FORMAL POLICY STATEMENT

The University of West Alabama is committed to providing a safe working environment and believes that employees and students have a right to know about health hazards associated with their work. This Laboratory Safety Plan includes policies, procedures and responsibilities designed to develop an awareness of potentially hazardous chemicals in the workplace and to train employees in appropriate, safe working conditions.

It is important that the Administration assume responsibility for laboratory safety. All employees/student will have access to pertinent safety information through their supervisory staff. When safety concerns arise, employees/students are encouraged to contact their supervisor.

A training program has been designed for the benefit and protection of all laboratory workers. Necessary information will be available to inform employees/students about the hazards of chemicals used, and all are encouraged to take appropriate precautions and/or to seek advice from supervisors.

GLOSSARY

Acute: An adverse effect with symptoms of high severity coming quickly to a crisis.

Carcinogen: A substance capable of causing cancer.

Chemical Agents: A wide variety of materials that have a high potential for body entry by various means. Some are more toxic than others and require special measures of control for safety and environmental reasons.

Chronic: An adverse effect with symptoms that develop slowly over a long period of time, or that frequently recur.

Combustible: Able to catch fire and burn.

DOT: Department of Transportation.

EPA: Environmental Protection Agency

Flammable: Capable of being easily ignited and of burning with extreme rapidity. Substances with a flash point < 100 F. (37.8 C.)

Infectious Agents: Sources that cause infections.

Laboratory Scale: Work with quantities of chemicals that are easily handled by one person, excluding commercial production of chemicals for sale.

Laboratory Use: A workplace where relatively small quantities of (hazardous) chemicals are used on a non-production basis

LC 50: The concentration of a substance in air that causes death in 50 % of the animals exposed (by inhalation). A measure of acute toxicity.

LD 50: The dose that causes death in 50 % of the animals exposed (by swallowing). A measure of acute toxicity.

MSDS: Material Safety Data Sheet

Mutagen: Capable of changing cells in such a way that future cell generations are affected. Mutagenic substances are usually considered suspect carcinogens.

OSHA: Occupational Safety and Health Administration

PEL: Permissible Exposure Limit. The legally allowed concentration of a substance in the workplace that is considered a safe level of exposure for an 8-hr. shift, 40-hr week.

PH: A measure of how acidic or caustic a substance is. A pH of 7 is neutral. Acidic substances have pH’s less than 7; caustic substances have pH’s greater than 7.

Physical Agents: Workplace sources recognized for their potential effects on the body. Heat exposure or excessive noise level areas are examples.

Sensitizers: Agents which create an allergic reaction at some point after repeated exposure.

Sterility: Changes induced in male/female reproductive systems resulting in inability to reproduce.

Teratogens: Substances which can cause a deformity in a fetus if a significant exposure exists during pregnancy.

TLV: Threshold Limit Value. The amount of exposure allowable for an employee in an 8-hr. day.

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES

Because few laboratory chemicals are without hazards, general precautions for handling all laboratory chemicals should be adopted to minimize exposure. Assume that any mixture of chemicals is more toxic than the most toxic component.

A. Accidents and Spills

EMERGENCY NUMBER FOR ALL CASES REQUIRING ASSISTANCE: 911

1. Eye contact: Promptly flush eyes with water for a prolonged period (15 mins.) and seek medical attention.
2. Ingestion: Seek immediate medical attention.
3. Skin Contact: Promptly flush affected area with water and remove contaminated clothing. Use a safety shower when contact is extensive. If symptoms persist, seek medical attention.
4. Clean-up: Promptly clean up spills using appropriate protective apparel/equipment and proper disposal.
5. Accountability: Incidents must be reported to the Safety Officer by the supervisor, in writing, as soon afterwards as possible.

B. Avoid Unnecessary Exposure to Chemicals

1. Do not smell or taste chemicals. Apparatus that can discharge chemicals (vacuum pumps, distillation columns, etc.) must be vented into local exhaust devices (e. g. hoods).
2. Inspect gloves and test glove boxes before use
3. No eating, drinking, smoking, etc. in laboratories or chemical storage areas. Do not use refrigerators, glassware, etc for food or drinks if they are also used for laboratory operations.
4. Handle lab glassware with care. Do not use damaged glassware. Take special care with Dewars and other evacuated equipment. Evacuated equipment should be shielded to contain chemicals and glass fragments in case of implosion.
5. Practical jokes and other behavior that might confuse, startle, or distract another worker are not allowed
6. Do not use mouth suction for pipetting or starting a siphon
7. Loose hair or loose clothing should be confined
8. Shoes must be worn at all times in the laboratories
9. Work areas must be clean and uncluttered, and must be cleaned up at the end of each day/session. Chemicals must not be stored in the laboratory.
10. Appropriate eye protection must be worn by all persons, including visitors, in areas where chemicals are stored or handled
11. Wear appropriate gloves when the potential for contact with hazardous materials exists. Inspect the gloves before use; wash them before removal; replace them periodically.
12. Use any other appropriate and emergency apparel and equipment as appropriate.
13. Seek information and advice about hazards; plan appropriate protective procedures; plan positioning of equipment before beginning an operation.
14. Leave lights on, place an appropriate sign on the door, and provide for containment of toxic substances in the event of a failure of a utility service (such as cooling water) in unattended operations.
15. Use a hood for operations that could result in a release of chemical vapors or dust. As a rule of thumb, use a hood when working with any appreciably volatile substances with a TLV of less than 50 ppm. Confirm adequate hood performance before use.
16. Keep materials stored in hoods to a minimum. If toxic substances are stored in a hood temporarily, leave the hood “on.”

