Laboratory Safety Policy

UAH Laboratory Safety Responsibilities

University
The University of Alabama in Huntsville is responsible for developing and supporting a comprehensive environmental health and safety program that will protect employees, students and other building occupants and the environment from negative effects associated with activities and operations of the building.  The University is responsible for developing and maintaining the physical facilities and surrounding grounds in a manner that affords employees, students and other occupants a safe environment, free from known and uncontrolled hazards.

Environmental Health and Safety Committee
This committee meets quarterly and ensures campus-wide compliance with the applicable federal and state environmental health and safety requirements.  This committee addresses environmental health and safety issues and concerns affecting UAH faculty, staff, and students.  The Committee provides recommendations to address deficiencies and reports the results to the President.

Radiation Safety Committee
The Radiation Safety Committee is responsible for insuring University compliance with state and federal regulations pertaining to the use of ionizing radiation sources.  The Radiation Safety Committee meets quarterly and as required.

Office of Environmental Health and Safety (OEHS)

1. Prepares and updates UAH safety programs
2. Distributes the programs and plans to applicable departments
3. Provides environmental health and safety training applicable to laboratory, physical facilities, occupational health in general industry, and environmental regulations
4. Provides resources for departments in the development of their individual health and safety programs
5. Conducts building fire, life safety, and laboratory environmental and safety audits

Departments

1. Insure safety issues are assessed and addressed prior to commencement of work
2. Cost incurred for exposure monitoring
3. Insure the appropriate engineering controls are available and installed for research and learning exercises performed in their areas.  When engineering controls are not available or not feasible departments are responsible for insuring personal protective equipment is used and that proper training has been received.
4. Specialty equipment that is not a part of the original building system may require the department to seek outside contracts for maintenance.  For example scrubbers, burn boxes, lasers, hoods with specialized systems, autoclaves, etc.  Records of this maintenance are reviewed annually during EHS audits.

Department Chairperson

1. Insures that Supervisors/Principal investigators/Center Directors or equivalent adhere to guidelines established in the applicable UAH safety programs and plans.
2. Minimal accepted safety practices are adhered to.
3. Audit non-compliances are resolved in a timely manner.
4. There are emergency supervisors and staff assigned for each building.

Supervisor/Principal Investigator/Center Director or equivalent

1. Submit project registration to the OEHS prior to the commencement of research
2. Submit an annual chemical inventory to the OEHS.
3. Enforce safe work practices as written in applicable UAH manuals and plans.
4. Schedule employees to attend designated training sessions
5. Training for all lab personnel must be provided and documented on an annual basis. Training is offered through the OEHS, but P.I.s and Supervisors are responsible for training personnel of specific hazards in the lab/area and upon start of work in the lab. This training must include training on the locations of safety showers, eye washes, fire extinguishers/blankets, spill kits, emergency exits, and evacuation plans and routes.
6. Insure that the Laboratory Safety Manual and MSDS’s are accessible to all lab personnel while in the place of work.
7. Insure employees have and utilize adequate safety equipment and personal protective equipment as is needed for specific projects.
8. Identification of potential hazards of specific projects before work is started.  Provide the appropriate steps to minimize the hazard to the smallest threat possible to the persons performing the work.
9. Inform employees as to the location of the applicable UAH safety program and make sure that the employee has read and understands the program or plan.
10. Insure the work areas are safe and hygienic and that good housekeeping practices are used.
11. Insure doors to laboratories and other fire rated doors remain closed at all times. They can not be propped open by any means. This is a requirement of the NFPA and the Huntsville Fire Department. Security purposes dictate that all doors to laboratories containing hazardous materials are to be locked when unattended.
12. Submit work orders for facility equipment requiring repairs or maintenance to the Work Order Desk.
13. Insure that the satellite waste accumulation meets the requirements set forth by OEHS.  Hazardous waste must be collected and processed through OEHS.  Biological waste (red bag) must be collected in appropriate containers as well as autoclave waste and sharps disposal containers.  Radiation waste must be collected through the radiation control technician.  Common trash must be collected in appropriate containers or clear bag waste receptacles and processed through Physical Plant.

