University of Minnesota -Department of Forest Resources

Laboratory Safety Plan Last Updated: February 2016

Table of Contents

Chapter 1:Introduction …………………………………………………………2

1.1Purpose ……………………………………………………………………...2

1.2Scope and Application ……………………………………………………...3

1.3Coordination with Other standards and guidelines …………………………4

1.4Roles and Responsibilities ………………………………………………….4

Chapter 2:Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s) ………………………….7

2.1Chemical procedures ………………………………………………………..7

2.2Biohazard procedures ……………………………………………………….8

2.3Radioactive procedures ……………………………………………………..9

2.4Other lab safety procedures …………………………………………………10

2.5Lab specific SOP’s ………………………………………………………….10

2.6General emergency procedures ……………………………………………...11

2.7Planning for shutdown ………………………………………………………11

2.8 Closing out a laboratory ……………………………………………….……11

Chapter 3:How to reduce Exposures to Hazardous Chemicals ………………12

3.1Engineering controls ………………………………………………………...12

3.2Personal Protective Equipment ………………………………………………13

3.3Hygiene Practices ……………………………………………………………15

3.4Administrative controls ……………………………………………………...15

Chapter 4:Management of Chemical Fume hoods and other Protective

Equipment ……………………………………………………………16

4.1Fume Hoods …………………………………………………………………16

4.2Biological safety cabinets …………………………………………………... 16

4.3Eye wash and showers ………………………………………………………17

4.4Fire extinguishers ……………………………………………………………17

4.5New systems …………………………………………………………………17

4.6Routine Inspections ……………………………………………………….…17

Chapter 5:Employee Information and Training ……………………………….18

5.1Training requirements ……………………………………………………….18

5.2Training content ……………………………………………………………..19

5.3Training updates ……………………………………………………………..19

5.4Access to pertinent safety information ………………………………………19

Chapter 6:Required Approvals ………………………………………………….20

Chapter 7:Medical Consultation and Examination ……………………………20

7.1Employees working with Hazardous substances ……………………………20

7.2Medical Examinations and Consultations …………………………………...21

7.3Workers’ Compensation procedures and forms ………………………….….22

7.4Information provided to Physicians …………………………………………22

7.5Information provided to University of Minnesota …………………………..23

Chapter 8:Personnel ……………………………………………………………..23

Chapter 9:Additional Employee Protection for work with Particularly Hazardous Substances ……………………………………………….24

Chapter 10:Record keeping, Review and Updates ………………………………24

10.1Record keeping ………………………………………………………………25

10.2Review and update of Lab Safety Plan ……………………………………....26

Table 1:Poisonous Gases ……………………………………………………….26

Table 2:Shock Sensitive Chemicals ……………………………………………26

Table 3:Pyrophoric Chemicals …………………………………………………27

Table 4:Peroxide Forming Chemicals ………………………………………….27

Table 5:Carcinogens, Reproductive Toxins and highly Toxic Chemicals ……..29

Chapter 1 – Introduction

1.1 Purpose

In 1990, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released a regulation entitled, Occupational Exposures to Hazardous Chemicals in the Laboratory (29 CFR 1910.1450), commonly referred to as the "Laboratory Safety Standard".

This Laboratory Safety Plan (LSP) is intended to meet the requirements of the federal Laboratory Safety Standard. It describes policies, procedures, equipment, personal protective equipment and work practices that are capable of protecting employees from the health hazards in laboratories. All laboratory workers must be made aware of this plan. New employees must review the plan and receive safety training before beginning work in the laboratory. The plan must be available to all laboratory workers at all times.

This LSP also addresses the concerns of the federal Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA). TSCA requires that prudent laboratory practices be developed and documented for research involving new chemicals that have not had their health and environmental hazards fully characterized. Laboratories engaged in research must consider the applicability of TSCA on their operation. TSCA, administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the New Chemicals Program, is intended to ensure that the human health and environmental effects of chemical substances are identified and adequately addressed prior to commercial use or transport of those substances. A new chemical is a chemical substance that is produced or imported and not yet listed on the TSCA Chemical Substance Inventory. Each laboratory or research group that synthesizes or imports new chemicals must determine if and how TSCAapplies to their laboratory activities – see Appendix A.

