Office of the Vice President for University Administration

The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) recognizes the unique characteristics and hazards of a laboratory workplace that generates the Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories regulation for occupational exposure to hazardous chemicals in research, educational and diagnostic laboratories. The OSHA regulation pertains to all laboratories that engage in the use of chemicals as defined by this regulation. The obligation to maintain employee exposures at or below the Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs) specified in state and federal air contaminants standards are retained. This regulation does not apply to laboratory use of hazardous chemicals that provides no potential for employee exposure, such as, procedures utilizing chemically-impregnated test media and commercially-prepared test kits.

EHS 103 - Hazard Communication Program
EHS 104 - Laboratory Use of Hazardous Chemicals

Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP)
Hazardous Communication Plan

29 CFR 1910.1450 Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories
29 CFR 1910.1200 Hazard Communication (select sections apply)

Each department must establish check-in/check-out procedures for laboratory turnovers where the principal investigator is changing in order to ensure that chemicals, hazardous waste, biological waste, and other materials are not left in the laboratory. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires that all chemicals not in use are properly identified and that waste is disposed of correctly. The safety coordinator from each department is responsible for making certain that hazards are removed from the laboratory prior to any principal investigators departure from the laboratory. The safety coordinator should establish an inspection process and sign-off on any laboratory transfer. Following these procedures will ensure EPA compliance and that the incoming faculty member has a clean, healthy environment in which to work.

Each laboratory submits a chemical inventory to EH&S and includes a complete inventory of the chemicals used or stored in the work area or laboratory, including compressed gas cylinders. The laboratory identifies all chemicals, including non-hazardous items.
Labels on containers of hazardous materials must not be removed or defaced until the container is empty or if refilled with a different substance.
Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) must be made available for all hazardous substances in the laboratory. If MSDSs are received by the laboratory, the MSDSs must be retained and made available to the laboratory employees.
Employees who work with hazardous materials must be given the opportunity to receive medical attention, including any follow-up examinations deemed necessary by the examining licensed physician, when there is cause to believe that a significant chemical exposure has occurred. Medical examinations and follow-ups must be provided without cost to the employee, without loss of pay and at a reasonable time and place.
Standard Operating Procedures must be developed and implemented addressing specific health and safety considerations for processes involving hazardous substances.
The supervisor must periodically monitor the employee's exposure to any substance regulated by a standard which requires monitoring if there is reason to believe that exposure levels for that substance exceed the specified PEL or Action Level. The supervisor must then notify the employee of the monitoring results within 15 working days after receipt of the monitoring results.
The department provides at no cost to the employee, the proper respiratory protection equipment and comply with provisions of the OSHA Respiratory Protection Standard where the use of respirators is necessary to maintain exposures below PELs.
All employees working in laboratories subject to the regulation must b e provided information and training to understand the hazards present in their work area and to prevent work-related injuries and illnesses .

The employer establishes and maintains for each employee an accurate record of any measurements taken to monitor employee exposures and any medical consultation and examinations including tests or written opinions required by this standard. EH&S will keep employee monitoring exposure results on file and will send the employee results of their exposure monitoring. Human Resources keep all medical records on file. The employer assures that records are kept, transferred and made available in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.1020.

EH&S provides employees with information and training to understand the hazards of chemicals present in their work area. EH&S offers training on biosafety, bloodborne pathogens and general laboratory safety. This information and training must be provided at the time of an employee's initial assignment to a laboratory work area where hazardous chemicals are present and prior to assignments involving new exposure situations. The lab supervisor must assure that an employee completes the training.

The lab manager develops and implements provisions of a written CHP. The CHP must include the work practices, procedures and policies to assure that employees are protected from all potentially hazardous chemicals in use in their work area. The CHP must be available to all employees and employee representatives. A copy of the CHP must be forwarded to EH&S.

Mailing Address: PO Box 873804, Tempe, Arizona 85287-3804
Contact Email: EHS@asu.edu
Phone: (480) 965-1823
FAX: (480) 965-0736


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