OSHA’s/PESH
laboratory standard (29 CFR 1910.1450) applies to all laboratories that
use hazardous chemicals. It
supersedes the provisions in all other health standards with the exception
of permissible exposure limits (PELs) for the approximately 600 air
contaminants in OSHA’s subpart Z and for the 26 substances covered
by individual standards. Hazardous chemicals include any chemical meeting the definition
of hazardous chemical with respect to health hazards as defined in OSHA’s
Hazard Communication Standard.
The
standard requires every laboratory supervisor to formulate and implement
a chemical hygiene program which must include the necessary work procedures
and policies that will be used to ensure that laboratory employees are
protected from all potentially hazardous chemicals used in their work
areas.
Among
other requirements, the standard provides for employee training and
information, hazard identification, respirator use, record keeping,
and when appropriate, medical consultation and
examinations.
In
order to comply with the requirements of the laboratory standard, the
University has established a comprehensive chemical hygiene plan.
Laboratories supervisors are encouraged to adopt this plan as
their program for compliance. However, individual departments or laboratory
supervisors may change, modify, or revise the chemical hygiene plan
to meet their individual needs as long as the program in effect meets
the requirements of 29 CFR 1910.1450.
When departments and/or laboratory supervisors choose to use
an alternate plan, a copy of their chemical hygiene plan, including
a list of laboratories for which it applies, must be forwarded to Environmental
Health & Safety.
All
laboratory chemical hygiene programs must be in writing.
A program in its simplest form may be a memorandum adopting the
University’s chemical hygiene plan as the laboratory’s program.
It
is recommended that laboratory supervisors purchase a copy of the latest
edition of the National Academy of Science’s Prudent Practices
for Handling Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories.
The University’s chemical hygiene plan is based on the criteria
found in this reference book.
The
standard also requires laboratory supervisors to provide information
and training in both physical and health hazards associated with the
chemicals used in the laboratory. Employees must receive training before assignments
involving hazardous chemicals or prior to assignments involving new
exposure situations. Appropriate
training records must be maintained.
In addition to the training provided by laboratory supervisors
as required by the University’s chemical hygiene plan, all laboratory
employees must attend ANNUAL lab safety training provided by Environmental
Health & Safety.
Environmental
Health & Safety will audit laboratory compliance biannually (two
times per year), with follow up audits occurring as necessary.
All noted safety violations must be corrected. Detailed procedures for laboratory audits can be found in the University’s
chemical hygiene plan or at EH&S's website http://ehs.binghamton.edu.
Laboratory supervisors must notify Environmental Health &
Safety when they suspect that exposure levels to a chemical may routinely
exceed the action levels or PEL. In
such cases, personal monitoring will be required to assure worker safety.
Copies
of the laboratory standard and laboratory requirements are contained
in the University’s chemical hygiene plan.
Copies of chemical hygiene plan are located in science department
offices and in the Environmental Health & Safety office.
For
further information, contact the Chemical Hygiene Officer at 7-2211.
