Chemical
Hygiene Plan
This
is a sample written chemical hygiene
plan. It must be tailored for use
in your facility. Attempting to provide
a written program for your employees
will show a good faith effort to OSHA
should you be inspected. This would
normally be taken into account if
citations are developed.
This material and Safety and Health
Consultation Services are provided
free of charge to owners, proprietors,
and managers of small businesses by
the Illinois Department of Commerce
and Economic Opportunity under a program
funded largely by the Occupational
Safety and Health Administration (OSHA),
an agency of the U.S. Department of
Labor.
ONSITE SAFETY & HEALTH CONSULTATION
PROGRAM
Illinois Department of Commerce &
Economic Opportunity
Industrial Services Division
100 West Randolph, Suites 3-400
Chicago, Illinois 60601
Phone: 312-814-2337 Fax: 312-814-7238
TDD: 800-419-0667
CHEMICAL
HYGIENE PLAN
for enter company
name
The
general intent of the chemical hygiene
plan is to protect laboratory employees
from health hazards associated with
the use of hazardous chemical in our
laboratory and to assure that our
laboratory employees are not exposed
to substances in excess of the permissible
exposure limits as defined by OSHA
in 29 CFR 1910 subpart Z. Insert
name is designated as the Chemical
Hygiene Officer. The qualifications
for this individual are important.
This person should have a background
in both chemistry and safety. See
Section VII for details. The Chemical
Hygiene Officer will keep a copy of
the plan and make it available to
all employees for review. The plan
will be reviewed annually and updated
as necessary.
I.
Standard Operating Procedures to be
followed in the laboratory relevant
to safety and health when using chemicals.
|
These are general procedures
of laboratory operation which
you likely already have in effect.
Section E of Appendix A of 1910.1450
lists the following considerations: |
|
A.
Accidents, spills
B. Avoidance of routine exposure
C. Choice of chemicals
D. Eating, drinking, smoking,
etc.
E. Equipment and glassware
F. Exiting
G. Horseplay
H. Mouth suction
I. Personal apparel
|
J. Personal housekeeping
K. Personal protection
L. Planning
M. Unattended operations
N. Use of hood
O. Vigilance
P. Waste disposal/storage
Q. Working alone |
| Section
F of Appendix A of 1910.1450
includes additional safety recommendations: |
A. Corrosive agents
B. Electrically powered operations
C. Fires, explosions
D. Chemical Storage |
E.
Low temperature procedures
F. Pressurized and vacuum laboratory
apparatus
G. Compressed gases |
Attached
to this plan are the standard operating
pro-cedures in place for the safe
handling of chemicals in our laboratory.
(Often this
will be your laboratory safety manual
which is already in place. If you
have the following programs, they
can also be referenced.)
The
written portion of the laser safety
program is located: enter
appropriate information
The
written portion of the radiation
safety program is located: enter
appropriate information
The
written portion of the biological
safety program is located: enter
appropriate information
II.
Criteria for Use of Control Measures
to Reduce Employee Exposure to Hazardous
Chemicals
A.
The following operations shall be
in laboratory fume hoods: enter
appropriate information
B. The following operations shall
be performed in biological safety
cabinets: enter
information
C. The following operations shall
be performed in glove boxes: enter
appropriate information
D.
Respirators shall be used in accordance
with our respiratory protection policy
and with the OSHA respirator standard
29 CFR 1910.134. This policy and associated
documentation is available for employee
review.
E. Appropriate protective apparel
compatible with the required degree
of protection for substances handled
shall be used. The supervisor will
advise employees on glove, gown, eye
protection, barrier creams, etc. use.
Permeability charts are available
enter appropriate
information.
F.
Employees will be instructed on the
location and use of eye wash stations
and safety showers. The supervisor
is responsible for this instruction.
G.
Employees will be trained at least
annually on the use of fire extinguishers
and other fire protection systems.
III.
Maintenance of Fume Hoods and Other
Protective Equipment
A.
Fume Hoods will be inspected every
(insert frequency) months by
(insert name
or position); adequacy of face
velocity will be determined by (insert
method here); reports of hood
inspections are filed (insert
location) for employee review.
Repeat
the above for each additional major
category of protective equipment such
as Biological Safety Cabinet, Ventilation
of Storage Cabinets, Interlocks on
High Voltage Equipment, Safety Showers,
Eyewash Stations, etc., indicating
how often they are inspected, by whom,
what is measured, and where the inspection
records and checklists are filed.
IV.
