Guide for Lab Safety & Facility Inspection Checklists

EHS will e-mail notices of upcoming inspections at least one week in advance.

EHS inspectors will wear protective lab coats and safety glasses during an inspection. Inspectors may wear protective gloves while performing inspections. They will also be carrying a picture ID associating them with the university and with EHS.

EHS inspectors will announce themselves at the beginning of a lab inspection and attempt to identify a safety representative from the lab to ask questions and share results with. They may communicate with any lab personnel during the inspection.

EHS inspectors may photograph areas of concern in laboratories and ask for a list of lab personnel (First Name, Last Name, e-mail, and EID) to verify training history.

EHS inspectors may have flyers/handouts such as emergency instructions, notice to employees, emergency eyewash tags, waste tags, non lab-safe refrigerator labels, and chemical labels. Any of these items are available upon request.

Critical items are areas of concern that are immediately dangerous to life and health which require prompt attention and corrective action. Any item has the potential to be a critical item. Examples are provided below.

Lab Safety Inspection Items

Chemical Storage (Items 1 — 14)

1. Chemicals segregated by hazard class

flammables are away from oxidizers
acids and flammables are separated
acids and bases are separated
nitric acid is separated from other acids

Critical Item: Multiple incompatible chemicals of significant quantity stored together.

2. Chemical containers in good condition

unacceptable conditions include: rusty containers (including gas cylinders), leaking containers, and broken caps

Critical Item: Hazardous chemicals exhibiting crystal formation or bulging containers.

3. Chemical containers properly labeled

primary original containers need to have a label on and the label must be readable
lab personnel need to tape labels on if they are falling off or make a new label that includes chemical name, hazards, and manufacturer (if this information is known)
secondary containers that are used for storage (e.g., squeeze bottles) need to be labeled with the chemical contents

4. Chemical containers closed

Containers should have lids or covers
Container lids or covers should be firmly secured unless actively pouring

Critical Item: Containers of highly hazardous chemicals open or container lids not firmly closed.

5. Glass chemical containers are not stored on the floor

glass containers holding liquid chemicals (even water) or hazardous solid chemicals can not be stored on the floor unless they are positioned in such a way (pushed way under a table) that they can’t be broken

6. Lab safe refrigerator used for cold flammable storage

there can be no flammables stored in a refrigerator, cooler, or cold room, that is not lab safe

Critical Item: Small or dorm size refrigerator packed with flammables.

7. Flammable storage cabinets used for flammable storage > 10 gallons

any amount of flammables over 10 gallons per lab has to be stored in a flammable storage cabinet

Critical Item: Excessive storage over 10 gallons outside of flammable storage cabinet.

8. Peroxide forming chemicals not expired or peroxide testing evident

check for expiration dates of chemicals listed:
- Dioxane
- Ethers
- Furans (e.g. tetrahydrofuran or THF)
- Picric Acid
- Perchloric Acid
- Sodium Amide

Critical Item: Significant quantity or visible evidence of peroxide formation — significantly outdated containers (years).

9. Acids stored in acid cabinet or secondary containment

acids must be stored in an acid cabinet OR in a wooden cabinet or shelf inside a plastic tub, with the cabinet labeled “ACID”
nitric should be physically separated from organic acids, e.g. in its own plastic tub, in a separate cabinet, or in a separate part of the acids cabinet

10. Gas cylinders properly secured

all cylinders must be secured snugly with a strap or chain that is above the middle of the cylinder (a single chain can be used to secure several cylinders as long as each cylinder is secured on at least three sides) — Exempt: lecture bottles

Critical Item: Position in an area where they could easily be knocked over (high traffic area)

11. Gas cylinder safety caps in place

all cylinders without a regulator need to have a safety cap screwed on top — Exempt: lecture bottles

12. Toxic and hazardous gas cylinders properly ventilated

if the gas is listed on the hazardous gas list in the EHS Lab Safety Manual, then the cylinder needs to be stored in a sprinkled ventilated cabinet or enclosure, if one is present in the lab
small cylinders (e.g., lecture bottles) of gases listed on the hazardous gas list can be stored in a fumehood or glovebox, but not more than 2 cylinders per hood
if a gas cylinder cabinet is not available and is needed, this is recorded on the Facility Inspection checklist

Critical Item: Varies by type of gas and volume. Example: One lecture bottle of phosgene outside of ventilated storage could be IDLH.

13. Fume hood not used as permanent storage/ no clutter in fume hood

evidence of fume hood being used as a permanent storage cabinet
evidence of fume hood overly cluttered
fume hood sash blocked by items or objects — cannot close all the way

14. Fume hood sash at or below 18″

the sash must be pulled down so that the vertical opening is no greater than 18″

Critical Item: Improper use of hood while dangerous operations present.

Ignition Sources (Items 15 — 16)

15. Vacuum pumps and other ignition sources are segregated from flammables/combustibles

vacuum pumps and other significant sources of ignition, e.g., a Bunsen burner, can not be stored near flammable chemicals or combustible material like paper or cardboard

Critical Item: Significant quantity of extremely flammable liquids near an open flame or other significant source of ignition.

16. Electrical cords are in good condition

all electrical cords (that can reasonably be checked) should be in good condition, i.e., the insulation should not be worn, split, or frayed; the plug should not be separated from the cord; and the cord should not be pinched in a door or in any other way
extension cords are not used as permanent wiring
power strips are not connected in series (daisy-chained)

Critical Item: Having many extension cords or other electrical cords which are highly damaged.

Chemical/Sharps/Glass Waste (Items 17 — 21)

17. Less than 55 gallons of chemical waste in area

less than 55 gallons total for each lab, liquids and solids are both included

18. Chemical waste containers properly labeled

labeled to indicate that the material is waste and ALL the contents have to be indicated
using the waste tag to identify it as waste without writing the word “waste” is fine
the original contents label MUST be defaced or removed
the word “hazardous” can not be written on the label
a list on a clipboard can be used for indicating the contents as long as it is near the waste container and it’s very clear which list goes with which container (the container itself still needs to be labeled as “waste”)

19. Chemical waste containers closed

always kept closed if not being added to
funnels only allowed if they are actively pouring waste in or funnel has a closed lid and is firmly secured to the waste container

Critical Item: Improper waste handling

20. Glass waste disposal box properly used

should not be more than ¾ full
should not contain hazardous materials (look for unclean chemical bottles or untreated biological material)
should not have liquids (look for signs of water damage to the cardboard or containers containing liquid)
should have structural integrity (check to see if the bottom is rotting)

21. Sharps containers properly used/properly disposed when full

sharps containers should not be more than ¾ full
sharps containers should not have bottles, beakers, etc. in them unless that glassware is INFECTIOUS
sharps cannot be discarded anywhere other than sharps containers

Critical Item: Needles in trash cans. Overflowing sharps containers.

Good Practices (Items 22 — 23)

22. Excess clutter was not present in the lab

look for signs of cluttered lab benches, fume hoods, and floors that goes beyond daily use (>24 hours)

23. Food/drinks were not in the lab

looks for signs of food/drink in the lab (on desks, in trash cans, etc.)
storage of food/drink is not allowed

Emergency Equipment and Egress (Items 24 — 30)

24. Exits and aisles clear of obstruction

walkways should not be cluttered—need at least 3 feet of clearance in aisles
up to two exits in each lab need to be free from obstructions and be usable

Critical Item: Emergency equipment and egress inaccessible in a high hazard lab to such a degree that access would be impossible or greatly hindered.

25. Emergency equipment clear of obstruction

emergency equipment, e.g., showers, eyewashes, spill supplies, and fire extinguishers need to be unobstructed

Critical Item: Emergency equipment obstructed in a high hazard lab to such a degree that access would be impossible or greatly hindered and there is a high degree of hazardous materials present in the lab (e.g., a chemical lab has only one emergency shower in the vicinity and it cannot be used because a computer workstation has been installed under the shower).

26. Doors not propped open

doors from main hallways or entrances to labs with hazardous materials should remain closed
doors to rooms within a suite do not necessarily have to remain closed. It depends on the hazards present in each room in the suite
look for door jambs

27. Chemical spill supplies available

one chemical spill kit is needed per lab group (if contiguous)
if work with infectious agents is conducted, then biological spill supplies are needed

28. Hazardous materials/equipment in hall secured

look for incubators, centrifuges, refrigerators, coolers, freezers, and chemical storage cabinets used with hazardous contents.
Try to relocate to lab instead of hallway if space allows.
Properly secure under lock and key or equivalent if unable to relocate from hall due to space constraints.

29. Electrical panels/disconnects clear of obstruction/ panel doors closed

will usually be gray colored boxes

30. Lab personnel know emergency equipment shutdown procedures

do they have an emergency equipment shutdown procedures plan?

Emergency Preparedness (Items 31 — 35)

31. Eyewash tested within the past week/documented in the past month

lab personnel must turn the eyewash on, and let the water run for a couple of minutes to flush out impurities, e.g., rust and bacteria
report problems with the operation of the eyewash, such as low water pressure or no water at all, to the lab’s Zone Maintenance Shop (call 471-7221 for your Zone Maintenance Shop phone number)
record the test date and initials of the person testing the eyewash on an eyewash testing tag or a logbook located near the eyewash (call EHS, 471-3511, for eyewash testing tags)

Critical Item: Emergency equipment inoperable in a high hazard lab

32. Lab personnel have attended required training (OH 101, OH 102, OH 201, FF205)

verify training records of PI, lab contact, and any known lab personnel in TXClass
see if they will provide you with a list of lab personnel
ask lab contact if they can verify lab training while you are there
provide lab contact with training flyers (training summary, site-specific, training records template) as needed

33. Lab personnel know how to get MSDS

lab personnel need to know how to get MSDS; either paper copies in the lab, EHS office, or the internet
regardless of the system used, MSDS must be available at all times

34. Lab personnel have protective clothing available

the clothing must be available and the lab staff must have the ability to obtain additional clothing as needed

Critical Item: PPE not available (when truly needed such as when directly working with acid) in high hazard labs.

35. Lab personnel wear/use proper protective equipment while in lab (Lab coat, gloves, glasses, etc.)/shorts/sandals are not worn in the lab

if working with chemicals, at a minimum, lab staff need to wear eye protection, gloves, long sleeves, and long pants or a buttoned lab coat if shorts are worn
open toed shoes, e.g., sandals, are not allowed, if working with chemicals

Critical Item: PPE not appropriate, or not worn in high hazard labs. Improper use of street clothing also falls under here, e.g. wearing shorts and flip flops while directly handling highly hazardous chemicals.

Other (Item 36)

36. Miscellaneous

anything that stands out as being a lab deficiency needing corrective action that hasn’t already been identified in any of the other inspection items

Lab Facility Inspection

Emergency Equipment (Items 37-41)

37. Eyewash available

eyewash must be available within 10 seconds normal travel time and accessible (e.g., not behind a locked door)
1. Verify that a shower and/or eyewash is actually needed and is not available. Maybe there is one present but you just didn’t see it.
2. If the shower/eyewash is needed, talk to the contact and try to identify a place for the equipment in the lab (or maybe in the corridor if multiple labs in the area need this equipment).
3. Make an assessment as to how needed this equipment is, i.e., are they working with chemicals frequently or do they infrequently use chemicals — this information will be used to assign a priority for the installation of this equipment — whether it be low, medium, or high.

Critical Item: Emergency eyewash not available in a high hazard lab.

38. Emergency shower available

emergency shower must be available within 10 seconds normal travel time and accessible (e.g., not behind a locked door)
1. Verify that a shower and/or eyewash is actually needed and is not available. Maybe there is one present but you just didn’t see it.
2. If the shower/eyewash is needed, talk to the contact and try to identify a place for the equipment in the lab (or maybe in the corridor if multiple labs in the area need this equipment).
3. Make an assessment as to how needed this equipment is, i.e., are they working with chemicals frequently or do they infrequently use chemicals — this information will be used to assign a priority for the installation of this equipment — whether it be low, medium, or high.

Critical Item: Emergency shower not available in a high hazard lab.

39. Emergency shower has been tested within the past year

inspection tag must be marked showing that the shower’s been tested within past year

Critical Item: Emergency shower in a high hazard lab has not been tested within the past year.

40. Fire extinguisher is available, mounted and clearly marked

fire extinguishers must be mounted near the door and must also be marked with a prominent sign if the mounting is in a place where the extinguisher is obstructed from view
fire extinguishers must be readily available if there are hazards present that could potentially cause a fire

Critical Item: Fire extinguishers not readily available mounted or clearly marked in high hazard labs.

41. Fire extinguishers are charged and have safety pins and seals.

is the pressure gauge fully charged? The arrow should be in the green zone and oriented towards the “12:00” position if you were reading it like you would a watch or clock.
the safety pin should be firmly in place.
the safety seal (a piece of plastic ty wrap) should be connected to the safety seal and handle of the extinguisher.
carbon dioxide cylinders will not have a pressure gauge so we will only look for the safety pin and seal on these types of units.
check to see whether or not the fire extinguisher has been used or tampered with. The pressure gauge, safety pin, and seal will help us determine if usage or tampering has occurred.

Critical Item: Fire extinguisher not readily functional for high hazard labs (when it’s really needed, e.g. in a lab with a large volume of flammable chemicals and there isn’t a fire extinguisher nearby).

Lab Design (Items 42-45)

42. No penetrations in walls, floor, or ceiling/ all ceiling tiles in place

look for punctured holes in the walls that were used to secure objects
manufactured floor drains do not count as a deficiency
check to see if any penetrations have not been sealed with fire retardant material

43. Fire separation was adequate (Class A only)

The walls should have a two hour fire rating

44. Doors swing in direction of egress (Class A only)

exit access doors should swing in the direct of exit travel — also true for Class B labs.

45. Appropriate number of exits (Class A only)

a second means of access to an exit should be present for laboratory work areas that meet the following conditions per NFPA 45, Chapter 5.4 (Means of Access to an Exit), 2004 Edition:
1. contains an explosion hazard located so that an incident would block escape from or access to the laboratory work area
2. Class A lab work area exceeds 500 SQF
3. Class B, C, or D lab work area exceeds 1000 SQF
4. a hood is located adjacent to a primary means of exit access
5. a compressed gas cylinder larger than lecture bottle size is located such that it could prevent safe egress in the event of accidental release of cylinder contents
6. a cryogenic container located such that it could prevent safe egress in the event of accidental release of container contents

Labeling/Signage/Lab Usage (Items 46-50)

46. Refrigerators/cooling equipment properly labeled

non lab-safe refrigerators/freezers/coolers will need a black and white sticker with the wording “Do not store flammable solvents in this refrigerator”
modified refrigerators will need a black and white sticker with the wording “Notice: This is not an explosion proof refrigerator, but it has been designed to permit safe storage of materials producing flammable vapors. Containers should be well-stoppered or tightly closed.”
the stickers (labels) are provided by EHS and are approximately 4″ wide by 5.5″ long

47. Lab does not use RAM, lasers, or biological materials

verify whether or not the lab uses these hazards. If EHS is not aware the lab is using these hazards then count this as a deficiency.

48. Signs identifying unusual hazards posted at lab entrance

if lab uses RAM, lasers, or biological materials then appropriate signs must be in place at the entrance
if lab does not use these hazards and misleading signs are present indicating otherwise then this would be a deficiency as well
verify whether or not other unusual hazards associated with the lab warrant signage such as electrical hazards, asbestos, electromagnetic area, strong radio frequencies, etc.

49. Emergency instructions posted near phones

verify whether or not the lab has emergency instructions posted in the lab — ideally near phones
EHS provides emergency instructions — verify whether or not they are present and the information at the bottom has been completed

50. Current chemical inventories posted near door

a current EHS chemical inventory must be posted on or near the door inside of the lab
if there is an inner room(s) then an inventory must also be posted on the inner door
the information on the inventory should reflect what is actually seen in the lab

Chemical Ventilation Control (Items 51-53)

51. Ventilated storage available for toxic and hazardous gas cylinders

mark this as “N” if gases are present that are on the gas list and sufficient ventilated cabinets are not available

Critical Item: Varies by type of gas and volume. Example: One lecture bottle of phosgene outside of ventilated storage could be IDLH.

52. Fume hood electrical disconnects located within 50 ft., accessible and clearly marked (ONLY if electrical services/controls in fume hood)

It is very rare we would encounter this. Most electrical services/controls are not hard wired inside the fume hood

53. Fume hood has been tested within the past year

look for the test date on the small EHS inspection sticker on the front side of the hood, or on a large yellow warning label on the sash