Chemical Safety

Find safety requirements, training, and standard operating procedures for work with chemicals at UC San Diego.

UC San Diego's online Chemical Hygiene Plan must be readily available to personnel in facilities where hazardous chemicals are used.

Hazard Control Plan (HCP)

Obtain and implement hazard control plans (HCPs) for work with hazardous chemicals.

Note: At UC San Diego, a hazard control plan is a standard operating procedure (SOP).

• Go to the My Research Safety web portal.
• Learn how to use HCPs.

Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP)

• UC San Diego's online Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP)

Chemical safety guidelines

• General Chemical Safety Guidelines
• Specific Chemical Guidelines, standard operating procedures for particularly high hazard chemicals
• Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS)
• California Green Chemistry Initiative, California Department of Toxic Substances Control
• Chemical Safety Information, UC San Diego Library

Be ready for the inspector! Read the Cal/OSHA Inspections Fact Sheet (PDF) to learn how to be ready for an inspection at any time.

Chemical Safety & Surveillance Committee (CSSC)

• Advising the Chancellor on all matters relating to the safe use of hazardous chemicals
• Reducing risks associated with hazardous chemicals
• Establishing and implementing policies and procedures for chemical safety
• Imposing disciplinary measures for willful or negligent violations of established chemical safety practices and procedures

Chemical storage and inventory

• Chemical Storage and Inventory Guidelines
• Chemical Inventory brochure (PDF) - Quick overview
• Chemical Abbreviations and Annotations (PDF) (Word)
• Chemical Compatibility Guidelines
• Compressed Gas
• Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS)
• Flammable and Combustible Liquids

Controlled substances

• Controlled Substances Program
• Controlled Substances Use Authorization (CSUA)
• Frequently Asked Questions

Emergency procedures

• Consult emergency preparedness resources
• Emergency Guide
• Eye Wash and Emergency Shower Guidelines
• Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Team
• How to:
  • Assemble small-scale chemical spill kits
  • Clean up chemical spills

  Engineering controls

  • Chemical Fume Hoods
  • Engineering Controls for Laboratory Safety
  • Environmental Rooms

  Globally Harmonized System (GHS)

  Learn how the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) for chemical classification, labeling, and hazard communication affects chemical use at UC San Diego.

  Hazardous waste

  • Online Waste Tag Program (OTP)
  • How to:
    • Identify Hazardous Chemical Waste
    • Store and Dispose of Hazardous Chemical Waste
    • Use Hazardous Waste Tags
    • Request a Hazardous Waste Collection
    • Request Controlled Substance Pickup

    Laboratory Safety Manual

    • UC San Diego's online Laboratory Safety Manual

    Managing chemical safety

    • Forms
      • EH&S Forms
      • Research Safety Authorizations for Principal Investigators
      • Research Safety Resources for New Principal Investigators
      • My Research Safety web portal
      • Hazard Communication Program
      • What Area Safety Coordinators Need to Know
      • Preventing Reproductive Hazards
      • ChemCycle, chemical reuse program
      • Chemistry & Biochemistry Stockroom

      My Research Safety Web portal

      Read about My Research Safety, a Web portal for centralized access to your Environment, Health & Safety (EH&S) audits, inventory, and authorizations.

      • Link to My Research Safety at myresearchsafety.ucsd.edu.

      Personal protective equipment (PPE)

      • Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) – See requirements for research facilities
      • PPE Support for Researchers – Learn about free minimum PPE for researchers
      • Laboratory Hazard Assessment Tool (LHAT)

      Attention principal investigators: PIs supervising work with high hazard materials are required to use the online Chemical Hazard Use Application, or HCP, to assign PPE to their employees.

      • See the list of high hazard materials on the HCP page.

      Principal investigators

      • Research Safety Authorizations for Principal Investigators
      • Research Safety: Requirements for New PIs

      Report injury, illness, or exposure

      Report all work-related injuries, illness, or hazardous material exposures immediately:

      • See What to Do if a Work-Related Injury or Illness Occurs for procedures.

      Important! Chemistry-Biochemistry personnel, follow special incident reporting instructions:

      • See Chemistry and Biochemistry Incident Reporting Requirements

      Safety Data Sheets

      Get a Safety Data Sheet now:

      Learn more about Safety Data Sheets:

      • Safety Data Sheets Overview
      • Safety Data Sheets Explained
      • Biological Safety Data Sheets

      Training

      • Safety Training for Researchers
      • Laboratory Safety Videos
      • UC Systemwide Lab Safety Training

      Contacts

      • EH&S Chemical Hygiene Officer, (858) 583-3257
      • Chemical Safety & Surveillance Committee (CSSC)
      • Controlled Substances Program Manager, (858) 534-1362
      • Research Assistance Program (RAP) Contacts
      • Hazardous Materials Spill
        • During business hours, call Environment, Health & Safety: (858) 534-3660
        • After business hours, call Campus Police:
          • From land lines: 911
          • From cell phones: (858) 534-HELP (4357)

          Policies and regulations

          • California Code of Regulations, Title 8, Section 5191 – Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories
          • Code of Federal Regulations, Title 29, Section 1910.1450 – Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories
          • PPM 516-5 – Chemical Safety
          • PPM 516-19 – Laboratory Safety

          Note: this page has a friendly link that's easy to remember: http://blink.ucsd.edu/go/chemicals

          Environment, Health & Safety https://ehs.ucsd.edu

          Research Safety

          • Biosafety
          • Chemical
            • Hazard Control Plan (HCP)
            • Chemical Hygiene Plan
            • General Chemical Guidelines
            • Specific Chemical Guidelines
            • Storage & Inventory
            • Handling Spills
            • Anesthetic Gases
            • Compressed Gas
            • Environmental Rooms
            • Flammable & Combustible Liquids
            • Fume Hoods
            • Safety Data Sheets