Chemical Safety

Chemical Hygiene Plans

Each Principal Investigator (PI) is responsible to develop and maintain the Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP) for his or her laboratory. In broad terms, a CHP is a detailed strategy for controlling hazards in a given location. A lab's CHP should identify all the hazards present in that lab and describe specific measures for effectively controlling those hazards.

Lab CHPs are commonly divided into two broad sections:

• General Safety Information:
  • The Chemical Safety Guide (available at http://www.drs.illinois.edu/css/guidesplans/safety/) is intended as general information, a starting point in assembling a lab-specific CHP.
• Lab-Specific Safety Information:
  • This would include written documents or records such as Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), laboratory safety policies, or completed inventory reports. Details concerning the Unit, Personnel, Facility, Equipment, Procedures and Chemicals should be included in such information. For assistance in compiling lab-specific safety information, the CHP Forms are available in the follow formats:
    • MS Word: http://www.drs.illinois.edu/css/guidesplans/chyp/word/UofICHPNotebook.doc
    • PDF: http://www.drs.illinois.edu/css/guidesplans/chyp/pdf/UofICHPNotebook.pdf

It is the responsibility of the PI to review the Chemical Safety Guide and to use it in the development of a complete plan specific to each laboratory.