Who Must Have a Chemical Hygiene Plan?

On September 17, 1984, the State of Oklahoma adopted the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Standards to apply to State government and its political subdivisions. (Title 40 O.S. sections 401-424, Oklahoma Statutes as amended.)

Under OSHA, certain laboratories at Oklahoma State University are required by 29 CFR 1910 section 1450 of subpart Z (Occupational Exposures to Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories, better known as the "OSHA Laboratory Standard") to develop a Chemical Hygiene Plan.

The OSHA Lab Standard (29CFR 1910.1450) does not apply to all laboritories, but where it does apply, it must be implemented. Even though Oklahoma State University has already implemented the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard (29CFR 1910.1200), the Laboratory Standard must also be implemented in those areas to which it applies.

Only laboratories meeting the following four criteria are subject to the Laboratory Standard:

1. Chemical manipulations are carried out on a laboratory scale. That is, the work with chemicals is in containers of a size that could easily and safely be manipulated by one person.
2. Multiple chemical procedures or chemicals are used.
3. Protective laboratory practices and equipment are available and in common use to minimize the potential for employee exposure to hazardous chemicals.
4. The procedures involved are not part of a production process whose function is to produce commercial quantities of materials, nor do the procedures in any way simulate a production process.