Laboratory and Chemical Safety Committee

This committee focuses on the promoting a safe laboratory environment by focusing on the receipt, usage, storage, and disposal of chemicals in a laboratory. This committee works on emerging issues of health and safety in the laboratory environment and how to apply them to the campus. This committee oversees the implementation of the University’s Chemical Hygiene Plan as described in the UNC-Chapel Hill Laboratory Safety Manual.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Review safety and health policies and procedures established by the agency pertaining to laboratory and chemical safety.
• Review incidents involving work-related fatalities, injuries, illnesses or near misses related to laboratory and chemical safety.
• Review employee complaints regarding safety and health hazards related to laboratory and chemical safety.
• Analyze the agency’s work injury and illness statistical records related to laboratory and chemical safety.
• Conduct inspections of laboratories and worksites utilizing chemicals at least annually and in response to complaints regarding safety or health hazards.
• Conduct interviews with employees in conjunction with inspections of the workplace.
• Review agency’s training records related to laboratory and chemical safety to ensure compliance with regulatory training requirements.
• Conduct meetings at least once every three months. Maintain written minutes of such meeting and send copy to each committee member. Copy of minutes shall be posted in the appropriate workplace.
• Designate Employee Safety and Health Representative(s) to accompany representatives from regulatory agencies (i.e. NCOSHA, NC Department of Insurance, NC Division of Environmental Management) during safety and health inspections of the workplace.
• Make written recommendations on behalf of the committee to the agency head.
• Laboratory EHS issues not specifically pertaining to biosafety or radiation safety, and broad laboratory EHS issues.
• OSHA laboratory standard compliance.
• Shipment and receipt of laboratory chemicals.
• Flammable liquids and other fire hazards in laboratories.
• Safe laboratory design, ventilation and engineering.
• Security of laboratory chemicals.
• Carcinogens, reproductive toxins and pesticides.
• Review laboratory EHS survey program (CLIP) findings not specifically pertaining to biosafety or radiation safety.

Minutes

Collaborators

• Joint Safety Team (Department of Chemistry)