COMMUNITY COLLEGES OF SPOKANE

Chemical Hygiene Plan

Standard Operating Procedures for Laboratory Settings

Employee Exposure Protection

Personal apparel and equipment should include:

-Goggles, gloves, lab coats, additional items, including respirator, if necessary.

-An accessible safety shower.

-An eyewash station.

-Fire extinguisher(s).

-Readily available telephone and fire alarm.

If any of these items are not available, or if the location is not known, contact your Chemical Hygiene Officer.

Emergency Prevention, Response and Equipment

Familiarize yourself with at least two routes of exit from your work area.

Know the location and availability of fire alarms, fire extinguishers, telephones, first aid kits, eyewash station, fire blanket, safety shower, emergency numbers, and spill clean up materials.

Familiarize yourself with emergency numbers:

Emergency Procedures

Severe Medical Emergency

-Call 911, be prepared to give directions to location

-Apply emergency first aid, if necessary

-Notify your supervisor of the emergency

-Call 533-3333.  Buildings and Grounds will assist in meeting ambulance.

-Complete the CCS “Medical Emergency Report”

Less Severe Medical Emergency

-Apply first aid, if necessary

-Notify your supervisor

-Make arrangements for transportation, if necessary

-Complete the CCS “Medical Emergency Report”

First Aid Kits/Supplies

First Aid kits are located in all CCS laboratories.  Contact the Chemical Hygiene Officer for refills or location.

Fire Emergency Procedures

-Evacuate the area immediately closing all doors behind you

-Sound the Fire Alarm

-Evacuate the building

-Call 911- be prepared to give directions

-Notify your supervisor

-Call 533-3333.  Buildings and Grounds will meet emergency vehicles.

Explosion Emergency Procedures

-If possible to perform safely, turn off any heating devices

-Follow the above steps for “Fire Emergency”

Building Evacuation Procedures

-When alarm sounds, evacuate the building

-Proceed to designated assembly point (see attached maps)

Electric power Failure

-Turn off cylinders containing toxic or flammable gas

-Stop all chemical reactions

-Evacuate the laboratory

-Do not use alternative lighting such as candles or lanterns

Chemical Spill Clean Up Procedure

Emergency Procedures for Chemical Release/Spill/Explosion are posted in the stockroom. 

The “Trained Spill Responder” can process spills that do not involve injury, do not represent a hazard and are less than one gallon; the Chemistry Stockroom has the name and location of the Spill Responder.

Severe spills should be reported to the “Emergency Coordinator”, 533-4738.  You may have to use your own judgement as to severity of the spill.

Mercury Spills should not be processed by anyone other than the Emergency Coordinator or the Trained Spill Responder.  Mercury spills clean up kits are located in the Chemical shelf under “Mercury”.  Use only if no one can be contacted.  Wear protective attire when cleaning up mercury spills.

Waste Disposal Procedures

All laboratory procedures produce chemical waste.  All chemical waste must be disposed of in legally appropriate manner. All who generate waste must be made aware of this policy.

All waste generated in laboratory experiments will be disposed of in designated waste collection containers.   If appropriate waste collection containers are not provided, the chemicals should be left “as is”, labeled, and brought to the Chemistry stockroom.  Disposal procedures have been established in accordance with federal, state, and local laws, and are subject to change often.  Do not attempt to determine a disposal method yourself.

When planning a new laboratory procedure, waste “minimization” must be a primary consideration. 

Information and Training

It is understood that Science faculty and staff are aware that there are potential risks in all procedures using chemicals.  The Chemical Hygiene Plan was developed at CCS and is designed to inform staff of such risks and what to do in the event of an accident.  Science faculty and staff have a legal obligation to train employees and work study students in Chemical Hygiene and a moral responsibility to inform students of the Chemical Hygiene Plan.

The CCS Department of Environmental Health and Safety has adopted Laboratory Safety Rules based upon the Chemical Hygiene Plan.  Science faculty and staff are requested to inform students of these rules and to enforce them.

Information available to employees and students:

-WISHA Standard for Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories.

-The CCS Chemical Hygiene Plan.

-The permissible exposure limits (PELs) for WISHA regulated substances.

-Material Safety Data Sheets and other reference material.

Check with the Chemical Hygiene Officer for location of these materials.

This document will be displayed in all laboratory areas.