RESEARCH LAB POLICIES
Written by:
Maurice Riner,
Chemical Safety Committee
3211 Providence Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508-4614
Chemical Safety Committee Approval Date: ______________
1. ________________________________________ Date: ________________
Dr. John Kennish, Chair, Chemical Safety Committee
2. ________________________________________ Date: ________________
Dr. Robert G. White, Interim Vice Provost for
Research and Graduate Studies
3. ________________________________________ Date: ________________
Dr. Michael A. Driscoll, Vice Provost
4. ________________________________________ Date: ________________
Fran Ulmer, Chancellor
5. ________________________________________ Date: ________________
Mark R. Hamilton, President, University of Alaska
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
1.
Purpose
1
2.
Scope
1
3.
Principal Investigator (PI) Responsibilities
1
4.
Research Proposal Reviews
1
5.
Research Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
2
1
Identity
2
2
Purpose and Scope
2
3
Chemical Hazard and Risk Assessment
2
4
Personal Protective Equipment
2
5
Engineering / Ventilation Controls
3
6
Chemical Storage
3
6.1
Chemical Handling Procedures
3
6.2
Chemical Hazards
3
6.3
Chemical Container Labeling
3
6.
7
Material Safety Data Sheets
3
8
Chemical Exposures or Chemical Contamination
3
9
Chemical Spills and Spill Cleanup
3
10
Waste Disposal
3-4
10.1
4
Waste container labeling
11
Research Protocols
4
12
Emergency Phone Numbers
4
Modifying Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
I
4
7.
Research Training
4
8.0
Biological Agent Use
5
8.1
Biological Agents
5
8.2
Select Agents
5
9.0
Chemical Use
5
10.0
Chemical Waste
5
List of Abbreviations (in alphabetical order)
6-7
II
1.
PURPOSE
The Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP) for the University of Alaska
Anchorage provides general written guidelines for university, faculty, employee
and student responsibilities using hazardous chemicals in teaching and research
laboratories. This document augments the UAA CHP and outlines additional safety
precautions and policies about the use and disposal of hazardous chemicals in all
research laboratories at UAA.
2.
SCOPE
These policies cover all internally and externally funded research projects by
faculty, employee, student, and visiting research professionals undertaken at the
University of Alaska Anchorage or satellite campuses. Safe and effective research
requires attention to all obligations / responsibilities that the PI /RLS have to the
university, research sponsors and most importantly to employees, student
researchers, visiting research professionals working in any research laboratory at
UAA and all other occupants of buildings where research is conducted. Research
techniques shall not violate established professional ethics pertaining to the health,
safety, privacy, and other personal rights of human beings or to the infliction of pain
or injury on animals. Current UAA policy is outlined in Administrative Services
Manual, EHS / RMS, policies and procedures section, statement #23 at:
http://ehsrms.uaa.alaska.edu/TOCPolicies.htm and http://www.alaska.edu/risksafety/complianceSurvey/.
3.
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (PI) RESPONSIBILITIES
Principal Investigator / Research Lab Supervisors’ responsibilities start with
those given in sections 4.2 through 4.4 and 4.6 of the UAA Chemical Hygiene Plan.
Additionally, all research must comply with all Federal, State, MOA, and any
recognized governing body rules and regulations covering specific areas of
research such as CDC, IACUC, NIH, NRC as it pertains to each research project.
These responsibilities apply to general lab training and lab specific SOPs. Ultimate
responsibility for SOP / training compliance rests with the PI or RLS within each
research lab.
4.
REASEARCH PROPOSAL REVIEWS
Research proposal reviews will be undertaken as outlined in the UAA CHP
sections 4.3 through 4.32. These reviews should include a laboratory specific SOP
governing the research and a substance specific SOP when using acutely
hazardous, extremely hazardous, radioactive, carcinogenic, mutagenic chemicals or
infectious biological materials. Substance specific SOPs are required for all
hazardous chemicals that fall outside of the UAA’s CHP general or hazard specific
SOPs.
