Hazardous Materials

Chemical Inventory
Each

Laboratory must
maintain a complete, accurate
and up to date chemical
inventory.
The inventory should include:
All Chemicals
Hazardous
Non-hazardous

Compressed Gasses

Chemical Inventory

When you are doing the inventory, it is a

good time to discard any chemicals that:

Have expired.
Are no longer being used.
Have containers that have been
compromised, i.e. cracked lid.
Have labels that are illegible.

Submit your updated inventory to EH&S

on the yearly basis.

Material Safety Data Sheets MSDS

A Material Safety Data

Sheet or MSDS is
information provided by
the manufacturer and
maintain by the
employer to inform
employees of the
possible hazards
associated with
chemicals being used in
their work area. It is
part of a hazard
communication
program.

Material Safety Data Sheets MSDS

As stated in 29 CFR 1910.1200(g)(8), the

employer (Lab) shall maintain in the
workplace copies of the required MSDSand
shall ensure that they are readily accessible
during each work shift to employees when
they are in their work area. This can be
done by:
Shared database in which all laboratory workers
have access.
Stored hardcopies that are sent from the
manufacturer.

Material Safety Data Sheets MSDS

Each Laboratory must maintain a current

MSDS for each chemical or compound
being stored or used in the laboratory.
MSDS location must be clearly marked.
Each laboratory worker needs to use and
understand MSDSs.

Important MSDS Information

Chemical Id

Synonyms

Hazardous Ingredients
Exposure Limits

Physical Data
Appearance and odor

Fire & Explosion Data

Flash-point

Health Hazards
Toxic, Carcinogen, etc.

Physical Hazards
Corrosive, Oxidizer, etc.

Reactivity data
Incompatibles

Spill Procedures
Large and small

Special Protection
Wear appropriate PPE

Signs and
Symptoms of
Exposure
Headache, Nausea, etc.

MSDS
Emergency
In an emergency and you cannot retrieve an
MSDS, one can be obtained by calling the
3E Companys 24 Hour phone #:
800-451-8346
Or
760-602-8703

Chemical Storage
Separate

incompatible chemicals.

Separate oxidizers from organics

Separate flammable liquids, acids and
bases
Provide

earthquake restraints for all

shelving when storing chemicals or
glassware.
Secondary containment needs to be
provide if there is a risk of release into
the environment.

Chemical Storage
Storage

container MUST be
compatible with material.
Example: Metal containers cannot be
used for acids and bases.

Food

containers MUST NEVER BE

USED for chemical storage.

Flammable Liquids Storage

If a lab has quantities greater

than 10 gallons, they must be
stored in an approved flammable
liquids storage cabinet.
Containers that can be shattered
or punctured easily must be in
secondary containment.
Do not store with acids or bases.

Acids Storage
Store

in secondary containment
Cannot be stored at or above eye level.
Label cabinets Acid with 3 letters
Store by acid class in separate
secondary containment

Organic
Inorganic
Oxidizing

Common Organic Acids

Glacial

Acetic Acid
Trichloroacetic
Trifluoroacetic Acid
Formic Acid
Citric Acid
Benzoic Acid
Butyric Acid
Propionic Acid

Common Inorganic Acids

Hydrochloric

Acid
Hydrofluoric Acid
Hydrobromic Acid
Phosphoric Acid
Chromic Acid

Common Oxidizing Acids

Nitric

Acid
Perchloric Acid
Sulfuric Acid

Bases Storage

Store in secondary containment

Store away from acids and solvents
Cannot be stored at or above eye level.
Label cabinets Base with 3 letters
Examples:

Hydroxides
Amines
Ammonia
Bleach

Compressed Gasses
Must

be upright and restrained

At least two chains must fit

snuggly around the cylinders.
Separate

incompatible gasses

Flammable & Oxidizing by 20 feet

Keep

caps on while in
transportation or storage

Chemical Labeling
All

containers in the laboratory must

be properly labeled with the name of
the material being stored in the
container. This includes nonhazardous materials such as:

Water
Weak buffers
Salts

Full

name with NO abbreviations.

Chemical Labeling
Containers

of hazardous materials
must not only include the name of
the material but also the chemical
hazards associated with the use of
the material.

Physical Hazards

Explosive
Flammable
Compressed gas
Carcinogen

Toxic
Oxidizer
Corrosive
Reactive

Health Hazards

Carcinogen
Hepatotoxin
Neurotoxin
Nephrotoxin
Reproductive toxin

Corrosive
Sensitizer
Irritant
Highly Toxic
Toxic

Labeling Information
Consult

the MSDS or the

manufacturers label for accurate
labeling information.

