Policy 3514.1 - Hazardous Substances

Hazardous Substances

The Board of Education desires to provide a safe school environment that protects students and employees from exposure to potentially hazardous substances that may be used in the district’s educational program and in the maintenance and operation of district facilities and equipment.

Insofar as reasonably possible, the superintendent or designee shall minimize the quantities of hazardous substances stored and used on school property. When hazardous substances must be used, the superintendent or designee shall give preference to materials that cause the least risk to people and the environment.

The superintendent or designee shall ensure that all potentially hazardous substances on district properties are inventoried, used, stored, and regularly disposed of in a safe and legal manner.

The superintendent or designee shall develop, implement, and maintain a written hazard communication program in accordance with Code of Regulations, Title 8, section 5194 and shall ensure that employees, students, and others as necessary are fully informed about the properties and potential hazards of substances to which they may be exposed.

The superintendent or designee shall develop specific measures to ensure the safety of students and staff in school laboratories where hazardous chemicals are used. Such measures shall include the development and implementation of a chemical hygiene plan in accordance with Code of Regulations, Title 8, section 5191 and instruction to students about proper handling of hazardous substances

Rule 3514.1

Hazardous Substances

Hazardous substance means a substance, material, or mixture which is likely to cause illness or injury by reason of being explosive, flammable, poisonous, corrosive, oxidizing, an irritant, or otherwise harmful. Hazardous substances, as identified by the Department of Industrial Relations, are listed in Code of Regulations, Title 8, section 339.

Storage and Disposal of Chemicals

The superintendent or designee shall adopt measures to ensure that hazardous substances on any district property are stored and disposed of properly in accordance with law. Such measures shall include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. sSubstances which react violently or evolve toxic vapors or gases when mixed, or which in combination become toxic, flammable, explosive, or otherwise hazardous, shall be separated from each other in storage by distance, partitions, secondary containment, or otherwise so as to preclude accidental contact between them
2. Hazardous substances shall be stored in containers which are chemically inert to and appropriate for the type and quantity of the hazardous substance
3. Containers of hazardous substances shall not be stored in such locations or manner as to result in physical damage to or deterioration of the container or where they are exposed to heat sufficient to rupture the container or to cause leakage
4. Containers used to package a substance which gives off toxic, poisonous, corrosive, asphyxiant, suffocant, or anesthetic fumes, gases, or vapors in hazardous amounts, excluding small quantities of such materials kept in closed containers or materials kept in tank cars or trucks, shall not be stored in locations where it could be reasonably anticipated that persons would be exposed.

The superintendent or designee shall regularly remove and dispose of all chemicals whose estimated shelf life has elapsed.

Hazard Communication

Program The districtʹs written hazard communication program shall include at least the components listed below and shall be available upon request to all employees and their designated representatives. The program shall apply to any hazardous substance which is known to be present in the workplace in such a manner that employees may be exposed under normal conditions of use or in a reasonably foreseeable emergency resulting from workplace operations

1. Container Labeling
   
   No container of hazardous substance, unless exempted by law, shall be accepted by the district or any district school unless labeled, tagged, or marked by the supplier with the identity of the hazardous substance, hazard warning statements, and the name and address of the chemical manufacturer or importer. No label on an incoming container shall be removed or intentionally defaced unless the container is immediately marked with the required information.
   
   Whenever hazardous substances are transferred from their original containers to other containers, the secondary containers shall likewise be labeled with the identity and hazard warning statement, unless the substances are intended only for the immediate use of the employee who performs the transfer.
    
2. Safety Data Sheets
   
   Upon receiving a hazardous substance or mixture, the superintendent or designee shall ensure that the manufacturer or importer has furnished a safety data sheet (SDS) as required by law. If the SDS is missing or obviously incomplete, the superintendent or designee shall, within seven working days of noting the missing or incomplete information, request a new SDS from the manufacturer or importer. If a response is not received within 25 working days, the superintendent or designee shall send a copy of the districtʹs written inquiry to the California Occupational Safety and Health Division (Cal/OSHA).)
   
   The superintendent or designee shall maintain the required SDS for each hazardous substance in the workplace and shall ensure that it is readily accessible to employees in their work area during working hours. The SDS may be maintained in paper copy, electronically, or through other means, provided that employees have immediate access and understand how to use the alternative system.
    
3. Employee Information and Training
   
   Employees shall receive information and training on hazardous substances in their work area at the time of their initial assignment and whenever a new hazard is introduced into their work area. The information and training shall include, but are not limited to, the following topics:
   1. The requirements of Code of Regulations, Title 8, section 5194, including employee rights described therein
   2. The location and availability of the districtʹs written hazard communication program, including the list of hazardous materials and all SDS
   3. Any operations in the work area where hazardous substances are present
   4. The physical and health effects of the hazardous substances in the work area
   5. Methods and observations that may be used to detect the presence or release of hazardous substances in the work area
   6. Measures that employees can take to protect themselves from exposure to hazardous substances, including specific procedures the district has implemented to protect employees, such as appropriate work practices, emergency procedures, and personal protective equipment to be used
   7. How to read and use the labels and SDS
       
4. List of Hazardous Substances
   
   The written hazard communication program shall include a list of the hazardous substances known to be present in the workplace as a whole or for individual work areas.
    
5. Hazardous Non‐routine Tasks
   
   When employees are required to perform hazardous non‐routine tasks or to work on unlabeled pipes that contain hazards, they shall first receive information about the specific hazards to which they may be exposed during this activity and the protective/safety measures which must be used, such as ventilation, respirators, other personal protective equipment, and/or the presence of another employee. They shall also receive information about emergency procedures to follow if accidentally exposed to the hazardous substance.
    
6. Information to Contractors
   
   To ensure that outside contractors and their employees work safely in district facilities, the superintendent or designee shall inform contractors of hazardous substances which are present on the site and precautions that they may take to lessen the possibility of exposure. It shall be the contractorʹs responsibility to disseminate this information to his/her employees and subcontractors.

Chemical Hygiene Plan

The districtʹs chemical hygiene plan shall address exposure to hazardous chemicals in school laboratories and shall include the following components:

1. Standard operating procedures relevant to safety and health considerations to be followed when laboratory work involves the use of hazardous chemicals
2. Criteria that the district will use to determine and implement control measures to reduce exposure to hazardous chemicals, including engineering controls, the use of personal protective equipment, and hygiene practices
3. A requirement that protective equipment comply with state regulations and that specific measures be taken to ensure proper and adequate performance of such equipment
4. 4. Provision of specified information at the time of an employeeʹs initial assignment to a work area where hazardous chemicals are present and prior to assignments involving new exposure situations
5. Provision of specified employee training in accordance with the schedule determined by the superintendent or designee
6. The circumstances under which a particular laboratory operation, procedure, or activity shall require prior approval of the Superintendent or designee before implementation    
7. Provisions for medical consultations and examinations whenever there is evidence, as specified, that the employee may have been exposed to a hazardous chemical
8. Designation of an employee, who is qualified by training or experience, to serve as the districtʹs chemical hygiene officer to provide technical guidance in the development and implementation of the chemical hygiene plan
9. Provisions for additional employee protection for work with particularly hazardous substances, as specified

The plan shall be readily available to employees and employee representatives, and, upon request, to Cal/OSHA.

The superintendent or designee shall review and evaluate the effectiveness of the chemical hygiene plan at least annually and shall update it as necessary.