Department of Chemistry
University of Arizona
Chemical Hygiene Plan
Procedure for Safe Relocation of Chemistry Laboratories into
the Chemical Science Building
The protection of health and maintenance of safety constitute a moral obligation shared
by every researcher. There is a preferred way to perform all work with chemicals which
can both reduce the probability of an accident or exposure to a negligible level and
reduce its consequences to minimal levels should one occur.
IMPORTANT TELEPHONE NUMBERS
Chemistry Store Room
621-4348
(Fax) 621-8407
Lynta Thomas
626-1701
(Fax) 621-8407
Risk Management & Safety
621-1790
(Fax) 621-3706
Hazardous Waste Supervisor
621-5861
(Fax) 626-4925
hazmat@email.arizona.edu
Radiation Control Office
626-6850
(Fax) 626-2583
University Biosafety Officer
621-5279
(Fax) 621-6159
Surplus Property
621-1754
(Fax) 798-0719
1
Chemical Inventory
 Prepare a chemical inventory or review existing inventory and properly
dispose of:
 Unwanted chemicals (Section 7.12.4 RM&S, CHP regarding waste
collection)
 chemicals that have been kept beyond their appropriate shelf life
 chemicals that have deteriorated, have questionable labels, are leaking,
have corroded caps or developed any other problems
 Chemicals which you don’t have the facilities to safely use in the new
space

Store waste in:
 Three and one half gallon plastic pails with lids are the preferred waste
containers for liquid as well as solid wastes
 Lids should be secured on the pails with the hole 90o to the handle, prior to
the introduction of waste, to avoid spilling the contents
 See (Chemical Waste Disposal Basics Poster) attached. RM&S
Chemical Redistribution List
 Unused, unopened chemicals, which have not exceeded their shelf life, may be
given to RM&S for redistribution to University laboratories and affiliated
researchers.
 RM&S publishes an online chemical redistribution list on a periodic basis, of
unused, useful chemicals, which are available to researchers free of charge on a
first-come, first-served basis. Orders may be placed with Jeff Christensen by
phone (621-5861), by e-mail (hazmat@u.arizona.edu).
 The following information is needed to complete the order: full chemical name,
size, number of items, requestor's name, department, campus phone, and delivery
location including room number
Chemicals to Relocate
– Properly Pack
 Chemicals must be in non-breakable containers (e.g. plastic jar) or have
secondary containment (i.e., placed individually or w/ compatible chemicals in
protective container (e.g., Nalgene tray) or non-breakable carrying bucket
 Each round bottom flask must have its own secondary containment (e.g.
plastic jar, top cut gallon milk carton)
 Chemical class must be written on outside of containers (e.g., oxidizers, reducers)
 Any container marked with shorthand or abbreviations need to be tagged with
complete chemical name written on the tag.
2
 The total number of containers packed in the box must be written on the outside
of the box along with chemical class
 Liquid waste in containers equal to greater than one gallon need to be properly
tagged
 Chemicals solids and liquids less than one gallon in the original container with the
original label do not need to be tagged
– Safely Move










To be moved by lab personnel
Chemical movers must be familiar with the hazards
Movers must wear PPE consistent with chemical being transported
Must not be transported in private vehicles
Hazardous chemicals must not be left in corridors, departmental offices, or other
non-laboratory locations
Wheeled cart used in transportation, must be stable under load and have wheels
large enough to negotiate surfaces which will be traversed (e.g. expansion joints,
floor drain depression, door thresholds) without tipping or stopping suddenly
Wheeled carts must have sides on each shelf, high enough to retain containers
To avoid potential exposure to persons on passenger elevators chemicals should
be transported on freight-only elevators. If not possible and if the hazardous
chemical being transported presents the potential for exposure to persons on
passenger elevators, only those transporting the hazardous chemicals shall be on
the passenger elevator
Hazardous chemicals shall be protected from prolonged exposure to excessive
heat, cold, or other adverse conditions during transportation
For liquids, at least two inches of headspace should be left in the containers to
allow for expansion of the waste that may result from fluctuations in temperature
during transportation
Refrigerated chemicals
 Transfer the contents in the refrigerator/freezer into an appropriate temporary setup at the required temperature
 If radiological hazards were used – RCO must conduct a survey
 Clean visible residue from the refrigerator using an appropriate solvent and
personal protective equipment
 Leave the refrigerator open for a few hours to air
 Close the refrigerator and seal it with the tape to signal that it is ready to be
moved
Unknown Chemicals
 Unknown chemicals are not to be moved to the new labs!
 True unknown need to be tagged as “UNKNOWN” and set aside
3
Hazardous Waste
 Hazardous waste is not to be moved to new labs!
 Chemical, radiological, and biological waste and broken glass and sharps must be
properly disposed of before the move
 Follow established procedures
 Consult the UA CHP (Section 7.12.1, Section 7.12.4 ) and the RCO website or
contact RM&S or the RCO for details
 Volatile hazardous chemicals shall never be disposed of by evaporation in the
fume hood. When a hazardous waste container is not in current use, a cap shall be
placed on the container to prevent evaporation
 The outside of all containers must be free of chemical contamination. Whenever
possible, waste shall be added to waste containers inside a fume hood. Waste
containers, which are capped, shall be stored outside of the fume hood if the fume
hood is being used to conduct operations
Other Hazardous Material
 Radiological Hazards - Contact the Radiation Control Office (RCO) for planning
assistance on packing and moving radiation sources (626-6850)
 Biological Hazards - Contact the Institutional Biosafety Officer (Mark Grushka)
for planning assistance on packing and moving biological hazards (626-5279)
Hardware
– Non-Usable





