🔥 Firefighter Right-to-Know

🔥 Michigan Firefighter Right-to-Know Law: What Business Owners Need to Know

As a Michigan business owner, you play a key role in protection. This is especially true if your operations involve hazardous materials. You protect not just your employees. You also protect the firefighters and emergency responders who may be called to your site in an emergency.

The Firefighter Right-to-Know Law ensures that fire departments are informed about hazardous substances in your facility. This enables safe and effective emergency response. It also helps you stay compliant with state and federal law.

📜 What Is the Firefighter Right-to-Know Law?

Under the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Act (MIOSHA) and federal Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA), businesses are required to:

Identify hazardous chemicals used, produced, or stored on-site.

Report chemical inventory information annually. Submit this information to local fire departments. Also send it to Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs) and the State Emergency Response Commission (SERC).

Provide Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for hazardous substances.

Notify authorities immediately in the event of an accidental chemical release.

🧾 Your Responsibilities as a Business Owner

1. Submit Tier II Chemical Inventory Reports

If your business stores hazardous chemicals above threshold amounts, you must submit a Tier II report. The deadline is by March 1st each year. This report includes:

Chemical names

Quantities

Storage locations

Safety Data Sheets (SDS)

➡️ Submit reports to:

S.S.E.S.A. – P.O. Box 63 Perry, MI 48872 or in person at 145 S Main Street Perry, MI 48872

or Online via this Chemical Survey Form

Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC)

Michigan SERC (via Michigan’s Tier II Manager system)

2. Maintain and Share Safety Data Sheets (SDS)

Keep SDS on hand for each hazardous chemical and ensure they’re accessible to employees and emergency responders.

3. Label Containers Clearly

All hazardous materials must be labeled in accordance with OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard (HCS).

4. Emergency Release Notification

If there’s a spill, fire, or other release of hazardous materials, you must immediately report it to:

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE)

Local emergency responders

The National Response Center (for federal requirements)

🚒 Why It Matters

By complying with Right-to-Know requirements, you help firefighters:

Understand chemical risks before entering your property

Plan safe and efficient responses to emergencies

Protect lives — including your employees and the public

Plus, failure to comply can result in fines, enforcement actions, and legal liability.

🛠️ Helpful Resources

MI EGLE EPCRA Program
michigan.gov/egle
📧 EGLE-SARA@Michigan.gov | ☎️ 517-284-7272

MIOSHA Hazard Communication
www.michigan.gov/leo/bureaus-agencies/miosha

EPA EPCRA Overview
epa.gov/epcra

✅ Stay Compliant – Stay Safe

As a business owner, you’re a key partner in public safety. Keeping emergency responders informed through Michigan’s Right-to-Know laws is not just the law — it’s the responsible thing to do.