Chemistry Safety

1. Scope

1.1 Weizmann Institute of Science Statement of Responsibility

It is the responsibility of the Weizmann Institute of Science (WIS), as an employer, to take every reasonable precaution to provide a work environment that is free from recognizable hazards for its employees, to ensure that the necessary work practices, procedures and policies are implemented to protect all employees working in WIS owned and operated laboratories from hazardous chemicals in the work area, in accordance with the State of Israel Labour Law.

WIS employees have the responsibility to be well-informed regarding hazardous chemicals and risks associated with using hazardous chemicals in the laboratory environment. This document is intended for WIS compliance with the State of Israel Labour Law and will serve as a broad-based Chemical Safety Plan for all WIS owned and operated laboratories.

1.2 Scope and Application

This document serves as the written guide for WIS compliance to the Laboratory Standard and the Chemical Safety Plan (CSP) requirements contained therein. All units at WIS engaged in the laboratory use (as defined by this document) of hazardous chemicals are required to comply with this document.

The primary objective of this document is to provide a general guide for handling hazardous chemicals in laboratories. The Chemical Safety Plan establishes the basic safety principles for laboratory procedures, equipment and work practices that are capable of protecting employees from physical and health hazards of hazardous chemicals in laboratories.

This document is intended only to highlight those safety measures necessary for achieving a safe and healthy work environment. Where the scope of hazards are not adequately addressed by this general document, specific Standard Operating Procedures must be developed by the project director.

This document will hereafter be known as the Weizmann Institute of Science Chemical Safety Plan (WIS CSP).

1.3 Hazardous Chemical Definitions

A hazardous chemical is defined as any chemical, chemical compound, or mixture of compounds which is a physical and/or health hazard.

A chemical is a physical hazard if there is scientifically valid evidence that it is:

A chemical is a health hazard if there is statistically significant evidence based on at least one study conducted in accordance with established scientific principles that acute or chronic health effects may occur in exposed employees. Included are: Particularly hazardous substances are select carcinogens, reproductive toxicants and chemicals with a high degree of acute toxicity. Select carcinogens are listed in Appendix H.

Reproductive toxicants are defined as any chemical which affects the reproductive capabilities of males or females, including chromosomal damage (mutagenesis) and effects on fetuses (teratogenesis). Information on reproductive effects will be listed on the Material Safety Data Sheet. (Appendix A)

Chemicals with a high degree of acute toxicity are chemicals that have a median lethal dose (LD50) of 50 milligrams or less per kilogram of body weight when administered orally to albino rats weighing between 200 and 300 grams each. The LD50 is that dose at which a lethal response is observed in 50% of the test animals.

The hazard(s) of a chemical may also be listed on its container label. Additionally, if the hazard of a chemical is not evident from the container label, the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for the chemical will list the specific hazards. For further help in determining the hazard of a chemical, contact your supervisor, instructor or Safety Services.

1.4 Responsibility

General Safety Officer (GSO): The General Safety Officer shall be responsible for assuring WIS compliance with State standards. In this vein, the GSO is responsible for oversight of WIS compliance with the State of Israel Labour Law. The GSO will serve as the on-campus authorities and sources of information for the State of Israel Labour and Envirnment Laws and the WIS Chemical Safety Plan.

Project Director (PD): The legal responsibility for safety and well-being of all personnel in contact with any WIS-related activity utilizing radiation, chemical or biological hazards lies with the project director (PD). Specifically, the PD is responsible for:

  1. ensuring all employees under his/her supervision have received general chemical training from the GSO.
  2. providing all employees under his/her supervision with site-specific training.
  3. following appropriate guidelines proscribed in this document.
  4. ensuring usage of personal safety equipment and safety measures.

Employee: Individual laboratory employees (including students and visitors) are responsible for their own safety. All individuals performing work with hazardous substances must accept a shared responsibility for operating in a safe manner once they have been informed about the extent of risk and safe procedures for their activities. They also have the responsibility to inform their supervisors of potential risks, accidents, or work practices/conditions they believe hazardous to their health or to the health of others.

1.5 Employee Rights

It is the employee's right to receive information about the known physical and health hazards of the hazardous chemicals in their work areas and to receive adequate training to work safely with these substances. Employees have the right to work in a safe environment and inform the P.D. or laboratory supervisor about potential risks in the laboratory.

1.6 Availability

The WIS Chemical Safety Plan must be readily available to employees and employee representatives through their PD or supervisor. Additional copies of this document are available from Safety Services.

1.7 Employee Information and Training

Employees must have access to information and training to ensure that they are apprised of the hazards of chemicals present in the work area. Such information must be provided at the time of an employee's initial assignment to a work area where hazardous chemicals are present and prior to assignment involving new exposure situations. Employees should receive periodic refresher information and training to ensure that they are aware of the risks of exposure to hazardous chemicals.

Information: Information provided by the GSO/PD/Supervisors to employees must include:

  1. the WIS Chemistry Safety Manual.
  2. signs and symptoms associated with exposures to hazardous chemicals used in the laboratory (available on Material Safety Data Sheets).
  3. the location and availability of known reference materials on the hazards, safehandling, storage and disposal of hazardous chemicals found in the laboratory, including, but not limited to, Material Safety Data Sheets received from the supplier.
All of the above information is available from the GSO.

Method of Training: General training will be provided by the Safety Services staff, and may take the form of individual instruction, group seminars, audiovisual presentations, handout material, or any combination of the above.

Training: General awareness training provided by the GSO to employees will include:

  1. general regulations for safe work in the laboratory.
  2. the measures employees must take to protect themselves from these hazards, including specific procedures the WIS has implemented to protect employees from exposure to hazardous chemicals, such as appropriate work practices, emergency procedures, personal protective equipment to be used, waste disposal, MSDS, responsibility, etc.

Documentation:

General awareness training required by the CSP will be documented by the Safety Services unit.

1.8 Record Keeping

The GSO will retain records of all employees who attend the general chemical safety seminar and the Laboratory Standard/Chemical Safety Plan seminar given by the Safety Services unit.

Accident records for employees should be written and retained by the GSO.