Chemicals are everywhere

You can’t read an ingredient label on your groceries without feeling like a decent percentage of it seems like a chemical. I buy isopropyl alcohol from the grocery store. Is that not a chemical? What about lye. That’s definitely a chemical. So what is a chemical anyway?

Review your Chemical Inventory with your Faculty Advisor

Walk-through your space and generate your Chemical Inventory list of all substances that you use and store in your space. Review this list with your Faculty Advisor to identify substances that require a review its Safety Data Sheet and generate a Standard Operating Procedure for your activity. See below for more information.

• Hazard Communication & Chemical Safety

• Step 1: Student organizations must keep a Chemical Inventory Listlisting all chemicals used in the work area and used in activities. This inventory list should be reviewed by your Faculty Advisor and EH & S.

  Step 2: Organizations and your Faculty Advisor should review information on the chemical being used. Brief information can be found on the label and in more detail on the Safety Data Sheet (SDS).

  Step 3: Create a Standard Operating Procedure which requires you to identify the steps of a process or activity that involves chemical, physical, biological, and radiation hazards. Here is an example on how to write a Standard Operating Procedure. You will want to determine:

  • it’s proper use, required PPE, and supervision;

  • storage and access to the chemical,

  • an appropriate training that involves informing participants of the hazards of using the chemical and instruction on how to use, store, and dispose of the chemical, and

  Step 4: Create a training for your membership (or whomever is going to engage in the activity and/or have access to the chemical) that includes:

  • Chemical information, which requires the chemical to have a legible, intact label.

  • Hard copies of the Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) must be available at the location where chemicals are being stored and used.

  • Information on the hazards of the chemicals with which they are working.

  • Instructions on how to access, handle, store, and dispose the chemical.

  Step 5: Maintain a log on who is authorized to use the chemical or engage in the activity.

  Refer to the EH&S Facts Sheets for details: Hazard Communication and Chemical Safety and UCLA Chemical Inventory

  General Guidance

  • Compile an inventory of all the chemicals used in your work/workspace using the UCLA Chemical Inventory.

  • Make sure you are following the guidelines provided on the Safety Data Sheet for the chemical you are using.

  • Most student organization rooms are not safe to store or use chemicals. You MUST consult with your faculty advisor regarding chemicals in your space.

  • Chemicals shall be stored in closed containers when not in use.

  • Store chemicals in designated flammable storage cabinets as applicable.

  • Ensure all chemical containers are properly labeled (either with a manufacturer label, or a secondary label with the name of the chemical and primary hazards).

  • Ensure incompatible chemicals are stored separately.

  • Ensure secondary containment is utilized to catch leaks from chemical containers.

  • Do not order bulk/excess chemicals that may not be used by the end of the project/academic year.