U of MN Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science

Laboratory Safety Plan

Updated June 2009

Chapter 1 - Introduction

1. Purpose

This Laboratory Safety Plan (LSP) describes policies, procedures, equipment, personal protective equipment and work practices that are capable of protecting employees from the health hazards in laboratories. This Plan is intended to meet the requirements of the federal Laboratory Safety Standard, formally known as "Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories", a copy of which is found in Appendix A. , This LSP also addresses the concerns of the Minnesota Employee Right To Know Act (MERTKA) and the federal Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA).

This LSP is intended to safely limit laboratory workers' exposure to OSHA- and MERTKA-regulated substances. Laboratory workers must not be exposed to substances in excess of the permissible exposure limits (PEL) specified in OSHA rule 29 CFR 1910, Subpart Z, Toxic and Hazardous Substances. PELs for regulated substances are provided in Appendix B. PELs refer to airborne concentrations of substances and are averaged over an eight-hour day. A few substances (listed under Individual Chemical Standard in the Federal column in Appendix C) also have "action levels". Action levels are air concentrations below the PEL which nevertheless require that certain actions such as medical surveillance and workplace monitoring take place. An employee's workplace exposure to any regulated substance must be monitored if there is reason to believe that the exposure will exceed an action level or a PEL. If exposures to any regulated substance routinely exceed an action level or permissible exposure level there must also be employee medical exposure surveillance.

MERTKA requires employers to evaluate their workplaces for the presence of hazardous substances, harmful physical agents, and infectious agents and to provide training to employees concerning those substances or agents to which employees may be exposed. Written information on agents must be readily accessible to employees or their representatives. Employees have a conditional right to refuse to work if assigned to work in an unsafe or unhealthful manner with a hazardous substance, harmful physical agent or infectious agent. Labeling requirements for containers of hazardous substances and equipment or work areas that generate harmful physical agents are also included in MERTKA.

Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) requires that prudent laboratory practices be developed and documented for research involving new chemicals that have not had their health and environmental hazards fully characterized. Laboratories engaged in research must consider the applicability of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) on their operation. TSCA, administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the New Chemicals Program [http://www.epa.gov/oppt/newchems/], is intended to ensure that the human health and environmental effects of chemical substances are identified and adequately addressed prior to commercial use or transport of those substances. A new chemical is a chemical substance that is produced or imported and not yet listed on the TSCA Chemical Substance Inventory. Each laboratory or research group that synthesizes or imports new chemicals must determine if and how TSCA applies to their laboratory activities – see Appendix O.

2. Scope and Application

The Laboratory Safety Standard applies where 'laboratory use' of hazardous chemicals occurs. Laboratory use of hazardous chemicals means handling or use of such chemicals in which all of the following conditions are met:

i. the handling or use of chemicals occurs on a 'laboratory scale', that is, the work involves containers which can easily and safely be manipulated by one person,

ii. multiple chemical procedures or chemical substances are used, and

iii. protective laboratory practices and equipment are available and in common use to minimize the potential for employee exposures to hazardous chemicals.

At a minimum, this definition covers employees (including student employees, technicians, supervisors, lead researchers and physicians) who use chemicals in teaching, research and clinical laboratories at the University of Minnesota. Certain non-traditional laboratory settings may be included under this standard at the option of individual departments within the University. Also, it is the policy of the University that laboratory students, while not legally covered under this standard, will be given training commensurate with the level of hazard associated with their laboratory work.

This standard does not apply to laboratories whose function is to produce commercial quantities of material. Also, where the use of hazardous chemicals provides no potential for employee exposure, such as in procedures using chemically impregnated test media and commercially prepared test kits, this standard will not apply. The researchers listed in the following table are covered by this Laboratory Safety Plan.

