Science Teacher’s Health
and Safety Workshop
Mary Loesing
Science, Technology, & FACS
Chairperson
Connetquot Central School District
Theresa Curry
Science Coordinator
Manhasset Public Schools
Agenda
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Chemical Hygiene Plans
Chemical Purchasing and Storage
Chemical Inventory and Disposal
Engineering Controls
Teacher Training
Chemical Hygiene Plans
• Required by OSHA 1910.1450
• Enforced by Department of Labor
– Public Employee Safety and
Health – PESH in New York State
• Written document with policies
and procedures to protect
employees and indirectly
students.
Chemical Hygiene Officer
• Appointed by the Board of
Education
• Ideally, a certified chemistry
teacher
• Position can be separated into an
Officer for Laboratory Chemicals
and an Officer for Buildings and
Grounds Chemicals
Chemical Purchasing
• Evaluate hazards and physical
properties of each chemical before it is
ordered.
• Order only as much of each chemical
as will be used in one school year.
• Know how the chemical will be
disposed of before it is ordered.
• Everything that is ordered must be
entered into the chemical inventory.
Chemical Inventory
• The chemical inventory should be
updated annually.
• In the event that first responders,
PESH or the DEC is called to your
school, they will expect to see a
copy of your chemical inventory.
• MSDS Sheets must be available.
• All containers must be properly
labeled.
Chemical Storage
• Organize chemicals by
compatibility, not alphabetically.
• The chemical storage room must
remain locked, and students
should not be permitted to enter.
• Acids should be stored in an acid
cabinet, with nitric acid
segregated from the others.
Chemical Storage Cont.
• Flammables should be stored in
an approved flammables cabinet.
• Shelves should have a ¾” lip.
• Large, heavy containers should
not be stored on high shelves.
• When chemicals are received, the
bottle should be dated.
Chemical Disposal
• Contractors dispose of waste at
considerable cost to the district. Your
buildings and grounds department
should have a list of approved
contractors.
• Any and all chemicals that are old and
not used should be disposed of.
• Keep records of what is disposed of,
you are responsible for chemicals from
cradle to grave.
Chemicals That Should
Never be in Schools
• Nitroglycerin, benzene,
acrylonitrile, arsenic and
compounds, benzoyl peroxide,
carbon disulfide, chlorine,
colchicine, HF, hydrobromic acid,
mercury, mercuric chloride,
phenol, potassium, phosphorus,
uranium.
Non-Approved Chemicals
• No one should bring chemicals
into the school. Anyone who
does could be subject to large
fines.
• No experiments should be
conducted with chemicals that are
not part of the school’s inventory.
Engineering Controls
• Safety Glasses and Chemical
Splash Goggles
• Fume Hoods
• Aprons
• Gloves
• Eyewash/Safety Showers
Goggles
• Safety Glasses do not protect
from liquid splashes
• For liquids use indirectly vented
chemical splash goggles
• Eye protection should be worn in
the lab at all times.
Fume Hoods
• Should be closed when not in use
• Not a storage site for chemicals
• 80-100 fpm velocity, not to exceed
120 fpm which causes turbulence
• Should be tested annually to
ensure that hood vents to the
outside.
Gloves and Aprons
• Do not use latex gloves due to
allergies and poor chemical
resistance.
• Use nitrile, pvc or polyethylene, of
these nitrile is the most chemical
resistant.
• Have gloves available in a variety
of sizes.
Gloves, Cont.
• Online databases from NIOSH
have glove compatibility charts.
• Chemical stockroom and cleaning
may require different gloves, such
as utility gloves which are thicker
and longer.
Eyewashes and Showers
• ANSI Z358.1 Standards
• Units should be activated weekly.
• Units should be installed within 10
seconds travel and should be
identified with a sign.
• Eyewashes must deliver 1.5 liters
of potable water per minute for 15
minutes to both eyes
simultaneously.
Eyewashes & Showers, Cont.
• Showers must deliver 20 gallons
per minute flow.
• Water should be tepid, 60-100o F.
• Flush units to prevent bacteria
and other contaminants from
building up in the unit.
Training
• All staff that use chemicals as part
of their job responsibilities should
receive yearly Right-to Know and
Blood Borne Pathogens training.
• Supervisors should keep a signed
log of all that attend the yearly
training.
• Flinn Scientific offers free online
safety videos, student safety
contracts and safety certification.
Issues, Concerns
• Use common sense.
• Document safety discussions in your
plan book. This is your legal record
that such discussions took place.
• Always try out a lab or demonstration
before it is done in front of students.
• Your safety and that of your students
should be your paramount concern.
• Questions?