Some chemicals have a short life expectancy. Others will remain good for a long time. Solvents that form peroxides are one example of substances requiring periodic testing. Ethers, vinyl compounds, alcohols, ketones, and aldehydes are some of the

Employers are responsible for making sure personal protective equipment (PPE) is available and that employees are using it.

The only good way to prepare for an emergency situation is to think through how you should respond and then practice doing it correctly.

In academic institutions, the most serious issue is the restriction of access to hazardous chemicals to appropriate personnel. Students and others will steal chemicals.

We recommend the establishment of a chemical management system. This system provides for the safe procurement, storage, use and disposal of chemicals.

Standard refrigerators should not be used for storage of flammable or reactive chemicals.

Following this procedure does several things. It forces you to decide what the rules and policies are going to be, shows everyone that you are concerned about health and safety, and keeps a permanent record of your safety standards.

Label All Chemicals to Show the Name of the Material, the Nature and Degree of Hazard, the Appropriate Precautions, and the Name of the Person Responsible for the Container.

The National Safety Council reports that about 1000 people are electrocuted each year in the United States. That means grounded plugs on all electrical equipment in the lab are very important.

There are some emergencies that can’t wait five minutes for EMTs to arrive. Severe bleeding is one of these. A person can bleed to death in three to five minutes depending on the severity. Employees need to be available to deal effectively with this and other serious emergencies.

One of the characteristics of an effective safety program is the availability of reference and resource materials.

Fire extinguishers need to be appropriate to the type of fire. Type A fires form an ash. A water extinguisher is for fires involving burning wood or paper, and so on.

The establishment of a separate accounting line for environmental, health and safety related purchases is essential. This allows you to clearly track monies expended for this purpose.

This simple idea preceded by 15 years the requirements of the OSHA Lab Standard for “Standard Operating Procedures,” “Control Measures” and “Special Provisions for Working with Particularly Hazardous Substances.”

The use of warning signs to designate particular hazards is not just a good idea. It’s the law.