University of Wisconsin-Platteville

Chemical Hygiene Plan

October 2015
Table of Contents

I. Purpose ……………………………………………………………………………… 3

II. Definitions………………………………………………………………….………. 3

III. Rules and Responsibilities ………………………………………………………... 4

IV. General Laboratory Procedures and Policies …………………………….…….. 7

V. Control Measures to Reduce Exposures to Hazardous Chemicals……………… 9

VI. Safety Data Sheets……………………………………………………………...... 15

VII. Training ………………………………………………………………..…...... 15

VIII. Emergency Response ……………………………………………...... 16

IX. Medical Consultation and Examination………………………………………… 18

X. Laboratory Inspections…………………………………………………………… 19

XI. Incident/Accident Notification Investigation…………………………………… 19

XII. Transportation and Shipping of Hazardous Materials ……………………… 19

Appendix A – Standard Laboratory Operating Procedures ……………………… 21

Appendix B – Transporting Chemicals and Other Hazardous Items …………….. 23

Appendix C – UW-Platteville Laboratory Inspection Checklist ………………….. 27

Appendix D – Schedule of Annual Chemical Hygiene Inspections .. …………….. 29

Chemical Hygiene Plan

UW-Platteville

I.  Purpose

A.  The purpose of this Chemical Hygiene Plan is:

  1. To protect laboratory employees and students from health hazards associated with the use of hazardous chemicals in UWP laboratories.
  2. To ensure that our laboratory employees and students are not exposed to substances in excess of the permissible exposure limits (PEL’s) as defined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and codified in 29 CFR 1910.1000, Table Z1.
  3. To comply with the Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories Standard (29 CFR 1910.1450) developed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

B.  The Chemical Hygiene Plan is limited to laboratory settings as defined in the OSHA Laboratory Standard. All campus laboratories must comply with the requirements outlined in this document. The OSHA Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories Standard (29 CFR 1910.1450) will serve as the legal authority and be referred to when interpreting specific requirements not otherwise written in this plan.

C.  This plan will be available to all employees and students for review, with copies located in the following areas:

·  Electronically at http://www.uwplatt.edu/safety

·  Chemical storage rooms

·  Department office

·  Office of campus CHO

·  Office of Risk Management Officer

D.  This plan will be reviewed annually and updated as necessary by the Chemical Hygiene Officer and the Risk Management Officer.

II.  Definitions

Laboratory

A facility where the "laboratory use of hazardous chemicals" occurs. It is an area where relatively small quantities of hazardous chemicals are used on a non-production basis.

SDS - Safety Data Sheet

A safety data sheet (SDS) is a document containing data regarding the properties of a particular substance. An important component of product stewardship and workplace safety, it is intended to provide workers and emergency personnel with procedures for handling or working with that substance in a safe manner, and includes information such as physical data (melting point, boiling point, flash point, etc.), toxicity, health effects, first aid, reactivity, storage, disposal, protective equipment, and spill handling procedures.

PEL – Permissible Exposure Limit

The Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) is a legal limit in the United States for exposure of an employee to a substance or physical agent. For substances it is usually expressed in parts per million (ppm), or sometimes in milligrams per cubic meter (mg/m3). Units of measure for physical agents such as noise are specific to the agent. Permissible Exposure Limits are established by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

A PEL is a time-weighted average (TWA). A TWA is the average exposure over a specified period of time, usually a nominal eight hours. This means that, for limited periods, a worker may be exposed to concentrations higher than the PEL, so long as the average concentration over eight hours remains lower.

STEL - Short Term Exposure Limit

A Short Term Exposure Limit (STEL) is one that addresses the average exposure over a 15 minute period of maximum exposure during a single work shift.

A Ceiling Limit is one that may not be exceeded, and is applied to irritants and other materials that have immediate effects.

TLV – Threshold Limit Value

The Threshold Limit Value (TLV) of a chemical substance is a level to which it is believed a worker can be exposed day after day for a working lifetime without adverse health effects. Strictly speaking, TLV is a reserved term of the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH). TLVs are published annually by the ACGIH.

III.  Roles and Responsibilities

  1. The Department Chairs will have the responsibility to see that this Chemical Hygiene Plan is implemented, followed and maintained in their respective departments. The Risk Management Officer and the Chemical Hygiene Officer, in consultation with the appropriate Department Chair, shall have the authority to suspend laboratory operations - in part, or in the whole - if deficiencies in laboratory procedures or equipment pose a significant threat to the safety of the faculty, employees, or students.