Employee

1. Everyone who works with hazardous materials MUST attend one Lab Safety & Hazardous Waste course each year. This is federally mandated.
2. All the hazards you will be exposed to.  Read SOPs, MSDS’s, ask the PI or the Hazardous Materials Specialist.
3. Wear the appropriate safety equipment. (safety eyewear, shoes, long pants, ear protection)
4. Know the correct procedures for handling/disposing hazardous materials, and operating equipment.
5. Insure doors to laboratories and other fire rated doors remain closed at all times. They can not be propped open by any means. This is a requirement of the NFPA and the Huntsville Fire Department. Security purposes dictate that all doors to laboratories containing hazardous materials are to be locked when unattended.
6. Know the location of lab phones, emergency information, spill kits, fire extinguishers, safety showers & eye washes, power shutoff switches, gas shutoff valves, evacuation routes, Laboratory Safety or other appropriate manual and Material Safety Data Sheets.
7. Know what to do if something goes wrong. (Phone lists, info on lab doors).  Follow and submit laboratory accident/injury report involving student(s) to the OEHS.  Immediately report any lab-related accident to the PI. 
8. Be alert for potential problems in the lab (including non-UAH labs), in the Department, in the field.
9. Report hazardous conditions  to supervisors immediately upon being discovered
10. Employees who have significant responsibility for directing their own laboratory work are responsible for assuring that potential hazards of specific projects have been identified and addressed before work is started.

Hazardous Materials Specialist

• Work with principle investigators/directors/employees to develop and implement appropriate chemical hygiene policies and practices. This person will assist supervisors, laboratory managers and employees to develop safe handling procedures and will know the current legal requirements concerning hazardous chemicals.
• Insure hazardous wastes are retrieved from satellite accumulation sites and disposed of according to regulations and guidelines.

SAFETY POLICY

UAH faculty and staff are committed to safely conducting research and experimentation within University facilities. Minimum safety practices to be followed within laboratories and research facilities are outlined below. Laboratory managers, teaching assistants, or other persons in charge of teaching laboratories are responsible for distributing this information on the first day of scheduled classes to all students and staff associated with the teaching lab.

The requirements of the policy include:

1.) NO EATING, DRINKING, OR SMOKING IN THE LAB AT ANY TIME.

2.) ALL LABORATORIES UTILIZING CHEMICALS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, SOLVENTS, ACIDS, BASES, CARCINOGENS AND\OR TOXICS, ARE REQUIRED TO WEAR PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE) APPROPRIATE FOR THE CHEMICAL(S) IN USE. THIS INCLUDES SAFETY GLASSES, LAB COAT AND GLOVES. (Information on the use of proper PPE can be obtained from the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for the chemical or by contacting the Office of Environmental Health & Safety at 2171 or 6875.

3.) OPEN-TOED SHOES (i.e. sandals) ARE FORBIDDEN. ONLY SHOES COVERING THE ENTIRE FOOT SHALL BE WORN DURING LABORATORY CLASSES.

4.) EYEWASH AND SAFETY SHOWERS MUST BE WITHIN 10 SECONDS FROM ALL TEACHING LABS. STUDENTS MUST BE INSTRUCTED IN THEIR LOCATION AND USE.

5.) NO HORSEPLAY OR ROWDY BEHAVIOR IS PERMITTED IN THE LABORATORY.

6.) ALL WASTE CHEMICALS MUST BE PLACED IN PROPERLY LABELED AND CHEMICALLY COMPATIBLE WASTE CONTAINERS. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES ARE STUDENTS TO DUMP CHEMICALS INTO SINKS OR OTHER DRAINS WITHIN THE LABORATORY.

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