Chemical Safety is responsible for the “cradle to grave” management of chemicals, in accordance with Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) regulatory requirements.
Chemical Safety is also responsible for managing the ground and air shipping of hazardous materials/dangerous goods, in accordance with the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) regulatory requirements.
Additional services include:
- Responding to spills/releases on a 24-hour basis
- Conducting internal OSHA/EPA/DOT audits
- Maintaining databases to comply with the recordkeeping requirements mandated by the regulations
Chemical Safety also monitors the reporting of “Chemicals of Interest" pursuant to the Department of Homeland Security regulatory requirements and on-site chemical threshold planning quantities, related to the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA).
View the Laboratory Safety Manual (PDF)
View the Chemical Hygiene Plan (PDF)
Chemical Safety Emergency
- Lab identifies spill, release, fire, or explosion involving hazardous material.
- Lab contacts Public Safety at 402.554.2911.
Be prepared to state:
- your exact location
- your name
- the hazardous material and quantities involved
- a brief description of the incident
- a call back number where you may be reached
3. Public Safety contacts the fire department/HAZMAT unit, as needed.
4. Public Safety dispatches Officer(s) to the perimeter of the scene.
5. Public Safety Officer(s) isolates the scene, restricting and/or rerouting all activities.
6. Public Safety or Emergency Coordinator identifies:
- Exact source and location
- Hazardous material and quantity
- Extent of release (onsite/offsite)
7. Public Safety or Emergency Coordinator is responsible for:
- Arranging for first aid, if needed
- Determining if the Contingency Plan is needed.
- For events not requiring activation of the Contingency Plan—such as a small spill that does not pose a hazard to human health and the environment—coordinate mitigation.
- For events requiring activation of the Contingency Plan—such as a large spill or in waste storage area—take overall scene management responsibilities.
Safety Data Sheets (SDS)
Every chemical manufacturer, distributor, or importer must provide Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) for each hazardous chemical to communicate information on the hazards of the chemical or chemical product. Electronic SDSs are generally available from the appropriate manufacturer’s website.
All employees must demonstrate proficiency at producing (either by hard copy or electronically – including printing) SDSs both to familiarize employees with those chemicals and to be able to send a hard copy of SDSs with any injured persons being referred for emergency or follow-up care. Employees are encouraged to read and familiarize themselves with the SDS whenever there is a question about a particular chemical.
SDSs are available to UNO electronically from MSDS Online (chemmanagement.ehs.com). After clicking the link, select location as UNO and locate your SDS.
If access is not available via the web, you can get them by phone 24hrs/day - 7days/week by calling 1.888.362.7416 (toll-free)
The information you should have when calling:
- Product name & number
- Manufacturer name
- UPC (if available)
- Area code and fax machine number where you want the SDS to be faxed
If for whatever reason you are unable to find a particular SDS, contact EHS for assistance at 402.554.3596.
Questions regarding chemical use should be directed to the appropriate PI or supervisor. Questions regarding SDSs should be referred to UNO Environmental Health and Safety at 402.554.3596.