Chemical Hygiene Plan
The California Occupational Safety and Health Administration (CAL-OSHA) has promulgated a regulation covering the occupational exposure to hazardous chemicals in laboratories. Included in this regulation is a requirement for Keck Graduate Institute to develop and carry out a chemical hygiene plan and a chemical spill response guideline .
All laboratory personnel must understand and follow the guidelines outlined in this plan. In addition, each employee is expected to develop safe, personal chemical hygiene habits aimed at minimizing chemical exposures to themselves and coworkers. This Chemical Hygiene Plan will be reviewed, evaluated and updated annually and must be made readily available to employees, their representatives and any representative of CAL-OSHA. "Laboratory use of hazardous chemicals" means the handling or use of such chemicals in which all of the following conditions are met:
- Chemical manipulations are carried out in containers designed to be easily and safely manipulated by one person.
- Multiple chemical procedures or chemicals are used.
- The procedures involved are not part of a production process, nor in any way simulate a production process.
- Personnel Protective equipment is available and in common use to minimize the potential for employee exposure to hazardous chemicals.
KGI'S Chemical Hygiene Plan safety activities include:
- Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs)
- Procedures to assure safety and health in laboratories.
- Criteria for implementation of control measures.
- Provisions for medical consultation.
- Designation of responsible personnel (to maintain safe conditions), and criteria for identification of particularly hazardous substances (i.e., labeling)
- Employee right-to-know program
- Oversight of special programs relating to carcinogens and toxic chemicals.
- Training and technical assistance are provided to ensure compliance with regulations concerning the transportation of hazardous materials procedures to assure safety and health in laboratories, criteria for implementation of control measures.
- Provisions for training and information dissemination.