CHEMICAL SAFETY COMMITTEE CHARTER
Mission
The charge of the Chemical Safety Committee (CSC) is to assure the safe acquisition, use, and disposal of all hazardous chemicals at the University of New Hampshire (UNH). It is the responsibility of the CSC to establish appropriate health and safety policies in accordance with federal regulations and guidelines that cover chemical safety and evaluate research being conducted at UNH for chemical safety considerations.
Purpose and Scope
UNH acknowledges its responsibility to provide a program for the handling, storage, transport, and disposal of hazardous chemicals, to provide emergency response to incidents involving hazardous chemicals, and to educate the UNH community about the safe use of hazardous chemicals in research, teaching, and public service activities. The CSC reports to the Vice President for Research (VPR) on matters related to the use of hazardous chemicals in research and teaching activities at UNH. Specific tasks include:
- Recommending to the UNH Environmental Health and Safety Committee (EHSC) policies and procedures to ensure the health and safety of all faculty, staff, students, and visitors at UNH.
- Ensuring UNH compliance with:
- All federal, state, and local regulations; and
- The procurement, storage, use, transport, and disposal of hazardous chemicals used in UNH research, teaching, and outreach activities.
- Overseeing the development and maintenance of written chemical safety control plans that minimize exposures for all affected personnel through the use of proper engineering controls and work practices; making the plans available to the UNH community; and, recommending updates to the plans, as necessary.
- Overseeing the development and implementation of educational programs related to chemical safety.
- Overseeing the monitoring and follow-up for persons exposed to hazardous chemicals.
- Identifying tasks that increase the risk of exposure and the occupational groups involved.
The Office of Environmental Health & Safety (OEHS) implements CSC-approved programs.
CSC Responsibilities
- Review the CSC Charter at least annually.
- Assume the responsibility for ensuring chemical safety at UNH.
- Ensure that principal investigators and research personnel are in compliance with the training requirements listed in the UNH Laboratory Safety Plan (e.g. use of personal protective equipment, training requirements).
- Review the use of hazardous chemicals at UNH and evaluate use in terms of the criteria outlined in the UNH Laboratory Safety Plan and other safety resources.
- Review and prescribe special conditions, requirements, and restrictions that may be necessary for safe handling of hazardous chemicals. For example, the CSC may:
- Require students, staff, and researchers to take an oral or written examination;
- Require worker physical examinations (e.g., blood test, urine test, respiratory protection);
- Require facility upgrades (i.e., chemical fume hoods, safety equipment);
- Designate special areas of use within the laboratory;
- Post additional health and safety (e.g., caution) signs;
- Require use of special disposal methods;
- Require use of special handling procedures;
- Require special procedures following contamination events or incidents.
- Receive and review periodic or urgent reports from OEHS regarding:
- Exposures of individuals to hazardous chemicals;
- Loss or theft of hazardous chemicals;
- Status of certifications of chemical fume hoods; and
- Records of hazardous waste disposal.
- Report any problems, violations, accidents, or illnesses to the EHSC and other appropriate entities.
- Recommend or initiate remedial actions when safe procedures are not followed or when procedures are not in compliance with government regulations or the UNH Laboratory Safety Plan. If necessary, this may involve the termination of authorizations or confiscation of hazardous chemicals. The CSC will re-authorize operations when activities are performed in a manner acceptable to the CSC and OEHS.
- Conduct annual review of UNH activities involving hazardous chemicals to ensure compliance with all appropriate laws, regulations, policies, and program requirements.
- Keep department chairpersons, principal investigators, and other academic and administrative officers advised of changes in rules and recommendations of various government agencies concerned with chemical safety.
- Maintain records of meeting minutes, protocol reviews, and other documents related to use of hazardous chemicals at UNH and the CSC's work.
CSC Membership
Full Members
- The committee shall consist of no fewer than five voting members, of whom:
- At least one member from each department with appropriate expertise;
- A chemical safety officer; and
- Three or more faculty members with experience in chemistry or chemical safety.
Ex Officio Members
- The following are designated as voting members:
- Director, Office of Environmental Health and Safety.
- The following are designated as non-voting members:
- Regulatory Compliance Manager, Office of Sponsored Research;
- Assistant Director, Office of Environmental Health and Safety; and
- Hazardous Waste Coordinator, Office of Environmental Health and Safety.
Members are to be appointed by the Vice President for Research (VPR) for a term of two years. Members may succeed themselves.
Removal of a member from the CSC requires documented and substantiated "just cause" that demonstrates the member to be unfit or unable to serve on the CSC. "Just cause" for removal may include, but is not limited to, lack of regular attendance at meetings, a finding of misconduct, or an unresolved conflict of interest. The decision to remove a member is made by the VPR and a majority vote of the CSC membership.
The Committee shall meet no less than four times per year. A quorum is greater than 50% of the voting Committee membership. All matters requiring a vote by the CSC require a simple majority of the quorum.
Individuals that cannot attend a CSC meeting due to a University-sponsored event or sabbatical should appoint an alternate to serve during their absence. If an alternate cannot be found, the member will be temporarily removed from the CSC (during their absence) and will not be considered a member of the CSC when determining if a quorum is present. The individual is expected to return to the CSC upon their return to the University.
No member of the CSC may be involved in the review or approval of a project in which the member has been, is, or expects to be engaged or in which the member has professional or financial interest, except to provide information requested by the CSC.