Environmental Health & Safety

CHEMICAL HYGIENE PROGRAM

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SIGNS AND LABELS

Signs: Signs of the following types shall be displayed in laboratory and laboratory support locations:

Location signs identifying safety showers, eyewash stations, other safety equipment, first aid equipment, and emergency exits.
Warnings in areas or on equipment where special or unusual hazards exist.
Cabinets where flammable liquids are stored must be labeled “FLAMMABLE LIQUID STORAGE” or “FLAMMABLE STORAGE”.
A “Hazardous Waste Satellite Accumulation Area” label/sign must be posted where hazardous waste is stored within the laboratory
The doors to those laboratories storing/using chemicals will utilize a door labeling system generated by the Laboratory Safety Unit and posted near the entry door(s) of the labs by the PI/supervisor. The sign will identify the name of the Department and the PI, the principal hazard classes of chemicals, precautions for the fire department and Facilities personnel, the type of lab, and contact information for the lab. This sign will be updated annually. Those locations that have a comparable signage program, such as LLE, will not be required to comply with EH&S’s signage program.
Those locations where potential over-exposures to formaldehyde may occur will require signage as listed in the “UofR Chemical Safety Manual for Laboratory Carcinogens and Reproductive Agents”.
Locations where Nanomaterials are manufactured will require appropriate signage. The University’s Chemical Hygiene Officer will determine the signage required and include this information on the lab door signage.
Appendix 10 of this document lists important phone numbers and other information. Emergency phone numbers for Public Safety (x13), medical assistance for SOEM and UHS (x5-1164), and the Poison Center (1-800-222-1222) should be posted near all phones. Another method of compliance is the posting of the UofR Emergency 13 Flip Chart in a prominent location.
There are other hazardous materials/agents present in labs using chemicals that require special signage. For example:

Laboratories using radiological isotopes or radiation generating devices must have the appropriate signage, as required by the Radiation Safety Officer.
Laboratories having biological hazards or biohazards must have the appropriate biohazard signage, as required by the Biosafety Officer.
Those laboratories having Class 3R, 3B or 4 lasers will have the appropriate laser signage, as required by the Research Laser Safety Officer.
Those laboratories that have strong magnetic fields will have the appropriate signage.

Chemical Labels

All chemicals and solutions must have identity labels showing the contents of the containers and the associated hazards.

Never remove or deface labels on any chemical container. Should labels become difficult to read, the labels must be replaced. The labels must be written in English.
For those locations that wish to use abbreviations on chemical labels, the abbreviations listed in Appendix 9 of this document can be used. Personnel may use these abbreviations provided a printed copy of the appendix is prominently posted in the lab or the listing is placed in the SOP manual of the lab. For such solutions, the name of the solution, the concentration and the date are to be placed on the container.
For research labs, the synthesis of new compounds presents a challenge because the compound’s structure and hazards may be unknown. Labeling of containers of these synthesized chemicals can be achieved by unique identifiers listed in the researcher’s notebook.

QUESTIONS or COMMENTS? Contact EH&S at (585) 275-3241 or e-mail EH&S Questions.

This page last updated 7/30/2015. Disclaimer.

Environmental Health & Safety

CHEMICAL HYGIENE PROGRAM

Emergency Phone Numbers