Background

The purpose of the Rutgers Chemical Hygiene Guide is to provide a model for the development and implementation of a Chemical Hygiene Plan, as required by the OSHA Laboratory Standard at 29 CFR 1910.1450. The Laboratory Standard applies to all employees and students engaged in the "laboratory use" (i.e., small-scale operations using multiple chemicals and procedures) of hazardous chemicals in research and teaching laboratories. Principal investigators are strongly encouraged, but not required, to use and modify this Guide to develop a comprehensive health and safety program that protects their laboratory workers from anticipated hazards in their labs. Principal investigators that do not use this Chemical Hygiene Guide are required to produce a Chemical Hygiene Plan that is thorough and complete, complies with this standard, and is consistent with the policies contained in the Guide.

The first edition of the Rutgers Chemical Hygiene Guide was issued in March 1994. Periodically, REHS reviews, updates, and revises the Guide to reflect changes in policies and programs that affect laboratory workers. In January 1998, REHS issued the second edition of the guide. This edition updated emergency telephone numbers to account for new area codes and exchanges on campus, and was posted on the "new" REHS web site to improve access to all laboratory workers.

The Third Edition

Since the second edition of the Guide, REHS has notified principal investigators and laboratory workers of revised laboratory health and safety policies and programs on its website, during annual training sessions, and through written correspondence. REHS made updates and revisions to printed version of the Guide, as well as on its website, and communicated these changes to laboratory workers.

The third edition represents the first substantial update to the Guide in five years, and includes all updated university policies and programs subsequent to the 1998 edition. The third edition of the Guide indicates when the policy or section was written, as well as the update or revision date. Two new policies have been added as appendices 9 and 10 to the Guide.
REHS provides printed copies of the third edition to new faculty members and upon request. Principal Investigators and laboratory workers with earlier editions of the guide are strongly encouraged to visit our website at http://rehs.rutgers.edu, review the third edition, and update their Guide and Chemical Hygiene Plan accordingly to ensure it is consistent with these updates and revisions.

The following summarizes changes between the second and third edition of the Guide.

Summary of Revisions to 2004 Chemical Hygiene Guide

Section	Pritable Copy	Changes
*Cover Page		The printed version of the guide has an updated cover page to indicate the three revision dates, as well as the new REHS address.
*Table of Contents		Updated the table of contents to reflect changes to titles of appendices 5, 6, 7 and to include new appendices 9 (PCB's) and 10 (Darkroom Waste) to reflect new policies added to 2004 revision
Introduction		The printed version was updated by moving the section to be completed by the chemical hygiene officer from page 2 to page 3 [i.e., the cover sheet that identifies the lab where this chemical hygiene plan is applicable]
*Section A-SOP's		Updated (a) the names of the emergency service units, (b) the telephone numbers for RU emergency service units, (c) the new poison information center, and (d) updated the irrigation times from 15 minutes to 30 minutes for chemical contact with the eyes or skin. No other changes made. See page 3 for summary of changes.
Section B-Control Measures		No updates or changes made.
*Section C-Protective Equipment		Modified fume hood section to state all hoods should have flow indicating devices and to include description of ASHRAE hood testing criteria. Also modified the section on Biological Safety Cabinets to reflect current REHS policy on acceptable performance criteria and who pays for certification.
*Section D-Training		Revised section to include: (a) Hazardous Waste Management as a training topic, (b) established two sections for initial and refresher training [previously version identified only initial classroom and hands-on training], and (c) provided a brief description of annual refresher training [both classroom and on-line options available for departments and lab workers].
Section E-Prior Approval		No updates or changes made.
Section F-Medical Consultations		Updated OSHA citation for medical records from old 1910.20 to current 1910.1020
**Section G-PHS		Removed old section and inserted section approved by Lab Safety & Design Committee 12/03
Appendix 1		Updated OSHA citation for medical records from old 1910.20 to current 1910.1020
Appendix 2		Updated emergency telephone numbers listed for all campuses [Note: there are 2 spill charts that are not available that still need to be updated]
*Appendix 3		Revised caution sign program section to reflect current caution sign layout, and to include new label symbols for radiation source, recombinant dna, and inactive radioactive material lab.
Appendix 4		Printed clean copy of 2002 accident report form [all 4 pages]
*Appendix 5		Printed out a new title page to reflect current policy name for disposal of empty/used lab glassware, reformatted 8/02 policy document into guide
*Appendix 6		Printed out a new title page to reflect current policy name for hazardous waste disposal policy and procedures, reformatted 4/02 policy document into guide.
*Appendix 7		Printed out a new title page to reflect current policy name for disposal of biological waste, reformatted 11/01 policy document into guide.
*Appendix 8		Updated table listing substances with their own OSHA standards [included 5 that were omitted from previous editions], printed out revised sections of 1910.1000, and 1910.1000 tables Z-1, Z-2, and Z-3.
**Appendix 9		Added new policy on PCB waste management revised and approved by the Lab Safety and Design Committee 12/03
**Appendix 10		Added new policy on Darkroom Waste Management revised and approved by the Lab Safety and Design Committee 12/03
Notes * Updates to 1994 and 1998 version of guide. Users should review these sections in their current copy of the guide; print and update as necessary ** New policy documents that all users should print and include in guide

References

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