OSHA Laboratory Standard 29 CFR

Conduct employee exposure monitoring (under certain conditions) 

Emphasize requirements of the HAZCOM Standard for employee training Arrange for medical consultations and examinations Develop a Chemical Hygiene Plan and appoint a Chemical Hygiene Officer Provide hazard identification information such as Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) and labeling requirements 

Ensure chemical fume hood performance certifications 

ANSI Z358.1-2004, Emergency Eyewash and Shower Equipment, contains provisions regarding the design, performance, installation, use, and maintenance of various types of emergency equipment. In addition to these provisions, some general considerations apply to all emergency equipment. 

ANSI Z9.5-2003, Laboratory Ventilation, is intended for use by employers, architects, occupational and environmental health and safety professionals, and others concerned with the control of exposure to airborne contaminants. The book includes new chapters on performance tests, air cleaning, preventative maintenance, and work practices. It also highlights the standard s requirements and offers good practices for laboratories to follow. The book also offers referenced standards and publications, guidance on selecting laboratory stack designs, an audit form for ANSI Z9.5, and a sample table of contents for a laboratory ventilation management plan. 

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Originally, the principal audience for MSDSs comprised health and safety professionals (who are responsible for formulating safe workplace practices), medical personnel (who direct medical surveillance programs and treat exposed workers), and emergency responders (e.g., fire department personnel). With the promulgation of federal laws such as the Hazard Communication Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200) and the OSHA Laboratory Standard (29 CFR 1910.1450), the audience for MSDSs has been expanded to include laboratory workers in industrial and academic laboratories. However, not all MSDSs are written to meet the requirements of this new audience effectively. 

The first step in assessing the risks associated with a planned laboratory experiment involves identifying which of the chemicals to be used in the proposed experiment are potentially hazardous substances. The OSHA Laboratory Standard (29 CFR 1910.1450) defines a hazardous substance as... 

Throughout This Chapter pertinent excerpts from Prudent Practices in the Laboratory Handling and Disposal of Chemicals (1) are used to support and amplify certain points. This is referred to hereinafter as Prudent Practices 1995. The earlier editions (1981) of this volume (1) and a companion volume (1983) (1) served as the basis for the non-mandatory recommendations of the National Research Council for chemical hygiene in laboratories that appears as Appendix A in the OSHA Laboratory Standard 29 CFR 1910.1450. This volume is widely cited and accepted by the chemical laboratory community, and represents a basic reference for response to OSHA by academia. An excerpt from the discussion in Section l.D, Special Safety Considerations in Academic Laboratories, expresses the basic the philosophy of this Symposium Volume. 

Laboratories operate in a variety of settings, such as hospitals, dental operations, research facilities, secondary schools and colleges, and governmental facilities. Many industrial companies operate laboratories to address issues such as quality assessment or product development. Laboratories handling biohazards must take additional actions to prevent exposure of employees to blood-borne pathogens. Laboratories can expose workers to a variety of other hazards, including chemicals, toxins, and flammable materials. The OSHA Laboratory Standard, 29 CFR 1910.1450, is... 

All laboratories must have a written plan—the Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP)— which describes the provisions that have been made for safety by the laboratory managers. This requirement is regulated by OSHA under standard 29 CFR 1910.1450, Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories. The CHP sets out the specific procedures, work practices, safety equipment and personal protective equipment that have been selected to provide employee protection for the hazards found in each laboratory. An individual university or college laboratory will follow the CHP of the institution, which applies to all laboratories on campus the laboratory may also have a CHP that is specific to its individual conditions. College students should follow the provisions of the applicable CHP to ensure their safety. The CHP must include ... 

The Occupational Safety and Health Standards (29 CFR 1910.1025 [2005]) require employers to collect biomonitoring samples from workers who have been exposed to airborne lead above the current action level of 30 pg/m3. Employers must have the samples analyzed by laboratories that have met OSHA requirements for blood lead proficiency testing. State health departments often require that increased blood lead results be reported (OSHA 2005). 

Occupational medical records should record and document occupationally related medical information of all types (e.g., medical examinations, visits to medical facilities [even for nonoccupational reasons], clinical laboratory data, injuries, pulmonary function tests, audiograms, etc.). The period of time that records must be retained is specified by law depending on the type of data and the health-related agent(s) of concern. In most cases, OSHA requires that information be retained for at least 30 years after the termination of employment (OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.1020 Access to Employee Exposure and Medical Records). Medical records should be kept in compliance with the OSHA... 

Managers of laboratory personnel also ensure that additional provisions for personnel protection are made for those who work with particularly hazardous substances and that work with particularly hazardous substances covered under the OSHA Laboratory Standard is performed in a designated area. They must also ensure that SNL personnel understand and comply with SNL s Chemical Hygiene Plan and 29 CFR 1910.1450 (and its appendices), as well as the additional requirements defined in the "Hazard Communication Standard," and the TSCA for chemicals that are developed in the laboratory or imported into the laboratory. 