1.2 Scope and Application

Research in the department of Forest Resources and Forest Resources labs in Green Hall are covered by this Laboratory Safety Plan.

The Laboratory Safety Standard applies where 'laboratory use' of hazardous chemicals occurs. Laboratory use of hazardous chemicals means handling or use of such chemicals in which all of the following conditions are met:

  1. the handling or use of chemicals occurs on a 'laboratory scale', that is, the work involves containers which can easily and safely be manipulated by one person,
  2. multiple chemical procedures or chemical substances are used, and
  3. protective laboratory practices and equipment are available and in common use to minimize the potential for employee exposures to hazardous chemicals.

At a minimum, this definition covers employees (including student employees, technicians, supervisors, lead researchers and physicians) who use chemicals in teaching, research and clinical laboratories at the University of Minnesota. Certain non-traditional laboratory settings may be included under this standard at the option of individual departments within the University. Also, it is the policy of the University that laboratory students, while not legally covered under this standard, will be given training commensurate with the level of hazard associated with their laboratory work.

This standard does not apply to laboratories whose function is to produce commercial quantities of material. Also, where the use of hazardous chemicals provides no potential for employee exposure, such as in procedures using chemically impregnated test media and commercially prepared test kits, this standard will not apply. The researchers listed in the following table are covered by this Laboratory Safety Plan.

Principal Investigator / Building / Room # / Primary Research Hazards / E- mail / Office
Phone #
Marcella Windmuller-Campione / Green Hall / 3 / physical only / / 4-3699
Paul Bolstad / Green Hall / 28 / physical only / / 4-9711
Diana Karwan / Green Hall / 18 / Chemical, physical / / 4-2774
Gary Johnson / Green Hall / 130 / physical only / / 5-3765
Rebecca Montgomery / Green Hall / 5 / chemical, physical / / 4-7249
Peter Reich / Green Hall / 118 / chemical, physical / / 4-4270
Peter Reich / Green Hall / 101A / physical only / / 4-4270

1.3 Coordination with Other Standards and Guidelines

The Laboratory Safety Standard addresses occupational safety issues for employees who work with hazardous chemicals in laboratories. Other federal, state and local standards that address use of hazardous chemicals and other materials are listed in Appendix B.

1.4 Roles and Responsibilities

Employees, supervisors, Departmental Safety Officers, department heads, deans, upper administrative staff, and DEHS staff all have roles to play. These roles are outlined below.

  1. President, Vice Presidents, Provosts and Chancellors (Central Administration)

Upper level administrators are responsible for:

  • Actively promote the importance of safety in the research community;
  • Ensure deans, directors and department heads provide adequate time and recognition for employees who are given laboratory safety responsibilities.
  • Objectively evaluate direct reports on their safety involvement and continuous improvement efforts.
  1. Deans, Associate Deans, Directors and Department Heads
  • Actively promote the importance of safety in the research community;
  • Support and participate in safety improvement efforts;
  • Establish collegiate, departmental or institute based safety committees or other effective means to facilitate continuous safety improvement;
  • Monitor the effectiveness of safety improvement efforts;
  • Ensure PIs and Lab Directors provide adequate time and recognition for employees who are given laboratory safety responsibilities;
  • Identify an appropriate number of technically-qualified Departmental Safety Officers (DSO) for the unit. Colleges or institutes made up of a number of large laboratory-based departments are urged to assign Departmental Safety Officers within each department or division;
  • Ensure that the designated DSO and safety committees have dedicated time and resources to carry out their assigned responsibilities;
  • Establish and maintain processes to ensure the DSOs are informed of new and changing faculty space assignments, including faculty leaving the University
  • Objectively evaluate direct reports on their safety involvement and continuous improvement efforts.
  1. Supervisors/Principal Investigators

Immediate supervisors of laboratory employees are responsible for:

