Research Lab Policies

RESEARCH LAB POLICIES

Written by:

Maurice Riner,

Chemical Safety Committee

3211 Providence Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508-4614

Chemical Safety Committee Approval Date: ______

1. ______Date: ______

Dr. John Kennish, Chair, Chemical Safety Committee

1. ______Date: ______

Dr. Robert G. White, Interim Vice Provost for

Research and Graduate Studies

1. ______Date: ______

Dr. Michael A. Driscoll, Vice Provost

1. ______Date: ______

Fran Ulmer, Chancellor

1. ______Date: ______

Mark R. Hamilton, President, University of Alaska

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

1.Purpose1

2.Scope1

3.Principal Investigator (PI) Responsibilities 1

4.Research Proposal Reviews1

5.Research Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)2

1Identity2

2Purpose and Scope 2

3Chemical Hazard and Risk Assessment2

4Personal Protective Equipment 2

5Engineering / Ventilation Controls3

6Chemical Storage 3

6.1Chemical Handling Procedures 3

6.2Chemical Hazards 3

6.3Chemical Container Labeling3

7Material Safety Data Sheets3

8Chemical Exposures or Chemical Contamination3

9Chemical Spills and Spill Cleanup3

10Waste Disposal3-4

10.1Waste container labeling4

11Research Protocols 4

12Emergency Phone Numbers4

6.ModifyingStandard Operating Procedures (SOPs)4

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7.Research Training4

8.0Biological Agent Use5

8.1Biological Agents5

8.2Select Agents5

9.0Chemical Use5

10.0Chemical Waste5

List of Abbreviations (in alphabetical order)6-7

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1.PURPOSE

The Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP) for the University of Alaska Anchorage provides general written guidelinesfor university, faculty, employee and studentresponsibilitiesusing hazardous chemicals in teaching and researchlaboratories. This document augments the UAA CHP andoutlines additional safety precautions and policies about the use and disposal ofhazardous chemicals in all research laboratories at UAA.

2.SCOPE

These policies cover all internally and externally funded research projects by faculty, employee, student, andvisiting research professionals undertaken at the University ofAlaska Anchorage or satellite campuses. Safe and effective research requires attention to all obligations / responsibilities that the PI /RLShave to the university, research sponsors and most importantly to employees, student researchers, visiting research professionals working in any research laboratory at UAA and all other occupants of buildings where research is conducted.Researchtechniques shall not violate established professional ethics pertaining to the health, safety, privacy, and other personal rights of human beings or to the infliction of pain or injury on animals. CurrentUAA policy is outlined in Administrative Services Manual, EHS / RMS,policies and procedures section,statement #23 at:

3.PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (PI)RESPONSIBILITIES

Principal Investigator/ Research Lab Supervisors’responsibilities start with those given in sections 4.2 through 4.4 and 4.6 of the UAA Chemical Hygiene Plan. Additionally, all research must comply with all Federal, State, MOA, and any recognized governing body rules and regulations covering specific areas of research such as CDC, IACUC, NIH, NRC as it pertains to each research project. These responsibilities apply to general lab training and lab specific SOPs. Ultimate responsibility for SOP / training compliance rests with the PI or RLS within each research lab.

4.REASEARCH PROPOSAL REVIEWS

Research proposal reviews will be undertaken as outlined in the UAA CHP sections 4.3 through 4.32. These reviews should include a laboratory specific SOP governing the research and a substance specific SOP when using acutely hazardous, extremely hazardous, radioactive, carcinogenic, mutagenic chemicals or infectious biological materials. Substance specific SOPs are required for all hazardouschemicals that fall outside of the UAA’s CHP general or hazard specific SOPs.

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5.RESEARCH STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES (SOPs)

Under the OSHA regulations 29 CFR Part 1910.1450known as the ‘Laboratory Standard’, one of the primary requirements is a laboratory specific SOP. An adequate laboratory specific research SOPshould address the steps required to accomplish the research, the procedures to safely carry out all laboratory activities including emergency procedures, spill response, waste disposal, equipment failure procedures, and the occurrence of a natural disaster. A good research specific laboratory SOPwill also serve as a training document for incoming research workers so that overall laboratory safety is not compromised. Typically “cook book” protocols do not address many of the safety requirements, facility equipment issues, etc. and should not be used to meet the requirements of anSOP. All laboratory research specific SOPs should include the following sections given below in addition to requirements outlined in sections4.6, 7.2 and 9 of the UAA CHP. Research SOPs shall be reviewed and or updated annually by the PI and Safety Committee. A chemical SOP template is available at this link:

1.Identity

This section will be dated, include the name of the principal investigator, and include building and room numbers.

2.Purpose and Scope

This section will describeproposed research and list necessary chemicals and specialized equipment.

3.Chemical hazard and risk assessment

This section willdescribe the chemical hazards associated with all laboratory operationscarried out by lab workers.

4.Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) section

This section willdescribe the safety precautions needed and identify the relevant PPE that must be used to protect lab workers from exposure to hazardous chemicals or physical injury from mechanical hazards while working in the lab.

5.Engineering / Ventilation Controls section

This section describes when a fume hood should be used and what to do if a fume hood malfunctions. This section would also give details about cold rooms, isolation rooms and other mechanical – ventilation safety equipment and how / when to use them safely.

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6.Chemical Storage section

This section describes all procedures forthe proper storageof the chemicals used in the research laboratory. See sections 9.2, 9.3 and 9.4 of UAA CHP. This section shouldalsoinclude a discussion of specialized PPErequired for any chemical if needed.

