JAC Safety Manual - Chapter 6: Hazardous Chemicals &
Flammable Liquids
CHAPTER 6:
HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS AND FLAMMABLE LIQUIDS
A. Hazard Communication Program
1. Policy
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration's
Hazard
Communication
Standard, also referred to as the Right-To-Know Law, was enacted to
ensure
that the hazards of all chemicals used in a workplace are evaluated and
that the resulting information is made available to those employees who
use the chemicals in question. The following information constitutes
the
written Hazard Communication Program for all employees who use
hazardous
chemicals at the Joint Astronomy Centre (JAC). The Site Safety Advisor
will give training to all staff on the Basic JAC Hazard Communication
Program;
training in the hazards of specific chemicals will be given by
supervisors.
2. Responsibilities
a. Supervisor
- Is responsible for ensuring
that all employees
they supervise are
made
aware of all elements of the JAC Hazard Communication Program and that
they receive the necessary training needed to handle potentially
hazardous
chemicals.
- Will train all their
individual staff members
in specific
chemicals
that
they use.
- Ensures all secondary
containers used by their
staff are
correctly
labeled.
- Ensures that the proper
purchase checks (section
3g)
are made before purchasing any potentially hazardous substance.
b. Employee
- Understands and
complies with all
phases of the JAC
Hazard
Communication
Program.
- Will not use any chemicals
that they are not
properly trained
for and
will
seek training.
- Personal protective
equipment is to be used
as required by
MSDS procedure.
- Containers with no labels
are to be reported
to the Supervisor
immediately.
- Labels are not to be
removed from any
container.
- Ensures that the proper
purchase checks (section
3g)
are made before purchasing any potentially hazardous substance.
c. Site Safety Advisor (SSA)
- Serves as a focal
point with regard
to recordkeeping
and compliance
for
the program. The records shall include rosters of training sessions,
annual
reports, chemical inventories, material safety data sheets, requests
for
material safety data sheets, trade secret information, and
compliance/training
of contract employees as required under section 3f.
- Will schedule and train all
staff in the
Basic JAC Hazard
Communication
Program.
3. Procedures
a. Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)
The foundation of the Employee Right to Know Program is
the
requirement
that every manufacturer or importer of hazardous substances must
develop
an MSDS for each substance and provide a copy to the buyer/user.
The SSA will be responsible for insuring that the MSDSs
are
obtained
from the vendors. All samples from our suppliers must also include the
MSDS.
It will be the SSA's responsibility to make a listing of
all
the
hazardous
substances located in each work site and ensure that a current MSDS has
been obtained and is available for each substance. The SSA will keep
the
master list and reference copies of all MSDSs and will ensure that
MSDSs
relevant to each site (Hilo, JCMT and UKIRT) are available at the
relevant
MSDS stations.
b. Employee Information and Training
During the training process each employee will attend a
basic
hazard
communication training course conducted by the Site Safety Advisor.
Information
and training will be provided on the following items:
- Requirements and rights of
the employee
contained in the Hazard
Communication
Regulation.
- Location of the Written
Hazard Communication
Program, the
listing of
Hazardous
Substances and the Material Safety Data Sheets.
- How to read labels and
MSDSs for pertinent
hazard information.
- What steps the JAC has
taken to lessen or
prevent exposure to
these
substances.
The training given by the supervisor will include the
following
points:
- Operations and work areas
where hazardous
substances are
present.
- How to determine the
presence or release of
hazardous
substances in the
work area.
- Physical and health effects
to over exposure.
- How to protect/prevent
exposure to these
hazardous substances
through
use
of protective equipment, proper work practices and
engineering/environmental
controls.
- Emergency and first aid
procedures to follow
if an employee is
exposed
or harmed by a hazardous substance.
The supervisor will review the
above
items as new hazardous
substances
are introduced in the work areas and present the information to the
employees
before they use the hazardous substances.
c.
Container
Labeling
No container of Hazardous Substances will be released
for use
until
the Site Safety Advisor has verified the following label information:
- Contents of container is
clearly labeled.
- Appropriate hazard warnings
such as health,
fire and reactivity
are
noted.
All secondary containers must be labelled immediately.
The
Site
Safety
Advisor has stocks of suitable labels.
d. Hazardous Non-routine
Tasks
In the event an employee is required to perform a
hazardous
non-routine
task such as spill clean-up, maintenance or repair of equipment, etc.,
the project supervisor will provide each involved employee with the
following
information before the task is started:
- MSDS on each hazardous
substance present or
used.
- Review each MSDS to determine
the specific
hazards involved and
the
precautions
that must be taken by the employee.
- Environmental controls and
personal safety
equipment that must be
utilized
in performing the task.
e. Hazardous Substances in
Unlabeled
Pipes
The Site Safety Advisor is to be contacted before any
employee
works
on unlabeled pipes, and shall provide the employee with the following
information:
- The hazardous substance in
the pipe (if any).
- A copy of the MSDS pointing
out the potential
hazards.