1
5.
RESEARCH STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES (SOPs)
Under the OSHA regulations 29 CFR Part 1910.1450 known as the
‘Laboratory Standard’, one of the primary requirements is a laboratory specific SOP.
An adequate laboratory specific research SOP should address the steps required to
accomplish the research, the procedures to safely carry out all laboratory activities
including emergency procedures, spill response, waste disposal, equipment failure
procedures, and the occurrence of a natural disaster. A good research specific
laboratory SOP will also serve as a training document for incoming research
workers so that overall laboratory safety is not compromised. Typically “cook book”
protocols do not address many of the safety requirements, facility equipment issues,
etc. and should not be used to meet the requirements of an SOP. All laboratory
research specific SOPs should include the following sections given below in
addition to requirements outlined in sections 4.6, 7.2 and 9 of the UAA CHP.
Research SOPs shall be reviewed and or updated annually by the PI and Safety
Committee. A chemical SOP template is available at this link:
http://ehsrms.uaa.alaska.edu/Chemical%20SOP%20FORM.doc .
1.
Identity
This section will be dated, include the name of the principal
investigator, and include building and room numbers.
2.
Purpose and Scope
This section will describe proposed research and list necessary
chemicals and specialized equipment.
3.
Chemical hazard and risk assessment
This section will describe the chemical hazards associated with all
laboratory operations carried out by lab workers.
4.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) section
This section will describe the safety precautions needed and identify
the relevant PPE that must be used to protect lab workers from exposure to
hazardous chemicals or physical injury from mechanical hazards while
working in the lab.
5.
Engineering / Ventilation Controls section
This section describes when a fume hood should be used and what to
do if a fume hood malfunctions. This section would also give details about
cold rooms, isolation rooms and other mechanical – ventilation safety
equipment and how / when to use them safely.
2
6.
Chemical Storage section
This section describes all procedures for the proper storage of the
chemicals used in the research laboratory. See sections 9.2, 9.3 and 9.4 of
UAA CHP. This section should also include a discussion of specialized PPE
required for any chemical if needed.
6.1
Chemical Handling section
This section describes all of the procedures for the safe handling of
the chemicals used in the research laboratory. This section will also include a
discussion of specialized PPE required for any chemical if needed.
6.2
Chemical Hazards
This section describes all the NFPA, WHMIS, NRC, or IARC hazards
associated with all chemicals in the research lab for each specific SOP.
6.3
Chemical Container labeling
This section describes container labeling for repacked chemicals and
working solutions.
7.
Material Safety Data Sheet(s) (MSDS)
This section will describe where MSDS hard copies are posted and
how to access electronic copies on the internet.
8.
Chemical Exposure and Chemical Contamination
The section must outline the lab procedures for using any acutely,
toxic, highly toxic or radioactive substance in the lab to prevent
contamination of surroundings, equipment and lab personnel based on those
policies in the UAA CHP sections 5.4 through 5.5.
9.
Chemical Spill and Spill Cleanup
This section will give specific spill response measures for the
research lab based on the type of research and the policies outlined in the
UAA CHP, Section 15.
10.
Waste Disposal
This section will give detailed disposal procedures for the research lab
based on the type of chemical, biological or radiological waste generated by
the research based on policies in the UAA CHP section 10. Where
necessary, the Biosafety Committee and EHS / RMS can assist a PI in the
3
development of chemical specific SOPs for the disposal of infectious,
medical, pathological (animal tissue or animal carcasses), recombinant DNA,
and all other types of biological agents and chemical wastes as regulations
require.
.
10.1
Waste container labeling
The section gives waste container labeling information. All waste
containers must be labeled with the chemical hazard warnings.
11.
Research Protocol
This section should list all lab specific protocols used in the research
lab including protocols for using hazardous common equipment.
12.
Emergency Contact Numbers
This section will list all emergency contact numbers.