e.g., paper, boxes, magazines, glassware (unbroken) and other similar items
If non-hazardous – dispose of in normal trash
If contaminated – decontaminate before disposal in the normal trash
Battery Disposal – Contact RM&S to arrange for disposal of these batteries
Fluorescent & High Intensity Discharge Lamp Disposal Fluorescent and high
intensity discharge (HID) lamps cannot be disposed of as regular trash. Most
fluorescent lamps contain mercury (a highly toxic substance) and HID lamps
contain elemental sodium (a water reactive substance). For disposal of these
lamps, contact the UA Facilities Management at 621-3000
 Rusted or Unusable Solvent Cabinets – Contact Chemistry Stock Room or
Surplus Property (621 1754) for removal
4
Glassware
– Decontamination
 Contaminated Glassware and other contaminated articles must be decontaminated
before use or disposal as non-hazardous trash
 Glassware and other articles contaminated with any solid hazardous materials
shall be sufficiently rinsed or wet wiped with a suitable solvent before being
reused or disposed of as non-hazardous trash
 Broken contaminated glassware and contaminated sharps (i.e. razors, needles, or
other sharp metallic or plastic objects capable of inflicting a puncture wound or
incision) shall not be decontaminated but directly disposed of
 The rinse from these washings and towels or rags used to wipe the contaminated
glassware or other contaminated articles, shall be segregated and containerized in
suitable, labeled containers and disposed of as hazardous waste. A minimal
amount of solvent for rinsing and towels or rags for wiping shall be used, in order
to minimize waste generation
Hardware
– Relocation Responsibilities




All items must be properly packaged – Lab Personnel
Heavy items – Riggers (contact Chemistry Store Room)
Do-It-yourself Items (expensive, dangerous, delicate, etc.) – Lab personnel
Other items – Movers (contact Chemistry Store Room)
Compressed Gas cylinders /Lecture bottles
– Disposal
 Small purchased cylinders (i.e., sizes 3, 3R, 4, LB & 6) can be disposed of by
contacting RM&S at 621-5861 (phone), or hazmat@email.arizona.edu
 Rented or purchased cylinders from the University Instrumentation Center
Cryogenics Facility can be disposed of by calling 621-2374
 Rented or purchased cylinders from the Compressed Gas Section of Procurement
& Contracting Services can be disposed of by calling 621-7975.
 If the cylinder is leaking, contact RM&S immediately by calling 621-1790.
 For a summary of the disposal procedures, see the Compressed Gas Disposal
Poster attached
– Transportation
 Compressed gas cylinders shall not be subjected to rough handling or abuse (e.g.
rolled, dragged, dropped) during transportation,
 Only one compressed gas cylinder shall be manually handled (i.e. without a hand
truck) at a time
 Compressed gas cylinders shall have the main valve cap in place when the
cylinder is not in use, especially during transportation
 Toxic and corrosive gases must be plugged also
 When large compressed gases cylinders are transported outside the laboratory,
they shall be strapped to a suitable hand truck
5
Decontamination of Solvent Cabinets/Refrigerators/Freezers
 Clean visible residue from item using appropriate solvent and personal protective
equipment
 If radiological hazards were used – RCO must conduct a survey
 Leave open for a few hours to air
 Close and seal it with tape
Biological Safety Cabinets
 Biological Safety Cabinet that will be moved requires decontamination. Contact
Facilities Management at 621-3000 to request biological safety cabinet
decontamination
Hg thermometers and Manometers
 Consider eliminating mercury where possible by using safer substitutes
 RM&S offers free exchange of Hg thermometers for temperature range –20oC to
110oC
Sign Permits
 Contact RM&S, RCO and the Institutional Biosafety Officer to determine if
special permits or signage is needed for the newly assigned space
Understand and Use Hazard Controls
 Hardened-glass or plastic safety spectacles (ANSI Z87.1 approved) shall be worn
by all persons, including visitors, where there is a probability of eye injury from
chemical splashes or flying particles. When a significant splash hazard exists,
goggles shall be worn (ANSI Z87.1 approved). Ordinary vision corrective lenses
are not acceptable
 Appropriate gloves shall be worn when the potential for hand contact with
hazardous chemicals exists. Dispose the gloves worn during the loading of the
chemicals into the cart and wear a fresh pair during unloading
 The selection of gloves shall be based on the potential and severity of possible
hazardous chemical contamination as well as their suitability for the operation
performed
 Inspect gloves before use and replace them periodically
 Closed-toe shoes shall be worn at all times in the laboratory (no sandals or
perforated shoes)
 Appropriate respiratory protective equipment shall be used when hazardous air
contaminant concentrations are not sufficiently restricted by engineering and
administrative controls. Respirators shall be used only in accordance with OSHA
regulation (29 CFR 1910.134) and the University of Arizona Respiratory
Protection Program. For information call RM&S at 621-1790
6
 Other personal protective equipment shall be used as appropriate to avoid
hazardous chemical exposures and to prevent possible injury (e.g. face shield,
chemical resistant coveralls, lab coat, chemical-resistant apron)
Decontamination of Lab Surfaces
 Work surfaces must be left free of visible contamination
 Potentially contaminated surfaces must be thoroughly decontaminated by an
effective means
 If the hazardous chemical is a dry powder, a wet mop or a vacuum cleaner
equipped with a high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter shall be used
to conduct decontamination
 Contaminated laboratory articles (e.g. paper towels, lab bench covers), excluding
biohazardous materials, broken glass, and sharps (Section 7.12.7.4 RM&S, CHP),
may also be double-bagged in clear 4 mil plastic bags or black plastic bags. Each
bag shall be separately tied to prevent possible leakage and they should be labeled
Final Lab Close out form
 The labs will be inspected after each group vacates their research laboratory
 The certificate of lab close out will be issue to the PI
7
8
9