HMIS
Hazardous Materials
Identification System
The HMIS rating is a color-coded, alphanumeric system which gives
information about the health, flammability and reactivity of the chemical
in question. The system rates a material from a minimal hazard through
a serious hazard. It also recommends the appropriate personal
protective equipment to be worn when handling the particular chemical.

Example of HMIS

HMIS Health

0 - Minimal Hazard
Not significant risk to health.
1 - Slight Hazard
Irritation or minor reversible injury possible.
2 - Moderate Hazard
Temporary or minor injury may occur.
3 - Serious Hazard
Major injury likely unless prompt action is taken and medical treatment is given.
4 - Severe Hazard
Life-threatening, major or permanent damage may result from single or repeated
over exposures.

HMIS Flammability

0 - Minimal Hazard
Materials that will not burn. Usually includes any material that will not burn in air
when exposed to a temperature of 1500F. for a period of 5 minutes
1 - Slight Hazard
Materials that must be preheated before ignition can occur.
2 - Moderate Hazard
Materials that must be moderately heated or exposed to relatively high ambient
temperatures
before ignition can occur.
3 - Serious Hazard
Materials capable of ignition under almost all ambient temperature conditions.
4 - Severe Hazard
Materials that will rapidly or completely vaporize at atmospheric pressure and normal
ambient temperatures with a flashpoint below 73F. Materials may ignite
spontaneously with air.

HMIS Reactivity

0 - Minimal Hazard
Materials that are normally stable even under fire conditions.
1 - Slight Hazard
Materials that are normally stable but that can become unstable at elevated
temperatures and pressures.
2 - Moderate Hazard
Materials that readily undergo violent chemical change at elevated temperatures and
pressures. These materials may also react violently with water.
3 - Serious Hazard
Materials that are capable of detonation or explosive decomposition but require a
strong initiating source or materials the react explosively with water.
4 - Severe Hazard
Materials that are readily capable of detonation or explosive decomposition or
explosive reaction at normal temperatures and pressures.

HMIS Protective Equipment

Other Hazmat LabelingSample

San Diego State University
5500 Campanile Drive
San Diego, CA 92182

Ethanol
x
x
x

This labeling is not adequate.

Exposure
Routes of Exposure

Inhalation
Absorption
Ingestion
Injection

Exposure Control
Prevent

exposures to hazardous
materials.
Inhalation Keep containers closed, use the
fume hood, reduce volumes
Absorption Wear gloves, lab coat, safety
glasses, clean up spills promptly.
Ingestion Dont eat, drink, smoke of apply
cosmetics in the laboratory. Dont store
hazardous material in food containers.
Injection Use care when handling sharps.
Properly dispose of sharps.

Exposure Control

Engineering controls:
-hoods, cabinets, safety cans,
trays

Work practices:
-Standard operating procedures

Personal protective
equipment:
- safety glasses, lab coats,
gloves, no open-toed shoes

Be Safe, Act Responsibly, Accidents Really Do

Happen

Types of Emergencies
Medical

emergency

Fire
Chemical

spill
Biohazardous material
spill
Bomb threat
Earthquake
Power outage

Emergency Response
If

an emergency occurs, notify:

Notify the supervisor or anyone in your area

your safety officer or EH&S (x46778) and.
If after business hours, notify Public Safety

(x41991).

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. How do I know what is the appropriate

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that I
should wear?

A. Check the MSDS for the material or

sometimes the manufactures label will
have the information. MSDSs are also a
great tool in deciding how to label your
containers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. I cant fit all the required information on

my container because it is too small. What
can I do?

A. Difficult question. Labeling the contents

of the container is priority. If that is all the
information you can fit on it, place the
container into secondary containment like
a beaker and write all the additional
information on the secondary containment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Do I need to use the blue, red, yellow

and white HMIS labels?

No, it would be ideal if everyone did but

sometimes it not practical. You can use
whatever method you can. Be it masking
tape or sharpies. As long as all the
information is there, it is legible and stays
on the container, you are fine.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Why do I need to label something has

just plain water in it?

A. A container with water looks just like a

container with Hydrochloric Acid or any
other clear liquid. You cant tell if
something is dangerous just by looking at
it. That is the purpose of Hazard
Communication. Communicate what is
hazardous and what is not.

The End