Chemical Safety

What is Chemical Safety?

Chemical Safety is the use of prudent practices to handle and store hazardous chemicals in a way to minimize risk to the individual, other people, and the environment. Since chemicals can have a variety of properties, knowledge of the hazards and effective controls are crucial to safety.

Our Program

The Environmental Health and Safety team is available to provide support in any facet of chemical hygiene to Principal Investigators, research personnel, and students. The staff is comprised of chemical safety experts with extensive research experience to train and address the research community’s questions on safe use, handling, storage and disposal of chemicals.

Documents:

Chemical Hygiene Plan
Hazard Communication Plan

Services and Responsibilities

  • Annual chemical safety inspections and follow up of campus-wide research laboratories

Document:

Safety Inspection Policy

  • Annual chemical safety inspections and follow up of campus-wide research laboratories
  • Development of online and in-person training regarding chemical hazards in the laboratory
  • Assistance to research groups and PIs to develop Standard Operating Procedure for hazardous chemicals and implement safety procedures in their laboratory

Resources:

Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
Acutely Hazardous Chemicals
Chemical Storage and Segregation
Peroxide Forming Chemicals (PFC) Guidelines

  • Annual update of the Marine Biological Laboratory’s Chemical Hygiene Plan and overseeing of its implementation campus-wide
  • Collaboration with various safety entities campus wide: Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC), Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), as well as Safety Representatives from a cross section of MBL departments.
  • Risk assessment for administration and use of chemicals in animal work submitted to IACUC
  • Emergency response role involving chemical hazards (Ex: chemical spills)
  • Oversee and maintain chemical inventory system for chemicals campus-wide

Resource and Form:

Chemical Inventory Instructions
Chemical Inventory Template

Contact Eric H. Jensen, Environmental Health and Safety Manager, 508-289-7424 or ejensen@mbl.edu with any questions related to chemical safety.