Chemical Safety in the Laboratory

Book excerpt: Nothing is more important to an organization than the health and safety of its workers. The managerial effectiveness of any health and safety program is judged on the basis of how well it prevents injuries and ill health. Chemical Safety in the Laboratory provides a proven approach to implementing and maintaining an effective chemical safety program for laboratories in hospital, industrial, and educational settings. Based on 20 years of experience managing and auditing chemical safety programs, the author discusses the OSHA Laboratory Standard and the Chemical Hygiene Plan, provides guidelines for the effective use of personal protective equipment, and details chemical emergency planning and response procedures. He also outlines a 19-step decontamination procedure for emergency responders. Employee chemical exposure monitoring and victim handling procedures are among the other major topics covered in this essential guide.