Page 38 - Occupational Health & Safety, August 2017

LAB SAFETY
Implementing the OSHA Lab Standard
OSHA recommends basing a lab’s control strategies on the hierarchy of controls.
BY JERRY LAWS
OSHA issued its Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories standard1 (29 CFR 1910.1450) in 1990. Known as the Laboratory Standard, it was
developed to address workplaces where relatively small quantities of hazardous chemicals are used on a non-production basis, according to the agency, which explains that not all laboratories are covered by the standard. Most quality control laboratories are not covered by it.
The standard requires that employers designate a Chemical Hygiene Officer for their laboratories that are covered by it, have a written Chemical Hygiene Plan, and actively verify that it remains effective. The plan must address workers’ training, chemical exposure monitoring where that is appropriate, medical con- sultation when exposure occurs, criteria for the use of PPE, engineering controls, and also special precautions for particularly hazardous substances. The Chemical Hygiene Officer is responsible for implementation of the plan and for monitoring work processes and pro- curing chemicals; this employee must be qualified to provide technical guidance on plan implementation.
The following definitions are taken directly from the standard:
ing controls for laboratories may include fume hoods and biological safety cabinets, while administrative controls could include modified work schedules to re- duce the duration of potential exposures. PPE options include faceshields and goggles, gloves, respiratory protection, and lab coats.
Key concerns as addressed in the standard are common to laboratories: eye and skin hazards from chemical exposures, respiratory hazards, spills, and leaks. Fire hazards are another potential concern, as are radioactive and musculoskeletal hazards, accord- ing to OSHA. Best practices include ensuring that lab workers wear goggles, lab coats, and gloves for protec- tion against chemical splash, are trained and prepared for cleaning up spilled chemicals and broken glass, know where the eyewash and emergency drench shower stations are and also know how to use them properly, and are prohibited from eating or drink- ing in the lab. As explained in an OSHA document2 intended for supervisors, principal investigators, and managers who have the primary responsibility for maintaining laboratories under their supervision, the Laboratory Standard consists of five major elements: hazard identification, the Chemical Hygiene Plan, information and training, exposure monitoring, and medical consultation and examinations.
Appendix A
Appendix A3 of the Laboratory Standard includes a wealth of information. It covers—for the more than 500,000 workers who work in laboratories in the Unit- ed States, according to OSHA—everything from a safety culture to ventilation to chemical storage, waste management, recordkeeping, nanomaterials, highly toxic and explosive or reactive chemicals/materials, and also emergency preparedness.
A risk assessment should be conducted before work with any hazardous chemical begins for the first time, and the worker(s) should read all Safety Data Sheet and label information beforehand, it says. Trained laboratory workers also should ensure that proper engineering controls, such as ventilation, and PPE are in place.
document?p_table=standards&p_id=10106
2. https://www.osha.gov/Publications/laboratory/OS- HA3404laboratory-safety-guidance.pdf
3. https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_ document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=10107
Chemical Hygiene Officer means an employee who is designated by the employer, and who is qualified by training or experience, to provide technical guidance in the development and imple- mentation of the provisions of the Chemical Hy- giene Plan. This definition is not intended to place limitations on the position description or job clas- sification that the designated individual shall hold within the employer’s organizational structure.
Chemical Hygiene Plan means a written program developed and implemented by the employer which sets forth procedures, equipment, person- al protective equipment and work practices that (i) are capable of protecting employees from the health hazards presented by hazardous chemicals used in that particular workplace and (ii) meets the requirements of paragraph (e) of this section.
Control Strategies and PPE
Safety professionals across all industries will be famil- iar with the hierarchy of controls, upon which OSHA recommends basing a laboratory’s control strategies. From most effective to least, it lists engineering con- trols; administrative controls and work practices; and personal protective equipment, all of which may be used in combination to protect workers. Engineer-
REFERENCES
32 Occupational Health & Safety | AUGUST 2017
www.ohsonline.com
Jerry Laws is the editor of Occupational Health & Sa1fe. thyttpms:a//gwawzwin.oes.ha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_