Chemical Hygiene Plan

Chemical Hygiene Plan

Campus labs that use chemicals must develop and carry out a written chemical hygiene plan (CHP). The CHP establishes responsibilities and procedures that protect personnel in the lab from hazardous substances. While the CHP should be specific to hazards and operations in your lab, EHS has developed a template to assist you in creation of a CHP for your lab. You can find guidance on using this template and implementing the CHP in your lab below.

Customizing the CHP

The CHP template provided in the link above is designed to meet the requirements of WAC 296-828, commonly known as the lab safety standard. To make the plan applicable to your specific lab space, two items must be modified with your specific information. These items, Table 7C-1 (Locations of Designated Areas) and Table 7C-2 (Laboratory Specific Contact Information), can be found as the last two pages in the template. Additionally, this template is provided for your use as an editable word document. If operations in your lab deviate from the details laid out in the plan, you are welcome to modify the plan to suit your needs. If you choose to modify the plan (other than table 7C-1 and 7C-2) it is recommended that you consult with, and provide a copy of your edits, to EHS. We will review your changes to ensure the modified plan still meets the requirements of WAC 296-828.

Plans Require Annual Updates.

WAC 296-828 requires the CHP to be reviewed and updated annually. EHS will provide annual review and update of the CHP template. If the lab you are in charge of is using this template, it is your responsibility to ensure you are using the most up to date version of the template.

Know the Plan

It is not sufficient to simply have a written chemical hygiene plan. A copy of the plan must be readily available to lab personnel, and all personnel should be familiar with the contents of the plan. This can be accomplished in many different ways, but however you choose to familiarize personnel, it is important that this training be documented. This training should be completed prior to personnel beginning work in the lab, and should be refreshed annually when the CHP is updated.

Contact Information

For questions concerning chemical hygiene plans please contact your department safety coordinator or EHS.