CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

1.1 INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT

Through the Laboratory Standard, Title 29, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 1910.1450, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires a written Chemical Hygiene Plan (hereon referred to as CHP) and laboratory training to accompany this plan. This Laboratory Standard is "performance oriented"; it consists of guidelines that each laboratory unit can use to develop more specific guidelines and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for its own safe operation.

The purposes of the CSB/SJU CHP are:

To define work practices and procedures to help ensure the protection of CSB/SJU laboratory employees (OSB, faculty, staff and student employees) from any health and/or physical hazards associated with exposure to hazardous chemicals.

• To meet OSHA requirements regarding employee exposure limits.
• To fulfill all employee training needs as required by OSHA.
• To establish guidelines for use of any hazardous but unregulated chemicals.

The complete CHP consists of two parts:

• The general document containing departmental policies and safety practices in the section that follows; and
• Any additional specific information necessary for laboratory operations in the following laboratories: all non-major courses (CHEM 105, CHEM 111, CHEM 112, COLG 177, HONR 210, etc.), General (CHEM 123, 234), Medicine East/West (HONR 210), Organic (CHEM 235, 236), Biological (CHEM 331), Physical (CHEM 333), Quantum (CHEM 334), Analytical (CHEM 335, 336), Polymer (CHEM 338), Advanced Inorganic (CHEM 341) and any other upper- division chemistry course.

Each Chemistry Department faculty and staff member will receive a copy of the complete CHP plus all appendices. Each student employee will be required to read the CHP as a condition of employment. Additionally, a copy of the complete CHP will be available in the stockroom and each research laboratory.

Definitions:

As defined by OSHA:

• Laboratory employee--paid employee (OSB, faculty, staff and student employee) who works in a laboratory, and who may be exposed to hazardous chemicals in the course of his or her duties. Students in laboratory classes are not covered by the Laboratory Standard, but the same care should be taken to protect them.
• Laboratory--a workplace where relatively small quantities of hazardous chemicals are used for non-production purposes.
• Hazardous chemical--a chemical for which there is statistical evidence that exposure to that chemical can cause acute or chronic health effects.

 1.2 RESPONSIBILITIES

Presidents of the colleges shall provide leadership and guidance, and will make available necessary equipment, services and funding for departments within their purview to assist in providing a safe and healthful environment.

CSB President: Dr. MaryAnn Baenninger
SJU President: Br. Dietrich Reinhart, OSB

Academic Provost, Deans and the Chairperson of the Chemistry Department have the primary responsibility for the health and safety of their staff and students. Specific responsibilities regarding the implementation of the CHP include:

• Collaborate with faculty and staff to include laboratory-specific guidelines in the CSB/SJU CHP and to develop strategies to implement the CHP.
• Make budgetary arrangements for health and safety improvements.

CSB/SJU Academic Provost: Dr. Henry Smorynski:
Associate Provost/Academic Dean: Dr. Rita Knuesel
CSB/SJU Chemistry Department  Chairperson: Dr. Anna McKenna

Safety Personnel for the College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University include the following position:

Environmental Health and Safety Officer: Ganard Orionzi,

It is the responsibility of the Environmental Health and Safety Officer to identify existing hazards in the workplace and, in consultation with their immediate supervisors (SJU Academic Dean), make recommendations for their correction. The daily administration of the CSB/SJU CHP is the responsibility of Environmental Health and Safety Officer, who is the Chemical Hygiene Officer.

The Environmental Health and Safety Officer (hereon referred to as the EHSO) has the following responsibilities:

• Work with the administration and other employees to develop and implement appropriate chemical hygiene policies and procedures.
• Monitor the procurement, use and disposal of chemicals used in all Chemistry laboratories.
• Ensure that all appropriate safety and maintenance audits are conducted.
• Oversee Safety Training for all employees.

The Chemistry Department Safety Committee has the following responsibilities:

• Evaluate internal departmental policies and procedures regarding all Chemistry laboratories.
• Act as advocates of general safety in the laboratories.
• Oversee the Chemistry Departmental MSDS library and other laboratory and chemical safety literature.
• Perform an advisory role to the Chairperson of the Department.
• Conduct departmental safety audits.
• Conduct departmental safety training for all chemistry department employees.

