Glossary of Terms

ACGIH: American Conference of Governmental Hygienist

Action Level: A concentration designated in the OSHA regulations (29 CFR 1910) or in the absence of an action level, the PEL for a specific substance calculated as an eight-hour time-weighted average, which initiates certain required activities such as exposure monitoring and medical surveillance.

ANSI: American National Standards Institute

Chemical Hygiene Officer: The Chemical Hygiene Officer (CHO) is an employee who is designated by the employer, and who is qualified by training or experience, to provide technical guidance in the development and implementation of the provisions of the Chemical Hygiene Plan.

Chemical Hygiene Plan: The Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP) is a written program developed and implemented by the employer which (1) sets forth procedures, equipment, personal protective equipment, and work practices that are capable of protecting employees from the health hazards presented by hazardous chemicals used in that particular workplace, and (2) meets the requirements of OSHA’s Laboratory Safety Standard (29 CFR 1910.1450)

CHO: Chemical Hygiene Officer

Designated Area: An area which may be used for work with “select carcinogens,” reproductive toxins or substance which have a high degree of acute toxicity. A designated area may be the entire laboratory, are area of a laboratory or device such as a chemical fume hood.

EHRS: Environmental Health and Radiation Safety

EPA: Environmental Protection Agency

Hazardous Chemical: Any chemical which is classifies as physical or a health hazard, a simple asphyxiant, combustible dust, pyrophoric gas, or hazard not otherwise classified in accordance with OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200)

Health Hazard: Any chemical which is classifies as posing one of the following hazardous effects: acute toxicity (any route of exposure); skin corrosion or irritation; serious eye damage or eye irritation; respiratory or skin sensitization; germ cell mutagenicity; carcinogenicity; reproductive toxicity; specific target organ toxicity ( single or repeated exposure); or aspiration hazard.  The criteria for determining whether a chemical is classified as a health hazard is detailed in Appendix A to 1910.1200 Health Hazard Criteria.

High Hazard Substance: Any chemical or substance that has the potential to cause any health, physical, or environmental hazards that require additional safety and/or environmental practices beyond those of a typical laboratory setting, as required by existing regulations or upon review of the hazards by Environmental Health and Radiation Safety, relevant oversight committees, or other institutional entity.

HHOP: High Hazard Operating Procedure

HHS: High Hazard Substance

Laboratory: OSHA defines a laboratory as “a workplace where relatively small quantities of hazardous chemicals are used on a non-productive basis”.

Laboratory use of hazardous chemicals: The handling or use of such chemicals in which all of the following conditions are met:

• Chemical manipulations are carried out on a “ laboratory scale;”
• Multiple chemical procedures or chemicals are used;
• The procedures involved are not part of a production process, nor in any way simulate a production process; and
• “Protective laboratory practices and equipment” are available and in common use to minimize the potential for employee exposure to hazardous chemicals

LS&CHP: Laboratory Safety & Chemical Hygiene Program

OSHA: Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Particularly Hazardous Substances: Chemicals that re a select carcinogen, a reproductive toxin, or a chemical having a high degree of acute toxicity.

PEL: Permissible Exposure Limit. PELs are the regulatory Limniot or maximum concentration of a substance in the air that personnel can be exposed to without personal protective equipment or engineering controls (such as a chemical fume hood). These chemical may also have a “skin designation” that prohibits skin contact.

Physical Hazard: Any chemical which is classifies as posing one of the following hazardous effects: explosive; flammable (gases, aerosols, liquids or solids); oxidizer (liquid, solid or gas); self-reactive; pyrophoric (liquid or solid); self-heating; organic peroxide; corrosive to metal; gas under pressure; or in contact with water emits flammable gas. See Appendix B to 1910.1200-Physical Hazard Criteria.

PPE: Personal Protective Equipment

TLV: Threshold Limit Value

SOP: Standard Operating Procedure