Chemical Hygiene Plan - Queensborough Community College ...

• Do not smell or taste chemicals. When it is necessary to identify a chemical’s odor, lab
personnel should hold the chemical container away from their face and gently waft their
hand over the container without inhaling large quantities of chemical vapor.
• Do not underestimate the risk of exposure to chemicals, even for substances of no known
significant hazard.
• In order to identify potential hazards, laboratory personnel should plan out their
experiments in advance. These plans should include the specific measures that will be
taken to minimize exposure to all chemicals, the proper positioning of equipment, and the
organization of dry runs.
• Chemicals that are particularly hazardous substances require prior approval from your
supervisor and special precautions must be taken.
• When working with mixtures of chemicals, laboratory personnel should assume the
mixture to be more toxic than the most toxic component in the mixture.
• Consider all substances of unknown toxicity to be toxic until proven otherwise.
• Request exposure monitoring to ensure that the Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs) of
OSHA and the current Threshold Limit Values (TLVs) of the American Conference of
Governmental Industrial Hygienists are not exceeded.
• Promptly clean up all chemicals spills regardless of whether the chemical is considered
hazardous or nonhazardous. When cleaning up spills, remember to clean up any splashes
that may have occurred on the sides of cabinets and doors in the immediate area.
• When working in cold rooms, keep all toxic and flammable substances tightly closed, as
cold rooms have recirculated air.
• Be aware of the potential asphyxiation hazard when using cryogenic materials and
compressed gases in confined areas such as cold rooms and environmental chambers. If
necessary, install an oxygen monitor/oxygen deficiency alarm and/or toxic gas monitor
before working with these materials in confined areas. Contact EHS for more assistance.
• Do not eat, drink, chew gum, or apply cosmetics in areas where hazardous chemicals are
being used.
• Keep all food and drink out of refrigerators and freezers used to store chemicals.
Refrigerators used to store chemicals should be labeled as “Chemicals Only – No Food”.
Refrigerators used to store food should be labeled as “Food Only – No Chemicals”.
• Always wash hands with soap and water after handling chemicals and especially before
leaving the lab and eating – even if gloves were worn during chemical handling.
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