Roles and Responsibilities - Lab Safety Plan
3. Roles and Responsibilities
3.1. Environmental Health and Safety Office
3.1.1. The Environmental Health and Safety Office is responsible for providing technical support and educational programs to keep the university in compliance with federal, state and local regulations. EHS will serve as consultants to the KSU community. Their duties will include developing policies, guidelines, recommendations and providing personnel training to ensure that the university remains in compliance.
3.2. University Chemical Hygiene Officer
3.2.1. Serves as the technical expert in identifying chemical hazards, performing risk assessments, and supporting safe work practices within laboratories.
Develops and maintains a comprehensive chemical hygiene plan, aids the development of laboratory safety plans, and provides collaborative technical guidance to researchers, staff, students, and administrators.
3.2.2. Regularly leads projects that involve development & implementation of policies & program development.
3.2.3. Develops and implements training content, guidelines, policies, and technical documents for the safe use, storage, and disposal of hazardous chemicals in laboratories.
3.2.4. Within the context of hazardous chemical use in research, supports campus committees such as the Laboratory Safety Committee (LSC), Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC), Institutional Review Board (IRB) and others as needed.
3.2.5. Assists with complex problem solving, using innovative and novel solutions using information attained from professional chemical safety knowledge, skills, and abilities, often in collaboration with researchers, and/or other subject matter experts throughout the Kent State University system.
3.2.6. Serves as technical leader and a chemical safety subject matter expert in the development/implementation of chemical and laboratory safety programs throughout Kent State University.
3.2.7. The CHO will interface, on behalf of the campus, with local, state and federal regulatory agencies in matters related to chemical hygiene.
3.2.8. Reviews new regulatory requirements for applicability to chemical safety, effectively communicates these new requirements, and assesses the impact of new or proposed regulations on laboratory safety resource needs.
3.3. Laboratory Safety Committee
3.3.1. The Laboratory Safety Committee (LSC) includes university faculty and staff that are representatives for each department and campus. The laboratory safety committee is responsible for reviewing chemical policies and procedures and evaluating needs of the university to constantly improve the chemical safety program. The LSC responsibilities also include reviewing incidents related to chemical use and serving as a forum to review laboratory practices and procedures to ensure protection of the personnel, environment and property of Kent State.
3.4. Department Chairperson, Director or Dean
3.4.1. Appoint a Department Chemical Hygiene Officer (DCHO) or Safety Coordinator.
3.4.2. Implement the University Laboratory Safety Plan (UCHLSP) and Department Chemical Hygiene Plan (DCHP).
3.4.3. Encourage formation of a departmental safety committee.
3.4.3. Establish departmental goals and objectives that incorporate health and safety performance.
3.4.4. Communicate health and safety information to the department.
3.4.5. Notify DCHO of Principal Investigators that are leaving, moving or retiring to ensure that proper lab decommissioning occurs.
3.5. Departmental or Campus Chemical Hygiene Officer
3.5.1. The Departmental Chemical Hygiene Officer (DCHO) is responsible for ensuring that health and safety compliance is achieved in the department. The responsibilities of the DCHO are:
3.5.2. Ensure all activities related to the use of hazardous chemicals in laboratories are conducted in a safe manner as well as in compliance with OSHA regulations as specified in 29 CFR Part 1910.1450.
3.5.3. Provide reports at the department safety committee meetings on chemical hygiene activities performed.
3.5.4. Work with Principal Investigator's (PI's) to develop, review and approve risk assessments and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s) detailing all aspects of proposed research activities that involve hazardous materials.
3.5.5. Work with the PI's on the approval process for the purchase of highly toxic, reactive, carcinogenic or other inherently hazardous materials.
3.5.6. Investigate and complete incident reports related to accidents, near misses and chemical exposures in their department.
3.5.7. Provide guidance with personal protective equipment selection based on the findings of the hazard risk assessment.
3.5.8. Work as a liaison with the University Chemical Hygiene Officer and the Department of Environmental Health & Safety to ensure compliance.