Laboratory Coordinators and Research Advisors (referred to as Lab Coordinators throughout the CHP) have the following responsibilities for implementing the CHP:

• Complete the parts of the CHP which are specific for their individual laboratory units (Appendix 14). Review and revise periodically as appropriate.
• Inform and train research student employees concerning chemical safety issues specific to the laboratory for which they are responsible.
• Implement and enforce rules and standards concerning health and safety for laboratories under their responsibility.
• Ensure the availability and enforce the use of appropriate personal protective equipment.
• Remain cognizant of chemicals stored and used in their laboratories, their proper disposal, and the hazards associated with them.
• Request assistance from the EHSO or other safety personnel as necessary.
• Request allocation of funds from superiors for health and safety improvements as needed.

All laboratory employees, including student employees, have the following responsibilities regarding implementation of the CHP:

• Follow all CSB/SJU health and safety standards and laboratory rules.
• Report any hazardous conditions to the Lab Coordinator and/or the Environmental Health and Safety Officer . If you have any difficulties resolving safety issues, contact the St. John's University Academic Dean.
• Wear or use all prescribed protective equipment.
• Refrain from operating any equipment or instrument without proper instruction or authorization.
• Become informed of the chemical and physical hazards of the chemicals in the lab and of the methods for handling these hazardous chemicals safely.
• Request and obtain information and training when unsure about how to handle a hazardous chemical or how to perform a procedure before continuing work.
• CSB/SJU will provide employees with MSDSs for all chemicals with which they may come in contact. Employees have the responsibility to familiarize themselves with the information contained in these MSDSs. For chemicals for which there is no MSDS (e.g. lab preparations and old reagents), use other sources of safety information such as the Merck Index or information for compounds with similar functional groups, and take all precautions.

1.3 EMPLOYEE INFORMATION and TRAINING

The College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University must provide all of its laboratory employees with information and training in proper laboratory safety practices. This training will be conducted at the time of their initial employment and prior to an assignment involving the use of significantly different chemicals or different exposure situations. The Environmental Health and Safety Officer is responsible for coordinating all initial and ongoing chemical hygiene training. Attendance at these sessions, which is a condition of employment, will be documented.

Initial Training sessions will include the following information and training:

Information:

• The contents of the Laboratory Standard (29 CFR 1910.1450) and its Appendices;
• The contents of the CSB/SJU Chemistry Department CHP and its Appendices;
• The availability of the Chemistry Department’s CHP;
• The Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs and STELs) for OSHA-regulated substances or recommended exposure limits (TLVs, TWAs, STELs) for other hazardous chemicals for which there is no applicable OSHA standard;
• Signs and symptoms associated with exposure to hazardous chemicals used in the laboratory; and
• The location and availability of known reference materials on the hazards, safe handling, storage and disposal of hazardous chemicals found in the laboratory.

These references will include but are not limited to MSDSs received from the chemical supplier.

Training:

• A brief overview and discussion of the CSB/SJU Chemistry Department CHP. Each employee will be required to read the entire plan within the time specified during training;
• Discussion of the emergency safety equipment available in the laboratory and the safe use of all such equipment;
• The methods and observations that may be used to detect the presence or release of a hazardous chemical (such as monitoring conducted by the employer, continuous monitoring devices, visual appearance or odor of hazardous chemicals when being released, etc.);
• The physical and health hazards of chemicals present in the work area; and
• The measures that CSB/SJU laboratory employees can take to protect themselves from these hazards, including specific procedures that CSB/SJU has implemented to protect its employees from exposure to hazardous chemicals, such as appropriate work practices, emergency procedures, and personal protective equipment to be used.

Proper transport and storage of compressed gas cylinders.

Continued Safety Updates on chemical hygiene will be held at least yearly and will contain the following:

• Renewal of initial training.
• Discussion of any accidents or potentially hazardous situations which have been experienced since the last update. These situations may also be brought to the attention of all laboratory employees as they occur;
• Discussion of safety procedures for new materials or operations before implementing any changes.

• Discussion of the emergency safety equipment available in the laboratory and the safe use of all such equipment;