VII. Standard Operating Procedures
Purpose : A general procedure for developing standard operating procedures (SOP) to protect the health of the laboratory employee is presented in this section. Each SOP will contain the practices and procedures required to protect the employee's health when working with hazardous chemicals handled in the laboratory. The importance of SOP's can not be stressed enough. Not only do they provide specific step-by-step instructions in the correct way to perform a given task, they protect the individual supervisors and the institution as a whole from potential litigation in the event of an accident. The CHO will always be available for assisting in the development of SOP's. However, since the CHO does not perform on a regular basis all of the various procedures that can be outlined by a SOP, it will be necessary for the supervisors who possess practiced expertise and who are in regular contact with such procedures to be primarily responsible for SOP development.
Scope : A standard operating procedure¸ must be developed and implemented for handling of any hazardous chemicals.
Procedures:
A. The lab directors of each lab is responsible for developing and effectively implementing SOPs for the safe handling of all hazardous chemicals in their laboratory. In the development of SOPs, the CHO will provide technical assistance concerning personal protective equipment that is needed by the individual(s) performing a given task.
1. An individual SOP is not required for each chemical in use. However, the SOP's which are developed should provide guidance which includes all known hazards of all chemicals in use.
2. An SOP must be written for any procedure that requires that prior approval be given.
B. As a minimum, each SOP should include the items listed below. If any of the items is not needed, that should be stated. For example, if the procedure can be performed outside a laboratory hood, don't omit engineering controls. Rather, indicate that the lab hood is not required.
1. Where applicable, SOP's should include the following:
- a. Hazardous chemicals involved;
- b. Chemicals procedures;
- c. Instruments used;
- d. Engineering controls;
- e. Personal protective equipment;
- f. Step-by-step procedure.
2. Where particularly hazardous chemicals are in use, the following measures should be considered for the SOP.
- a. Maintain records of quantities stored and used
- b. Store in a ventilated area. Store in a container that is large enough to contain a spill of the entire container
- c. Transfer all materials in an oversized container
- d. Work in a designated area, such as a lab hood, glove box or other designated area that is well marked.
- e. Wear eye protection. As a minimum use safety glasses, if splashes are possible additional protection may be required.
- f. Wear protective clothing, a lab coat as a minimum, to avoid contamination in the event of an unplanned release.
- g. Wear protective gloves if manipulations must be conducted by hand or if the hands could be contaminated.
- h. Protect all work surfaces from contamination. Use wet methods whenever possible. If material is dry or aerosol production is possible, equipment with HEPA filters must be used to limit contaminated area or equipment that must be cleaned.
- i. Following completion of the procedures, decontaminate all work surfaces, equipment, glassware, flasks, vacuum tubes and instruments.
- j. Dispose of waste materials properly. Refer to the SOP on Hazardous Waste Disposal.
- k. Remove contaminated protective clothing and dispose or clean properly.
- l. As a final step, wash carefully and decontaminate yourself.
3. The following SOPs are included for all areas as appropriate practice:
- a. Eating, drinking, smoking
- b. Dress code
- c. PPE
- d. Chemical transportation policy and protocol
- e. Chemical storage policy and protocol
- f. Fume hood face velocity testing policy and protocol
- g. Spill response plan
- h. Accident/injury response plan
4. The following SOPs will be included for lab or work areas when appropriate
- a. Waste minimization and disposal policy
- b. Solvent policy
- c. Acid/base policy
- d. Toxin policy
- e. Select carcinogen policy
- f. Noise policy
C. SOP's for the hazardous chemicals handled in your lab are provided as Appendix IV to your lab's copy of the CHP.