CHEMICAL INVENTORY

A chemical inventory is performed annually, listing all chemicals stored in the division. Chemicals are listed alphabetically. Inventories are computerized to provide the capability of sorting. A complete chemical inventory is located in the office of the Environmental Health and Safety Officer.

MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEETS

Material Safety Data Sheets are available in an assigned location. The MSDS are in alphabetical order along with a chemical inventory of the section. The laboratory relies on the chemical manufacturer’s information ascertain the hazards of a particular chemical. The MSDS are also located in the office of the Safety Officer. These are available on request, and can be relayed by phone in case of an emergency.

CHEMICAL STORAGE

Chemical storage is kept as small as practical. Storage on bench tops and hoods may cause exposure to fire and spills. Ventilated cabinets/rooms and special refrigerators are used for chemical storage only. No food is permitted in these refrigerators. Flammable liquids are stored in special storage cabinets with self-closing doors and proper ventilation.

Cylinders of compressed gases are strapped or chained to a wall or bench top and are capped when not in use.

LABELING

Labeling must be done on all chemicals that are used in the workplace. Labels must not be removed or defaced.

Each chemical storage container must be labeled. These labels must indicate:

1. Identity of the chemical.
2. Route of entry (eyes, nose, etc.)
3. Health hazard
4. Physical hazard
5. Target organ affected.

ENGINEERING CONTROLS

All biohazard and fume hoods are inspected annually and certified by the Safety Officer. Any hood not passing inspection is taken out of service immediately and not used until it has passed inspection. It is the responsibility of the University to purchase the parts and to replace the unit in a timely fashion so as not to endanger the health and well-being of employees/students or place the facility at risk.

Eyewash fountains are inspected every 3 months and records maintained by the individual departments.

Safety showers are inspected, tested, and flushed annually and records maintained by the individual departments.

Fire extinguishers are inspected monthly.

All chemical storerooms are adequate and well ventilated.

Ventilated storage cabinets are provided as needed and may have a separate exhaust duct.

Airflow through the laboratory should be relatively uniform and be exhausted to the exterior of the building. Quality and quantity of ventilation are monitored as necessary and compared to normal operating specifications. Records of such monitoring are to be maintained by the physical plant personnel.

All chemical hygiene equipment is inspected regularly and modified if found to be inadequate.

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

Employees/students are required to wear gloves when there is the potential for direct skin contact with blood, hazardous chemicals, and infectious materials.

The wearing of lab coats in the laboratory area is encouraged, and these should be buttoned to protect clothing.

In areas where the potential for chemical splashes exists, an impervious apron appropriate for the task should be worn.

CONTAMINATED WASTE REMOVAL/DISPOSAL

OPTION A: Waste can be stored in designated safety cabinets. Containers must be labeled, indicating the contents, and approximate amounts of any different materials. The label should indicate that the contents are “Contaminated” and “Not for use”; the term “Waste” should not be used until the material is to be picked up for disposal.

Disposal of all waste should take place at least once per year.

OPTION B: Waste can be stored in a central storage area under the direction of the Environmental Health and Safety Officer. Labeling requirements and pickup are as in Option A above.

ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROLS

The lab supervisor, principal investigator, division chain, and other administrators who control a given laboratory are responsible for the safe operation for the area.

12. MEDICAL AID

The employee/student is advised to seek medical attention:

1. whenever signs and symptoms associated with a hazardous chemical develop
2. when environmental monitoring reveals an exposure level routinely above the action level.

The laboratory provides the following information to the physician, on request:

1. identity of the hazardous chemical
2. description of the conditions under which the exposure occurred, including amounts involved
3. description of the signs and symptoms of exposure.
4. A copy of the MSDS for the chemicals involved.

LAB SAFETY COMMITTEE

The Lab Safety Committee must:

1. work with administrators and other employees/students to develop and implement appropriate chemical hygiene policies and practices
2. certify the performance of protective equipment
3. monitor procurement, use, and disposal of chemicals
4. see that appropriate audits are maintained
5. help protect directors develop precautions and adequate facilities.
6. Seek way to improve the chemical hygiene program

At least one member from each lab section will be appointed to serve on the Laboratory Safety Committee, which will meet periodically to discuss safety and chemical hygiene issues.

The immediate lab supervisor must:

1. ensure that workers/students know and follow the chemical hygiene rules, that protective equipment is available, and that appropriate training has been provided
2. provide regular hygiene and housekeeping inspections, including routine inspections of emergence equipment
3. determine the required levels of protective apparel and equipment
4. ensure that facilities and training for use of any material being ordered are adequate.

The employee/student is responsible for:

1. planning and conducting each operation in accordance with the institutional chemical hygiene procedures
2. developing good personal chemical hygiene habits

TRAINING

Training is a necessary and important part of the Chemical Hygiene Plan. All employees/students are trained at the time of their initial assignment to a work area where chemicals are present and before assignments involving new exposure situations.

Refresher information and retraining sessions are held periodically. Training is conducted by the employee’s/student’s immediate supervisor. All training is documented in writing by attendance records held on file by the Laboratory Supervisor.

Training will consist of:

1. review of this document or a suitable substitute
2. information regarding safety showers, eyewashes, fire extinguishers, and MSDS
3. appropriate emergency procedures

Future training activities may include use of films or other activities developed by the Lab Safety Committee, which may be substituted or added to the basic activities listed above.

HOUSEKEEPING

The Laboratory Supervisor must ensure that laboratories are maintained in a clutter-free, safe condition. No chemicals are to be stored in open areas, except in cases which have been approved by the Lab Safety Committee.

RECORD-KEEPING

Accident records are written and retained by the Safety Office. Inventory records are maintained by each Division and by the Safety Officer.