All laboratories at Vanderbilt University and Vanderbilt University Medical Center that use hazardous chemicals are required by the OSHA/TOSHA Lab Standard to have a written Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP) that is capable of protecting employees from the physical and health hazards associated with hazardous chemicals in the laboratory. The primary objective of the CHP is to establish the basic safety principles for laboratory procedures, equipment and work practices that are designed to protect employees from hazardous chemicals.
All Vanderbilt laboratories engaged in the use of hazardous chemicals should comply with the Vanderbilt CHP. Where the scope of chemical hazards is not adequately addressed by this document, laboratory-specific safe work practices and emergency response procedures must be developed and implemented to ensure a safe laboratory. A format for development, documentation and implementation of laboratory-specific safe work practices is located in the Vanderbilt CHP in Appendix A – Chemical Safety Protocols. Contact your Lab Compliance Coordinator if you need assistance in developing laboratory-specific safe work practices.
Alternately, a laboratory or department may develop its own written CHP so long as it is in compliance with the CHP requirements in the OSHA/TOSHA Lab Standard. Each Principal Investigator or Lab Director is responsible for ensuring that the laboratory has an up-to-date CHP in the lab available to the staff and that the lab staff is properly trained on all applicable elements of the CHP.
Vanderbilt University Chemical Hygiene Plan
Vanderbilt University Medical Center Chemical Hygiene Plan
- Appendix A: Chemical Safety Protocols
- Appendix B: Laboratory Safety Audit Checklist
- Appendix C: Particularly Hazardous Substances (PHS) (view online or print)
- Appendix D: Compressed Gases (view online or print)
- Appendix E: Managing Retention and Storage of Chemicals in your Laboratory (view online or print)
- Appendix F: Newly Synthesized Chemicals (view online or print)
Laboratory Inspections
The OCRS Chemical Safety Section has implemented a Laboratory Compliance Assistance Inspection Program to inspect laboratories for compliance with the OSHA Laboratory Standard (including the Vanderbilt CHP) and the EPA/TDEC hazardous waste regulations.