Chemical Safety

Ensuring the safe and compliant use of chemicals on campus.

Hazardous Materials

hazardous materials icon Helping campus units manage their hazardous materials by providing assistance with shipping, waste pick-up and disposal, and chemical inventory needs.

Safe Storage of Hazardous Chemicals

The safe storage of hazardous chemicals is an essential part of an environmental, health, and safety program. Chemical storage facilities must meet certain minimum standards to satisfy diverse regulations, such as those of Cal/OSHA, the local sanitary district, and the California Fire Code. This manual provides guidelines to help you meet these standards.

In addition, laboratories and work areas on campus must observe several requirements that incorporate safe storage:

Keeping an up-to-date chemical inventory...

5.10 Explosive and Potentially Explosive Chemicals

GHS symbol showing an explosive reaction.

Characteristics

Explosive chemicals can rapidly release tremendous amounts of destructive energy. Explosive chemicals can cause death, serious injury, or severe property damage. Heat, shock, friction, or even static electricity can initiate explosions of these chemicals. Due to the extreme sensitivity and handling risks, explosives are not permitted on campus....

5.9 Water Reactives

GHS symbol showing a flame

Characteristics

These substances often react violently with water and may ignite or generate toxic, flammable, or corrosive gases.

Laboratory Chemicals

Solids

aluminum chloride (anhydrous)

calcium carbide

magnesium

...

5.8 Pyrophorics (Air Reactives)

GHS symbol showing a flame

Characteristics

Substances that ignite spontaneously upon contact with air.

Laboratory Chemicals

Solids

sodium

finely divided metal (e.g., aluminum, chromium, zinc)

Liquid

aluminum borohydride...

5.7 Cryogens

GHS symbols showing a snowflake. Characteristics

These materials are extremely cold (-110°C to -270°C). Upon contact with cryogenic materials, living tissue can freeze and become brittle enough to shatter. Additional hazards include rapid pressure buildup, oxygen enrichment, and asphyxiation. Rapid pressure buildup could lead to an explosion if cryogen is improperly contained.

Laboratory Chemicals...

5.6 Compressed Gases

GHS symbol showing a canister

Characteristics

Compressed gas cylinders are pressurized vessels designed to store gases at high pressure. Because of this internal pressure, damage to a cylinder, such as dropping or tipping it over, can result in sudden, uncontrolled release of contents and forceful movement of the cylinder. In addition to the physical hazards associated with pressurization, further risks may arise...

5.5 Oxidizers

GHS symbol showing a ball with flames coming from the top.

Characteristics

Oxidizers are a fire hazard. They will readily decompose under certain conditions to yield oxygen or react to promote or initiate the combustion of flammable or combustible materials.

Laboratory Chemicals

Solids

ammonium nitrate

...

5.4 Highly Toxics

GHS symbol showing a skull and crossbones

Characteristics

These chemicals can cause serious injury or death at low concentrations. Highly toxics are chemicals with a lethal dose (LD50) of less than or equal to 50 milligrams per kilogram body weight or a lethal concentration (LC50) in air of less than or equal to 200 parts per million.

Laboratory Chemicals

Solids ...

5.3 Toxics

GHS symbol showing a skull and crossbones

Characteristics

Overexposure to toxic chemicals can cause injury or death. Toxics are chemicals with a lethal dose (LD50) of more than 50 and less than 500 milligrams per kilogram body weight or a lethal concentration (LC50) in air of more than 200 and less than 1,000 parts per million.

Laboratory Chemicals

Solids ...