All individuals who work in laboratories who may be exposed to hazardous chemicals must be apprised of the hazards of chemicals present in their work area. This information and training as outlined below must be provided before initial assignment and before new exposure situations. Equipment necessary for the safe handling of hazardous substances must also be provided. Upon request by Departments or other administrative units, the Center for Environmental Health and Safety personnel will give presentations concerning general lab safety practices. However, training specific for the particular lab where an employee is assigned is the responsibility of that employee’s supervisor. The supervisor shall determine the frequency of refresher information and training:

Information

Laboratory workers shall be informed of the location and availability of the following:

• 29 CFR Part 1910.1450 "Occupational Exposures to Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories" (OSHA Lab Standard);

• Chemical Hygiene Plan;

• Reference materials on chemical safety, including Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs);

• Permissible exposure limits (PELs) for OSHA regulated substances, or if there is no applicable OSHA Standard, the recommended exposure limits or threshold limit value (TLVs) may be provided; and,

• Signs and symptoms associated with exposure to the hazardous chemical found in the lab.

Training

Laboratory work training shall include:

• Detection methods and observations that may be used to detect the presence or release of a hazardous chemical. Examples of detection methods include visual appearance, odor, and an understanding of chemical monitoring devices;

• Physical and health hazards of the chemicals; and,

• The work practices, personal protective equipment, and emergency procedures to be used to ensure that the employee may protect himself/herself from overexposure to hazardous chemicals.

The manufacturer’s Material Safety Data Sheets will generally contain most of the above information needed to comply with the information and training requirements of the OSHA Lab Standard. Hence, employees should peruse and understand the relevant MSDSs and/or other comparable literature on the hazardous chemicals which are used or stored in their laboratory. The employee’s supervisor must provide additional training for specific lab hazards.

The OSHA Lab Standard, the SIUC Chemical Hygiene Plan, a library of MSDSs and other health and safety references are maintained at the Center for Environmental Health and Safety and are available to students, faculty or staff upon request. A list of safety and industrial hygiene literature available from the Center for Environmental Health and Safety is found on the Reference page.

Copies of MSDSs may be obtained from the chemical supplier or from the Center for Environmental Health and Safety. Though the Center for Environmental Health and Safety maintains a library of MSDSs, individual departments or laboratories must maintain their own files of Material Safety Data Sheets and other reference materials.