If suspension of laboratory operations is necessary, a written report will be filed with the Provost, the Risk Management Officer, the Chemical Hygiene Officer and the Department Chair within 24 hours. A copy of the report with a written description of remedial actions taken to allow resumption of operations will be available in the Provost and Department Chair offices.

  1. The Chemical Hygiene Officer has the primary responsibility for ensuring the implementation of the campus Chemical Hygiene Plan. The OSHA Laboratory Standard requires the designation of personnel responsible for implementation of the Chemical Hygiene Plan. Specifically it calls for the assignment of a Chemical Hygiene Officer (CHO). This individual has the following responsibilities:
  1. Review and update the UW-Platteville CHP.
  2. Conduct annual inspections of all laboratory operations and report their status to the appropriate departmental chair.
  3. Act as initial contact for all lab safety related questions for faculty, staff in laboratory operations and provide general chemical safety guidance to faculty, staff and students.
  4. Maintain inspections records, training records and accident/incident reports.
  5. Assist the Risk Management Officer with developing and conducting chemical safety training for faculty/staff/student workers.
  6. Ensure copies of UW-Platteville CHP are readily available to faculty, staff and students.
  1. The Risk Management Officer has the responsibility to:
  1. Facilitate an annual review and update of the Chemical Hygiene Plan.
  2. Conduct annual lab inspections with the Chemical Hygiene Officer.
  3. Conduct air quality monitoring in laboratories when requested. Results of air quality monitoring will be sent to the department chair.
  4. Develop and provide training for Administrative Services staff.
  5. Assist in proper disposal of hazardous waste.
  6. Conduct regular fume hood inspections.
  1. Laboratory Managers (or chemical hygiene representative as designated by the Department Chair in departments that have no lab manager) are responsible for chemical hygiene in the laboratory. The responsibilities of laboratory managers include:
  1. Know the current legal and University requirements concerning regulated substances.
  2. Maintain teaching laboratory and stock room chemical inventories. This inventory will be updated annually.
  3. Ensure that PPE and other protective equipment is available and in working order.
  4. Maintain inventories using safe storage methods.
  5. Ensure that all containers are correctly labeled.
  6. Maintain SDS files on all chemicals in the inventory.
  7. Appropriately dispose of hazardous wastes generated in the laboratories.
  8. Ensure that emergency eyewash stations and showers in the department are maintained per OSHA requirements.
  1. The Principle Investigator has the primary responsibility for providing a safe work environment within their laboratories and for ensuring compliance with the UWP Chemical Hygiene Plan. The responsibilities of principle investigators include:
  1. Maintain standard operating procedures relevant for the work conducted in his/her laboratory.
  2. Provide student training and retain records of student training as described in the Chemical Hygiene Plan.
  3. Ensure that PPE and other protective equipment is available and in working order.
  4. Report malfunction or expiration of safety equipment to the Department Laboratory Manager and/or Physical Plant personnel.
  5. Follow the chemical hygiene rules (Appendix A) and ensure that all containers are correctly labeled.
  6. Promptly file an accident/incident report with the Chemical Hygiene Officer if an accident or spill should occur.
  1. Each affected department will designate a Chemical Hygiene Representative who has primary departmental responsibility for the implementation and maintenance of this plan in his or her department. Along with the Chemical Hygiene Officer, the department representatives will form the membership of the Chemical Hygiene Committee and will meet at least annually to review the plan and address any updates or concerns. The Risk Management Officer will call the meetings and facilitate discussion/actions.
  1. Laboratory instructors have the responsibility to maintain safe standard operating procedures and maintain or revise the procedures as necessary or needed. In addition, instructors have the following responsibilities:
  1. Provide student training as described in the Chemical Hygiene Plan. Documentation of student training is maintained by the instructor.
  2. Follow the chemical hygiene rules (Appendix A) and ensure that all containers are correctly labeled.
  3. Report malfunction or expiration of safety equipment to the Department Laboratory Manager and/or Physical Plant personnel.
  4. Promptly file an accident/incident report with the Chemical Hygiene Officer if an accident or spill should occur.
  5. Suspend laboratory operations if ventilation is judged to be inadequate.
  1. While students are not covered under the provisions of the OSHA Laboratory Standard; students must be made aware of chemical health and safety hazards in classroom situations and be provided with information and equipment to protect themselves from those hazards. Departments will provide student training at the beginning of each course in which hazardous chemicals are used. Specific safety instructions should be provided at the beginning of each class period.

