UCLA

I. PURPOSE & SCOPE

UCLA is committed to setting high standards in order to provide a healthy and safe working environment. In compliance with applicable federal, State and local regulations and with University health and safety standards and practice, the UC Office of the President and UCLA have issued policies to mitigate workplace exposures, injuries, and illnesses for faculty, staff, students, volunteers and visitors. See Section IV of this Policy.

To meet this safety standard, the UCLA Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research (VCR) has established faculty-led committees as the local review bodies responsible for oversight of safety and compliance functions of all research activities conducted at UCLA. This policy outlines the role and responsibilities of the Chemical and Physical Safety Committee (CPSC). The CPSC has been charged with promoting a safe working environment with respect to Chemical and Physical Hazards in all research, research-training, experimentation, and biological testing related activities that are conducted in research and teaching laboratories, as well as shops that support research activities on the UCLA campus.

II. DEFINITIONS

For the purposes of this Policy:

Chemical Hazard is a chemical agent that presents a health, physical, or environmental hazard. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

1. Chemicals listed as Select Carcinogens and Regulated Carcinogens. (See Cal/OSHA criteria for select  carcinogens).
    
2. Chemicals listed as Reproductive Toxicants. (See list of reproductive toxins).
    
3. Toxicants and carcinogens identified under California Proposition 65.
    
4. Chemicals listed as Toxic or Highly Toxic. (See  OSHA  guidance on identifying Highly Toxic Chemicals).
    
5. Flammable, air reactive, or water reactive chemicals.
    
6. Corrosive chemicals in concentrations of one (1) molar or greater.
    
7. Known significant skin or eye irritants.

Physical Hazard is a material, equipment, or activity that can threaten physical safety. This can include, but are not limited to: impacts (falling objects, explosions), fall hazards, pressure extremes (high/low), temperature extremes (hot/cold), noise, vibrations, electricity, light (excluding lasers), welding, cutting, grinding, brazing.

III. POLICY STATEMENT

Preventing workplace injuries, exposures, and illnesses is the responsibility of every member of the campus community. The CPSC has been assigned specific responsibilities in order to implement and ensure compliance with federal, State and local regulations related to Chemical and Physical Hazards.

A. CPSC Mandate

The CPSC will develop, recommend, update and maintain policies and procedures applicable to chemical and physical health and safety practices at UCLA to promote safe research practices. The CPSC will advise the VCR regarding compliance with safety related policies. To inform decisions and achieve these goals, the CPSC will:

• Receive and review summary reports from the Office of Environment, Health and Safety (EH&S) about laboratory safety inspections and incident reports related to Chemical and Physical Hazards.
   
• Review findings of inspection and hazard surveillance programs carried out by authorized EH&S personnel and State and Federal Regulatory authorities.
   
• Enforce the UCLA Laboratory Safety Compliance Procedure for issues of repeat noncompliance by laboratory researchers working with Chemical and Physical Hazards.
   
• Receive and review reports from departmental Health and Safety Committees and from individual Faculty and Researchers.

In addition, the CPSC will:

• Establish and review strategies to ensure ongoing and adequate surveillance, hazard identification, and risk evaluation of laboratory activities related to Chemical and Physical Hazards.
   
• Review annually the UCLA Laboratory Safety Manual, advise the VCR and Director of EH&S regarding its effectiveness, and propose improvements as necessary. The UCLA Laboratory Safety Manual includes two key sections, the Illness and Injury Prevention Plan and the Chemical Hygiene Plan.
   
• Review requests for variances from established campus safety practices. The reviews for such requests could include consideration of regulatory requirements, analyses of risk assessments completed by EH&S, and consultations with EH&S, Campus Counsel, and OVCR Safety Oversight Committee (OSOC). After review, the CPSC will make recommendations to the VCR on accepting or not accepting these requests.

B. CPSC Structure and Administration

The CPSC Chair and all members shall be appointed by the VCR, as described in the CPSC Charter. Administrative and secretarial services for the Committee will be provided by the office of the VCR through the Office of Research Administration (ORA).

IV. REFERENCES

1. UC Policy on Management of Health, Safety and the Environment;

2. UC Laboratory Safety Training;

3. UCLA Policy 811, Environmental, Health, and Safety;

4. UCLA Policy 905, Research Laboratory Personal Safety and Protective Equipment;

5. UCLA Policy 907, Safe Handling of Particularly Hazardous Substances;

6. UCLA Chemical Hygiene Plan.