ACS study shows OSHA rules won't work in labs

The American Chemical Society has told the Occupational Safety & Health Administration that setting rigid standards for worker exposure to hazardous chemicals in laboratories is not an effective way to protect laboratory workers' health, and that safety training programs should be the keystone to OSHA's laboratory safety and health policy. A recent ACS survey supporting this view shows that the use of toxic chemicals in labs tends to be in very small quantities for limited amounts of time, and that they are used by professionals and informed workers. OSHA is considering regulations to protect laboratory workers from exposure to hazardous chemicals and is seeking alternatives to the substance-specific standards that are used for protection of chemical plant employees. The agency currently has regulations requiring exposure monitoring for use of 27 chemicals, such as benzene, asbestos, arsenic, and lead. Unless OSHA establishes regulations or guidelines specifically for labs, these employees will ...