Handling hazardous chemicals

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## OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE TO HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS IN LABORATORIES - (2) Such information shall be provided at the time of an employee's initial assignment to a work area where hazardous chemicals are present and prior to assignments involving new exposure situations. The frequency of refresher information and training shall be determined by the employer. - (3) Information. Employees shall be informed of: - (i) The contents of this standard and its appendices which shall be made available to employees; - (ii) The location and availability of the employer's Chemical Hygiene Plan; - (iii) The permissible exposure limits for OSHA regulated substances or recommended exposure limits for other hazardous chemicals where there is no applicable OSHA standard; - (iv) Signs and symptoms associated with exposures to hazardous chemicals used in the laboratory; and - (v) The location and availability of known reference material on the hazards, safe handling, storage and disposal of hazardous chemicals found in the laboratory including, but not limited to, Material Safety Data Sheets received from the chemical supplier. ## (4) Training. - (i) Employee training shall include: - (A) Methods and observations that may be used to detect the presence or release of a hazardous chemical (such as monitoring conducted by the employer, continuous monitoring devices, visual appearance or odor of hazardous chemicals when being released, etc.); - (B) The physical and health hazards of chemicals in the work area; and - (C) The measures employees can take to protect themselves from these hazards, including specific procedures the employer has implemented to protect employees from exposure to hazardous chemicals, such as appropriate work practices, emergency procedures, and personal protective equipment to be used. - (ii) The employee shall be trained on the applicable details of the employer's written Chemical Hygiene Plan.

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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…

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## Subpart H-Hazardous Materials AUTHORITY: Sections 4, 6, and 8 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (29 U.S.C. 653, 655, 657); Secretary of Labor's Order No. 12-71 (36 FR 8754), 8-76 (41 FR [redacted postal code]), 9-83 (48 FR [redacted postal code]), 1-90 (55 FR 9033), 6-96 (62 FR 111), 3-2000 (65 FR [redacted postal code]), or 5-2007 (72 FR [redacted postal code]), 4-2010 (75 FR [redacted postal code]) or 1-2012 (77 FR 3912), as applicable; and 29 CFR part 1911. Sections 1910.103, 1910.106 through 1910.111, and 1910.119, 1910.120, and 1910.122 through 1910.126 also issued under 29 CFR part 1911. Section 1910.119 also issued under Section 304, Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 (Pub. L. 101549), reprinted at 29 U.S.C.A. 655 Note. Section 1910.120 also issued under Section 126, Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 as amended (29 U.S.C.A. 655 Note), and 5 U.S.C. 553. ## §1910.119 Process safety management of highly hazardous chemicals. Purpose. This section contains requirements for preventing or minimizing the consequences of catastrophic releases of toxic, reactive, flammable, or explosive chemicals. These releases may result in toxic, fire or explosion hazards. - (a) Application. (1) This section applies to the following: - (i) A process which involves a chemical at or above the specified threshold quantities listed in appendix A to this section; - (ii) A process which involves a Category 1 flammable gas (as defined in 1910.1200(c)) or a flammable liquid with a flashpoint below 100 °F (37.8 °C) on site in one location, in a quantity of 10,000 pounds (4535.9 kg) or more except for: - (A) Hydrocarbon fuels used solely for workplace consumption as a fuel (e.g., propane used for comfort heating, gasoline for vehicle refueling), if such fuels are not a part of a process containing another highly hazardous chemical covered by this standard; - (B) Flammable liquids with a flashpoint below 100 °F (37.8 °C) stored in atmospheric tanks …