  • Assure potential hazards of specific projects have been identified and addressed before work is started;
  • Ensure effective safe operating procedures are completed for lab activities involving high hazard materials and activities;
  • Identify and provide necessary safety supplies and personal protective equipment:
  • Discuss and reinforce safe work practices and PPE use, provide coaching and disciplinary action as necessary;
  • Conduct continuous inspection of the research space under the supervisors control, ensure that unsafe conditions are identified and corrected;
  • Ensure that all accidents, injuries, and spills are reported to DEHS;
  • Investigate laboratory incidents, identify root causes, and implement appropriate solutions;
  • Actively participate in safety improvement efforts;
  • Provide initial and annual update training for lab workers regarding hazards in their area and associated with their work;
  • Maintain documentation of initial and annual training to laboratory personnel
  • Objectively evaluate direct reports on their safety involvement and continuous improvement efforts.
  1. Employees

Employees who have significant responsibility for directing their own laboratory work are responsible for assuring that potential hazards of specific projects have been identified and addressed before work is started. All laboratory employees however, are responsible to:

  • Complete required safety training;
  • Read and understand lab standard operating procedures;
  • Follow safe work practices applicable to the procedures being carried out;
  • Actively identify, report, implement, and make suggestions for safety improvements;
  • Assure required safety precautions are in place before work is started;
  • Follow University lab dress code and wear PPE required for procedures;
  • Notify DEHS of accidents, spills or conditions that may warrant further investigation and/or monitoring.
  1. Departmental Safety Officer

The DSO:

  • Serves as liaison and facilitates communication between employing department and DEHS;
  • Coordinates training to ensure researchers understand their responsibilities and the policies applicable to their research;
  • Schedules and participates in inspections of laboratories (in conjunction with departmental safety committees and DEHS);
  • Assists in facilitating follow-up on improvement recommendations
  • Notifies DEHS of new or existing operations that may warrant further investigation and/or monitoring;
  • Participates on or facilitates departmental safety committees.
  1. Department of Environmental Health and Safety (DEHS)
  • Develop centralized processes and safety management systems to assist Colleges and Departments to fulfill their safety responsibilities.
  • Provide technical resources and expertise to Colleges and Departments to help facilitate continuous safety improvement.
  • Conduct periodic inspections and audits to verify implementation of safety management systems and safe work practices.
  • Maintain written safety performance expectations and guidance in the form of a Research Safety Manual or other written materials.
  • Provide educational information and training assistance to departments and colleges relative to hazard identification and safe work practice.
  • Participate on and provide guidance to safety committees or other safety improvement mechanisms.
  • Identify and share best practices across departments and colleges.
  1. Safety Committees (or other Departmental or Collegiate safety improvement mechanisms).
  • Maintain a working knowledge of their work areas, are interested in safety improvement, and visible advocates for safety.
  • Evaluate and improve departmental and collegiate safety cultures.
  • Identify high-risk job tasks and promote the development of safe work practices.
  • Identify and share best practices across the Department or College
  • Identify the need for written programs and recommend implementation to department or college leadership.
  • Committees have access to, and regular communications with, departmental and collegiate leadership through clearly defined reporting mechanisms.
  • Promote and facilitate safety training
  • Participate in periodic safety audits and inspections.
  • Solicit reports of unsafe conditions and suggest corrective actions.
  • Review incidents, near misses, accident investigation reports.
  • Review potential serious injuries and incidents. Not for fault finding, but for fact finding to prevent a re-occurrence of the same or similar incident.
  • Review injury and incident data for trends.
  • Establish departmental and collegiate goals for safety improvement.

Chapter 2 – Laboratory Safety Procedures

This chapter gives general guidance for working safely in laboratories. Using this section in conjunction with other safety references will help researchers maintain a safe laboratory. This chapter also has information which will help researchers prepare laboratory-specific Safe Operating Procedures (SOPs).

2.1 Chemical Procedures

A. Prudent Practices in the Laboratory

Laboratory standard operating procedures found in Prudent Practices in the Laboratory: Handling and Disposal of Chemicals (National Research Council, 2011) are adopted for general use at the University of Minnesota.

B. Labeling Chemicals in the Laboratory

All chemicals in the laboratory are required to have a label that indicates chemical contents and hazard warnings. Chemicals purchased from a manufacturer will have labels from that manufacturer that meet the chemical labeling requirements. Chemicals that are transferred from manufacturer containers into a secondary container or chemicals that are synthesized in the lab

Exemptions: Chemicals that will be used within one work shift. This means that they will not be unattended during the work period of their intended use.

