405
Employee’s Right to Know......................
Employers must train workers about:
Hazards in the lab, including criteria for too much chemical exposure.
Protective clothing and equipment and how to use them.
Emergency procedures.
Detailed safety information about chemicals in safety data sheets (SDS) Formerly
(MSDS).
Free medical consultation/treatment in case of overexposure to hazardous
chemicals.
Permissible Exposure Limits and Exposure Determination
Employees of laboratories using OSHA-regulated substances cannot be exposed to these
substances beyond the OSHA permissible exposure limits. Employers are required to
measure employees' exposure to any regulated substances if that substance is required
by a standard for monitoring. Employers must also inform employees of the monitoring
results.
Safety Precautions
Caution and common sense prevent safety problems:
Assume that any unfamiliar chemical is hazardous.
Read the label and SDS for important safety information before working with any
chemical.
Consider a mixture to be at least as hazardous as its most hazardous component.
Never use anything that is not labeled.
Never combine substances unless instructed to do so. They might react with one
another, causing an explosion or release of harmful vapors. Don't add a chemical
to a container that isn't clean and empty.
Follow all safety procedures to the letter.
In case of chemical overexposure, get medical attention, inform the supervisor,
and check the SDS for first-aid information.
Report any spill. Don't attempt to contain or clean up the spill UNLESS trained
and equipped to do so.
Fish tanks are common where water or wastewater treatment is being used. Fish are a
great detector/ indicator to chemical contention.
