Approach to establishing chemical safety levels Table 8-1 Descriptor or Chemical Safety CHemical Safety chemical safety chemical safety Level 4 Control Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Scope of Assessment Possibilities Driving Consideration Conceptual Hazard Laboratory hazards Laboratory hazards Moderate or varying Novel hazards or severe equivalent to typical equivalent to laboratory hazards hazards (high Level (overview of household use of academic lab within a narrow hazard chemicals or processes risk level) chemicals settings (restricted range (open with well-established Flexible hazardous chemical hazardous chemical procedures) inventory; inventory; evolving Context Dependent established procedures) procedures in place) Chemicals Used Consumer products Low concentration Typical chemical Air/water reactive, pyrophoric in consumer acids/bases, lower inventory for a materials or pyrophoric gases. (types or packaging; may alcohols, solid salts, research lab, such as Explosives or potentially characteristics of receive but not open simple asphyxiant flammable solvents, explosive compounds, highly chemicals used) chemical packages compressed gases corrosives, toxic materials (in any state of Lab Room inorganic salts, matter) toxics, flammable gases. Limited None Identified amounts (mg quantities) of air or water reactive, pyrophoric materials Training Observe label and General lab safety Laboratory hazards Laboratory access restricted to warning signs training in addition require laboratory- people accompanied by Requirements to warning labels specific safety experienced personnel (prerequisite for and signs training people working in the lab) Lab Group Based on Highest Lab Hazard Rating Supervision Awareness of work Constant Peer presence or Peer presence being conducted supervision or working alone Requirements working alone based on specific (safety based on specific restrictions responsibilities of lab restrictions leader(s)) Lab Room Based on Highest Active Lab Hazard Process * Weekly * Weekly * Weekly * Daily self-inspections; Oversight ** self-audits three times per Requirements ** self-audits three ** self-audits three ** self-audits three year; (expectations for times per year times per year times per year; *** monthly drop bys; † institutional review *** monthly drop institutional review of lab operations) bys; † risk-based schedule Lab Group institutional review schedule Based on Highest Lab Hazard Rating Planning Process-specific Written procedures Written procedures Written procedures including plans written and including safety including safety safety protocols must be Requirements the presence of protocols protocols must be reviewed by supervisor (specific other chemicals peer reviewed requirements for prohibited planning of work) Process Specific
Approach to establishing chemical safety levels Table 8-1 Descriptor or Control Chemical Safety Level 1 CHemical Safety Level 2 chemical safety Level 3 chemical safety Level 4 Scope of Assessment Possibilities Driving Consideration Conceptual Hazard Level (overview of risk level) Laboratory hazards equivalent to typical household use of chemicals Laboratory hazards equivalent to academic lab settings (restricted hazardous chemical inventory; procedures in place) Moderate or varying laboratory hazards within a narrow range (open hazardous chemical inventory; evolving procedures) Novel hazards or severe established hazards (high hazard chemicals or processes with well-established procedures) Flexible Context Dependent Chemicals Used (types or characteristics of chemicals used) Consumer products in consumer packaging; may receive but not open chemical packages Low concentration acids/bases, lower alcohols, solid salts, simple asphyxiant compressed gases Typical chemical inventory for a research lab, such as flammable solvents, corrosives, inorganic salts, toxics, flammable gases. Limited amounts (mg quantities) of air or water reactive, pyrophoric materials Air/water reactive, pyrophoric materials or pyrophoric gases. Explosives or potentially explosive compounds, highly toxic materials (in any state of matter) Lab Room None Identified Training Requirements (prerequisite for people working in the lab) Observe label and warning signs General lab safety training in addition to warning labels and signs Laboratory hazards require laboratory- specific safety training Laboratory access restricted to people accompanied by experienced personnel Lab Group Based on Highest Lab Hazard Rating Supervision Requirements (safety responsibilities of lab leader(s)) Awareness of work being conducted Constant supervision or working alone based on specific restrictions Peer presence or working alone based on specific restrictions Peer presence Lab Room Based on Highest Active Lab Hazard Process Oversight Requirements (expectations for institutional review of lab operations) * Weekly ** self-audits three times per year * Weekly ** self-audits three times per year * Weekly ** self-audits three times per year; *** monthly drop bys; † risk-based institutional review schedule * Daily self-inspections; ** self-audits three times per year; *** monthly drop bys; † institutional review schedule Lab Group Based on Highest Lab Hazard Rating Planning Requirements (specific requirements for planning of work) Process-specific plans written and the presence of other chemicals prohibited Written procedures including safety protocols Written procedures including safety protocols must be peer reviewed Written procedures including safety protocols must be reviewed by supervisor Process Specific