3.5.9. Distribute the University Laboratory Safety and Chemical Hygiene Plan and other related chemical safety information throughout their department via emails, posting, and other forms of communications.
3.5.10. Provide general chemical safety guidance to department staff, students and faculty.
3.5.11. Facilitate the use and maintenance of the University Chemical Inventory System.
3.5.12. Coordinate Hazardous Waste disposal for the facility.
3.5.13. Assist with Chemical Hygiene Plan training for all laboratory workers in the department. Make sure the department is complying with all University health and safety practices and programs.
3.5.14. Aid laboratory personnel in regard to training, guidelines or any other health and safety service requests in coordination with EHS.
3.5.15. Assist department leadership with the establishment of health and safety goals and objectives to continually improve the health and safety of the department occupants.
3.5.16. Conduct periodic lab walkthroughs and assist EHS with routine inspections. Facilitate corrective actions for any issues identified during inspections.
3.5.17. Identify health safety needs in conjunction with the department leadership to improve health and safety (e.g., training, personnel protective equipment, corrective measures).
3.5.18. Develop a departmental safety committee and participate in the Laboratory Safety Committee.
3.5.19. Notify EHS before a faculty member retires or leaves the University so proper laboratory decommissioning can occur.
3.6. Principal Investigators and Laboratory Supervisors
3.6.1. Establish guidelines and rules for their laboratories that meet minimum requirements that are in accordance with University Chemical Hygiene and Laboratory Safety Plan (UCHLSP), Departmental Chemical Hygiene Plan (DCHP), KSU policies, and federal, state and local regulations.
3.6.2. Ensure all lab personnel working in the labs comply with UCHLSP, DCHP, and LCHP.
3.6.3. Prepare Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) on equipment, procedures and hazards specific to the laboratory in which they will be working. Establish necessary training for lab personnel based on the lab responsibilities. (SOP Link)
3.6.4. Ensure all lab workers in the laboratory have completed EHS required training. All lab workers must complete the laboratory safety checklist.
3.6.5. Enforce rules and requirements of the UCHLSP, DCHP and SOP’s specific to the laboratory.
3.6.6. Ensure all lab personnel have the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment and are using it as required.
3.6.7. Participate in EHS laboratory inspections.
3.6.8. Notify the Departmental Chemical Hygiene Officer (DCHO) of laboratory construction projects or renovations.
3.6.9. Report all laboratory incidents to DCHO and EHS in a timely manner.
3.6.10. Maintain training documentation from Flashtrain and CITI.
3.6.11. Conduct routine housekeeping and chemical inspections to identify issues and correct them.
3.6.12. Ensure proper storage and disposal of chemicals in the lab.
3.7. Laboratory Personnel
3.7.1. Laboratory Personnel includes Principal Investigators, Graduate Assistants, Teaching Assistants, Students, Visiting Scientists, Volunteers, Staff, and Faculty.
3.7.2. Know the location of the UCHLSP, DCHP, LCHP, SOP’s and SDS.
3.7.3. Follow all specifications, rules and requirements of the UCHSLP, DCHP, departmental SOPs and laboratory SOPs.
3.7.4. Complete all required EHS training and laboratory specific training prior to starting any work in the lab. (Training Link)
3.7.5. Obtain approval from the Principal Investigator prior to purchasing any high hazard chemicals and/ or restricted chemicals.
3.7.6. Perform risk assessments prior to beginning procedures to properly evaluate, plan and review material hazards and processes.
3.7.7. All laboratory personnel must be familiar with emergency response and spill response information.
3.7.8. Maintain clean and neat work areas.
3.7.9. Inspect all equipment to make sure it is operating correctly prior to use (e.g. fume hoods, electrical wiring, tubing and fittings and mechanical systems).
3.7.10. Use the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at all times in the lab.
3.7.11. Maintain personal protective equipment with training in appropriate cleaning and maintenance techniques. Lab personnel must also understand the limitations of PPE.
3.7.12. Report all incidents involving chemical spills, exposures, fires, work-related injuries, illnesses and unsafe conditions immediately to the Principal Investigator.