Who must have a Chemical Hygiene Plan?

All faculty, staff, and paid and work-study students who work in a lab are required to have access to a chemical hygiene plan. A laboratory is defined (by OSHA) as a facility where:

  • chemical manipulations are carried out on a "laboratory scale";
  • multiple chemical procedures are used;
  • procedures are not part of a production process; and
  • practices and equipment exist to protect employees from exposure to hazardous chemicals.

Laboratory scale means that work is conducted in containers that are designed to be manipulated by a single person. The majority of Virginia Tech's laboratories fit this OSHA definition, and must therefore maintain a chemical hygiene plan.

If you are unsure whether or not your facility meets this definition, please contact the University Chemical Hygiene Officer, Rachel Layman, at ralayman@vt.edu or 540-231-3427.