Chemical Safety
Guides
Monell Chemical Senses Center: Research Guide
An authoritative guide to the Monell Chemical Senses Center, reviewing chemosensory science, NIH grant mechanisms, clinical testing, and lab protocols.
WastewaterSCAN: Surveillance & Lab Workflows
Explore WastewaterSCAN methods: wastewater solids analysis, RT-ddPCR quantification, PMMoV normalization, and multi-pathogen surveillance data.
Toluene SDS: Hazards, Flash Point, Storage, Disposal
Toluene SDS decoded: GHS hazards, flash point about 4 C, PEL vs REL limits, storage and disposal, mapped to the 16 SDS sections.
Calcium Chloride SDS: GHS Hazards, PPE and Storage
How calcium chloride SDSs differ: GHS classification, PPE, hygroscopic storage, incompatibilities and disposal, compared across five sources.
Food Safety Plan: What 21 CFR 117.126 Requires
What a food safety plan is under 21 CFR 117.126: the seven required written components, hazard analysis categories and preventive control types.
Chemical Safety Board (CSB): What It Investigates and What It Does Not Do
The Chemical Safety Board investigates serious chemical accidents and recommends changes; it issues no fines or citations. How it differs from OSHA.
Hydrochloric Acid SDS: Lab Safety & GHS Guide
A research guide to the hydrochloric acid SDS: GHS classifications, exposure limits, PPE glove selection, and chemical storage compatibility.
What Is a Chemical Storage Cabinet? Types, Construction and What Goes Inside
Flammable, corrosive and oxidizer cabinets compared: which have an OSHA construction rule, which chemicals go in each, and secondary containment sizing.
Aviation Safety: SMS Definition and Regulation
Aviation safety defined from 14 CFR Part 5 and ICAO Annex 19: hazard versus risk, the four SMS components and State versus operator duties.
Sodium Sulfate SDS: Hazards, GHS Classification and Handling
What a sodium sulfate SDS says: GHS classification across suppliers, first aid, storage, incompatibilities, disposal and how it differs from persulfate.
Nitric Acid SDS: GHS Hazards, Exposure Limits and Storage
Nitric acid SDS cross-walk: GHS classification by concentration, 2 ppm exposure limit, respirator tiers, incompatibilities and storage.
Formaldehyde SDS: Hazards, GHS Codes and Exposure Limits
How to read a formaldehyde or formalin SDS: two manufacturer sheets compared, linked to OSHA and NIOSH exposure limits for lab staff and EHS officers.
Hexane SDS: How to Read the n-Hexane Safety Data Sheet
Read a hexane SDS section by section: GHS hazards, flash point, PEL vs REL vs IDLH, storage and disposal, checked against NIOSH and PubChem.
Ethyl Acetate SDS: GHS Hazards, Flash Point, Storage and Disposal
Read an ethyl acetate SDS section by section: GHS hazard codes, 24 F flash point, 400 ppm limit, incompatibilities and disposal.
Sulfuric Acid SDS: How to Read It, Hazards and Exposure Limits
Sulfuric acid SDS explained: GHS hazards, NIOSH, OSHA and ACGIH exposure limits compared, incompatibilities, PPE and a checklist for the right sheet.
Nitrile Gloves Chemical Resistance: What Breakthrough Data Shows
One manufacturer’s ASTM F739 breakthrough data for a nitrile exam glove: acetone under 1 minute, sodium hydroxide over 480, and what that means.
IDLH: Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health Defined
IDLH explained: OSHA definition, NIOSH values, the chlorine 10 ppm vs 30 ppm trap, PEL/STEL/REL compared, and the respirators 1910.134 allows.
Diethyl Ether Density: 0.713 g/mL at 20 °C and Key Properties
Diethyl ether density is about 0.713 g/mL at 20 °C, so it floats on water. Sourced values for boiling point, vapour pressure and hazards.
Isopropanol SDS: Hazards, Flash Point and What the Safety Data Sheet Says
Read an isopropanol SDS: GHS hazards, 53 °F flash point, exposure limits, incompatibilities and where to find supplier sheets.
Toluene Boiling Point: 110.6 °C, Properties and Bench Safety
Toluene boils at about 110.6 °C at 760 mmHg. Sourced property card, reduced-pressure boiling points and bench safety limits.
Acetone Density: 0.791 g/mL at 20 °C, Values by Source and Properties
Acetone density is about 0.79 g/mL at 20 °C; references range 0.7845 to 0.793. Source-by-source table with boiling point, vapor pressure and pKa.
Acetone SDS: How to Read the Safety Data Sheet in the Lab
Acetone SDS explained section by section: H225/H319/H336 hazards, flash point, exposure limits, storage, incompatibilities and waste codes for lab staff.
