Safety Policies and Procedures Manual
Chapter 4: Laboratory Safety

Chemical Hygiene Plan for Laboratories

SPPM 4.12

For more information contact:
   Environmental Health and Safety
   509-335-3041

1.0   Overview

Washington State University has developed a chemical hygiene plan guide to aid units in their adherence to state rules and to promote health and safety in University laboratories. (See the definition of laboratory in Section 5.2.)

Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) publishes the Laboratory Safety Manual (LSM) to assist responsible personnel with the development of a written program protecting laboratory users from hazardous chemicals. The chemical hygiene plan serves as the laboratory specific safety document, identifying responsibilities, laboratory hazards, and hazard controls.

To view the University’s chemical hygiene plan, principal investigators (PIs), faculty, laboratory managers, and supervisors at the WSU Pullman, Spokane, and Vancouver campuses and at research extension centers (RECs) go to the EHS Chemical Hygiene Plan website. PIs, faculty, laboratory managers, and supervisors at the WSU Tri-Cities campus go to the Tri-Cities Chemical Hygiene Plan website.

2.0  Applicability

This policy applies to all University laboratories using hazardous chemicals. (See Section 5.2 for laboratory definition and Section 5.1 for hazardous chemical definition.)

3.0   Responsibilities

3.1     Deans and Vice Chancellors for Academic Affairs

Deans and vice chancellors for Academic Affairs (dependent upon college and WSU campus) are responsible for the implementation of this policy within their college or on their campus.

3.2     Chairs and Directors

Chairs and directors (dependent upon college and WSU campus) are responsible for the safety of all employees, students, and visitors in their areas of control, and:

  • Ensure that this policy is implemented.
  • Review the control methods used by the principal investigator or supervisor.
  • Ensure that the department maintains a file of required authorizations to use restricted or regulated hazardous chemicals.
  • Review all Incident Reports (see SPPM 2.24).
  • Ensure that appropriate corrections are made.

3.3     Principal Investigator (PI)/Faculty/Supervisor

The PI, faculty member, or laboratory supervisor:

  • Is the chemical hygiene officer for the laboratory(ies).
  • Prepares and implements a chemical hygiene plan keyed to the specific needs of each research and teaching space and activity under their direction.
  • Enforces University laboratory safety rules and establishes specific procedures for the laboratory.
  • Trains employees and students in safety procedures.
  • Identifies improper work practices and inadequate environmental conditions.
  • Initiates corrective actions necessary to ensure safety of students, employees, and visitors.
  • Develops a positive attitude among employees toward accident prevention.
  • Reviews and evaluates the effectiveness of the chemical hygiene plan at least annually, and updates as necessary.
  • Consults with the EHS Lab Safety Officer with questions, as needed, to ensure correct and adequate development of the plan.
  • Reports and investigates all accidental injuries and work-related illnesses within 24 hours using the Incident Report (see SPPM 2.24).
  • Completes Supervisor’s Accident Investigation Reports, if applicable (see SPPM 2.26).

3.4     Employee/Student

The employee or student:

  • Understands and adheres to the safety guidelines and policies required for the task assigned.
  • Reports unsafe conditions to the PI, faculty member, immediate supervisor, and/or EHS.
  • Implements the corrective actions identified by the PI, department, and/or EHS.
  • Reports accidents, injuries, and occupational illnesses to immediate supervisor for evaluation and possible investigation.
  • Utilizes fume hoods, laboratory safety devices, and personal protective equipment properly as trained (see also SPPM 2.60).
  • Asks questions as needed to understand the procedures and equipment required for the assigned task before proceeding.

3.5     Environmental Health and Safety (EHS)

 EHS:

  • Develops and promotes health and safety programs for compliance with regulations and the protection of students, faculty, staff, and the surrounding community.
  • Employs a University Laboratory Safety Officer to assist department chairs, directors, principal investigators, faculty, and laboratory supervisors in the implementation and maintenance of individual laboratory chemical hygiene plans.
  • Collaborates with academic and service units by identifying health and safety hazards.
  • Recommends and implements necessary modifications to the University Chemical Hygiene Plan guide.
  • Records, evaluates, and reports laboratory accidents and laboratory incidents.
  • Develops and maintains training resources.
  • Provides training courses in laboratory safety.

4.0   Chemical Hygiene Plan

4.1     Components

The Chemical Hygiene Plan must contain the following:

  • Standard operating procedures for use of hazardous chemicals
  • Provisions for exposure control areas and measures, including respirators (see SPPM 2.62)
  • Descriptions of or provisions for fume hoods and other protective equipment, including a scheduled cleaning plan appropriate to the type and use of the hood
  • Provisions for employee information, training, medical monitoring, and examination when and where required
  • Evaluation criteria the employer uses to reduce exposure
  • Prior approval provisions for special laboratory projects
  • Designation of person(s) responsible for development and implementation of the chemical hygiene plan
  • Any extra protection provisions for work with particularly hazardous substances, e.g., broken glass boxes (see SPPM 4.26)

4.2     Implementation

EHS provides a Laboratory Safety Manual as a tool to assist responsible parties with developing their laboratory specific Chemical Hygiene Plan and related laboratory safety programs. The manual includes the established policies of Washington State University and various regulatory agencies.