6.0
MODIFIED STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES (SOPs)
Standard Operating Procedures are generally accepted practices for use of
chemicals in particular situations. These SOPs can be modified in specific
instances when appropriate or as research needs dictate. When major
modifications are made to a procedure that entails additional risk, scale-up of any
chemical reaction, or a change in any needed engineering controls for safety and
hazardous risk control, the reasons for such modifications must be documented and
signed by the (PI) or (RLS) and approved through the EHS / RMS, Chemical Safety
Committee, Biosafety Committee or the Radiation Safety Committee as necessary
prior to commencing with such modifications.
7.0
RESEARCH TRAINING
Principal Investigator (PI) / Research Lab Supervisors (RLS) responsibilities
start with those given in sections 11through 11.3 of the UAA Chemical Hygiene
Plan. All training for using chemicals covered in sections 5.4 and 5.5 of the UAA
CHP, and any specialty chemicals posing hazards not addressed in the lab specific
or research specific SOP, must be documented. Training documents will be kept on
file by the responsible PI and a copy of the trailing documents will be forwarded to
EHS / RMS.
4
8.0
BIOLOGICAL AGENT USE
8.1
Biological Agents
All research laboratories that use biological agents, biological toxins or
recombinant materials must be registered with EHS / RMS in order to comply
with federal guidelines and regulations. The PI is responsible for ensuring
that his or her lab is registered with UAA Biosafety Committee and
EHS / RMS and that the lab is in compliance with all federal guidelines and
regulations. The PI is responsible for determining if the recombinant DNA
molecules used in their research are exempt from NIH guidelines and if
registration with UAA Biosafety Committee and EHS / RMS is not
required.
8.2
Select Agents
The federal government (USDHHS / CDC) and (USDA) have
restricted certain biological agents and toxins, and have designated these
as ‘select agents’. The possession, use and transfer of the restricted or
select agents must be registered with UAA EHS / RMS and the appropriate
federal authorities. EHS / RMS can assist PIs with this procedure.
9.0
CHEMICAL USE
Chemical use includes the following actions: ordering, possession, storage,
disposal and abandonment of any chemical for research purposes in any UAA
laboratory.
All training for using chemicals covered in sections 5.4 and 5.5 of the UAA
CHP and any specialty chemicals posing hazards not addressed in the lab specific
or research specific SOP must be documented.
Restricted chemicals, p-listed chemicals must be reviewed by EHS/RMS to
ensure compliance with any regulations are concerning possession and disposal of
any resulting chemical waste.
All chemical use policies will follow those guidelines given in Prudent
Practices in the Laboratory, Handling and Disposal of Chemicals, Chapters1-5, 7
and 9 recommended by the Nation Research Council.
10.0
CHEMICAL WASTE
Chemical waste shall be segregated according to current accepted standards
and practices along with UAA’s current waste generator classification and all applicable
regulations as outlined in UAA’s CHP and current hazardous waste policies document.
5
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists
(ACGIH)
Centers for Disease Control
(CDC)
Chemical Hygiene Plan
(CHP)
Neoxyribonucleic Acid
(DNA)
Dept. of Environmental Conservation
(DEC)
Dept. of Homeland Security
(DHS)
Drug Enforcement Agency
(DEA)
Environmental Health Safety & Risk Management Support
(EHS / RMS)
Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA)
Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee
(IACUC)
International Agency for Research on Cancer
(IARC)
Material Safety Data Sheet
(MSDS)
Municipality of Anchorage
(MOA)
National Fire Protection Agency
(NFPA)
National Institute of Health
(NIH)
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
(NRC)
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA)
Personal Protective Equipment
(PPE)
Potentially Hazardous Chemicals
(PHC)
Principal Investigators
(PIs)
Research Lab Supervisors
(RLS)
Safety First Approach
(SFA)
Standard Operating Procedures
(SOPs)
6
University of Alaska Anchorage
(UAA)
U.S. Dept. of Agriculture
(USDA)
U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services
(USDHHS)
Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System
(WHMIS)
7