COES Chemical Inventory Policy
| Applies to: | Original Policy Date: | Effective Date of Last Review: | Approved by: |
|---|---|---|---|
| COES Lab Faculty, Staff, Student Workers, and Volunteers | August 2024 | August 2024 | Dr. John Nicklow, President |
Document Code: PW-P2
Policy Owner: College of Engineering and Sciences Panther Works Operations Team
Policy Purpose
This policy ensures compliance with OSHA laboratory standards and Florida Tech EHS guidelines by all COES lab employees.
Policy Scope
This policy applies to all COES lab employees, including faculty, staff, graduate student assistants, college role workers, and federal work-study student workers.
Policy Statement
All COES lab employees are required to maintain an accurate chemical inventory and submit it to the Florida Tech EHS annually.
Procedures/Guidelines
- COES Lab Supervisors:
- Panther Works Lab Managers:
- Provide a deadline reminder to all COES faculty in January upon university return from winter break.
- Verify the annual chemical inventory submissions.
- Coordinate with EHS to confirm the receipt of chemical inventories.
- Inventory Submission:
- Submit chemical inventories as soon as new chemicals are introduced to the lab space and every January thereafter.
Compliance Reference
The laws and regulations encompassed within this policy:
Responsibilities
COES Lab Supervisors: Florida Tech faculty and staff overseeing the day-to-day operations and management of a COES lab space.
Panther Works Lab Managers: COES staff responsible for regulating the management and safety of lab spaces within COES. Additionally, they are responsible for reviewing and revising this policy to ensure its effectiveness and relevance to compliance requirements.
Enforcement
Enforcement Procedures
Initial deadline and submission: All lab supervisors must submit their chemical inventory by the specified deadline to ensure a comprehensive chemical hygiene plan (CHP) is in place to comply with 29 CFR 1910.1450. The standard emphasized that labs must have an up-to-date inventory of hazardous chemicals as part of their safety and compliance measures. This inventory is a crucial component of the CHP and contributes to safe lab operations.
First instance of non-compliance: If the chemical inventory is not submitted by the deadline, the COES Dean will issue a formal written reprimand to the COES Lab supervisor. A new deadline will be set for the submission of the chemical inventory, and the COES Lab supervisor is responsible for ensuring the new deadline is met.
Further non-compliance: Continued failure to comply with the deadlines will result in lab space being temporarily or permanently shut down to ensure safety and compliance. The COES Dean will notify the lab supervisor and any affected personnel of the shutdown, along with the reasons and next steps.
Appeal procedures: Lab supervisors may appeal decisions after ensuring that the compliance issues referenced in the written enforcement communications have been addressed. They may do so by submitting a written request to the COES Dean and Director of Operations within the time period specified in the written enforcement communications.
Documentation
All reprimands, warnings, and notices will be documented and kept on file for future reference. The COES Dean’s office and the COES Operations team will keep these files in the COES SharePoint. Lab supervisors may request copies of their documents at any time via email to the Director of Operations or the Dean’s Administrative team.
- Contact: coeslabs@fit.edu
Related Documents
| Document Code | Document Title |
|---|---|
| P1-F1 | Florida Tech Chemical Inventory Template |
| P1-F2 | Annual EHS Submission |
Revision History
(0) Original document. Effective Date: August 2024