Rotenone: Mechanism, Hazards and Lab Handling Limits
What rotenone is, how it inhibits mitochondrial complex I, and how its hazard classifications and exposure limits differ by source.
B-Mercaptoethanol: Mechanism, Laboratory Uses, and Chemical Safety
B-mercaptoethanol (2-ME, CAS 60-24-2) guide: disulfide reduction mechanism, SDS-PAGE use, DTT vs TCEP comparison, and vital laboratory safety protocols.
Formamide: Uses, Hazards, CAS Number and Storage in the Lab
Formamide in the lab: CAS 75-12-7, nucleic acid uses, reproductive-toxicity hazards, boiling-point spread by source and storage per SDS.
Acetic Acid pKa: Values, Table and Buffer Guide
Reference datasheet for acetic acid pKa, Ka values, buffer ranges, physical solvent constants, and step-by-step laboratory calculations.
Ethyl Acetate Density: 0.9003 g/mL at 20 °C, Values and Properties
Ethyl acetate density is 0.9003 g/mL at 20 °C. Compare source values, convert volume to mass, and see boiling point, vapor pressure, polarity and hazards.
Hexane Boiling Point: Lab Solvent Datasheet
Hexane boiling point is 68.7 °C (155.7 °F). Reference key physical constants, rotovap settings, isomer variations, and chemical safety limits for lab staff.
Methanol SDS: GHS Hazards, Exposure and Storage
A guide to decoding the methanol SDS: GHS classifications, exposure limits, glove compatibility, and safe storage and RCRA waste disposal protocols for labs.
Ethanol Boiling Point: 78.3 °C (173 °F) at 1 atm, Azeotrope and Vacuum Values
Ethanol boils at about 78.3 °C (173 °F) at 1 atm. Sourced values, the 95% azeotrope, calculated vacuum boiling points and flash point for bench use.
Corrosive Symbol: What the GHS Corrosion Pictogram Means
The corrosive symbol is the GHS Corrosion pictogram. See which OSHA hazard classes carry it, how Danger and Warning differ, and the label rules behind it.
Why Laboratory Safety Is Important: What the Rules and Real Incidents Show
Why laboratory safety is important: what OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1450 requires, and what the 2010 Texas Tech explosion shows about where rules fall short.
Dissecting Microscope Labeled: Parts, Functions and Setup
Dissecting microscope labeled: every part of a stereo microscope and its function, pole vs rigid-arm stands, lighting, diopter setup and care from IFUs.
Chemical Indicators for Sterilization: ISO Types 1-6 Explained
What chemical indicators for sterilization show, the six ISO 11140-1 types, and how they differ from biological indicators.
Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act: What It Changed in OSHA’s Standard
The Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act (Public Law 106-430) and what it added to OSHA’s bloodborne pathogens standard, with a clause-by-clause crosswalk.
Dangerous Chemicals: How Hazard Classes Define Them
What makes a chemical dangerous under OSHA hazard classes, why there is no single most dangerous chemical, and where to look up any chemical’s hazards.
NIOSH List of Hazardous Drugs (2024): Tables, Criteria and Use
The 2024 NIOSH list of hazardous drugs explained: the two tables, the MSHI and carcinogen tests, changes from 2016, and facility-list steps.
Laboratory Safety Symbols and Signs: What Each Sign Type Means
Lab safety symbols explained by OSHA sign class: danger, caution, safety instruction and biohazard colors, and how signs differ from labels and tags.
Glassware Safety in the Laboratory: Inspection to Disposal
Laboratory glassware safety: pre-use inspection, handling, heating, vacuum work, joint lubricants, washing and disposal, from university EHS guidance.
Titration With a Weak Acid and a Strong Base: Curve, Equivalence pH and Indicators
How the pH curve of a weak acid titrated with a strong base behaves, the calculation for each stage, and how to pick an indicator.
Hazard Communication Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200) in the Research Laboratory: What Actually Applies
OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard applies to laboratories only in part. 29 CFR 1910.1200(b)(3) imposes exactly four duties; the written program, workplace labeling and full SDS regime are displaced by the Laboratory Standard at 1910.1450. Here is the boundary, the citation risk in both directions, and what the 2024 GHS Revision 7 update changed.
NFPA 704 Fire Diamond: Quadrants, Ratings, and How It Differs from GHS Labels
The NFPA 704 fire diamond rates hazards 0-4 with 4 the most severe, while GHS hazard categories run the other way with Category 1 the most severe. What each quadrant and symbol means, and why you cannot convert between the two systems.
Resin 3D Printer Ventilation: Fume Extraction & Enclosure Buying Guide
What to evaluate before buying fume extraction, carbon filtration, or a ventilated enclosure for resin (SLA/DLP/MSLA) 3D printers, and how VOC exposure controls fit into lab EHS compliance.
