Chemical Hygiene

Farmingdale State College's Chemical Hygiene Program has been designed to help the College's faculty, staff, and students to use hazardous chemicals safely and in a manner that complies with prevailing state and federal regulations and protocols.

The purpose of the College's Chemical Hygiene Program, and specifically the Chemical Hygiene Plan, is to describe proper practices, procedures, equipment, and facilities that function together to help ensure that all affected individuals are protected from the effects of hazardous chemicals in their work area. Members of the College's Safety Coordinator Team will ensure that their respective department or unit will work in collaboration with the College's Chemical Hygiene Officer to implement the applicable elements this Plan. The Chemical Hygiene Officer is responsible for developing and updating the Chemical Hygiene Plan, and for general oversight and monitoring of the content contained therein to ensure it meets or exceeds current standards and practices.

Proper Dress in Laboratories at Farmingdale State College

Farmingdale State College follows universal laboratory safety guidelines that prohibit open-toed shoes, sandals, and other "skin exposed" footwear in the laboratory. In addition, shorts, miniskirts, and tank tops are discouraged in all laboratories and where hazardous conditions exist.

The Office of Environmental Health & Safety has therefore created a 'Proper Attire in Laboratories' sign for you to print out and post (laminate if possible) so that it’s clearly visible to all those entering and working in your lab(s). This sign identifies proper attire in the laboratory – the “do’s” and “don’ts” of proper lab attire if you will.

In summary, any clothing that exposes large areas of skin and jewelry should not be worn in the laboratory. Feel free to leave a pair of shoes or long pants in your office/laboratory for use in the lab. If you want to wear short sleeve shirts to the lab, then put on a lab coat once inside. Good laboratory safety begins with the appropriate attire – let’s all set an example for our students as well and be sure they’re following these guidelines as we all surely will.

Remember - wearing proper attire is one of the best ways to prevent exposure to hazardous materials in the laboratory.

Student Compliance

Although the federal chemical hygiene regulations on which this plan is based apply only to employees, staff and faculty must make every effort to ensure that students are also provided with the information and training needed to work with hazardous chemicals in a safe and healthful way.

Chemical Hygiene Officer

The Chemical Hygiene Officer assists department chairs, principal investigators and laboratory supervisors in the implementation of the Chemical Hygiene Plan and unit-specific procedures.

American Chemical Society Safety in Academic Chemistry Laboratories (SACL)

The American Chemical Society (ACS) Joint Board-Council Committee on Chemical Safety has completed Safety in Academic Chemistry Laboratories, 8th edition, Best Practices for First- and Second-Year University Students.  This easy-to-use document was first published in 1972 and continues to retain its place in academic lab safety. The Office of Environmental Health and Safety strongly encourages employees and students alike to review this extremely informative and useful resource, which is available at no cost through the ACS website. View the Laboratory Safety PDF.

Chemical Hygiene Links

OSHA 29 CFR Part 1910.1450: Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories [EXTERNAL]