4.3 Access to Pertinent Safety Information

It is essential that laboratory employees have access to information on the hazards of chemicals and procedures for working safely. Supervisors must ensure that laboratory employees are informed about and have access to the following information sources:

  • The contents and requirements of the OSHA Laboratory Safety Standard
  • The UMN Chemical Hygiene Plan
  • The Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs), action levels and other recommended exposure limits for hazardous chemicals used in the laboratory (See OSHA Annotated Table Z-1)
  • Signs and symptoms associated with exposures to hazardous chemicals used in the laboratory
  • Material Safety Data Sheets (For U of M staff and students only. Access to MSDS, FTSS, NIOSHTIC, CHEMINFO, HSELINE, and RTECS)
  • Information on chemical waste disposal and spill response (UMN Chemical Waste Guidelines)
  • Lab-Specific SOPs and hazard information