The most recent revision of the CHME Experimental Safety Plan (ESP) template must be completed and approved through the College of Engineering Safety Specialist, CHME Department Head, and Chemical Hygiene Officer before any lab work can proceed (including the procurement of chemicals & materials).
You can see the status of a submitted ESP by looking in the ESP queue on the CoEngr Safety website.
- The initial energetics calculations requested in Attachment 1 should follow the assumptions and calculations found in the March 21, 2014 Safety Meeting.
- A Hazard Assessment Checklist must also be completed as a part of the ESP in Attachment 6.
- Review a sample (AICHE kettle corn operation) to assist in developing one for your own experimental work (note the sample is not on the most recent revision of the template.
Reference Material
- If you need to create an SDS for a material you are generating, begin with this SDS template.
- Select the proper chemical-resistant or cut-resistant gloves for your work.
- Identifying and Evaluating Hazards in Research Laboratories, Guidelines developed by the hazards identification and evaluation task force of the American Chemical Society‘s Committee on Chemical Safety.
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Prudent Practices in the Laboratory: Handling and Management of Chemical Hazards, The Committee on Prudent Practices in the Laboratory: An Update; National Research Council
Tips for decreasing the approval period for an ESP:
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- Use the current template! Read the directions of each section carefully. Some of the most common errors stem from simply not following the directions.
- Perform an energetics calculation as defined above.
- Fill out the checklist and link it to Attachment 6 to define any High Hazards associated with your work.
- Attachment 6 is not an exhaustive list of all hazards. You should only describe HIGH hazards in this section. High pressure and temperatures fall in this category. Materials that have a 3 in any of the NFPA ratings of Heath, Flammability, and Reactivity (or special hazards) are also considered in this attachment.
- Avoid the use of modal verbs (i.e., may, might, could, should). Modals are used used to express possibility, permission, or obligation. The procedures expressed in an experimental safety procedures should be defined in concrete terms (i.e., must).
- The waste disposal plan must be approved by the EH&S Environmental Affairs Manager (Andrew Kaczmarek, kaczmare@nmsu.edu). Attach a copy of this approval to the ESP.
- Include a list and the SDSs of ALL of the chemicals you will use. This includes wash solutions for cleaning electrodes, materials used to generate or create secondary materials/solutions that are used in your process.
- Include a written procedure for EVERYTHING you will do. For instance, if your procedure says you will “reduce the acid hydrate,” you have not given any details for how that will be performed.
