Section 277-A:4 Material Safety Data Sheets.
I. Except as provided in paragraph III, no person shall obtain, purchase, manufacture, formulate, transport or distribute any toxic substance within this state unless the substance is accompanied by a complete material safety data sheet prepared by the manufacturer, producer, or formulator of such substance no more than one year prior to the obtainment, purchase, manufacture, formulation, transportation or distribution.
II. A manufacturer, producer or formulator may provide a single material safety data sheet for a product mixture containing 2 or more toxic substances instead of providing a material safety data sheet for each toxic substance component of such mixture if all of the following are applicable:
(a) The product mixture itself has been submitted to sufficient analysis and testing to justify a valid judgment on its hazardous properties.
(b) Each component toxic substance is identified on the product label individually, within the limits of practicability and feasibility.
(c) A material data safety sheet on each component toxic substance identified pursuant to subparagraph (b) is available upon request.
III. (a) When a manufacturer, producer, formulator or employer considers the identity of or other information concerning a toxic substance to be a protectable trade secret whose disclosure would compromise his competitive advantage, he shall register this information as secret with the commissioner of labor provided that such information is already registered as a trade secret pursuant to any provision of federal law or such information is not registered as a trade secret but is related to a proprietary process the disclosure of which would compromise his competitive position.
(b) The commissioner of labor shall not release any data which discloses any trade secret or proprietary process unless he shall notify, in writing and by certified mail, the submitter of such information of the intent to release the data. The commissioner may not release the information, without the submitter's consent, until the thirtieth day after the submitter has been furnished such notice. Any subsequent release shall be pursuant to applicable provisions relating to trade secrets or the Freedom of Information Act.
(c) In the event that a toxic substance or product mixture containing 2 or more toxic substances is registered by a manufacturer, producer or formulator as a component of a trade secret or otherwise protected as a proprietary process, such manufacturer, producer or formulator shall not be required to divulge the specific identity of the substance, but shall be required to provide a material safety data sheet containing the information specified in RSA 277-A:3, IV(b)-(h).
(d) In the event that a toxic substance or product mixture containing 2 or more toxic substances is registered as a component of a trade secret or otherwise protected as a proprietary process, the employer shall not be required to divulge the specific identity of the substance but shall otherwise be subject to all of the duties imposed by RSA 277-A:5.
IV. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph III, full and complete information regarding any toxic substance or substances to which an employee has been exposed shall be made available to a licensed physician if the information is needed for the purpose of medical diagnosis or treatment of such person.
Source. 1983, 466:1, eff. Oct. 26, 1983.