Chemical Hygiene Plan
It is the policy of Lafayette College to provide a safe and healthy workplace in compliance with all applicable environmental, health and safety laws and regulations. The College’s Chemical Hygiene Plan has been prepared in accordance with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulation Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories, 29 CFR 1910.1450, commonly known as the Laboratory Standard.
The risks associated with laboratory work are significantly reduced or eliminated when proper precautions and practices are observed. The Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP) was developed to manage and mitigate these risks and to aid faculty, staff and students in maintaining a safe environment in which to teach and conduct research.
The CHP applies to all laboratories and academic work spaces where hazardous substances are used. Each laboratory or work space using hazardous materials is required to have a copy of the CHP readily available to all personnel. Each laboratory worker must be familiar with the contents of the CHP and the procedures for obtaining additional information needed to perform their duties safely.
Individual departments may adopt this CHP or write their own plan, as long as the requirements of the Laboratory Standard are met. It is assumed that if a department has not developed their own plan, that they have adopted and implemented the College’s CHP.
Department Chairpersons are responsible for providing a safe and healthy work environment and for maintaining safety programs in their departments. The Chairperson has the final responsibility for the safety and health of employees, students, visitors and other personnel conducting work in their department.
Chemical Hygiene Officers work with faculty and staff within their departments to develop and implement appropriate chemical hygiene policies and practices. The CHO assists the Chairperson with the implementation of the CHP.
Faculty and Staff will follow the procedures outlined in the CHP and all standard operating procedures developed under the Plan. Faculty and staff that supervise students must ensure that students working in their laboratories have received lab safety and hazardous waste management training and are following all policies and procedures outlined in the Plan.
Students and student workers must attend laboratory safety and hazardous waste management safety training annually. Students and student workers are responsible to follow all pertinent safety rules when working in the laboratory.
Environmental Health and Safety‘s primary role is to manage regulatory compliance with all federal, state and College policies involving EHS issues. EHS acts in an advisory capacity to individual departments to help provide a safe and healthful workplace, including: chemical and biological waste disposal pickups, safety training, and consultation.
General Procedures for Working in a Laboratory
Hazardous Classification Systems
Classes of Hazardous Chemicals
Laboratory Safety Controls
Hazard Assessments and Personal Protective Equipment
Prior Approval Requirements
Training and Information
Medical Consultation and Examination
Hazardous Material Disposal
Emergency Procedures, Accidents and Chemical Spills
CAMEO Chemicals was developed jointly by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as a database of hazardous chemical datasheets and a chemical incompatibility calculator.
The free program can be downloaded as a desktop software system or accessed via web: