ABSTRACT
Many academic, industrial, and other laboratories that use hazardous chemicals are now required by federal regulations known as the “Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Laboratory Standard” to develop and implement chemical hygiene plans. A hazardous chemical is defined in the OSHA Laboratory Standard as any chemical substance for which there is statistically significant evidence based on at least one study conducted in accordance with established scientific principles that acute or chronic health effects may occur in exposed workers. The OSHA Laboratory Standard is a performance standard, that is, there are few specific requirements to carry out certain procedures in a certain way. An employer’s determination is, of course, subject to review at the time of visit by an OSHA compliance officer. However, if the pilot plant operation is an integral part of a research function for the purpose of evaluating a particular effect, then that pilot plant operation may be covered under the OSHA Laboratory Standard.
