OSHA Updates For Chemical Safety

OSHA has published new guidelines to help protect laboratory workers from chemical and physical hazards in the lab. “Laboratory Safety Guidance” reviews the numerous OSHA standards that apply to labs and describes how to minimize physical hazards such as fires, explosions, and falls. Other new materials include updated fact sheets on lab safety regulations that cover, for example, labeling and transferring chemicals, latex exposure, and working in chemical fume hoods. “These educational materials will help employers identify hazards and measures to ensure safe and healthful conditions for their workers and promote a robust safety culture in the workplace,” said OSHA chief David Michaels in a statement. OSHA also has been collaborating with the National Academies since the new edition of “Prudent Practices in the Laboratory” was published in March (C&EN, April 4, page 13) in updating the nonmandatory appendixes to OSHA’s standards to make them consistent with the revised safety manual.