NAME	ROOM #	ADVISOR/SUPERVISOR	E-MAIL	PHONE

Redline, Erica and Kruse, Whitney	312,316,382,424	Bates, F.	redline@cems.umn.edu kruse119@umn.edu	625-4809
Song, Jie	324	Macosko, C.	jsong@cems.umn.edu	5-0584
Tan, Suqin	339	Macosko, C.	tanxx170@umn.edu	5-0584
Shores, David - Main Office	B16-B19	Shores, D.	dshores@umn.edu	5-0014
Pangburn, Todd - Box 150	216, 321	Kokkoli, E	pangb014@umn.edu	6-1005
Schott, Jeff - Main Office	B30-B & D, 338, 342, 350	Schott, J / Caretta, R	schott@cems.umn.edu	5-1420
Giles, David - Main Office	314,320, 323	Macosko, C.	giles@cems.umn.edu	5-0880
Williams, Danny - Main Office	151R	Bates, F.	dwilliam@cems.umn.edu	5-4877
Ou, Jia - Box 203	222, 223, 224	Dorfman, K	ouxxx023@umn.edu	6-2550
Wang, Wei	281	Derby, J.	wangx594@umn.edu	5-0392
Johnson, Kathryn - Box 24	251, 260, 265, 270	Hu, W. S.	joh04150@umn.edu	5-3051
Srienc, Friedrich	328,356,337 SnH	Srienc, F.	fried@cbs.umn.edu	4-3723/4-3213
Gruhlke, Bill - Main Office	353, 356, 361	Bates, F./Schott, J	gruhl002@umn.edu	5-2825
Phillips, Bill - Box 116	207, 381	Cussler, E.	phillip@cems.umn.edu	4-3319
O'Neal, Dan - Box 107	343	McCormick, A..	oneal@cems.umn.edu	5-6322
Luhman, Wade - Box 85	423	Holmes, R	luhm0030@umn.edu	4-1405
Chen, Kai - Box 28	481	Holmes, R	chen1254@umn.edu	4-1405
Lodden, Grant - Box 75	419	Holmes, R	lodde002@umn.edu	4-1405
Hill, Ian - Box 52	206, 219, 250	Bhan, A	hill@cems.umn.edu	6-8953
Bredahl, Teresa - Main Office	22	Derby, J.	breda001@umn.edu	5-0154
Stauffer, Doug - Box 136	457A	W. Gerberich, W.	stau0114@umn.edu	4-0515
O'Neal, Dan - Box 107	427, 440A	McCormick, A..	oneal@cems.umn.edu	6-8656
Zhang, Sipei	414, 482, B22	Frisbie, D.	szhang@tyr.cems.umn.edu	6-9952
Suszynski, Wieslaw - Main Office	37, 45, 55	Francis, L.	suszy001@tc.umn.edu	6-0895
Cardinal, Christine - Box 23	418, 420, 422, 424	Francis, L.	Cardinal@cems.umn.edu	5-4809
Kruger, Jacob	432, 436, 457	Schmidt, L.	kruge084@umn.edu	5-6083
Gunawan, Aloysius	454	Mkhoyan, A	gunawan@cems.umn.edu	5-2059
Jogwar, Suijit - Box 15	282	Dautidis, P .	jogwa002@umn.edu	5-3367
Smyrl, W - Main Office	B11, B16-19, 65	Smyrl, W.	smyrl001@umn.edu	5-0717
He, Chunyong,	40, 50, 54, 63	Leighton, C	he@physics.umn.edu	5-1018
Bredahl, Teresa - Main Office	151	Derby, J.	breda001@umn.edu	5-0154
Roberts, Scott - Box 124	282	S Kumar	roberts@cems.umn.edu	5-3367
Boercker, Janice - Box 31	B6, B12, 235	Aydil, E	boercker@cems.umn.edu	5-3667
Stoeger, Jared	461, 448, 447, 440	Tsapatsis, M	stoeg002@umn.edu	6-2248
Sahu, Ayaskanta	6, 12, 40	Norris, D	sahux006@umn.edu	5-1018

3. Coordination With Other Standards and Guidelines

The Laboratory Safety Standard and MERTKA address occupational safety issues. Other federal, state and local standards that address use of hazardous chemicals and other materials are listed in Appendix C. Note particularly the listed chemicals with individual standards in the ‘Federal’ column, since these compounds generally have action limits (usually set at half the TLV), air monitoring requirements, and medical monitoring requirements. If a researcher is using one of these chemicals, or in the unlikely event that there is a conflict between provisions of various standards, the Department of Environmental Health and Safety should be contacted.

4. Responsibilities

Implementation of the Laboratory Safety Standard at the University is a shared responsibility. Employees, supervisors, Research Safety Officers, department heads, deans, upper administrative staff, and DEHS staff all have roles to play. These roles are outlined below.

A. President, Vice Presidents, Provosts and Chancellors (Central Administration)

Upper level administrators are responsible for:

promoting the importance of safety in all activities;
promoting the same attitude among all levels of employment at the University;
supporting a broad-based laboratory safety/chemical hygiene program that will protect U of MN laboratory employees from health effects associated with hazardous chemical, physical or biological agents; and
ensuring that deans, directors and department heads provide adequate time and recognition for employees who are given laboratory safety responsibilities.

Performance will be measured by:

DEHS's documentation and annual reporting of the level of compliance within each of the reporting units.

