§ 28-21-9 - Training and education program.
SECTION 28-21-9
§ 28-21-9 Training and education program.– (a) Each employer shall provide an employee training and education programprior to an employee's initial assignment designed to inform employee(s) aboutthe designated substances to which they are exposed. This training shall berepeated annually.
(b) The employer shall provide additional instructionwhenever the employee may be routinely exposed to additional designatedsubstances or which requires special precautions or whenever the employee'spotential for exposure is increased. Training shall include, but not be limitedto: the nature of the hazards, appropriate work practices, protective measures,and emergency procedures. Training shall be based upon information contained onthe material safety data sheets, and any additional information that theemployer may have access to.
(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (a) and (b)of this section, an employer shall not be required to provide training andeducation as provided in subsection (a) of this section to the employees of anysubcontractor of the employer. Before any employees of any subcontractorcommence work on the premises of, or at the direction of, an employer, theemployer shall provide to the subcontractor those chemical identification listsand material safety data sheets to which the subcontractor's employees may beexposed. In addition, the employer shall provide to the subcontractor the listsand data sheets for any new designated substance that is introduced by theemployer to which employees of the subcontractor may be exposed prior to theexposure. It shall be the responsibility of the subcontractor to train itsemployees with regard to these substances, and otherwise comply with itsobligations under this chapter, as with any other designated substance to whichits employees may be exposed.
(2) In addition, before any subcontractor commences work onthe premises of, or in contact with employees of, any other employer, thesubcontractor shall supply to the employer chemical information lists andmaterial safety data sheets called for by this chapter for any designatedsubstances which the subcontractor uses on the employer's premises or incontact with employees of the employer. The subcontractor shall subsequentlyprovide the lists and data sheets for any new designated substance that isintroduced by the subcontractor to which employees of the employer may beexposed prior to the exposure. The employer shall then train its employees withregard to these substances, and otherwise comply with its obligations underthis chapter, as with any other designated substance to which its employees maybe exposed.
(d) Employers shall have, in writing, an outline of theRight-to-Know training program, including how the employer will inform workersof chemical hazards, nature of protective measures adopted for workers'protection, nature of the Rhode Island Right-to-Know law, and how labeling,lists and the MSDS program works. The employer, upon request, shall make copiesof the Right-to-Know program available to employees, employee representatives,treating physicians, the local fire department, and the department of labor andtraining.