Each laboratory must provide additional information specific to that laboratory to complete the Chemical Hygiene Plan. The principal investigator or laboratory supervisor must complete the required information indicated in the Chemical Hygiene Plan Guide as outlined below or provide the material in a similar format.

4.2.a    Laboratory-Specific Information

The plan must include the following information:

  • Laboratory-specific responsibility for chemical hygiene and safety.
  • Specific information on the laboratory’s chemical receiving, storing, or dispensing procedures.
  • Standardized secondary labeling system for your laboratory.
  • Location of safety data sheets (SDSs) and other references available in the laboratory.
  • Standard operating procedures.
  • Location of the laboratory spill kit and special instructions for clean-up and emergency response.
  • Laboratory-specific hazard controls including ventilation and hazardous exhaust requirements and maintenance.
  • List of carcinogens including WAC 296-62 regulated substances.
  • Laboratory floor plan including the location of control areas for the storage and use of hazardous substances, safety, and emergency equipment.
  • Certification of employee training.

The laboratory must complete and record these pages in the plan or manual to be in compliance with the regulations mandated by the state of Washington’s “Employee Medical and Exposure Records” standard. (WAC 296-802)

4.2.b   Assistance

For assistance with the implementation of the chemical hygiene plan, refer to WSU’s Laboratory Safety Manual Chemical Hygiene Plan and/or contact the campus EHS office:

  • WSU Pullman, WSU Spokane, and Research and Extension Centers (RECs); telephone 509-335-3041
  • WSU Everett; telephone 425-315-4014
  • WSU Tri-Cities; telephone 509-372-7163; website tricities.wsu.edu/safety/contact-us/
  • WSU Vancouver; telephone 360-546-9706; e-mail van.ehs@wsu.edu

4.3     Accessibility

The department must make the chemical hygiene plan readily available to all employees and students in the laboratory. The department must also provide the plan on request to EHS staff and Washington State Department of Labor and Industries ( L&I) representatives.

The area for which the chemical hygiene plan is written may be adjoining rooms, a single room, or an area within a room (see Section 5.2 for laboratory definition).

The spatial definition of a laboratory is left to the discretion of the PI or laboratory supervisor responsible for the safety of employees working within the area.

5.0   Definitions

5.1    Hazardous Chemical

Hazardous chemical means a chemical for which there is statistically significant evidence, based on at least one study conducted in accordance with established scientific principles, that acute or chronic health effects may occur in exposed employees.

The term “health hazard” includes chemicals that are known or suspected to be carcinogens, toxic or highly toxic agents, reproductive toxins, irritants, corrosives, sensitizers, hepatotoxins, nephrotoxins, neurotoxins, agents that act on the hematopoietic systems, and agents that damage the lungs, skin, eyes, or mucous membranes.

5.2    Laboratory

Laboratory means a facility where the use of hazardous chemicals occurs. It is a workplace where relatively small quantities of hazardous chemicals are used on a nonproduction basis.

For the purposes of this policy, laboratory activities are academic and/or quality control activities. “Dry” laboratories such as computer labs are not covered by this policy.

5.3    Laboratory Scale

Laboratory scale means work with quantities of substances and the size of the containers used for reactions, transfers, and other handling of the substances are designed to be easily and safely manipulated by one person.

Laboratory scale excludes those workplaces whose function is to produce commercial quantities of materials.

5.4    Laboratory Use of Hazardous Chemicals

Laboratory use of hazardous chemicals means the handling or use of hazardous chemicals in which all of the following conditions are met:

  • Chemical manipulations are carried out on a laboratory scale (see Section 5.3).
  • Possibly hazardous intermediary compounds formed in multi-step processes are used.
  • Procedures involved are not part of a production process, nor in any way simulate a production process.
  • Protective laboratory practices and equipment of appropriate size are available and in common use to minimize the potential for employee exposure of hazardous chemicals. Applicable equipment includes, but is not limited to, laboratory coats, gloves, face shields, hearing protection, and respirators. (See SPPM 2.60.)

5.5    Particularly Hazardous Substance

Particularly hazardous substances include select carcinogens, reproductive toxins, and substances that have a high degree of acute toxicity.

5.6    Readily Available

Readily available, as referenced in Section 4.3, means accessible to all laboratory staff at any time during the work period, day or night.

5.7    Chemical Hygiene Plan

A written program developed and implemented by the employer that establishes procedures, equipment, personal protective equipment, and work practices to protect employees from the health hazards of the chemicals used in the laboratory.

5.8     Laboratory Safety Manual

A tool to assist responsible parties with developing their laboratory specific Chemical Hygiene Plan and related laboratory safety programs.

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Revisions:  Mar. 2024 (Rev. 142); Reviewed July 2013; May 2012 (Rev. 96); Mar. 2005 – new policy (Rev. 60).