Environmental Health & Safety Manual (EHS)

Effective: 5/23/2007

Revised: 3/9/2011

EHS 116: Minors in Laboratories

Purpose

To protect minors from potential hazards in laboratories and to comply with applicable federal, state, and local regulations

Sources

29 Code of Federal Regulations §§ 1910.1450

Arizona State University Laboratory Chemical Safety Compliance Guidelines

Arizona State University Chemical Hygiene Plan

Applicability

Laboratory employees, students, and visitors who may be exposed to hazardous materials while performing their duties or visiting ASU employees.

For the purposes of this procedure the following definitions apply:

Academic Unit

Any department, school, or college where the program will take place

Laboratory

A facility or room where the use of potentially hazardous materials, biological agents, or sources of energy (i.e., lasers, high voltage, radiation, etc.) is used for scientific experimentation, research, or education

Minor

As referenced in this policy, any individual under the age of 18

Organized Educational Program

Any regularly scheduled curriculum applied toward a degree from ASU

Unit Head

The chair, dean, or director of the affected academic unit

Policy

No person under the age of 18 may enter an ASU laboratory unless he or she is participating in an organized educational program sponsored by a school district or municipality and approved by the head of the affected academic unit where the program will take place, or by EH&S, or by Student Affairs.

Procedure

1. No person under the age of 18 may enter an ASU laboratory except:
   
   1. as part of a group or individual educational program approved in advance by the head of the academic unit

      or

   2. as part of a relationship in which an ASU faculty member or researcher is acting as a mentor to the minor, the minor will not be present in an ASU laboratory for more than five hours a week, and the minor’s activities in the laboratory have been approved by the head of the academic unit where the program will take place, by EH&S, or by Student Affairs.
   
   
2. All persons under the age of 18 who enter an ASU laboratory must complete all required safety training, must adhere to all restrictions imposed by EH&S, and must be supervised at all times. Supervision must be by an individual familiar with the lab's operations and who has completed laboratory safety training.
3. ASU faculty members sponsoring minors shall be responsible for obtaining all authorizations required under these rules.
4. If an individual faculty member or a unit head wishes to bring a minor into his or her laboratory or academic unit for an educational program as described in this policy, the faculty member shall submit to the head of his or her academic unit a request that provides the name and age of the student and describes the educational intent of the proposed experience. The unit head should review the request for educational appropriateness and forward a copy with a statement that the proposed activity represents an approved educational program of the academic unit to EH&S. Upon receipt of the document, EH&S will make sure that appropriate laboratory inspections are performed and that the faculty member is alerted to any measures that must be taken to assure the safety of minors in the laboratory.
5. If the unit head wishes to bring minors into his or her laboratory for an educational program or wishes to implement an academic unit- or school-wide program that includes educational opportunities for minors, he or she shall submit a request that provides the name(s) and age(s) of the student(s) and the educational intent of the proposed program to EH&S and the Office of General Counsel with a statement that the proposed activity represents an approved educational program.
6. If a faculty member or unit head wishes to mentor a student under the age of 18 as described in this policy, he or she shall follow the notification “pathways” outlined above but needs to include in his or her request only the name and age of the student and the commitment that the mentoring experience will require the student to be present in the laboratory no more than five hours per week.
7. A parental consent form is to be requested from ASU Risk Management for each specific request. The parental consent form is to be signed by the parents of each minor requesting approval to be employed by ASU, or to volunteer at ASU, to work in a lab, or to serve as a research assistant in a laboratory.

   and

8. Any exceptions to this policy must be approved in writing by the EH&S director.

---

Responsibilities

Each ASU employee, including faculty, staff, researchers, and part-time employees, is responsible for the safety and health of visitors to his or her laboratory or facility and must adhere to the requirements of this program for persons under the age of 18.

Each unit head or designee is responsible for approving in writing permission for each person under the age of 18 entering ASU laboratories and for ensuring that EH&S is notified of this approval prior to allowing anyone under the age of 18 into an ASU laboratory and complying with all training and safety measures identified by EH&S associated with the approval.

EH&S is responsible for reviewing and approving all requests and notifying the requestor in writing of any requirements associated with that approval. If a request is denied, then EH&S is responsible for notifying the requestor in writing of the disapproval and the reason(s) for the disapproval.

Cross-References

For more information, see:

1. EHS 103, “Hazard Communication Program”
2. EHS 104, “Laboratory Use of Hazardous Chemicals”
3. EHS 105, “Personal Protective Equipment”
4. EHS 108, “Environmental Health and Safety Training”
5. EHS 205, “Storage of Hazardous Chemicals”

   and

6. EHS 403, “Chemical Release Emergency Response”

See also the Police Department Policies and Procedures Manual—PDP 104–01: “Laboratory Emergencies.”

  skip navigation bar

---

EHS manual | ASU policies and procedures manuals | Index of Policies by Title | EHS manual contact | Environmental Health & Safety Web site

 

Back to Top