Chemical Hygiene Plan

Chemical Hygiene Plan

The purpose of the written Chemical Hygiene Plan is to protect employees from health hazards associated with hazardous chemicals in the laboratory. The Master Plan is available in the office of the Environmental Health and Safety Supervisor as well in the science area of each building making it readily available to all laboratory personnel.

A. Laboratory Personnel

St. Cloud Public Schools is responsible for developing and supporting a broadbased chemical hygiene program that will protect its staff and students from the health effects associated with exposure to hazardous chemicals. This means promoting a positive safety attitude among all employees and providing the necessary resources to fully implement and maintain the program.

The two chemical hygiene officers have overall responsibility for chemical hygiene in their respectively assigned laboratories as well as being a resource for handling hazardous chemicals in the district. They are also responsible for reviewing chemical experiments in their respective school assignments and for the control of the chemical inventory including ordering of chemicals. Routine inspections will be completed regularly by the EOH & S Supervisor and the respective Chemical Hygiene Officer to evaluate the overall effectiveness of the program.

Laboratory staff are responsible for performing all activities in accordance with the established chemical hygiene procedures.

B. Employee Exposure Determination

If an exposure to any regulated substance is reported, St. Cloud Public Schools will conduct air sampling if there is reason to believe the exposure exceeds the permissible exposure level or PEL. Currently exposure sampling will be conducted in all animal science labs where specimens are preserved in formalin. If the initial monitoring results indicate an exposure exceeding the PEL, the district will initiate periodic monitoring of formalin.

Written results of all exposure results are available to the employee within 15 days.

C. Procurement

Safety Data Sheets (SDS) are required to be shipped with each chemical order or the policy of St. Cloud Public Schools is that the shipment will be refused. Orders for laboratory chemicals are the responsibility of each Chemical Hygiene Officer and approval must be provided prior to the completion of a purchase order for science lab chemicals for each building. A science teacher will receive, unpack, date each chemical and properly place in the chemical storage room.

D. General Lab Practices

In general, laboratory personnel shall minimize all exposures to hazardous chemicals and never underestimate the risk involved. Any unknown chemicals or mixtures should be assumed toxic. In addition to existing standard operating procedures and practices within the laboratories, the following are considered good practices to follow:

• Promote housekeeping within the laboratory by cleaning up work benches and returning chemicals to designated storage areas on a daily basis.
• All chemical containers will be properly labeled at all times.
• Minimize the use of flammable or combustible liquids near any open flame or other ignition source.
• Identify any special activities or procedures or extremely hazardous chemicals which require preliminary approval. Factors to consider include quantities used, chemical and physical properties of the chemical, toxicity of the chemical and the potential for exposure.
• Designate special areas, fume hoods, or glove boxes for working with extremely hazardous chemicals (i.e. carcinogens, acute toxins).
• Discourage wearing of contact lenses in the laboratory.
• Conduct frequent inspections within the laboratory to identify any unsafe work practices or conditions.
• Prohibit any eating, drinking or smoking in the laboratory.
• Prohibit any mouth piping.
• Protect against broken glass or glassware implosions.
• Avoid working alone in the laboratory.

Note: An excellent reference manual to establish safe general work practices is "Prudent Practices for Handling Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories, "published in 1981 by the National Research Council.

E. Control Measures

St. Cloud Public Schools provides appropriate control measures where employees are routinely exposed to a substance above its respective action level or PEL. These include any one or combination of the following: engineering controls, personal protective equipment and administrative controls. SFM tables 2 & 3, Attachment 5 list chemicals not to be used in school labs. See Appendix C.

Engineering Controls. Engineering controls are the first measure implemented since they act to remove or control the exposure at the source. One of the most effective engineering control measures in the lab is ventilation.

