Hazardous Chemicals in Labs
What types of hazardous chemicals are present in laboratories?
Hazardous chemicals present physical or health threats to workers in clinical, industrial, and academic laboratories. They include carcinogens, toxins, irritants, corrosives, sensitizers, hepatotoxins, nephrotoxins, neurotoxins as well as agents that act on the hematopoietic systems or damage the lungs, skin, eyes, or mucous membranes. OSHA currently has rules that limit exposures to approximately 400 substances.
Hazardous chemicals present physical or health threats to workers in clinical, industrial, and academic laboratories. They include carcinogens, toxins, irritants, corrosives, sensitizers, hepatotoxins, nephrotoxins, neurotoxins as well as agents that act on the hematopoietic systems or damage the lungs, skin, eyes, or mucous membranes. OSHA currently has rules that limit exposures to approximately 400 substances.
Are there OSHA standards that cover workers exposed to hazardous chemicals in laboratories?
Yes. Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 1910.1450, Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories, covers all workers using hazardous chemicals in laboratories. “Laboratory use” means performing chemical procedures using small quantities of hazardous chemicals on a laboratory scale and not as part of a production process in an environment where protective laboratory practices and equipment are in common use. This standard requires employers to keep employee exposures at or below the
permissible exposure limits (PELS) specified in the standard on air contaminants (see CFR 1910.1000, Table Z) and in other substance-specific health standards.
Yes. Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 1910.1450, Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories, covers all workers using hazardous chemicals in laboratories. “Laboratory use” means performing chemical procedures using small quantities of hazardous chemicals on a laboratory scale and not as part of a production process in an environment where protective laboratory practices and equipment are in common use. This standard requires employers to keep employee exposures at or below the
permissible exposure limits (PELS) specified in the standard on air contaminants (see CFR 1910.1000, Table Z) and in other substance-specific health standards.
How must employers monitor employee exposures?
You must periodically measure employee exposures to harmful substances if you suspect that these exposures are routinely above the action level (i.e., the threshold for increased compliance activities such as air monitoring and medical examinations). If the exposures are routinely above the action level, you must conduct periodic monitoring of employees for that substance. Monitoring may be terminated when employee exposures are below the action level.
You must periodically measure employee exposures to harmful substances if you suspect that these exposures are routinely above the action level (i.e., the threshold for increased compliance activities such as air monitoring and medical examinations). If the exposures are routinely above the action level, you must conduct periodic monitoring of employees for that substance. Monitoring may be terminated when employee exposures are below the action level.
Are employers required to have a chemical hygiene plan?
Yes. If your laboratory employees use hazardous chemicals, you must develop and implement a written chemical hygiene plan to protect them. In addition to appropriate safety and health procedures and hygiene practices for hazardous chemicals in laboratories, the plan must include the following:
Yes. If your laboratory employees use hazardous chemicals, you must develop and implement a written chemical hygiene plan to protect them. In addition to appropriate safety and health procedures and hygiene practices for hazardous chemicals in laboratories, the plan must include the following:
- Criteria for reducing employee exposure to hazardous chemicals;
- Use of personal protective equipment;
- Requirements that ensure fume hoods and other protective equipment are functioning properly;
- Provisions for employee training
- Circumstances requiring employer approval of certain laboratory operations, procedures, or activities before implementation;
- Provisions for medical consultation;
- Measures to protect employees from particularly hazardous substances; and
- Assignment of a Chemical Hygiene Officer—a qualified employee who by training or experience can provide technical guidance in developing and implementing the chemical hygiene plan.
If engineering, administrative, and work practice controls fail to maintain exposures below PELs, workers must use respirators to achieve that end. Employers must provide appropriate respiratory protection at no cost to workers, provide appropriate training and education regarding its use, and ensure that workers use it properly. (See 29 CFR 1910.134.)
What records must the employer keep?
You must establish and maintain for each employee an accurate record of any measurements taken to monitor employee exposure and any medical consultation and examination including tests or written opinions.
You must establish and maintain for each employee an accurate record of any measurements taken to monitor employee exposure and any medical consultation and examination including tests or written opinions.
How can you get more information on safety and health?
OSHA has various publications, standards, technical assistance, and compliance tools to help you, and offers extensive assistance through workplace consultation, voluntary protection programs, grants, strategic partnerships, state plans, training, and education. OSHA’s Safety and Health Program Management Guidelines ( Federal Register 54:3904-3916, January 26, 1989) detail elements critical to the development of a successful safety and health management system. In addition, Exposure to Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories (OSHA 3119) explains this subject in greater detail. You can order this publication online from OSHA at http://www.osha.gov/pls/publications/pubindex.list or by contacting the OSHA publications office at the address below. This and other information are available on OSHA’s website.
For one free copy of OSHA publications, send a self-addressed mailing label to OSHA Publications Office, P.O. Box 37535, Washington, DC 20013-7535; or send a request to our fax at (202) 693-2498, or call us at (202) 693-1888.
To order OSHA publications online at www.osha.gov, go to Publications and follow the instructions for ordering.
To file a complaint by phone, report an emergency, or get OSHA advice, assistance, or products, contact your nearest OSHA office under the “U.S. Department of Labor” listing in your phone book, or call toll-free at (800) 321-OSHA (6742). The teletypewriter (TTY) number is (877) 889-5627.
To file a complaint online or obtain more information on OSHA federal and state programs, visit OSHA’s website.