The University of Oregon Safety Policy (IV.05.01) outlines safety responsibilities and requirements to ensure individual and institutional compliance with relevant environmental health and safety laws, regulations, policies, and guidelines. This Laboratory Safety Manual, in concert with the Chemical Hygiene Plan, serves as a reference guideline for laboratory safety best practices.
This manual supplements the University Chemical Hygiene Plan and is a reference for all individuals engaged in the laboratory use of hazardous chemicals as defined:
- "Laboratory" means a facility where the "laboratory use of hazardous chemicals" occurs. It is a workplace where relatively small quantities of hazardous chemicals are used on a non-production basis.
- "Laboratory scale" means work with substances in which the containers used for reactions, transfers, and other handling of substances are designed to be easily and safely manipulated by one person. "Laboratory scale" excludes those workplaces whose function is to produce commercial quantities of materials.
A complete description of definitions applicable to laboratories can be found in the OSHA Laboratory Standard, 29 CFR 1910.1450.
In all other areas that use chemicals, but do not fall under the OSHA definition of a “laboratory”, the OSHA regulation 29 CFR 1910.1200 – "Hazard Communication Standard” applies.
Most UO laboratories are subject to the requirements of the Laboratory Standard. In addition to employees who ordinarily work full-time within a laboratory space, other employees (such as office, custodial, maintenance and repair personnel) who regularly spend a significant amount of their time within a laboratory environment as part of their duties, also may fall under the requirements of the Laboratory Standard. This manual applies to employees as well as students, volunteers, and other non-employees who engage in activities within UO laboratories.
Please refer to the individual sections nested under this header for more detail on various aspects of laboratory safety.