B. Deans, Directors and Department Heads

DDDs are responsible for:

identifying at least one technically-qualified research safety officer for the unit. (Colleges or institutes that are made up of a number of large laboratory-based departments are urged to assign research safety officers within each department. Large departments may assign one research safety officer for each division);
transmitting the name of the designated research safety officer to the U of MN's Chemical Hygiene Officer;
ensuring that the designated research safety officer is adequately trained regarding the roles and responsibilities of the position;
ensuring that the designated research safety officer modifies this generic Laboratory Safety Plan to incorporate location-specific information;
carries out his/her assigned responsibilities
evaluating the performance of the research safety officer(s) as part of overall job performance; and
taking appropriate measures to assure that college/department/division activities comply with University and OSHA laboratory safety policies;

Performance will be measured by:

DEHS's record of a trained, research safety officer for the unit.
DEHS's record of a current, tailored Laboratory Safety Plan for the unit.

C. Department of Environmental Health and Safety (DEHS)

The Chemical Hygiene Officer for the University is Dawn Errede, and the entire DEHS staff will participate in providing resources for departments in the development of their individual health and safety programs. The Department of Environmental Health and Safety is responsible for:

preparing and updating the University's generic Laboratory Safety Plan;
distributing the LSP to departments or other units who will tailor and implement the plan;
training designated departmental research safety officers regarding their responsibilities for safety and compliance with regulations and University standards that apply to research; and
monitoring the progress of departments toward achieving compliance.

Performance will be measured by

DEHS's documentation that review and evaluation of the generic LSP occurs at least annually, updates as necessary;
annual feedback to DDDs regarding DEHS's records of lab safety officer training and current LSP s within the units;

D. Research Safety Officer

The RSO's roles and responsibilities are described in greater detail in the RSO Toolkit Briefly, the RSO will:

serve as liaison between employing department and the Department of Environmental Health and Safety;
know the rules, to help researchers comply with applicable state, federal and university requirements;
develop and implement a Laboratory Safety Plan for the department;
coordinate training to ensure all researchers understand their responsibilities and the policies that apply to their research.
coordinate inspections of laboratories and ensure laboratory supervisors address any noted deficiencies;
keep records to document compliance with state, federal and university requirements.

Performance will be measured by DEHS's documentation that:

review and evaluation of the tailored LSP occurs at least annually;
the research safety officer's personal training records are current.

E. Supervisors/Principal Investigators

The immediate supervisor of a laboratory employee is responsible for:

assuring that potential hazards of specific projects have been identified and addressed before work is started;
ensuring there are written, laboratory-specific standard operating procedures for the protocols carried out in the laboratory that incorporate directions about how to mitigate the hazards of the procedures.
informing and training employees regarding the specific hazards in their area and in the work they will be doing;
scheduling time for the employee to attend designated training sessions;
enforcing U of MN safety policies and safe work practices;
conducting periodic audits of the research space under the supervisors control;
reporting hazardous conditions to the college or departmental research safety officer;
investigate laboratory accidents and send an Accident Investigation Worksheet (Appendix N) with recommendations to the departmental research safety officer for review.

Performance will be measured by:

home department's documentation of current, pertinent safety training for the supervisor and each employee in the supervisor's group;
home department's documentation of regular audits for laboratory space under the control of the supervisor.

F. Employee

Employees who have significant responsibility for directing their own laboratory work are responsible for assuring that potential hazards of specific projects have been identified and addressed before work is started. All laboratory employees however, are responsible for:

attending safety training sessions;
following safety guidelines applicable to the procedures being carried out;
assuring that required safety precautions are in place before work is started; and
reporting hazardous conditions as they are discovered.

Performance will be measured by:

supervisor's assessment of employee's adherence to topics covered in safety training.

U of MN Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science

Laboratory Safety Plan

Chapter 2 - Standard Operating Procedures

As noted in Chapter 1, Principal Investigators are responsible for ensuring there are written standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the research protocols conducted in their area. The SOPs must identify the hazards of the protocol, as well as measures to be taken to mitigate those hazards. The references listed below may provide enough detail to serve as the SOPs for some research protocols. Other protocols may require more tailoring, as described in Section 5 of this chapter.