Compressed Gas Cylinder Safety: Hazards, Handling, and What Causes Cylinders to Explode
The mechanical and chemical hazards of compressed gas cylinders, the real causes of cylinder explosions and failures, and the handling, PPE, and emergency-response practices that prevent them in a research lab.
ASHRAE 110 Fume Hood Testing: The Tracer-Gas Containment Method Explained
What ASHRAE 110 fume hood testing actually measures: the three-part test method (face velocity, smoke visualization, tracer gas containment), the AM/AI/AU test conditions, and how it fits alongside routine annual certification.
TSCA R&D Exemption: What It Covers and What It Doesn’t
The TSCA Section 5(h)(3) R&D exemption lets labs manufacture or import small quantities of new chemicals for research without filing a Premanufacture Notice with EPA. It covers PMN filing only — not border import certification, hazard communication, or other TSCA compliance obligations.
Compressed Gas Cylinder Disposal: A Lab Guide
How to dispose of compressed gas cylinders and lecture bottles safely: the return-to-supplier default, when a licensed hazmat contractor is needed instead, and the specific problem of orphaned lecture bottles.
Compressed Gas Cylinder Storage Requirements: OSHA, CGA and Cal/OSHA Rules
How OSHA 1910.101, CGA Pamphlet P-1, NFPA 55 and California Title 8 CCR 4649 govern compressed gas cylinder storage: securing, segregating oxidizers from fuel gases, labeling, and inspection.
Lab Pack Services: What They Are, When to Use Them, and How Pricing Works
Lab pack services are the standard disposal method for small-quantity, mixed, or unidentified chemical waste — an on-site chemist identifies, segregates, and packs containers into compliant outer drums for transport. This guide covers what the service includes, when it beats bulk disposal, how pricing is structured, and what to confirm before signing a vendor contract.
Formaldehyde Disposal: RCRA Rules, OSHA Limits, and Neutralization
How labs should classify, handle, and dispose of formalin and formaldehyde waste: RCRA U122 vs. spent-solution status, OSHA 1910.1048 exposure limits, sewer-disposal restrictions, neutralization, and manifested hazardous waste pickup.
Waste Minimization Plan: How to Build One for a Lab
How to build a lab waste minimization plan: EPA’s source-reduction hierarchy, RCRA’s LQG waste minimization certification, chemical waste disposal methods, segregation, and procurement’s role in reducing waste before it’s generated.
Hazardous Waste Labeling Requirements: What RCRA Demands on Every Container
What RCRA requires on a hazardous waste container label, when the accumulation start date is required, and how satellite accumulation labeling differs from central accumulation area labeling.
RCRA Hazardous Waste Training Requirements
RCRA hazardous waste generator training obligations differ by generator status: LQGs must complete formal training within six months with annual review (40 CFR 262.17), SQGs must ensure staff are “thoroughly familiar” with procedures (40 CFR 262.16), and VSQGs have no specific federal training citation but should confirm state rules.
OSHA SDS Requirements: What Employers Must Actually Do
What OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200) requires for safety data sheets: written programs, accessibility, training, retention, and getting an SDS before you order a chemical — not just how to read one.
Secondary Containment Requirements: What OSHA, EPA, and Fire Code Actually Require
OSHA has no single secondary-containment regulation. This guide breaks down which rule actually applies — OSHA 1910.106 tank diking, EPA RCRA hazardous waste containment, SPCC oil rules, and NFPA 30 fire code — with the real sizing formulas for each.
SDS Management Software: What It Does and How to Choose One
What SDS management software is, how it differs from chemical inventory systems, the GHS labeling and compliance features to evaluate, and whether free options are workable.
TSCA Form: How to Complete the Chemical Import Certification
What the TSCA form (import certification statement) is, the difference between positive and negative certification, who files it with CBP, and what research labs importing chemicals from overseas need to know before shipments arrive.
Laboratory Safety Rules: A Practical Guide for Research Labs
A hub guide to general lab safety rules — training, the hierarchy of controls and PPE, chemical and biological safety, physical hazards, emergency response, and the OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1450 Chemical Hygiene Plan requirement — with links to CASRAI’s detailed guides on each specific hazard.
Chemical Hygiene Plan Training: What OSHA Requires Labs to Provide Employees
What OSHA’s Laboratory Standard actually requires: when Chemical Hygiene Plan training must happen, what topics it must cover, and how labs document it.
Chemical Storage Compatibility: Segregation Rules for Acids, Bases, Oxidizers, and Flammables
The standard chemical segregation groups, the incompatible pairs that cause real lab incidents (acids/bases, oxidizers/flammables, cyanide salts/acids), and how to build a working segregation plan using cabinets, secondary containment, and SDS Section 7/10 data.
