Suzanne Reister, Program Manager Paula Vanderpool, Program Assistant North Central Washington Workers’ Comp Trust Chemical Hygiene – Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories

PURPOSE To acquaint you with DOSHs “Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories” rules, as they apply to school districts. WAC

GOAL The goal of any occupational health and safety program is to reduce or eliminate risk of injury or illness from potential hazards. Note: DOSH rules apply to employee exposures.

To whom these provisions apply The requirements apply to the laboratory use of hazardous chemicals: Handling chemicals on a laboratory scale Manipulations can be made easily by one person Using multiple chemicals No production process involved Protective practices and equipment available Versus industrial use, where there are large quantities of chemicals and a smaller number of containers

Hazardous Chemical A chemical with evidence that acute (which will hurt you right away) or chronic (which can hurt you over time) health effects may occur in exposed employees, or could be a physical hazard.

Chemical hazards Physical hazards Flammable, combustible, compressed gases, explosives, organic peroxides, oxidizers, pyrophorics, water reactives Health hazards Carcinogens, corrosives, toxic agents, reproductive toxins, irritants, sensitizers, target organs agents Hazard factors include chemical form, route of entry, amount, frequency

What’s required? Written Chemical Hygiene Plan Chemical Hygiene Officer Chemical inventories, MSDSs and labeling Employee exposure determination Chemical exposure control Proper functioning safety equipment Standard operating procedures Information and training Prior approval (for new procedures) Medical consultation and exam when needed

Employee exposure determination Monitoring (initial and periodic) is required if there is reason to believe that exposure levels for that substance routinely may be hazardous to the employee (exceed the action level or permissible exposure limit). Exposure limits are determined by DOSH, NIOSH or ACGIH. Maintain exposure level monitoring records!

Chemical Hygiene Plan Its purpose is to protect employees from health hazards associated with hazardous chemicals in the laboratory. CHP must include:  Standard operating procedures (work practices) for working with hazardous chemicals and emergency procedures  Control measures to be used to reduce employee exposures  Means to ensure proper functioning of fume hoods and other safety equipment  Employee information and training

Chemical Hygiene Plan CHP must include (continued): Method of approval before a new lab procedure is used Means of medical consultation and examination (when needed) and associated record keeping Designation of a Chemical Hygiene Officer to oversee the chemical hygiene program Additional employee protection for particularly hazardous substances (separate area, containment, decontamination) Annual review of the CHP plan

Chemical Hygiene Officer An employee who is designated by the employer and who is qualified by training or experience to provide technical guidance in the development and implementation of the chemical hygiene plan. (This is traditionally the high school chemistry teacher.)

Chemical Hygiene Officer Duties include: »Develop and implement appropriate chemical hygiene policies and procedures, and audit »Assist with employee training »Monitor chemical procurement, distribution, storage, use and disposal in the lab »Keep current with legal requirements »Ensure proper chemical waste disposal » Perform quarterly chemical hygiene inspections

Hazard control measures for chemicals Administrative controls Policies - To safely handle chemicals and reduce employee exposures Rules - General safety rules Training - So employees will understand possible harm and protections Signage - To warn others of hazards

Hazard control measures for chemicals Operational controls - SOPs *Generic Ordering, storage & distribution of chemicals Safe use of chemicals Emergency response for spills or unintentional releases *Experiment-specific procedures Specific to each experiment, should already be part of the curriculum; if not, start with procedure and add health & safety info., control measures, personal protective equipment, waste disposal *Special procedures - requires prior approval Changes to the science curriculum, especially new or revised experiments, need pre-approval.

Hazard control measures for chemicals Engineering controls *Chemical substitution *Ventilation -Good general ventilation -Well ventilated chemical store room -Lab hoods *Isolation

Hazard control measures for chemicals Other controls *Lab maintenance and inspection *Protective equipment *Safety equipment -Lab hoods and sinks -Eyewash fountains and drench showers -Fire extinguisher -Fire alarm & telephone

Chemical inventory & MSDSs Conduct a full chemical inventory. Update yearly. Properly dispose of unused chemicals. Gather Material Safety Data Sheets and retain 30 years. Ensure that chemical labels remain intact, and proper relabeling is conducted if chemical is transferred.

Employee information and training Employee training to be provided at time of initial assignment should include: »Lab standard content »Details of the Chemical Hygiene Plan »Location of CHP and MSDSs »Location of reference materials »Chemical exposure limits »Signs and symptoms of exposure »Physical and health hazards of chemicals »Methods to detect presence of chemicals »How to reduce or eliminate exposure

Employee responsibilities Familiarize yourself with the Chemical Hygiene Plan Be aware of lab hazards Follow standard operating procedures Review processes with Chemistry Teacher Use equipment properly (fume hood, PPE, etc.) Label, store and dispose of chemicals properly Manage chemical inventories Be a good example to others

Medical exposure treatment Medical attention shall be given to employees when: Signs are symptoms of overexposure are observed Chemicals exposure levels are routinely above action level There is a spill or leak where employees may have been exposed

How to modify the sample plan ˚Add your school district name (and page numbers may be helpful) Other to do’s: ˚Designate a qualified person as Chemical Hygiene Officer ˚Inventory chemicals and gather MSDSs ˚Identify potential employee overexposures ˚Become familiar with lab experiment SOPs ˚Establish employee training

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