The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, requires many laboratories in the United States to have chemical hygiene plans, or CHPs, to protect their employees from chemicals that can damage their health. These plans outline the laboratory’s procedures, equipment and work practices that are designed to protect employees from health hazards. By properly implementing and regularly updating your facility’s chemical hygiene plan, you can help reduce the risk of chemical-related injuries and illnesses in your laboratory.
What are CHPs?
Chemical hygiene plans are written, formal documents that explain your facility’s
- Hazard identification strategies
- Hazard controls
- Equipment inspection and maintenance protocols
- Employee training requirements
- Medical consultation and examination processes
- Designated areas
- Containment equipment
- Procedures that require prior approval
- Designated chemical hygiene officer
Chemical hygiene plans are designed to minimize your employees’ contact with health hazards. OSHA defines a health hazard as a chemical that is classified as acutely toxic, poses an aspiration hazard, or can cause skin corrosion and irritation, serious eye damage or irritation, respiratory or skin sensitization, germ cell mutagenicity, carcinogenicity, reproductive toxicity or specific target organ toxicity.
Employer and Employee Responsibilities
If your laboratory facility must have a chemical hygiene plan, you must train all employees over:
- The contents of your laboratory standard
- The location of the CHP
- Your facility’s chemical labels
- Relevant OSHA permissible exposure limits
- Relevant OSHA recommended exposure limits
- The signs and symptoms of chemical exposure
- Where to find additional information about hazardous chemicals
- Safe handling and storage policies
- Disposal policies
- Any applicable personal protective equipment