Secondary Container Labeling: OSHA HazCom Rules for Lab Chemicals
How OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard governs labels on secondary/workplace containers — squeeze bottles, aliquots, waste containers — and when the narrow immediate-use exemption applies.
Peroxide-Forming Chemicals: Identification, Testing, and Safe Disposal Timelines
How to identify peroxide-forming chemicals like diethyl ether and THF, the Class A/B/C testing system, and safe testing, labeling, and disposal timelines for the lab.
Chemical-Resistant Glove Selection Guide: Matching Glove Material to Hazard
How to read a glove chemical-resistance chart and match glove material to chemical hazard: degradation vs. penetration vs. permeation, ASTM F739 breakthrough time, ANSI/ISEA 105 classes, and a material-by-chemical-class comparison table.
Common Lab Chemical Hazard Classes Explained: A Researcher’s Primer
A primer mapping out OSHA/GHS chemical hazard classes — physical, health, and environmental — and how each one shapes lab storage, PPE, inventory, and waste decisions, with links to CASRAI’s deeper guides on specific hazard classes.
The Chemical Hygiene Officer Role: Responsibilities and Authority in Lab Safety
OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1450 requires labs to designate a Chemical Hygiene Officer, but leaves most of the role’s duties and authority to non-mandatory guidance and institutional policy. Here’s what the CHO actually does, who typically holds the role, and how it differs from related safety positions.
Chemical Fume Hood Certification and Inspection: How Often and What Gets Checked
How often chemical fume hoods must be certified, what ANSI/AIHA Z9.5 face-velocity testing actually checks, and how to read and act on certification results.
Reactive Chemicals: Water-Reactive and Pyrophoric Compound Handling
What makes a chemical pyrophoric or water-reactive under OSHA/GHS, common lab examples (alkali metals, alkyllithiums, metal hydrides), storage and inert-atmosphere handling, why water/CO2 extinguishers are wrong for reactive-metal fires, and safe disposal.
Flammable Liquid Storage Cabinet Requirements: OSHA and NFPA Rules Explained
How OSHA 29 CFR 1910.106 and NFPA 30 govern flammable liquid storage cabinets in research labs: capacity limits, construction specs, labeling, venting, and how many cabinets a room can hold.
How to Read a Safety Data Sheet (SDS): The 16-Section GHS Guide
A practical, section-by-section guide to reading a Safety Data Sheet (SDS): what each of the 16 GHS-aligned sections covers, how it differs from a GHS label, and how to actually use it in the lab.
Particularly Hazardous Substances in the Lab: Select Carcinogens, Reproductive Toxins, and High Acute Toxicity Chemicals
What makes a lab chemical a “particularly hazardous substance” under OSHA’s Laboratory Standard (29 CFR 1910.1450): select carcinogens, reproductive toxins, and substances with a high degree of acute toxicity, plus what a PHS designation requires in your Chemical Hygiene Plan.
Satellite Accumulation Areas: Rules for Chemical Waste at the Point of Generation
Satellite accumulation areas let labs collect hazardous waste right where it is generated, within strict quantity limits and a three-day rule once those limits are exceeded. Here is how 40 CFR 262.15 works in practice.
Lab Chemical Inventory Management: Systems and Best Practices
What a complete chemical inventory record needs, the system options for maintaining one (spreadsheet, barcode, dedicated software), and the audit and upkeep practices that keep it accurate for OSHA HazCom and EPCRA Tier II compliance.
Corrosive Chemicals in the Lab: Hazards, Handling, and First Aid
What makes a chemical corrosive under OSHA/GHS, the corrosive acids and bases most labs stock, why hydrofluoric acid needs separate handling, safe storage/segregation, and first aid for skin, eye, inhalation, and ingestion exposure.
PPE Selection for Chemical Handling in the Lab: Gloves, Eyewear, and Lab Coats
How to choose the right eye protection, gloves, and lab coats for chemical handling tasks, based on OSHA PPE standards and real glove-permeation and flame-resistance considerations.
How to Write and Maintain a Chemical Hygiene Plan (OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1450)
A step-by-step guide to drafting and maintaining an OSHA-compliant Chemical Hygiene Plan under 29 CFR 1910.1450, from designating a Chemical Hygiene Officer through the required annual review.
Understanding GHS Labels: Pictograms, Signal Words, and Hazard Statements
A complete guide to reading GHS chemical labels: the nine pictograms, signal words (Danger/Warning), hazard statement (H-code) and precautionary statement (P-code) systems, and how labels relate to Safety Data Sheets.
