Chemical Hygiene Plan: Background Information

Laboratory Safety Programs and Chemical Hygiene Plans at UWM are decentralized to allow departmental flexibility. Yet, there are legal requirements that must be met by each department to provide a safe environment for all laboratory workers and visitors, and to avoid citations and fines against the university or Principal Investigators.

The Department of University Safety & Assurances is available to help departments set up their Laboratory Safety Programs by:

  • Providing technical assistance to develop Chemical Hygiene Plans
  • Providing auditors for laboratory inspections
  • Maintaining a centralized library of:

    • Laboratory safety references

    • Material Safety Data Sheets
    • Web-based resources
    • Training videos
    • Other training resources
  • Providing lab safety orientation and training programs
  • Providing staff as ex-officio advisors to departmental safety committees

The purpose of the Chemical Hygiene Webpages are to provide:

  • A catalog of departmental Chemical Hygiene Plans to document compliance status
  • A toolbox for departments that wish to develop Chemical Hygiene Plans
  • A resource for individuals interested in their department's Chemical Hygiene Plan, either to find necessary information to work safely, or to improve existing plans
Two ways to use the Chemical Hygiene Plan Webpages

You can download the Generic Chemical Hygiene Plan, fill in the blanks, add any departmental specific Standard Operating Procedures, and get departmental approval of the completed plan. Please send a copy of your completed plan to the Department of University Safety and Assurances.

or,

You can download the portions of the Elements of a Chemical Hygiene Program that pertain to your department, add any other departmental specific information, and get departmental approval of the completed plan. Please send a copy of your completed plan to the Department of University Safety and Assurances.

Updated February 8, 2007 by SAK