C. Controlled Substances and Alcohol

In conducting research with controlled substances, University authorized employees must comply with federal and state laws and regulations regarding their uses, including registration with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), storage requirements, inventory maintenance and substance disposal. A condensed guide to federal regulations as well as policies and forms pertaining to controlled substances are available on the Controlled Substances webpage.

Alcohol used for education, scientific research, or medicinal purposes can be purchased tax-free through University Market, which holds the University of Minnesota site license for alcohol purchases with the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. Further information and links to the ordering form are available at the following link: Tax Free Alcohol Ordering Procedures.

D.The American Chemical Society's "Safety in Academic Chemistry Laboratories"

ACS’s "Safety in Academic Chemistry Laboratories" is another useful text. This manual presents information similar to that found in Prudent Practices, but in a considerably condensed format.

E.Hazardous Waste Management

Extensive and detailed policies regarding hazardous waste management are specified in the University's guidebook "Hazardous Chemical Waste Management, 5th edition”. Please refer to this text for approved waste handling procedures.

F. Emergency Procedures for Chemical Spills

Complete spill response procedures are described in the Hazardous Chemical Waste Management Guidebook. However, the quick reference guide is included for convenience in this Laboratory Safety Plan.

Chemical Spill Quick Reference Guide
Evacuate
  • Leave the spill area; alert others in the area and direct/assist them in leaving.
  • Without endangering yourself: remove any victims to fresh air, remove contaminated clothing and flush contaminated skin and eyes with water for 15 minutes. If anyone has been injured or exposed to toxic chemicals or chemical vapors, call 911 and seek medical attention immediately.

Confine
  • Close doors and isolate the area. Prevent people from entering spill area.

Determine if the spill is within your capability to clean up safely
  • If yes, follow your lab’s procedures for spill clean-up.
  • If not, continue on with the remainder of this guide.

Report
  • From a safe place, call 911 and report the spill (Twin Cities Campus 911 operators will contact on-call DEHS personnel).
  • Be prepared to give your name, phone and location; location of the spill; the name and amount of material spilled; extent of injuries; safest route to the spill.
  • Stay by that phone, DEHS will advise you as soon as possible.
  • DEHS or the Fire Department will clean up or stabilize spills, which are considered high hazard (fire, health or reactivity hazard). In the case of a small spill and low hazard situation, DEHS will advise you on what precautions and protective equipment to use.

Secure
  • Until emergency response personnel arrive: block off the areas leading to the spill, lock doors, post signs and warning tape, and alert others of the spill.
  • Post staff by commonly used entrances to the area to direct people to use other routes.

2.2 Biohazard Procedures

All researchers working with human blood or body fluids, or other pathogens must follow the university’s Bloodborne and Other Pathogens Exposure Control Plan, and complete Bloodborne Pathogens Training, available on the web. All researchers working with infectious material including attenuated lab & vaccine strains (bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi, prions), biologically-derived toxins, rDNA, and artificial gene transfer must follow requirements of the University’s Biosafety Program detailed in the Biosafety Manual and on the Institutional Biosafety Committee’s website.

A. University of Minnesota Biosafety Program

The University’s Biosafety Program is made up of three components; researchers must implement all three components in their SOPs.

  • Biosafety principles and practices as outlined in the UMN Biosafety Manual;
  • CDC/NIH's text Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL).
  • Individual lab-specific Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that:
  • specify the biohazards being used
  • identify the material handling steps that may pose a risk of exposure (sharps, injecting animals, centrifugation, aerosol production, transport, etc.)
  • describe equipment and techniques used to reduce the above risk of exposure
  • give instructions for what to do in case of an accidental exposure/spill
  • list wastes that will be generated and how to properly dispose of wastes

B. Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC)

The IBC is charged under Federal Regulations (NIH) and University of Minnesota Regents’ Policy with the oversight of all teaching and research activities involving:

  • Recombinant DNA
  • Artificial gene transfer
  • Infectious agents including attenuated lab & vaccine strains
  • Biologically derived toxins

See the IBC web site for procedures to apply for approval for the above work.

C. Select Agents

Labs in possession of organisms or toxins that are federally designated as select agents are required to be registered with the Centers for Disease Control if quantities exceed the exemption amounts. See the Biosafety Section of the DEHS web site for a list of select agents, exemption quantities, and procedures for their use.