Forms, Policies & Procedures

Lab Hazard Checklist

Please check the hazards that are associated with your lab and complete the section below and email to dehsafety@udel.edu or send through Campus Mail to the Department of Environmental Health and Safety.

Laboratory Inspection Form

It is the aim of the Chemical Hygiene Committee (CHC) and Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) to work cooperatively with Principal Investigators and laboratory workers to achieve compliance with University safety policies, the Chemical Hygiene Plan and governmental regulations. Unsatisfactory items and laboratory safety violations will be handled, following the steps outlined in the Chemical Hygiene Compliance Policy (https://www.udel.edu/EHS/CHCCompliancePolicy.pdf). Issues that represent an immediate or imminent hazard to University Personnel, risk to the environment or potential to cause damage to University facilities are classified at Category 1 Deficiencies and must be rectified immediately.

Laboratory Inspection Program

Laboratory inspections are required by University Policy 7-02, Department Safety Committees, to be conducted quarterly. The Departmental Chemical Hygiene Officer or Safety Committee Chair will organize these inspections which will check for Chemical Hygiene Plan compliance. The inspections may be conducted by the Departmental Chemical Hygiene Officer, the University of Delaware Chemical Hygiene Officer, a member of the local safety committee or on occasion the laboratory occupants. Laboratory supervisors are responsible for ensuring compliance with the University’s Chemical Hygiene Plan and must remediate any deficiencies identified in the laboratory in a timely manner.

• University of Delaware Policy 7-02 : Department Safety Committees
• Environmental Health & Safety Laboratory Inspection Standard Operating Procedure and Inspection Schedule
• Laboratory Inpection Form – PDF / DOC

Any questions or concerns related to Chemical Hygiene Plan laboratory inspections should be addressed to the Chemical Hygiene Officer at dehsafety@udel.edu or call 302-831-8475.

Lightning Safety for Outdoor Activities

1. SCOPE OF PURPOSE

   Lightning strikes approximately 1,000 people annually in the United States, causing fatalities in about 1/3 of these cases. Most of these cases involve persons in outdoor, open areas during the period preceding, during, or after a lightning storm. Lightning storms move at speeds of 25 mph or more and lightning can strike as much as 30 miles ahead of or following the main rain cell of a lightning storm, striking from a clear blue sky. Because of this, visual means of lightning detection is inadequate. Further, persons must seek shelter in advance of the visual lightning or the main rain cell.

   To ensure the safety of guests, participants, and staff during outdoor activities and to provide the criteria for suspension and sheltering when lightning is detected approaching or threatening outdoor activities. …

The complete policy and more can be found on the General Counsel’s web site.

Local Exhaust Ventilation Equipment

1. SCOPE OF PURPOSE
   To ensure local exhaust ventilation equipment is designed and installed in accordance with standards and recommended practices for the control of hazardous materials. …

For more information regarding this policy, contact the Department of Environmental Health and Safety (ext. 8475).

The complete policy and more can be found on the General Counsel’s web site.

Lockout/Tagout, the Control of Hazardous Energy Sources

1. SCOPE OF PURPOSE
   1. The purpose of this policy is to prevent injuries to employees from the unexpected energizing, start-up or release of stored energy from machines, equipment, or processes when such employees are engaged in activities where they are at risk from these hazardous energy sources.
   2. This policy requires departments to establish and implement procedures for affixing the appropriate lockout/tagout devices to energy isolating devices, and to otherwise disable machines, equipment or processes to prevent unexpected energizing, start-up or the release of stored energy.
2. POLICY
   1. Each department shall ensure that before an employee performs any activities where the unexpected energizing, start-up or release of stored energy could occur and cause injury, all potentially hazardous energy sources shall be isolated, locked/tagged out or otherwise disabled in accordance with the established procedures. …

For a copy of the Lockout/Tagout procedures or more information regarding this policy, contact the Department of Environmental Health and Safety (ext. 8475) or click here.

The complete policy and more can be found on the General Counsel’s web site.

Materials that could Present an Imminent Danger to Health and Safety

1. SCOPE OF PURPOSE
   To control the possession of materials that could present an imminent danger to the life and health of the University community.
2. POLICY
   The possession of hazardous material defined in this policy requires the approval of the appropriate dean, director, chairperson, or administrator, and the Director, Department of Environmental Health and Safety …

For more information regarding the Policy, contact the Department of Environmental Health and Safety (ext. 8475).

The complete policy and more can be found on the General Counsel’s web site.

Medication and Drug Use and Distribution

1. PURPOSE
   To outline the policy pertaining to the use and distribution of drugs and pharmaceuticals at the University.
2. POLICY
   No legend medications (drugs which require prescription) can be purchased, stored, packaged, or dispensed at the University of Delaware by anyone except persons authorized to do so by State and Federal regulations, for example, physicians, nurses acting under direct supervision of physicians, and pharmacists. This does not preclude the use of prescribed medications or over the counter (OTC) medications intended for the specific (individual) use of a patient (students and/or staff).

The complete policy and more can be found on the General Counsel’s web site.

Occupational Exposures to Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories

1. SCOPE OF PURPOSE
   To ensure all activities related to the use of hazardous chemicals in laboratories are conducted in a safe manner as well as in compliance with OSHA regulations as specified in 29 CFR Part 1910.1450. …

The complete policy and more can be found on the General Counsel’s web site.

Outdoor C-14 Incubation Record and Checklist

The proper completion and submission of this worksheet is required by the Radiation Safety Committee for each incubation using radioactive materials on the dock outside the Marine Operations Building. Failure to do so may result in the issuance of a permit violation.

Permit Supervisor Training Certification for Radiation Material Users

General form to record degree of training for personnel to be used for department records.

Permit Supervisor Training Certification for X-Ray Workers

Certification for worker qualifications to use x-ray machines for departmental records.