The laboratory fume hood is the major protective device for laboratory personnel. It is designed to capture chemicals that escape from their containers or apparatus and to remove them from the laboratory environment before they can be inhaled. Chemical characteristics to be considered in requiring fume hood use are physical state, volatility, toxicity, flammability, eye and skin irritation, odor, and the potential for producing aerosols. A fume hood should be used if a proposed chemical procedure exhibits any one of these characteristics to a degree that:

• airborne concentrations might approach the action level (or permissible exposure limit),
• flammable vapors might approach one tenth of the lower explosion limit,
• materials of unknown toxicity are used or generated, or
• the odor produced is annoying to laboratory occupants and adjacent units.

Procedures that can generally be carried out safely outside the fume hood include those involving

• water-based solutions of salts, dilute acids, bases, or other reagents,
• very low volatility liquids or solids,
• closed systems that do not allow significant escape to the laboratory environment, and
• extremely small quantities of otherwise problematic chemicals. The procedure itself must be evaluated for its potential to increase volatility or produce aerosols.

In general, 2.5 linear feet of hood space should be provided for every two workers. Fume hoods should be monitored and maintained to ensure proper operation. Fume hoods should also have a continuous reading monitoring device (i.e. pressure gauge) to verify air movement. Fume hoods should be operating at a face-velocity range of 80 to 120 linear feet per minute at the designated sash (door) opening. The face velocity should be measured at least semi-annually with a velometer or thermo-anemometer. Laboratory staff should minimize any unnecessary air turbulence near the hood opening. When working with highly toxic substances or carcinogens, an enclosed glove box is used in place of the traditional fume hood.

Adequate general ventilation is required within the lab space. Ideally, there should be at least six fresh air changes (relative to overall room volume) per hour. Sufficient levels of make-up air should be provided for when lab fume hoods are present. In addition, special attention to locations of fresh air intakes relative to exhaust stacks/grills is necessary to avoid the re-entering of contaminants.

Personal Protective Equipment. Personal protective equipment (PPE) acts as a barrier preventing or minimizing chemical exposure to the employee.

The sliding sash of a fume hood, are appropriate when working with highly concentrated acids, bases, oxidizers or reducing agents, all of which have the potential for causing sudden splattering or release of material, as do Reactions carried out at non-ambient pressures (vacuum or high pressure) and reactions that are carried out for the first time or are significantly scaled up from normal operating conditions.

Eye protection is required for all personnel and any visitors whose eyes may be exposed to chemical or physical hazards. Chemical splash goggles with indirect vents shall be used at all times when conducting experiments or working with chemicals in class. Safety glasses shall not be used. Chemicals can be concentrated under contact lenses and contact lenses will interfere with eye flushing in case of an emergency.

Lab coats, aprons or other similar clothing protectors are required to be worn when working with chemicals.

Gloves made of appropriate material as required by the manufacturer and SDS sheets are required to protect the hands and arms from thermal burns, cuts, or chemical exposure that may result in absorption through the skin or reaction on the surface of the skin. Gloves are also required when working with particularly hazardous substances where possible transfer from hand to mouth must be avoided. In addition, gloves are required for work involving pure or concentrated solutions of select carcinogens, reproductive toxins, substances which have a high degree of acute toxicity, strong acids and bases, and any substance on the OSHA PEL list carrying a "skin" notation.

Respiratory protection is generally not necessary in the laboratory setting and must not be used as a substitute for adequate engineering controls. If requested, St. Cloud Public Schools will provide single strap particulate masks for students or staff. Any other respiratory device will not be used unless required as the result of a PPE assessment for a specific chemical risk conducted by the Environmental Health and Safety Supervisor.

Laboratory safety showers and eye wash stations are available in each laboratory. They are inspected and flushed weekly by custodial staff.

Administrative Controls. In addition to establishing good lab practices, St. Cloud Public Schools has adopted other administrative control policies to minimize exposures. These include:

• Prohibition against wearing of jewelry on the hands.
• Sandals or open-toe shoes are not allowed.
• Long hair will be covered or tied up off the shoulders.
• Hands will be washed with soap and water prior to exiting the lab.

