Chemical SAFETY MANUAL for PENNSYLVANIA SCHOOLS
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Chemical SAFETY MANUAL FOR PENNSYLVANIA SCHOOLS Help Keep Your School Safe Prepared By: Michael Baker Jr., Inc. Moon Township, PA 15108 Contract GTAC5-0-349 Prepared For: Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Bureau of Waste Management 400 Market Street Harrisburg, PA 17105 September, 2010 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 1.0 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................ 1-1 1.1 Hazardous Materials in Schools ......................................................................... 1-2 1.2 Chemical Management Plans ............................................................................ 1-2 1.3 Responsibilities of Administrators, Coordinators, and Teachers ........................ 1-2 2.0 CHEMICAL MANAGEMENT PLANS ............................................................................ 2-1 3.0 CONDUCTING A CHEMICAL INVENTORY ................................................................. 3-1 3.1 Purpose of the Inventory .................................................................................... 3-1 3.2 Safety Guidelines for Conducting a Chemical Inventory .................................... 3-1 3.3 Inventory Procedure ........................................................................................... 3-2 3.4 Sample Chemical Inventory Forms .................................................................... 3-2 4.0 HIGH RISK CHEMICALS .............................................................................................. 4-1 4.1 Excessive Risk Chemicals: Risk Exceeds Educational Utility ........................... 4-1 4.2 Mercury .............................................................................................................. 4-1 4.3 Peroxidizable Solvents and Metals .................................................................... 4-2 4.4 Oxidizers ............................................................................................................ 4-3 4.5 Highly Reactive Chemicals ................................................................................. 4-3 4.6 Highly Toxic Chemicals ...................................................................................... 4-4 4.7 Chemicals Regulated by the Drug Enforcement Administration ......................... 4-5 4.8 Radioactive Materials ......................................................................................... 4-5 4.9 Formaldehyde .................................................................................................... 4-6 5.0 MANAGING CHEMICALS IN SCHOOLS ...................................................................... 5-1 5.1 General Strategies ............................................................................................. 5-1 5.2 Standards for Chemical Storage Rooms ............................................................ 5-2 5.3 Chemical Storage Systems ................................................................................ 5-3 5.4 Laboratory Chemical Segregation ...................................................................... 5-4 5.5 Safe Chemical Handling ..................................................................................... 5-6 5.6 Compressed Gas Cylinders ............................................................................... 5-6 6.0 MINIMIZING THE USE OF HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS ............................................. 6-1 6.1 General Strategies ............................................................................................. 6-1 6.2 Best Management Practices for Science Laboratories ....................................... 6-2 7.0 CONTROL OF CHEMICAL EXPOSURE RISKS ........................................................... 7-1 7.1 Primary Controls ................................................................................................. 7-1 7.2 The Role of PPE ................................................................................................. 7-2 7.3 Selecting Appropriate PPE ................................................................................. 7-2 7.4 Eye and Face Protection .................................................................................... 7-2 7.5 Hand and Arm Protection ................................................................................... 7-3 7.6 Body Protection .................................................................................................. 7-3 7.7 Respiratory Protection ........................................................................................ 7-3 i TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) Page 8.0 CHEMICAL DISPOSAL ................................................................................................. 8-1 8.1 Defining Hazardous Waste ................................................................................. 8-1 8.2 Regulated Hazardous Wastes Commonly Found in Schools ............................. 8-4 8.3 Determining Generator Category ....................................................................... 8-4 8.4 Container Management ...................................................................................... 8-6 8.5 Disposal Options ................................................................................................ 8-7 8.6 Chemical Inventory ............................................................................................. 8-9 9.0 SPILL MANAGEMENT .................................................................................................. 9-1 9.1 Spill Prevention ................................................................................................. 9-1 9.2 Preparation for Spills .......................................................................................... 9-1 9.3 Spill Response ................................................................................................... 9-3 9.4 Large Spills & External Contractors ................................................................... 9-5 9.5 Mercury Spills ..................................................................................................... 9-5 9.6 Aquatic Program Chlorine Management ........................................................... 9-7 9.7 Insecticides, Pesticides, & Herbicides ................................................................ 9-8 10.0 UNIVERSAL WASTE RULE (UWR) ............................................................................ 10-1 10.1 Purpose of the Universal Waste Rule............................................................... 10-1 10.2 Substances Included Within the Universal Waste Rule .................................... 10-1 10.3 Facilities Controlled Under the Universal Waste Rule ...................................... 10-1 10.4 Requirements for Small Quantity Handlers ...................................................... 10-2 10.5 Requirements for Managing Spent Fluorescent Lamps ................................... 10-2 10.6 Managing Light Ballasts ................................................................................... 10-3 10.7 Managing Hazardous Waste Batteries ............................................................. 10-3 11.0 GLOSSARY .............................................................................................................. 11-1 12.0 REFERENCES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......................................................... 12-1 Appendix A: Chemical Hazard Information Sources Appendix B: Peroxide-Forming Chemicals Appendix C: Pennsylvania Worker & Community Right to Know Information Appendix D: Chemicals with Severe Hazards Appendix E: Incompatible Chemicals ii 1.0 INTRODUCTION Pennsylvania’s elementary schools, middle schools and high schools are home to a variety of chemicals. These materials can be found in chemistry and biology labs, maintenance facilities, custodial closets, nurse’s offices, swimming pools, vocational shops, and other areas. When they are mismanaged, these chemicals can put students and school personnel at risk from spills, fires, and other accidental exposures. Chemical accidents disrupt school schedules and can cost thousands of dollars to repair. The Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Schools Chemical Cleanout Campaign (SC3) aims to ensure that all schools are free from hazards associated with mismanaged chemicals. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) created this manual to give K-12 schools information and tools to responsibly manage chemicals. Additional information and resources can be found on the USEPA’s Schools Chemical Cleanout Campaign web page at http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/partnerships/sc3/index.htm. Additionally, the Pennsylvania Worker and Community Right to Know Act of 1984 requires public sector employers (including school districts) to take various actions, including completing a hazardous substance survey, maintaining a file of material safety data sheets (MSDSs), labeling all containers of hazardous substances or hazardous mixtures, and providing information on the Act, employee rights and the inventory to their employees. This manual will help school districts meet the requirements of that Act. 1-1 1.1 Hazardous Materials in Schools Many of the chemicals that may be found in schools have hazardous properties. These may be cleaners for janitorial services, fuel for landscaping equipment, paints and thinners in art classrooms, mercury in medical equipment, reagent chemicals and preservatives in laboratories, or even