6.1Chemical Handling section

This section describes all of the procedures for the safe handling of the chemicals used in the research laboratory. This section will also include a discussion of specialized PPE required for any chemical if needed.

6.2Chemical Hazards

This section describes all the NFPA, WHMIS, NRC, or IARC hazards associated with all chemicals in the research lab for each specific SOP.

6.3Chemical Container labeling

This section describes container labeling for repacked chemicals and working solutions.

7.Material Safety Data Sheet(s) (MSDS)

This section willdescribe whereMSDS hard copies are posted and how to access electronic copies on the internet.

8.Chemical Exposure and Chemical Contamination

The section must outline the lab procedures for using any acutely, toxic, highly toxic or radioactive substance in the lab to prevent contamination of surroundings, equipment and lab personnel based on those policies in the UAA CHP sections 5.4 through 5.5.

9.Chemical Spill and Spill Cleanup

This section will give specific spill response measures for the research lab based on the type of research and the policies outlined in the UAA CHP, Section 15.

10.Waste Disposal

This section will give detailed disposal procedures for the research lab based on the type of chemical, biological or radiological waste generated by the research based on policies in the UAA CHP section 10. Where necessary, the Biosafety Committee and EHS / RMScan assist a PI in the

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development of chemical specific SOPs for the disposal of infectious, medical, pathological (animal tissue or animal carcasses), recombinant DNA,and all other types of biological agents and chemical wastes as regulationsrequire.

. 10.1Waste container labeling

The section gives waste container labeling information. All waste containers must be labeled with the chemical hazard warnings.

11.Research Protocol

This section should list all lab specific protocols used in the research lab including protocols for using hazardous common equipment.

12.Emergency Contact Numbers

This section will list all emergency contact numbers.

6.0MODIFIED STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES (SOPs)

Standard Operating Procedures are generally accepted practices for use of chemicals in particular situations. These SOPs can be modified in specific instances when appropriate or as research needs dictate. When major modifications are made to a procedure that entails additional risk, scale-up of any chemical reaction, or a change in any needed engineering controls for safety and hazardous risk control, the reasons for suchmodifications must be documented and signed by the (PI) or (RLS) and approved through the EHS / RMS, Chemical Safety Committee, Biosafety Committee or the Radiation Safety Committee as necessary prior to commencing with such modifications.

7.0RESEARCH TRAINING

Principal Investigator (PI) / Research Lab Supervisors (RLS)responsibilities start with those given in sections 11through 11.3 of the UAA Chemical Hygiene Plan. All training for using chemicals covered in sections 5.4 and 5.5 of the UAA CHP, and any specialty chemicals posing hazards not addressed in the lab specific orresearch specific SOP, must be documented. Training documents will be kept on file by the responsible PI and a copy of the trailing documents will be forwarded to EHS / RMS.

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8.0BIOLOGICAL AGENT USE

8.1Biological Agents

All research laboratories that use biological agents, biological toxins or recombinant materials must be registered with EHS / RMS in order to comply with federal guidelines and regulations. The PI is responsible for ensuring that his or herlab is registered with UAA Biosafety Committee and EHS / RMS and that the lab is incompliance with allfederal guidelines and regulations. The PI is responsible for determining if the recombinant DNA molecules used in their research areexempt from NIH guidelines and if registrationwith UAA Biosafety Committee and EHS / RMS is not required.

8.2Select Agents

The federal government (USDHHS / CDC) and (USDA) have restricted certain biological agents and toxins, and have designated these as ‘select agents’. The possession, use and transfer of the restricted or select agentsmust be registered with UAA EHS / RMS and the appropriate federalauthorities. EHS / RMS can assist PIs with this procedure.

9.0CHEMICAL USE

Chemical use includes the following actions: ordering, possession, storage, disposal and abandonment of any chemical for research purposes in any UAA laboratory.

All training for using chemicals covered in sections 5.4and 5.5 of the UAA CHP and any specialty chemicals posing hazards not addressed in the lab specificor research specific SOP must be documented.

Restricted chemicals, p-listed chemicals must be reviewed by EHS/RMS to ensure compliance with any regulations are concerning possession and disposal of any resulting chemical waste.

All chemical use policies will follow those guidelines given in Prudent Practices in the Laboratory, Handling and Disposal of Chemicals, Chapters1-5, 7 and 9 recommended by the Nation Research Council.

10.0CHEMICAL WASTE

Chemical waste shall be segregated according to current accepted standards and practices along with UAA’s current waste generator classification and all applicable regulations as outlined in UAA’s CHP and current hazardous waste policies document.

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LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists(ACGIH)

Centers for Disease Control(CDC)

Chemical Hygiene Plan(CHP)

Neoxyribonucleic Acid(DNA)

Dept. of Environmental Conservation(DEC)

Dept. of Homeland Security(DHS)

Drug Enforcement Agency(DEA)

Environmental Health Safety & Risk Management Support(EHS / RMS)

Environmental Protection Agency(EPA)

Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee(IACUC)

International Agency for Research on Cancer(IARC)

Material Safety Data Sheet(MSDS)

Municipality of Anchorage(MOA)

National Fire Protection Agency(NFPA)

National Institute of Health(NIH)

Nuclear Regulatory Commission(NRC)

Occupational Safety and HealthAdministration(OSHA)

Personal Protective Equipment(PPE)

Potentially Hazardous Chemicals(PHC)

Principal Investigators(PIs)

Research Lab Supervisors(RLS)

Safety First Approach(SFA)

Standard Operating Procedures(SOPs)

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University of Alaska Anchorage(UAA)

U.S. Dept. of Agriculture(USDA)

U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services(USDHHS)

Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System(WHMIS)

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