Written and maintained by CASRAI Editorial Board
Last updated
Prudent Practices in the Laboratory: Handling and Management of Chemical Hazards is a National Academies consensus study report that gives guidance on planning procedures for the handling, storage and disposal of chemicals in laboratories. The updated version was published in 2011 by the National Academies Press, and the National Research Council recommendations that OSHA reproduces in Appendix A of 29 CFR 1910.1450 are drawn from it. It is the reference that many chemistry departments and environmental health and safety (EHS) offices consult when building a laboratory safety program.
What is Prudent Practices in the Laboratory?
The book was produced under the Board on Chemical Sciences and Technology of the National Research Council, with the Department of Energy, the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation listed as sponsors. The National Academies Press lists the 2011 updated version at 360 pages and describes the project as a review and update of the 1995 publication. Its statement of task puts emphasis throughout on a “culture of safety”, and the revision adds new areas such as nanotechnology, laboratory security and emergency planning.
Who publishes it and what does it cover?
The publisher is the National Academies Press (DOI 10.17226/12654). The text can be read online at the National Academies Press site and in the NCBI Bookshelf (accession NBK55878). Readers use it for topics such as:
- Safety culture: who is responsible for what, from institutional leadership to the people working at the bench.
- Planning and risk assessment: evaluating the hazards of an experiment before it starts.
- Handling, storage and disposal: the lifecycle of a chemical in the lab, including an institutional chemistry stockroom and hazards such as peroxide-forming chemicals.
- Emergency planning, laboratory security and nanotechnology: topics the publisher names as new or expanded in the revision.
How does it relate to OSHA and the Chemical Hygiene Plan?
The OSHA Laboratory standard, 29 CFR 1910.1450, applies to employers engaged in the laboratory use of hazardous chemicals. Under paragraph (e), those employers must develop and carry out a written Chemical Hygiene Plan. Appendix A to the standard, titled “National Research Council Recommendations Concerning Chemical Hygiene in Laboratories (Non-Mandatory)”, is meant to help employers build that plan. OSHA states that the recommendations are based on the 2011 edition of Prudent Practices, and that they do not modify any requirements of the standard.
The practical split is therefore: the standard sets the legal duty and the plan contents, while Prudent Practices and Appendix A supply recommended content. For a walkthrough of the plan itself, see our guide on how to write and maintain a chemical hygiene plan.
Strengths and limits
Strengths:
- It is a consensus report from a national academies body, readable online.
- OSHA itself cites it as the basis of the non-mandatory Appendix A recommendations.
- It covers the sequence from planning to disposal, not one topic.
Limits:
- It is guidance, not a regulation. Legal requirements come from OSHA and other regulators, and from local rules.
- It is a 2011 publication, so check current regulations, safety data sheets and your institution’s EHS office for anything newer.
- It does not replace your own facility’s Chemical Hygiene Plan or a hazard assessment for a specific experiment.
How does Prudent Practices compare with related documents?
| Document | Issued by | Status | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prudent Practices in the Laboratory (2011) | National Research Council / National Academies Press | Consensus guidance | Guidance on planning, handling, storage and disposal of chemicals |
| 29 CFR 1910.1450, Occupational exposure to hazardous chemicals in laboratories | OSHA | Federal regulation (US) | Requires a written Chemical Hygiene Plan where hazardous chemicals are used |
| 29 CFR 1910.1450 Appendix A | OSHA | Non-mandatory | Reproduces National Research Council recommendations to help employers build the plan |
FAQ
Is Prudent Practices in the Laboratory legally mandatory?
No. The book is guidance. OSHA’s Appendix A, which is based on it, is labelled non-mandatory and states that it does not modify any requirement of the Laboratory standard. The mandatory duty, such as having a written Chemical Hygiene Plan, comes from 29 CFR 1910.1450 itself.
Is it the same as a Chemical Hygiene Plan?
No. Prudent Practices is a published reference. A Chemical Hygiene Plan is a written document an employer develops for its own laboratories under the OSHA standard.
Where can I read the full text?
Online at the National Academies Press (DOI 10.17226/12654) and in the NCBI Bookshelf under NBK55878. Print and ebook copies are sold by the publisher.
What changed in the 2011 updated version?
The publisher says the revised edition features updates and new topics, naming nanotechnology, laboratory security and emergency planning as new areas, and it reviews and updates the 1995 publication.
Sources
All sources below were checked on 2026-11-07.
- National Academies Press. 2011. Prudent Practices in the Laboratory: Handling and Management of Chemical Hazards: Updated Version. https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/12654/prudent-practices-in-the-laboratory-handling-and-management-of-chemical
- NCBI Bookshelf. Prudent Practices in the Laboratory (NBK55878). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK55878/
- OSHA. 29 CFR 1910.1450 Appendix A, National Research Council Recommendations Concerning Chemical Hygiene in Laboratories (Non-Mandatory). https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.1450AppA
- OSHA. 29 CFR 1910.1450, Occupational exposure to hazardous chemicals in laboratories. https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.1450
