Policies and Procedures

The Hunter College Bloodborne Pathogen (BBP) Exposure Control Program is intended to protect Hunter College employees who work in occupations where they are at risk of exposure to blood or other potentially infectious materials that may result from the performance of an employee’s duties. This plan is designed to eliminate or minimize employee exposure.
Read / Print the BBP Program

Purpose

Upon occasion, businesses, schools or other organizations offer to donate chemicals (e.g., paints, lab chemicals) to Hunter College. These donations can reduce the cost of obtaining chemicals and provide an opportunity for waste minimization of the donor. However, accepting donated chemicals can result in chemical management compliance and potential safety issues for Hunter College. Moreover, the chemicals may have to be disposed as hazardous waste at a significant cost and Hunter College assumes the potential liability associated with disposal. The purpose of this policy is to ensure that chemical donations are accepted only if they have a beneficial use for Hunter College and do not create significant safety and liability concerns.

Applicability

This policy applies to donations of chemicals offered to Hunter College, departments or individual faculty or staff members.

Policy

Donations of laboratory chemicals or substances that will be considered hazardous waste will not be accepted without approval of the Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) director. The donation shall not exceed the quantity necessary for use in an ongoing or funded project.

To ensure that Hunter College has the proper storage and safety processes in place to accept chemical donations, each chemical donation request must be submitted to the EHS director for review. The EHS director will consult with the department’s risk manager and others as appropriate before approving the donation request. This policy also includes paints or other chemical products, available for pickup at municipal recycling centers.

Hunter College will NOT accept chemical donations that meet any of the following criteria:

• Open containers
• Original labels not intact
• Expired or within six months of expiration date
• On the DEA Chemicals of Concern List, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Precursor Chemicals, Department of Homeland Security, Chemicals of Interest, required TSCA import certification or chemicals that are in highly hazardous classes such as explosive, reactive, highly toxic, radioactive and peroxide forming

Additional Information

Minimization of chemical waste is in the best interest of the faculty and staff as well as Hunter College. Excessive laboratory waste production diverts valuable funds away from more productive activities and increases the regulatory compliance burden on Hunter College. There is a direct correlation between the total college chemical inventory and total waste production, waste minimization must begin with chemical inventory minimization. Chemicals should be acquired in the amounts needed for specific project and not simply to have on hand. Current purchase and delivery services make this practice unnecessary. Waste disposal costs make the practice short-sighted. Effective methods to minimize laboratory waste include micro-or reduced-scale.

If you have been offered chemicals that you would like to accept, please email ehs@hunter.cuny.edu with the following information. It will be evaluated by the EHS department and contact you to discuss the donation:

• Donor’s name, organization and phone number
• Product name(s), number of containers and size
• Product expiration date, if any
• Reason the organization is donating the chemical
• When you would like to receive the materials
• Propose use of the material and timeframe of use
• Propose storage location
• Description of waste generated as the result of use

If you have any questions regarding the policy, please contact the EHS department via email.

The Chemical Hygiene Plan describes Hunter College’s efforts to maintain a safe and healthy work environment for all laboratory employees. The development of this plan is one of a number of ways we are complying with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) “Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories” standard (Code of Federal Regulations 29, Part 1910.1450), a copy of which may be found in the Appendices of this plan. Throughout this plan, this regulation will hereafter be referred to as the “Laboratory Standard.”

This plan covers all areas of Hunter College in which laboratory work involving the use of hazardous materials is performed. While the plan addresses primarily chemical hazards, other materials and processes, such as radiological and biological hazards, are referred to and must be controlled according to specific standards and regulations referenced in the Appendices.
Read / Print the HC CHP

These guidelines explain how to safely dispose of chemical waste, laboratory regulated medical waste, radioactive laboratory waste, electronic waste, and corridor regulated medical waste.
Read / Print the Laboratory Waste Management Handout

The purpose of this policy is to communicate all compliance requirements with both state and federal laws related to the use of controlled substances.
Read / Print the Controlled Substance Policy

The Office of Environmental, Health, Safety and Risk Management, in partnership with the Environmental, Health and Safety Officer Council and the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, has developed this Laboratory Safety Manual to minimize the risks associated with lab activity and ensure that CUNY remains in compliance with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulation 29 CFR 1910.1450, “Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories, or what is commonly referred to as the Laboratory Standard.

