safety data sheet that contains detailed information about each hazardous chemical they produce. Employers using these hazardous chemicals receive the material safety data sheets from the manufacturers and must ensure that they are readily accessible to employees. 29 C.F.R. Sec. 1910.1200(g). Employers must train their employees to detect the presence or release of a hazardous chemical in the work area, inform them of the physical and health hazards of work area chemicals, and train them in the measures necessary to protect themselves from these chemical hazards. Id. Sec. 1910.1200(h). 10 Employers must also label containers of hazardous chemicals with the identity of the hazardous chemicals and appropriate hazard warnings. Id. Sec. 1910.1200(f). Identity is defined as any chemical or common name indicated on the material safety data sheet for the chemical. Id. Sec. 1910.1200(c). Hazardous chemical is defined as any chemical that is a physical hazard or a health hazard. Id. Chemical manufacturers must evaluate the hazards of the chemicals they produce and must treat as hazardous chemicals regulated by 29 C.F.R. part 1910, subpart z. Id. Sec. 1910.1200(d). While the federal hazard communication standard originally applied only to the manufacturing sector, see Hazard Communication, 48 Fed.Reg. 53,280 (1983) (final rule), OSHA has subsequently amended the federal standard so that it covers the nonmanufacturing sector as well. See Hazard Communication, 52 Fed.Reg. 31,85 2 (1987) (final rule); Associated Builders & Contractors, Inc. v. Brock, 862 F.2d 63 (3d Cir.1988) (upholding final rule). 11
12 Although there are numerous similarities, the federal scheme differs from New Jersey's scheme with respect to container labeling in three relevant respects. New Jersey requires all chemical containers to be labeled; OSHA requires only containers containing hazardous chemicals to be labeled. New Jersey requires that the five most predominant substances contained in a mixture must be labeled; OSHA has no such requirement. New Jersey requires most labels to include the chemical name and Chemical Abstracts Service number; with respect to chemical identity, OSHA requires only the chemical or common name. OSHA defines chemical or common name in such a way that employers complying with the federal standard might not be in compliance with New Jersey's standard. 3