F. Chemical Storage

Chemical storage areas and chemical storage cabinets for all flammable, reactive or toxic chemicals have been designated and made available. Only persons trained in chemical hygiene shall have access to the chemical storage room. The chemical storage program is based on the Flinn Chemical Storage System which is posted in each chemical storage area:

• Do not store incompatible chemicals together. Keep oxidizers separate.
• Be sure the chemical container is compatible with the chemical.
• Properly ventilate the chemical storage cabinet and avoid direct heat or sunlight.
• Do not stockpile chemicals, store as little as possible.
• Clean any residual material from outside of container.
• Use a secondary container when transporting a chemical container, for containers with broken seals, or for highly toxic chemicals which is properly labeled.
• Periodically inspect the integrity of the container.
• Store compressed gas cylinders away from any heat sources, cap fastened, and cylinder securely attached to wall or other fixed object.

G. Labeling

St. Cloud Public Schools requires all containers of hazardous and other chemicals to be properly labeled. The label includes the chemical name, hazardous properties and an emergency phone number for further information.

The label is easily cross-referenced back to the appropriate SDS for that chemical. Visible signs identifying the location of safety showers, eye wash stations, first aid kits, emergency exits, fire extinguishers and other safety or control equipment are present.

H. Disposal

The Hazardous Waste Management Plan and Flinn reference materials provide guidance for disposal requirements. The chemical hygiene plan for each laboratory addresses the following minimum requirements:

• Centralized waste collection and storage areas.
• All wastes properly labeled (DOT regulations).
• Verify mixed wastes are compatible with each other.
• Pouring of chemicals down the drain, particularly strong acids/bases or highly toxic substances is prohibited.
• Chemicals are not left inside the fume hood to evaporate.

I. Emergency Plan

St. Cloud Public Schools will follow the emergency plan when responding to any accidents or spills within the laboratory facility. Primary components of this plan include:

• fire alarm system and fire suppression equipment;
• at least one employee trained in first aid present in the laboratory at all times;
• posted emergency contact names and numbers;
• first aid kit available; and
• designated spill response team and spill kit.
• If eye or skin contact with chemical occurs, immediately proceed to flush the contact surface with water for 15 minutes. Remove any contaminated clothing away from skin.

Administrative Procedure 820.1A

Safety: Chemical Hygiene

It is the policy of St. Cloud Area School District 742 to provide a safe learning environment for students, staff and the public. Accordingly, the School Board, through its Superintendent or designee, will monitor the facilities used by students, staff and public in school buildings and on school sites. If unsafe conditions or materials are found to exist, the School District will attempt to eliminate the problem or to minimize exposure by students, staff and the public to such conditions.

Accordingly, the School Board directs the Superintendent/Administration to implement and monitor the Chemical Hygiene Plan dated March 2009. This Plan provides for the appointment of two Chemical Hygiene Officers to provide oversight for science laboratory operations in District buildings. The Chemical Hygiene Officers have the responsibility to monitor experiments conducted in the science laboratories, oversee the handling and storage of chemicals, monitor the purchase of chemicals for classroom activities, ensure science teachers are properly trained in the safe use of chemicals, and work closely with the Environmental Health and Safety Supervisor in the updating and annual review of the Plan.

In addition, this Plan:

Requires exposure monitoring for students and teachers when working with hazardous materials, especially formaldehyde-based products.
Requires an annual review of each science laboratory or classroom by the science teachers using the Comprehensive Laboratory Inspection Checklist and requires this checklist to be maintained by the Environmental Health and Safety Supervisor as required by the State Fire Marshal.
Prohibits the purchase, storage or use of High Risk Chemicals in facilities used by students, staff and the public as found in Tables 2 & 3 of the State Fire Marshal Comprehensive Laboratory Inspection Checklist.

St. Cloud Area School District 742
1201 2nd St S
Waite Park, MN 56387

Administrative Procedures
April 8, 2009