Job Aid to assist with compliance for the Interim Policy received from SCRI and the Provost in May 2023
This document outlines current practice in the Chemistry Department to comply with the Interim Policy received from SCRI and the Provost in May 2023.
What must be listed outside research labs?
At all hours: any chemicals currently in use that are listed as Class 1 hazards for acute toxicity,
skin damage or eye damage
After 4 pm on workdays, and all day on weekends/holidays: any chemicals currently in use that
are listed as Class 2 hazards in the above categories.
What does “in use” mean?
A chemical is “in use” if it is currently being used in a reaction or process. This includes
chemicals that a student is currently manipulating and also includes chemicals that are in a
reaction that is running unattended. A chemical is NOT in use if it is in a closed container
(wherever that chemical is currently stored) and there are no immediate plans to open that
container and use the chemical inside.
What information am I required to list?
For each chemical that falls in one of the required categories: the chemical name (not the
formula–the name in words), the CAS number, and its rating (1 or 2, plus accompanying letters
as appropriate) in each of the 3 categories (acute toxicity, eye, skin).
Is there other information I might want to list?
In some labs where there are multiple students doing different experiments in different hoods,
the practice is to list the name of the student using each set of chemicals, and in some cases
also which hood they are working in. This is not required but makes it easier to organize and
read the lists in chemical-intensive labs, and also provides additional clarity in case of an
incident.
Where do I find this information?
The safety data sheet (SDS) for each chemical has everything you need; the SDS also needs to
be available to first responders in case of an accident. The easiest way to find an SDS is either
to google “[chemical name] SDS” or to go to a vendor website (e.g. sigmaaldrich.com), search
on the chemical there, and click on the SDS link. The CAS number is listed in the top section
under “Product identifiers.” The hazard ratings are listed Section 2.1, Hazards Identification.
How do I display this information?
There is a magnetic whiteboard outside each research lab; information should be displayed
there when chemicals are in use. There are two main ways labs have opted to display this
information:
● Researchers use whiteboard markers to write out the required information for each
chemical currently in use
● Researchers prepare sheets that list the required information for each chemical used in
standard procedures; when a given procedure is underway, they use the provided
magnets to put up the associated sheet
We don’t use very many Class 1/2 chemicals in my lab; can I just list the few we have and keep that list up at all times?
No. The list is meant to tell first responders and anyone else responding to an incident what
chemicals are currently in use in the lab.
This seems like a lot of work–how can my students and I manage this?
The Chemistry Department has a shared google sheet where we put all the required information
for chemicals we are using in our labs. When a lab is going to use a new chemical, they can
check that sheet to see if someone else has already recorded the needed information; some
labs copy the data they need into a lab-owned google sheet. Ideally any new chemicals are put
into the shared file as well as into the lab-owned file. We are happy to share a copy of our sheet
with any departments or individuals who would like to use it.