IV. General Laboratory Procedures and Policies

The following General policies apply for all UWP laboratory operations involving hazardous chemicals:

1.  Appropriate personal protection equipment (PPE) must be worn at all times. At minimum, close-toed shoes, long pants and safety glasses must be worn whenever hazardous chemicals are present in the laboratory.

2.  OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1450 states that no eating or drinking is allowed in laboratories where hazardous chemicals are present.

3.  OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1450 states that good housekeeping practices be upheld in all laboratories and that all passageways, exits, utility controls, and emergency equipment remain accessible at all times.

A.  Policy for students in laboratories, shops or studios

Students enrolled in laboratory courses should sign and date a written acknowledgement indicating that they have read, understand and accept the department safety policies.

B.  Pregnancy or medical concerns in instructional laboratory settings.

The nature of the work in instructional labs can result in chemical exposure that is beyond the control of the instructor. The effects of many chemical hazards on a developing fetus are not well documented. In many cases guidelines for permissible exposure limits for pregnant women do not exist. Therefore students must seriously weigh the risks of laboratory exposure against the perceived benefits of continuing their course of study. If a student is pregnant or becomes pregnant while enrolled in a laboratory course they should notify the instructor or contact the Assistant Director of Service for Students with Disabilities Services so that accommodations can be made to reduce the risks to the unborn.

Should a student with a known medical condition or pregnancy elect to remain enrolled in a laboratory course, one or more of the following controls may be put in effect. This list is not comprehensive and other controls or accommodations may be used as circumstances warrant.

1.  The student shall be provided safety data sheets for all hazardous materials used in the experiments. The responsibility for providing the SDS shall be assumed by the instructor. The student is encouraged to review the SDS with their physician.

2.  In the event of a spill or other uncontrolled release the student shall immediately be removed from lab until the area is secured.

3.  Gloves (as recommended by the SDS) shall be worn for ALL laboratory work, regardless of the hazards present. The rationale behind this control is to prevent skin contact with previously contaminated surfaces.

4.  A lab coat and chemical splash goggles shall be worn at all times. The lab coat will be provided to the student and laundered as needed by the department. Rigorous hand washing after lab is required.

5.  The student shall NOT manipulate acutely toxic materials, reproductive toxins, teratogens, heavy metals, or select carcinogens. The student shall work with a lab partner who can manipulate these materials while the student observes. Handling of sealed containers of these materials is permitted at the discretion of the instructor.

6.  The student may, at the discretion of the instructor, handle materials whose primary hazards are oxidizer, corrosive or flammable if they do not present other health hazards and can be handled in a manner that minimizes exposure.

7.  Lab experiences involving materials or processes that present an inhalation hazard shall be carried out in a fume hood.

C.  Working alone or after hours in laboratories

Academic Laboratories

Students may not work unsupervised in academic laboratories. The supervision shall be in-person and direct for 1000 and 2000 level laboratories. The supervision need not be direct in the case of 3000 or 4000 level laboratories; however, the instructor must be available while the students are working. Direct supervision is required any time there is a significant risk of chemical exposure.

Research Laboratories

Undergraduate students are not permitted to work alone with hazardous materials, equipment, or operations outside of normal working hours in teaching and research laboratories. Undergraduate students may follow the "Buddy System" procedures if approved by their PI or Supervisor. When approved, undergraduate students must have a "buddy" when working alone with hazardous materials, equipment, or operations in a laboratory after hours. Your "buddy" must be nearby so that he/she can call for help in an emergency. A "buddy" can be a faculty member or lab manager. A "buddy" can be a fellow student only if prior written approval has been granted from the PI, supervisor or department chair.The PI responsible for the lab must be aware of the times that the students will be using the lab, and the students should have access to emergency contact information. Written approval should only be granted after the risk assessment is performed and reviewed by the PI, supervisor or department chair with the individual.

This policy states the minimum requirements for working alone across the university and supersedes any less restrictive policy or procedure.