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SEPTEMBER 2007 16-4 16.05 EMPLOYEES' RIGHT TO KNOW As part of the Caltrans HMCP, employees have the right: To personally receive information about the hazardous materials to which they may be exposed; • To. have their physician or collective bargaining agent receive information about the hazardous substances to which they may be exposed; and To not be discriminated against when exercising their "right to know" under the HMCP. 16.06 HAZARD WARNING AND LABELING SYSTEMS To ensure that all users understand the health risks and hazards associated with various products, a Hazard Warning and Labeling System using words, pictures, symbols, or a combination of these will appear on labels or other forms of marking on containers to convey any health and/or physical hazards of the substance(s). Two of the most common labeling systems are the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA 704), and the Hazardous Materials Identification System (HMIS). These systems provide a numeric key to indicate the relative hazard. of the material in the areas of Health, Flammability, and Reactivity. The number system is from "0" for non -hazards to "4" for extreme hazards. The NFPA hazard warning (with labeling system numbers) is diamond-shaped and displayed on a color -coded symbol or label as follows: • Blue (left corner) background for health hazard; • Red (on top) background for flammability hazard; • Yellow (right corner) background for reactivi hazard; and • White (bottom) background for special hazardous properties of the material; e.g., oxidizer, poison, water reactive, etc. The HMIS system also includes a field for required personal protective equipment (PPE) to be used with the hazardous material. There are rare exceptions when the NFPA hazards will be written horizontally, left to right as: NFPA-"A"-"B"-"C"-"D", in this arrangement, health is the first, then flammability, reactivity, and special hazards.