Employee Information and Training
A. Each employee covered by the laboratory
standard will be provided with information
and training so that they are appraised
of the hazards of chemicals present
in their work area. This training
will be given at the time of initial
assignment and prior to new assignments
involving different exposure situations.
Refresher training will be given (insert
how often).
B.
The training/information sessions
shall include:
-
The contents of 1910.1450 and
its appendices which are always
available to employees.
- The
availability and location of the
written chemical hygiene plan.
- Information
on OSHA permissible exposure limits
(PELs) where they exist, and other
recommended exposure limits.
- Signs
and symptoms associated with exposure
to hazardous chemicals in laboratories.
- Location
of reference materials, including
all MSDSs received, on the safe
handling of chemicals in laboratories.
- Methods
to detect the presence or release
of chemicals (i.e. monitoring,
odor thresholds, etc).
- The
physical and health hazards of
chemicals in laboratory work areas.
- Measures
to protect employees from these
hazards, including: Standard operating
procedures; Work practices; Emergency
procedures; and Personal protective
equipment
- Details
of the chemical hygiene plan.
C.
Insert name
of position is responsible
for conducting the training sessions
which will consist of insert
training methods, e.g. videotape,
slide tape, lecture, etc. An
outline of the training program is
attached. (An
outline is included in this packet,
which can be modified for your use.)
D.
Each employee will sign a form documenting
that they have received training.
Sample
form included in this packet. Note
that a signed form does not necessarily
mean that person has understood and
retained the training provided. An
enforcement officer would determine
training based on employee interviews,
and employee knowledge.
E.
Insert name
or position is responsible
for developing standard operating
procedures and for training on the
procedures.
V.
Prior Approval for Specific Laboratory
Operations. Certain laboratory
procedures which present a serious
chemical hazard require prior approval
before work can begin. For this facility,
these procedures include:
A.
Work with select carcinogens
B.
Work with reproductive hazards
C.
Work with neurotoxin (consider the
8 physical hazards as well as the
health hazards in this determination.)
These chemicals include: insert
a list of the acutely hazardous chemicals,
for example: cyanide.
If
the laboratory does not utilize these
classes of chemicals then include
a sentence which states "Our
laboratory does not at this time use
any chemicals which are sufficiently
hazardous to require prior approval
before they are used.
VI.
Medical Consultation and Examination.
We provide to affected employees,
medical attention including follow
up examinations which the physician
determines is necessary under the
following circumstances:
A. Whenever an employee develops signs
and symptoms associated with a hazardous
chemical to which they may have been
exposed, the employee shall be provided
an opportunity to receive appropriate
medical examination. The employee
shall contact the Chemical Hygiene
Officer to initiate the medical program.
B.
Where exposure monitoring reveals
an exposure level routinely above
the OSHA action level (AL) (or in
the absence of an action level, exposure
above the OSHA permissible exposure
level [PEL]) for OSHA regulated substances
for which there are medical monitoring
and medical surveillance requirements,
medical surveillance shall be established
for that employee. Currently our laboratory
uses the following substances all
of which have a separate OSHA standard
with medical surveillance requirements.
1.
______________________ (e.g. Benzene).
2. ______________________ (e.g. Formaldehyde).
3. ______________________ (list other
substances covered) If none of these
substances is used, indicate that
no substance for which OSHA has medical
monitoring requirements are being
used.
C.
Whenever an event takes place in the
work area, such as a spill, leak,
explosion or other occurrence resulting
in the likelihood of a hazardous exposure,
the affected employee, laboratory
or custodial, shall be provided an
opportunity for a medical consultation.
This consultation is for the purpose
of determining the need for a medical
examination.
D. All medical examinations and consultations
are provided by (insert
physician's name or insert clinic/hospital
name. All aspects of these
examinations are provided by a licensed
physician, or supervised by a licensed
physician. These examinations are
provided without cost to the employee,
without loss of pay, and at a reasonable
time and place.
E. The Chemical Hygiene Officer will
provide the following information
to the physician:
- Identity
of the hazardous chemical to which
the employee may have been exposed.
- A
description of the conditions
of the exposure including exposure
date if available.
- A
description of the signs and symptoms
of exposure that the employee
is experiencing (if any).
The
written opinion that the company receives
from the physician shall include:
- Recommendations
for future medical follow up.
- Results
of examination and associated
tests.
- Any
medical condition revealed which
may place the employee at increased
risk as the result of a chemical
exposure.
- A
statement that the employee has
been informed by the physician
of the results of the examination/consultation
and told of any medical conditions
that may require additional examination
or treatment.
G.
