Create a safe work procedure for chemical handling

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## NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNING CHEMICAL HYGIENE IN LABORATORIES - (b) Location signs for safety showers, eyewash stations, other safety and first aid equipment, and exits; and - (c) Warnings at areas or equipment where special or unusual hazards exist. - 8. Spills and Accidents Before beginning an experiment, know your facility's policies and procedures for how to handle an accidental release of a hazardous substance, a spill or a fire. Emergency response planning and training are especially important when working with highly toxic compounds. Emergency telephone numbers should be posted in a prominent area. Know the location of all safety equipment and the nearest fire alarm and telephone. Know who to notify in the event of an emergency. Be prepared to provide basic emergency treatment. Keep your co-workers informed of your activities so they can respond appropriately. Safety equipment, including spill control kits, safety shields, fire safety equipment, PPE, safety showers and eyewash units, and emergency equipment should be available in wellmarked highly visible locations in all chemical laboratories. The laboratory supervisor or CHO is responsible for ensuring that all personnel are aware of the locations of fire extinguishers and are trained in their use. After an extinguisher has been used, designated personnel must promptly recharge or replace it (29 CFR 1910.157(c)(4)). The laboratory supervisor or CHO is also responsible for ensuring proper training and providing supplementary equipment as needed. Special care must be used when handling solutions of chemicals in syringes with needles. Do not recap needles, especially when they have been in contact with chemicals. Remove the needle and discard it immediately after use in the appropriate sharps containers. Blunt-tip needles are available from a number of commercial sources and should be used unless a sharp needle is required to puncture rubber septa or for subcutaneous injection. F…

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## NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNING CHEMICAL HYGIENE IN LABORATORIES <!-- image --> - (e) The contents of all other chemical containers and transfer vessels, including, but not limited to, beakers, flasks, reaction vessels, and process equipment, should be properly identified. - (f) Chemical shipments should be dated upon receipt and stock rotated. - (g) Peroxide formers should be dated upon receipt, again dated upon opening, and stored away from heat and light with tightfitting, nonmetal lids. - (h) Open shelves used for chemical storage should be secured to the wall and contain 3/4-inch lips. Secondary containment devices should be used as necessary. - (i) Consult the SDS and keep incompatibles separate during transport, storage, use, and disposal. - (j) Oxidizers, reducing agents, and fuels should be stored separately to prevent contact in the event of an accident. - (k) Chemicals should not be stored in the chemical hood, on the floor, in areas of egress, on the benchtop, or in areas near heat or in direct sunlight. - (l) Laboratory-grade, flammable-rated refrigerators and freezers should be used to store sealed chemical containers of flammable liquids that require cool storage. Do not store food or beverages in the laboratory refrigerator. - (m) Highly hazardous chemicals should be stored in a well-ventilated and secure area designated for that purpose. - (n) Flammable chemicals should be stored in a spark-free environment and in approved flammable-liquid containers and storage cabinets. Grounding and bonding should be used to prevent static charge buildups when dispensing solvents. - (o) Chemical storage and handling rooms should be controlled-access areas. They should have proper ventilation, appropriate signage, diked floors, and fire suppression systems. ## Chemical Handling: - (a) As described above, a risk assessment should be conducted prior to beginning work with any hazardous chemical for the first time. - (b) All SDS and label …

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## NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNING CHEMICAL HYGIENE IN LABORATORIES Determine the physical and health hazards associated with chemicals before working with them. This determination may involve consulting literature references, laboratory chemical safety summaries (LCSSs), SDSs, or other reference materials. Consider how the chemicals will be processed and determine whether the changing states or forms will change the nature of the hazard. Review your plan, operating limits, chemical evaluations and detailed risk assessment with other chemists, especially those with experience with similar materials and protocols. Before working with chemicals, know your facility's policies and procedures for how to handle an accidental spill or fire. Emergency telephone numbers should be posted in a prominent area. Know the location of all safety equipment and the nearest fire alarm and telephone. ## 3. Adhere to the Hierarchy of Controls The hierarchy of controls prioritizes intervention strategies based on the premise that the best way to control a hazard is to systematically remove it from the workplace, rather than relying on employees to reduce their exposure. The types of measures that may be used to protect employees (listed from most effective to least effective) are: engineering controls, administrative controls, work practices, and PPE. Engineering controls, such as chemical hoods, physically separate the employee from the hazard. Administrative controls, such as employee scheduling, are established by management to help minimize the employees' exposure time to hazardous chemicals. Work practice controls are tasks that are performed in a designated way to minimize or eliminate hazards. Personal protective equipment and apparel are additional protection provided under special circumstances and when exposure is unavoidable. Face and eye protection is necessary to prevent ingestion and skin absorption of hazardous chemicals. At a minimum, safety glas…