The Laboratory Standard requires the development of a Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP) for each laboratory workplace that protects employees from health hazards associated with hazardous chemicals in the laboratory and maintains exposures below OSHA Permissible Exposure Limits. In addition to addressing those regulations that are mandatory, this manual also offers some best management practices supported by leading standards setting organizations and research institutions.
Read / Print the CUNY Lab Safety Manual (PDF)

EHS is in the process of developing a Lab Coat Program and needs your assistance. We will reach out to you in the upcoming academic year to work and partner with you to finalize a program that will work for everyone. Stay tuned.

The purpose of this program is to ensure that all individuals who work with radioactive material have sufficient training and experience to enable them to perform their duties safely and in accordance with regulations and the condition of the Radioactive Material License.
Read / Print the Radiation Safety Program

All laboratory personnel should read these procedures prior to commencing work.

Estimate the amount of radioactivity spilled to determine whether spill is minor and can be immediately decontaminated or major and require additional services.

Supplies

• Paper towels or spill pads
• RADCON, Scrubbing Bubbles, or some other disinfecting cleaner
• Plastic bags
• Labels
• Gloves
• Goggles
• Geiger Counter

Liquid Spills 

• Wear rubber or plastic gloves.
• Drop absorbent paper on spill.

Dry Spills 

• Wear rubber plastic gloves.
• Place damp absorbent paper over spill.
• Take care not to spread contamination.
• Decontaminate as necessary.
• Permit no person to resume work in the area until a survey has been made.

Minor Spill

A spill can generally be considered minor if it contaminates small areas or equipment and results in no external or internal contamination of personnel, no excessive external radiation exposure to personnel, and no serious delay in work.

In the event of a minor spill: 

1. Notify all other persons in the room.
2. Restrict number of persons in spill area.
3. Confine and decontaminate spill immediately.

Major Spill

A spill is considered major if it results in internal radiation exposure to personnel (inhalation/ingestion of radioactive material), excessive external radiation exposure to or contamination of personnel, contamination of large areas, and considerable delay in work.

 In the event of a major spill: 

1. Notify persons not involved to vacate the room at once.
2. If a liquid spills, right the container (have hands protected with gloves).
3. If spill is on skin, flush thoroughly.
4. If spill is on clothing, remove at once.
5. Turn off all fans or ventilation, if possible.
6. If possible, shield the source and prevent the spread of contamination by covering the spill with absorbent paper labeled “caution radioactive material,” but do not attempt to clean the spill.
7. To prevent the spread of contamination, clearly indicate the boundaries of the spill and limit the movement of all personnel who may be contaminated.
8. Perform these steps only if it can be done without further contamination or increase radiation exposure.
9. Shut the door and secure to prevent entry.
10. Limit movement outside of the room until evaluated.
11. Notify Radiation Safety through the Environmental Health and Safety at Ext. 4462.
12. Decontaminate personnel involved as per Radiation Safety instructions.
13. Decontaminate area as per Radiation Safety instructions.
14. All persons involved must be monitored.
15. Permit no person to resume work in the area until a survey is made.

Radioactive Dusts/Mists/Fumes/Gases 

1. Notify other persons to vacate room.
2. Hold breathe, close valves, turn off air-circulating devices, as time permits.
3. Vacate room.
4. Close all doors -post area.
5. Notify Radiation Safety through the Environmental Health and Safety Ext. 4462.
6. Report suspected inhalations of radioactive material.
7. Detain all persons suspected of being contaminated.
8. Decontaminate as instructed by Radiation Safety.
9. An air survey must be performed before work can be resumed.

Injuries Involving Radiation Hazards 

1. Wash minor wounds immediately under running water, spreading edges of wound.
2. Notify Radiation Safety through the Environmental Health and Safety Ext. 4462.
3. Have employee proceed to Radiation Protection or call Public Safety Ext. 4444.
4. In the case of traumatic injury, call 911.

Fires Involving Possible Radiation Hazards 

1. Sound alarm.
2. Call operator and report location.
3. Notify Radiation Safety through the Environmental Health and Safety Ext. 4462.
4. Close all doors and windows.
5. Extinguish the fire, if possible.
6. Decontamination may be necessary before work is resumed in the area.

Personnel Decontamination 

Contaminated clothing should be removed and stored for further evaluation by the radiation safety officer. If the spill is on the skin, flush thoroughly with lukewarm water and then wash with a mild soap. If contamination remains, induce perspiration by covering the area with plastic. Wash the affected area again to remove any contamination that was released by perspiration.

For more information please contact Environmental Health and Safety at (212) 772-4462 or by email at ghauschi@hunter.cuny.edu.