The material returned to our company
by the physician shall NOT include
specific findings and diagnosis which
are unrelated to occupational exposure.
VII. Responsibilities under the Chemical
Hygiene Plan. A Chemical Hygiene
Officer has been designated OR a chemical
hygiene committee shall be formed.
The membership list and minutes of
their meetings are filed for employee
review.
At
this point, you may want to follow
the categories in Appendix A of the
Lab Standard 1910.1450 and assign
some chemical hygiene duties to all
staff. The categories used in the
appendix are: Chief Executive Officer,
Department Supervisor, Chemical Hygiene
Officer, Laboratory Supervisor, Project
Director, Laboratory Worker. You may
wish to designate your existing safety
committee or a sub group of that committee
as your chemical hygiene committee.
VIII.
Additional Protection for Work with
Select Carcinogens, Reproductive Toxins,
and Chemicals with High Acute Toxicity.
When any of these chemicals are used,
the following provisions shall be
employed where appropriate:
- Establishment
of a designated area.
- Use
of containment devices such as
fume hoods or glove boxes.
- Procedures
for safe removal of contaminated
waste.
- Decontamination
Procedures.
The
special procedures used in this laboratory
for the use of these chemicals is
attached..
Appendix A of the standard has detailed
programs for working with these chemicals.
If you are using them, refer to Appendix
A, as a guide for your detailed procedures.
Note that according to the standard,
a select carcinogen means any substance
which meets one of the following criteria:
-
it is regulated by OSHA as a carcinogen;
or
- it
is listed under the category,
"known to be carcinogens," in
the Annual Report on Carcinogens
published by the National Toxicology
Program (NTP) (latest edition);
or
- it
is listed under Group 1 ("carcinogenic
to humans") by the International
Agency for Research on Cancer
Monographs (IARC) (latest editions);
or
- it
is listed in either Group 2A or
2B by IARC or under the category,
"reasonably anticipated to be
carcinogens" by NTP.
IX.
Emergency Response. Our emergency
action plan under 1910.38 and emergency
response plan under 1910.120 is attached.
There
are two additional OSHA standards
which interface with the Chemical
Hygiene Plan; 1910.38 Employee Emergency
Plans and Fire Prevention Plans, and
1910.120(p) and (q) Hazardous Waste
Operations and Emergency Response
(developed in response to SARA Title
III). Please review these two standards
and develop appropriate emergency
procedures for your facility if your
facility is covered by one of these
standards.
LABORATORY
STANDARD TRAINING OUTLINE
|
1.
Occupational exposure to hazardous
chemicals in laboratories
standard (29CFR1910.1450).
|
|
¯ Content
of the standard and appendices.
¯ Location
and explanation of the chemical
hygiene plan.
¯ Location
of reference materials and
material safety data sheets
(MSDS)
¯ Details
of access to medical consultation
and management system.
|
|
2.
Physical Hazards
|
|
A.
Combustible liquids
B.
Compressed gas
C.
Explosive
D.
Flammable
|
E.
Organic peroxide
F.
Pyrophoric
G.
Unstable (reactive)
H.
Water reactive
|
|
3.
Health Hazards
|
|
Local
|
Systemic
|
|
Irritants
|
Corrosives
|
Toxics
(acute/chronic; nervous system
effects; respiratory system
effects; reproductive system
effects)
|
Sensitizers
|
Carcinogens
|
|
4.
Routes of Exposure
|
|
Inhalation
|
Skin
Absorption
|
Ingestion
|
|
5.
Amount of Absorption
|
|
Gases/Vapors
|
Particulates
(dust, mist, fume)
|
|
6.
Dose
|
|
Work
practices
|
Personal
hygiene
|
Weight
|
Personal
protective equipment
|
Environmental
controls
|
|
7.
Duration of Exposure
|
|
8.
Exposure Limits including
PELs
|
|
A.
Definition
|
B.
Established by chemical similarity;
animal studies; human studies
|
|
9.
Air Sampling
|
|
Required
by OSHA
|
Employee
reports of illness
|
Confined
space work
|
Other
|
|
10.
Response
|
|
A.
Age
B.
Gender
C.
Body Size
|
D.
Health Status
E.
Personal Habits
F.
Other Exposures
|
|
11.
Employee Concerns
|
|
A.
Symptoms limited/many causes
B.
Documentation
|
C.
Referral
D.
Refusal to work
|
|
12.
Company Specific Standard
Operating Procedures
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TRAINING
DOCUMENTATION
TOPIC: ________________
DATE: _________________
(Attach outline of material covered)