- Safety precautions to be
taken.
f.
Outside
Contractors
Before an outside contractor is permitted to work in our
facilities,
the contractor must present to the Site Safety Advisor a listing of all
the hazardous substances brought into our facilities together with a
current
MSDS on each substance. The contractor must also demonstrate compliance
with Federal, State and Local Hazard Communication Regulations.
The Site Safety Advisor will make available to the
contractor a
listing
of the hazardous substances present in the work areas the contractor's
personnel will be in, together with the appropriate MSDSs.
g.
Purchase
of Potentially Hazardous
Substances
Check with the Site Safety Advisor before buying any
potentially
hazardous
substances. He will advise upon non-hazardous alternatives, or
other alternatives already in our inventory, before clearing any
purchase
of a new hazardous substance.
Any questions about this
program
shall be
directed to the Site Safety
Advisor.
The master list of all hazardous substances is
kept by
the
Site Safety Advisor.
B. Storage & Use
of
Hazardous
Chemicals & Flammable Liquids
1. Policy
Hazardous chemicals and flammable liquids must be
transported,
handled
and stored safely and in accordance with all applicable regulations and
other legal requirements while at the JAC.
All flammable liquids shall be returned to flammable
material
storage
cupboards after use.
2. Responsibilities
a. Supervisor
- Ensures that necessary safety
equipment (e.g.,
approved storage
cabinets, waste disposal container) is available and properly used.
- Provides adequate training to
employees in the
safe handling,
transportation,
and storage of hazardous chemicals and flammable liquids.
b. Employee
- Adheres to good laboratory
practices for the
safe handling,
transportation,
and storage of hazardous chemicals and flammable liquids.
- Obtains and utilizes
equipment necessary for
safe conduct of work.
c. Site Safety Advisor
- Ensures the availability of
proper safety
equipment required for
the
safe
performance of all work functions.
- Carries out periodic
inspections to ensure
compliance with safety
requirements.
C. Hazardous Waste Disposal
1. Policy
The JAC will safely control the disposal of all
hazardous
wastes
generated
at the JAC in accordance with OSHA, EPA and other regulations.
2. Responsibilities
- Supervisor
- Ensures that all hazardous
wastes generated
at JAC are properly
identified
and safely packaged so that they may be disposed of safely in
accordance
with the policies given below and with minimal effect on the
environment.
- Evaluates work tasks and
procedures to
identify opportunities
to
prevent
or minimize the generation of hazardous wastes. Implements waste
minimization
practices such as material recovery/reuse, efficient chemical
purchases,
material substitution, or equipment and process changes.
-
Employee
- Follows the policies in
this section
regarding hazardous wastes
disposal.
Calls to the attention of the supervisor or Site Safety Advisor any
possible
hazardous conditions resulting from the handling or storage of
potentially
hazardous wastes.
- Properly packages all
hazardous wastes.
- Performs work tasks in a
manner that
minimizes the quantity or
toxicity
of hazardous waste generated.
-
Site Safety Advisor
- Provides assistance in
developing and
approving proper waste
handling,
storage procedures, and equipment for these purposes.
- Provides for timely pick-up
of hazardous
wastes and/or instruct
the
employee
in proper procedures for waste disposal.
3. Procedures for Disposal
The following are general
guidelines
for
the preparation and
disposition
of chemical waste.
- No chemical wastes are to be
flushed down the
drain except with
specific
approval by the Site Safety Advisor.
- All chemical wastes must be
clearly identified.
The Site Safety Advisor will
contact
authorized contractors for the removal of hazardous wastes.
D. Used Oil/Ethylene Glycol Disposal
1. Policy
The JAC will safely control the disposal of used oil and
ethylene
glycol in accordance with Hawaii OSHA, EPA and other regulations.
2. Responsibilities
- Supervisor
Ensures that all used oil and
ethylene
glycol are properly
identified and stored.
-
Employee
- Follows the procedures in
this section for
proper disposal.
- Properly stores used oil
and ethylene glycol.
- Calls to the attention of
the supervisor or
Site Safety Advisor
any
possible
hazardous conditions resulting from the handling or storage of used oil
and ethylene glycol.
-
Site Safety Advisor
Provides assistance in
developing
and
approving proper
handling,
storage procedures and equipment for these purposes.
- Facility Maintenance
Manager
Provides for timely pick-up
of
used oil
and ethylene
glycol
by an approved
contractor.
3. Procedures for
Disposal
- Store/transport used oil and ethylene
glycol in
an approved waste
container.
- Transfer used oil and ethylene
glycol from
transport container to
proper
storage
drums located outside of the Hilo vehicle maintenance bay.
- Do not pour contaminated waste
oil or ethylene
glycol into the
storage
drums. Contact Site Safety Advisor for advice if not sure of
contamination.
- Contact Facility Maintenance
Manager to arrange
for pick-up when
storage
drums are
full.
E. Refrigerant Disposal
(JHT
drafting this new section)
11-August-05
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