Laboratory Compliance

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CEHS personnel will look for the following items during laboratory inspections.  Please make sure your lab is up-to-date on all of the necessary paperwork listed below.

Required Documents:

  • Monthly SAA Inspection Checklist The Satellite Accumulation Area (SAA) needs to be inspected each month by completing the SAA inspection checklist. This checklist must be completed each month by laboratory personnel and dated. The inspection checklists need to be stored in the "SAA Insepction Checklist" section in your Chemical & Biological Saftey manual and kept for 3 years.
  • Training Records
    Each undergraduate/graduate student, staff, and faculty member working in the lab, including the principal investigator, is required by OSHA/EPA regulations to go through Laboratory Safety training on an annual basis.  The paper training record must then be updated after attending the training and kept in your Lab Safety binder.
  • Emergency Plan for Chemical Releases poster
    This poster should be updated annually.  Posters are distributed to departments at the beginning of the Fall Semester. Please contact CEHS for a replacement poster.
  • Chemical Hygiene Plan (pdf)
    This plan should be reviewed, signed by the laboratory supervisor, and dated on the front page each year and kept in your Lab Safety binder. Be sure to update any lab-specific standard operating procedures.
  • Chemical Waste Management Guide
  • Safety Data Sheet
    Safety Data Sheets must be accessible to lab personnel. We recommend maintaining your safety data sheets in your Lab Safety binder.

Satellite Accumulation Area (SAA):

  • The SAA should be clearly designated and identified by a SAA poster.
  • Chemical waste is the only material that should be found in the SAA. All other items should be removed.  All chemical waste must have either a red and black hazardous waste label or a blue/white non-RCRA regulated label with the name completely written out.  
  • Chemical waste should be in a suitable container and closed with a screw-cap type lid.  There should be no leaks, spills and the container should be in good condition.
  • The only items that can be stored in the SAA are containers with a hazardous waste or a non-regulated waste label; Do not leave hazardous waste labeled containers in the fume hood or on the benchtops.  Waste cannot be stored on the floor unless the container is larger than 20 liters.
  • A bottle or container that has a hazardous waste label on it should only be kept in the SAA.
  • Secondary containment is recommended for storing chemical waste (i.e. tub).
  • Please submit a Chemical Pickup Request Form once the SAA becomes full or if chemicals have been in the SAA for more than 6 months.
  • If a bottle or container is empty and you would like to re-use it to store another type of waste, please be sure to first completely remove the original label.  It is not acceptable to simply scratch out the name on the original label. The entire label should be removed if the future chemical waste is different than the original contents.  Bottles can be soaked in a sink full of water and then the label will be easy to scrape off with a razor.  Alternatively, CEHS provides bottles that are free of labels. 

 Unacceptable labeling (Do not do this in your lab!): 

Unacceptable labeling for chemical safety. Unacceptable labeling for chemical safety 2.

LABORATORY OPENING PROCEDURE 

LABORATORY CLOSE-OUT PROCEDURE

Useful Information

  • It is always a good idea to have a chemical spill kit in the unlikely event of a spill.  This can consist of a 5-gallon bucket and lid.  Fill it half-full with vermiculite or sand, a small broom/dustpan and ziploc bag of nitrile gloves.  Clearly label the bucket and place in a visible area of lab.
  • SIU has a laundry service available for cleaning your lab coats.  You should not take your lab coats home in order to have them cleaned!  Contact CEHS for more information.
  • Lab coats must be worn in the lab at all times. Eye protection must be worn when anyone in the lab is working with hazardous materials. Nitrile gloves, not latex, should be worn when handling chemicals. You will be protecting yourself and we will be looking for this when we conduct lab inspections. 
  • Please do not bring food, drink or food/drink containers into the lab or an area that uses chemicals!
  • Keep all bottles and containers closed when not actively using them.
  • Make sure there is an updated contact list by the phone.

*Regularly look through your stored chemicals and dispose of chemicals that are no longer used or if they are past their expiration date*