1. Chemical Procedures

A. Prudent Practices in the Laboratory (Appendix D)

Laboratory standard operating procedures found in Prudent Practices in the Laboratory: Handling and Disposal of Chemicals (National Research Council, 1995) are adopted for general use at the University of Minnesota. Departmental Research Safety Officers have hard copies of this text, and the entire contents are accessible on the web. Note especially the following topics which are covered in Chapters 5 and 6 of Prudent Practices:

Chapter 5 Working with Chemicals

· Introduction

· Prudent Planning

· General Procedures for Working with Hazardous Chemicals

· Working with Substances of High Toxicity

· Working with Biohazardous and Radioactive Materials

· Working with Flammable Chemicals

· Working with Highly Reactive or Explosive Chemicals

· Working with Compressed Gases

Chapter 6 Working with Laboratory Equipment

· Introduction

· Working with Water-Cooled Equipment

· Working with Electrically Powered Laboratory Equipment

· Working with Compressed Gases

· Working with High/Low Pressures and Temperatures

· Using Personal Protective, Safety, and Emergency Equipment

· Emergency Procedures

B. Controlled Substances

In conducting research with controlled substances, University authorized employees must comply with federal and state laws and regulations regarding their uses, including registration with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), storage requirements, inventory maintenance and substance disposal. A condensed guide to federal regulations as well as policies and forms pertaining to controlled substances are available on the Controlled Substances webpage.

C. The American Chemical Society's "Safety in Academic Chemistry Laboratories"

ACS’s "Safety in Academic Chemistry Laboratories" is another useful text. This manual presents information similar to that found in Prudent Practices, but in a considerably condensed format.

D. Hazardous Waste Management

Extensive and detailed policies regarding hazardous waste management are specified in the University's guidebook "Hazardous Chemical Waste Management, 5th edition”. Please refer to this text for approved waste handling procedures (http://www.dehs.umn.edu/hazwaste_chemwaste_umn_cwmgbk.htm).

E. Emergency Procedures for Chemical Spills

The procedures listed below are intended as a resource for your department in preparing for emergencies before they happen. If you are currently experiencing an emergency such as a chemical or blood spill, please contact the Department of Environmental Health and Safety at 612-626-6002.

Complete spill response procedures are described in the Hazardous Chemical Waste Management guidebook (http://www.dehs.umn.edu/hazwaste_chemwaste_umn_cwmgbk_sec3.htm#qrcsep). However, the quick reference guide is included for convenience in this Laboratory Safety Plan.

Quick Reference Guide

Evacuate

· Leave the spill area; alert others in the area and direct/assist them in leaving.

· Without endangering yourself: remove victims to fresh air, remove contaminated clothing and flush contaminated skin and eyes with water for 15 minutes. If anyone has been injured or exposed to toxic chemicals or chemical vapors, call 911 and seek medical attention immediately.

Confine

· Close doors and isolate the area. Prevent people from entering spill area.

Report

· From a safe place, call the Department of Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) (612) 626-6002 during working hours, 911 after hours (Twin Cities Campus 911 operators will contact on-call EHS personnel).

· Report that this is an emergency and give your name, phone and location; location of the spill; the name and amount of material spilled; extent of injuries; safest route to the spill.

· Stay by that phone, EHS will advise you as soon as possible.

· EHS or the Fire Department will clean up or stabilize spills, which are considered high hazard (fire, health or reactivity hazard). In the case of a small spill and low hazard situation, EHS will advise you on what precautions and protective equipment to use.

Secure

· Until emergency response personnel arrive: block off the areas leading to the spill, lock doors, post signs and warning tape, and alert others of the spill.

· Post staff by commonly used entrances to the area to direct people to use other routes.

After an accident, supervisor(s) must complete and fax in reporting forms within 24 hours. Workers' Compensation policy and reporting forms are available on the web (Appendix J).

2. Biohazardous Procedures

All researchers working with human blood or body fluids, or other pathogens must follow the university’s Exposure Control Plan, and complete Boodborne Pathogens Training, available on the web. All researchers working with infectious material including attenuated lab & vaccine strains (bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi, prions), biologically-derived toxins, rDNA, and artificial gene transfer must follow requirements of the University’s Biosafety Program detailed in the Biosafety Manual and on the Institutional Biosafety Committee’s website.

Biosafety Manual

The University’s Biosafety Manual is made up of three components; researchers must implement all three components in their lab safety manual.

· Biosafety Principles and Practices;

· CDC/NIH's text Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL).

· Individual lab-specific Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that:

- specify the biohazards being used

- identify the material handling steps that may pose a risk of exposure (sharps, injecting animals, centrifugation, aerosol production, transport, etc.)

- describe equipment and techniques used to reduce the above risk of exposure

- give instructions for what to do in case of an accidental exposure/spill

- list wastes that will be generated and how to properly dispose of wastes

Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC)

The IBC is charged under Federal Regulations (NIH) and University of Minnesota Regents’ Policy with the oversight of all teaching and research activities involving:

Recombinant DNA
Artificial gene transfer
Infectious agents including attenuated lab & vaccine strains
Biologically derived toxins

See the IBC web site for procedures to apply for approval for the above work.