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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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## HAZARD COMMUNICATION Employee means a worker who may be exposed to hazardous chemicals under normal operating conditions or in foreseeable emergencies. Workers such as office workers or bank tellers who encounter hazardous chemicals only in non-routine, isolated instances are not covered. Employer means a person engaged in a business where chemicals are either used, distributed, or are produced for use or distribution, including a contractor or subcontractor. Exposure or exposed means that an employee is subjected in the course of employment to a chemical that is a physical or health hazard, and includes potential (e.g. accidental or possible) exposure. "Subjected" in terms of health hazards includes any route of entry (e.g. inhalation, ingestion, skin contact or absorption.) Foreseeable emergency means any potential occurrence such as, but not limited to, equipment failure, rupture of containers, or failure of control equipment which could result in an uncontrolled release of a hazardous chemical into the workplace. Hazard category means the division of criteria within each hazard class, e.g., oral acute toxicity and flammable liquids include four hazard categories. These categories compare hazard severity within a hazard class and should not be taken as a comparison of hazard categories more generally. Hazard class means the nature of the physical or health hazards, e.g., flammable solid, carcinogen, oral acute toxicity. Hazard not otherwise classified (HNOC) means an adverse physical or health effect identified through evaluation of scientific evidence during the classification process that does not meet the specified criteria for the physical and health hazard classes addressed in this section. This does not extend coverage to adverse physical and health effects for which there is a hazard class addressed in this section, but the effect either falls below the cut-off value/concentration limit of the hazard class or is under a GHS hazard category tha…

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Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division Oregon Administrative Rules AO 3-2019 Division 2 - (6) Employee Information and Training. A training program shall be established and all affected employees shall be trained regarding the safe handling of materials used in the industry which shall include instruction in storage, handling large and small quantities, cleanup and disposal of spills, first aid for spills, equipment training, potential health and safety hazards, personal hygiene, personal protective measures, and the labeling system. - (7) Personal Protective Equipment. - (a) Safety glasses shall be worn at all times by personnel working in the manufacturing area of reinforced plastics plants. - (b) Face shields and safety glasses shall be worn when opening and filling pressurized catalyst injection equipment. - (c) An eyewash fountain shall be provided no more than 25 feet or 15 seconds of actual travel from a work area where MEK peroxide is being mixed or transferred. - (A) The criteria of 25 feet shall apply if the employee is working alone. - (B) The criteria of 15 seconds shall apply if other employees are close enough under normal working conditions to provide assistance and a formal training program which includes emergency first aid procedures for eye protection has been implemented. - (d) Clothing saturated or impregnated with flammable liquids, corrosive or toxic substances, irritants, or oxidizing agents, that present a health hazard to employees shall be removed and disposed of, or properly cleaned before reuse; however, clothing coated with cured resin may be worn. - (8) Warning Signs and Labels. - (a) Label chemical containers in accordance with 1910.1200, Hazard Communication. - (b) Where extreme occupational health hazards are known to exist in the workplace, the employer shall provide warning signs or other equally effective means of calling attention to such hazards at the location where the hazards exist. ## (9) Housekeeping. - (a) H…

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## NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNING CHEMICAL HYGIENE IN LABORATORIES - (k) Safety rules and regulations; - (l) Laboratory design and ventilation; - (m) Exposure monitoring; - (n) Compressed gas safety; - (o) Medical consultation and examination. It should be noted that the nature of laboratory work may necessitate addressing biological safety, radiation safety and security issues. - 2. Chemical Procurement, Distribution, and Storage Prudent chemical management includes the following processes: ## Chemical Procurement: - (a) Information on proper handling, storage, and disposal should be known to those who will be involved before a substance is received. - (b) Only containers with adequate identifying labels should be accepted. - (c) Ideally, a central location should be used for receiving all chemical shipments. - (d) Shipments with breakage or leakage should be refused or opened in a chemical hood. - (e) Only the minimum amount of the chemical needed to perform the planned work should be ordered. - (f) Purchases of high risk chemicals should be reviewed and approved by the CHO. - (g) Proper protective equipment and handling and storage procedures should be in place before receiving a shipment. ## Chemical Storage: - (a) Chemicals should be separated and stored according to hazard category and compatibility. - (b) SDS and label information should be followed for storage requirements. - (c) Maintain existing labels on incoming containers of chemicals and other materials. - (d) Labels on containers used for storing hazardous chemicals must include the chemical identification and appropriate hazard warnings.