Several points about the OSHA Laboratory Standard deserve special mention. The intention of the standard is to supersede existing OSHA health standards, but other OSHA mles on topics not specifically addressed in the standard remain applicable. The so-called "general duty" clause of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, which requires an employer to "furnish to each of his employees. .. a place of employment... free from recognized hazards that are likely to cause death or serious physical harm. .. " and requires an employee to "comply with occupational safety and health standards and all rules. .. issued pursuant to this chapter which are applicable to his own actions and conduct" continues to be applicable and, indeed, is one of the most commonly cited sections in cases of alleged OSHA violations. Other OSHA standards relating to possible eye or skin contact must continue to be observed. There are dozens of chemicals in this category. They are listed in 29 CFR 1910 as well as in specific standards following Section 1910.1000, such as the vinyl chloride standard, 29 CFR 1910.1017, which prohibits direct contact with liquid vinyl chloride. 

In addition to the Laboratory Standard, the Hazard Communication Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200) applies to all nonlaboratory businesses or operations "where chemicals are either used, distributed, or produced" and is more stringent than the Laboratory Standard in some respects. Other OSHA standards concerning level of exposure apply to hundreds of chemicals and are included in the LCSSs prepared for this report and in many MSDSs. 

OSHA, under its 29 CFR 1910.1450 (Laboratory Standard), is very specific about maintaining the face velocity of laboratory fume hoods within certain ranges, depending on the toxicity of the contaminant. The higher the toxicity (threshold limit value— TLV), the higher the face velocity required to ensure adequate protection for the worker. At a minimum, OSHA requires laboratory fitme hood face velocities of 60—100 ft/min. A list of the required face velocity levels for use with chemicals with varying levels of toxicity in fume hoods is provided in table 9.5. 

H. Safety considerations. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), US Department of Labor, standard entitled Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories (29 CFR 1910.1450) makes it necessary to address safety issues in the SOP. The standard requires laboratories that use hazardous chemicals to maintain employee exposures at or below the permissible exposure limits specified for these chemicals in 29 CFR Part 1910, Subpart Z. Hazards associated with any specific chemicals used in a method must be addressed so that the user has the information needed to follow the Chemical Hygiene Plan for their laboratory. The method developer should limit the use of hazardous chemicals where feasible. The use of toxic and/or carcinogenic reagents should be avoided or eliminated as much as possible. Additionally, the cost of disposal is increasing and could impact the practicality of a method. Material Safety Data Sheets for the analyte(s) and any unusual or hazardous reagents should be provided for the user. 

OSHA. 1990. National Research Council Recommendations Concerning Chemical Hygiene in Laboratories (Non-Mandatory). Occupational Safety and Health Standards. U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Code of Federal Regulations. 29 CFR 1450, Appendix A. 

Flammable chemicals should be stored in appropriate containers and facilities. Smaller amounts may be stored in laboratories in appropriate cabinets. A 10% neutral buffered formalin solution, commonly known as formaldehyde, is potentially carcinogenic. In 1987, precautions for laboratory workers were put in place as the Formaldehyde Standard CFR 1919.1048. Xylene is potentially hazardous and should be handled appropriately, see OSHA, 29 CFR 1910.1450. An excellent website is available for on fine location of Material... 

The following DOE, OSHA, and EPA directives, regulations, and standards pertain to chemical acquisition. At the activity or worker level, DOE O 440. lA requires the identification of workplace hazards and evaluation of risk (440.1A.9). Many standards either directly or indirectly require acquisition management 29 CFR 1910.120, HAZWOPER, 29 CFR 1910.1200, Hazard Communication, 29 CFR 1910.1450, Laboratory Standard, and Section 313 (EPCRA). 

As stated in the section on the hazard communication standard. Section VII.B of this chapter, OSHA defines health effects, for the purposes of the standard, in Appendix A to 29 CFR 1910.1200. The definitions given below are from that appendix. The laboratory safety standard also specifically suggests using these same definitions for guidance in defining hazardous... 

Where this section applies, it shall supersede, for laboratories, the requirements of all other OSHA health standards in 29 CFR part 1910, subpart Z, except as follows ... 

Per Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulation 29 CFR 1910.1450, Occupational Exposures to Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories, is a written plan that includes specific work practices, standard operating procedures, equipment, engineering controls, and policies to ensure that employees are protected from hazardous exposure levels to all potentially hazardous chemicals in use in their work areas. The OSHA standard provides for training, employee access to information, medical consultations, examinations, hazard identification procedures, respirator use, and record-keeping practices. 

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