Select Agents

All research with organisms or toxins that are federally designated as select agents requires the lab to be registered with the Centers For Disease Control. See the Biosafety Section of the DEHS web site for a list of select agents and procedures for their use.

Additional Biosafety References

World Health Organization (WHO) Laboratory Safety Manual, available on the web at, http://www.who.int/csr/resources/publications/biosafety/WHO_CDS_CSR_LYO_2004_11/en/

National Research Council’s text Biosafety in the Laboratory: Prudent Practices for Handling and Disposal of Infectious Materials (1989), available on the web at http://books.nap.edu/books/0309039754/html/R1.html#pagetop.

Biological Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) available at http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/msds-ftss/index.html.

3. Radioactive Procedures

All researchers using radioactive materials at the University of Minnesota must:

· obtain a permit for the possession and use of radioactive materials (contact the Radiation Protection Division);

· complete required training modules; and

· comply with the radiation policies and procedures of the university (contained in the Radiation Protection manual).

The Radiation Protection manual contains information on a number of topics including license committees, the permitting process, purchasing procedures, transfer procedures, general safety, personnel dosimetry, waste management, emergency management (spill control), record keeping, and regulatory guides on occupational exposure and prenatal exposure.

Training is required for all personnel who require access to areas where radioactive materials are used or stored. This training can be completed on line (http://www.dehs.umn.edu/rad_radmat_training.htm).

4. General Safety Procedures

Other University of Minnesota Policies for Safe Practices in Laboratories are accessible in Appendix E of this laboratory safety plan.

Lab Safety

· Emergency Eyewash and Safety Shower Installation

· Eye Protection/Personal Protective Equipment

· Flammable and Combustible Liquid Quantities in U of M Laboratories

· Controlled Substances

· Greenhouse Policy-Fumigation/Smoke Generation Procedure

· Labeling Chemicals

· Lock Out/Tag Out

· Respiratory Protection Program

· Termination of Laboratory Use of Hazardous Materials

Fire Safety

· Flammable and Combustible Liquid Quantities in U of M Laboratories

· Fire Safety at the University

· Portable Fire Extinguishers-Type and Placement

General Safety

· Emergency Procedures

· Eye Protection/Personal Protective Equipment

· Extension Cords in University Buildings

· Foot Protection/Safety-Toe Shoes

· Holiday Decorations

· Portable Fire Extinguishers-Type and Placement

· Public Corridors

· Respiratory Protection Program

· Step Ladders-Care and Use

· Temperature Standard

· University of Minnesota Twin Cities Campus Smoke-Free Indoor Air Policy

· Supervisors Injury/Illness Investigation Form

· Working with PCBs

5. Laboratory-Specific Standard Operating Procedures

Each PI must have written Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the research protocols conducted in his or her laboratory. Like the Lab Safety Plan, the SOPs must be accessible to researchers. Keeping hard copies in the lab or having them on a computer in the laboratory fulfills the accessibility requirement. SOPs developed through DEHS will be posted periodically in Appendix H

Laboratory-specific SOPs are valuable research tools that supplement the departmental Laboratory Safety Plan. The process of writing SOPs requires an individual to think through all steps of a procedure and perform a risk assessment before beginning work. The SOP provides a written means to inform and advise researchers about hazards in their work place, allows for standardization of materials and methods, and improves the quality of the research. A well-written SOP can be used to comply with the federal Laboratory Safety Standard, which states that the Laboratory Safety Plan must include:

"standard operating procedures relevant to safety and health considerations to be followed when laboratory work involves the use of hazardous chemicals."

SOPs should include exposure controls and safety precautions that address both routine and accidental chemical, physical or biological hazards associated with the procedure. A laboratory safety information sheet is available in Appendix F. This checklist, which prompts researchers to identify hazards and safety measures for the protocol, can be attached to existing procedures which may lack safety information. A template for writing new SOPs is available in Appendix I and guidance for writing biologically-related SOPs is available on the Biosafety section of the DEHS website.

Arsine	Boron trichloride	Chlorine pentafluoride
Chlorine trifluoride	Cyanogen	Cyanogen chloride
Diborane	Dinitrogen tetroxide	Fluorine
Germane	Hydrogen selenide	Nitric oxide
Nitrogen dioxide	Nitrogen trioxide	Nitrosyl chloride
Oxygen difluoride	Phosgene	Phosphine
Phosphorus pentafluoride	Selenium hexafluoride	Stibine
Sulfur tetrafluoride	Tellurium Hexafluoride	Tetraethyldithiopyrophosphate
Tetraethylpyrophosphate