Laboratory Safety Checklist

Chemical

Building: Room Number: Date:

Area Supervisor: Area Use: Phone:

General Laboratory Safety

Facility
1. Does the area conform to the definition of a laboratory? Yes No N/A
2. Does the area have at least two exits? Yes No N/A
3. Are exits clearly marked and unobstructed? Yes No N/A
4. Are the appropriate warning signs posted near the lab entrance(s)? Yes No N/A
5. Are emergency procedures and phone numbers clearly posted? Yes No N/A
6. Are aisles unobstructed and maintained at least 36 inches wide throughout? Yes No N/A
7. Are lab benches and work area free of clutter? Yes No N/A
8. Are shelves and cabinets in good condition? Yes No N/A
9. Do shelves have seismic restraints (e.g., lips or wires)? Yes No N/A
10. Are shelves and cabinets secured to the walls? Yes No N/A
11. Is storage above eye level minimized and the items restrained from falling? Yes No N/A
12. Are first aid materials readily available? Yes No N/A
13. Are fire extinguishers readily available? Yes No N/A
14. Are safety showers/eye wash stations accessible within 10 seconds via an
Yes No N/A
unobstructed route (e.g., no closed doors)?
15. Has the safety shower been tested and documented within the past year? Yes No N/A
16. Has the eye wash station been tested, flushed, and documented at least
Yes No N/A
monthly?
17. Are smoking, eating, and drinking prohibited in the lab? Yes No N/A
18. Are refrigerators and freezers clearly labeled “Not for Storage of Food for
Yes No N/A
Human Consumption?”
19. Are refrigerators with flammables an approved type for flammables? Yes No N/A

Right-to-Know
20. Is the Hazardous Chemical Right-to-Know Poster prominently displayed in the
Yes No N/A
building?
21. Is the Hazardous Chemical Right-to-Know Notebook accessible to employees? Yes No N/A
22. Has an up-to-date inventory been maintained for all hazardous materials? Yes No N/A
23. Are SDSs maintained and readily available at all times employees are present? Yes No N/A
24. Are employees familiar with the Chemical Hygiene Plan? Yes No N/A
25. Do employees know the location of the chemical inventory, SDSs, and related
Yes No N/A
reference material?
26. Are employees currently trained in accordance with RTK and Laboratory
Yes No N/A
Standard regulations and documented?
27. Are employees familiar with the information and training requirements of
Yes No N/A
RTK?
28. Are employees familiar with the physical and health hazards of chemicals in
Yes No N/A
the work area?

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 Laboratory Safety Checklist
Chemical
29. Are employees able to describe how to detect the presence or release of
Yes No N/A
hazardous materials?
30. Do employees know how to protect themselves and others from the effects of
Yes No N/A
hazardous materials?
31. Are all storage containers clearly labeled in English with chemical names, CAS
Yes No N/A
Numbers, percent composition (for mixtures), and hazard warnings?

Personal Protection
32. Has a workplace hazard assessment and certification been completed? Yes No N/A
33. Is a fume hood available? Yes No N/A
34. Is the fume hood free of clutter? Yes No N/A
35. Has the fume hood been inspected within the last 12 months and capable of
Yes No N/A
drawing at least 100 LFPM (or more if appropriate)?
36. Are fume hoods equipped with air flow indicators? Yes No N/A
37. Are fume hoods labeled “Not for Perchloric Acid” unless designed as a
Yes No N/A
dedicated perchloric acid hood?
38. Are the appropriate type goggles and face shields worn? Yes No N/A
39. Are lab coats of appropriate material available and worn? Yes No N/A
40. Are appropriate gloves available and worn? Yes No N/A
41. Is appropriate respiratory protection available? Yes No N/A
42. Are respirators cleaned, stored, and inspected regularly? Yes No N/A
43. Is respirator training done and documented along with fit test and medical
Yes No N/A
evaluation of employees?
44. Is mechanical pipetting used – no mouth suction? Yes No N/A
45. Do personnel wear shoes that fully cover feet and full length trousers to
Yes No N/A
protect legs?
46. Is long hair confined and inappropriate jewelry removed? Yes No N/A

Compressed Gases

47. Are cylinders stored upright and properly secured at all times? Yes No N/A
48. Is the storage area dry, cool, and well ventilated? Yes No N/A
49. Are caps properly secured when cylinders are not in use? Yes No N/A
50. Are proper regulators for type gas ALWAYS used and pressure bled when not
Yes No N/A
in use?
51. Are cylinders in good condition and clearly marked? Yes No N/A
52. Are flammables stored separately from oxidizers, and are toxics in a secure
Yes No N/A
area?
53. Are cylinders of flammable gases stored in ventilated enclosures? Yes No N/A
54. Are cylinders moved on cylinder trucks with regulators removed and caps
Yes No N/A
secured?
55. Are cylinders of gases with NFPA health hazard 3 or 4 stored in continuously
Yes No N/A
ventilated enclosures?
56. Are cylinders of gases with NFPA health hazard 2 with no physiological
Yes No N/A
warning properties stored in continuously ventilated enclosures?

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 Laboratory Safety Checklist
Chemical
Chemicals

57. Are flammable liquids stored in OSHA/NFPA approved cabinets if more than 10
gallons without approved safety containers? Yes No N/A
58. Are ignition sources avoided when using/storing flammables? Yes No N/A
59. Are containers segregated by hazard class – flammables away from oxidizers,
acids separate from bases, incompatible acids separated (e.g., nitric acid not
with sulfuric or acetic acid), etc.? Yes No N/A
60. Are corrosives stored in acid cabinets or other appropriate cabinets? Yes No N/A
61. Are chemicals stored at eye level and below? Yes No N/A
62. Are chemicals stored away from light and heat sources? Yes No N/A
63. Are chemical containers in good condition, with labels intact (e.g., metal cans
free of rust)? Yes No N/A
64. Are containers labeled with receipt date and date opened? Yes No N/A
65. Are containers closed unless actively adding/removing contents? Yes No N/A
66. Are peroxide formers properly labeled and inventory tracked? Yes No N/A
67. Is picric acid sufficiently wet? Yes No N/A
68. Are large containers (4L or greater) stored near the floor? Yes No N/A
69. Are bottle carriers utilized when transporting hazardous chemicals between
work areas? Yes No N/A
70. Are proper signs placed to delineate designated areas where HTOX, REP, and
CAR chemicals are used? Yes No N/A
71. Are designated areas properly cleaned and decontaminated? Yes No N/A
72. Is the spill procedure prominently posted and information filled in by laboratory
personnel? Yes No N/A
73. Are spill control materials readily available and personnel familiar with how to
use them? Yes No N/A

Waste Management

74. Is hazardous waste properly labeled with the words “Hazardous Waste,” a list
of contents, and accumulation start date? Yes No N/A
75. Is departmental hazardous waste coordinator informed of waste for disposal? Yes No N/A
76. Is the departmental waste reduction plan adopted and in effect? Yes No N/A
77. Is a chemical inventory management/ordering system in place and checked
before ordering new chemicals? Yes No N/A
78. Does the department have a system to determine hazardous waste generation
rate and quantity accumulated on site? Yes No N/A
79. Is a system in place to notify EH&S of acute hazardous waste (“P listed” waste)? Yes No N/A
80. Is a satellite accumulation area near the point of generation? Yes No N/A
81. Are waste containers tightly closed unless actively adding or removing waste? Yes No N/A
82. Does the waste storage area have communication equipment readily available? Yes No N/A
83. Are waste containers inspected weekly and an inspection log maintained? Yes No N/A

Page 3 of 3 Updated May 2016