Standard Operating Procedures
A standard operating procedure (SOP) is a document establishing a procedure for safely working with hazardous chemicals or a potentially hazardous operation or process. There are three basic methods for developing SOP’s:
- By- Process: (ex. Distillation, synthesis, chromatography, etc...)
- By- Individual Hazardous Chemical (arsenic, benzene, hydrochloric acid, etc...)
- By- Hazardous Chemical Class (flammable, corrosive, oxidizer, etc...)
Environmental Health and Radiation Safety (EHRS) has developed general SOP’s and Fact Sheets that can be used in those circumstances that do not require customization. Certain hazardous chemicals (ex. Explosives, pyrophoric materials, toxic gases, etc), high hazard processes and/or chemicals classified by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) as a particularly hazardous substances require SOPs that are customized or site specific.
The Principal Investigator (PI) , Supervisor and /or Manager is responsible for ensuring that all applicable SOP’s are developed and implemented in their laboratory or area. The PI, Supervisor or Manager is responsible for ensuring that all staff are trained and have a detailed understating of all relevant SOPs. SOP’s must be reviewed on an annual basis and updated whenever there is a change. All SOP’s must be available for review when requested.
EHRS has created various SOP templates that can be used to create your customized or site specific SOP. These templates do not have to be utilized if your protocols or procedure includes all of the relevant sections from the SOP in a user–friendly format.
- Standard Operating Procedure for Carcinogens
- Standard Operating Procedure for Compressed Gases
- Standard Operating Procedure for Corrosive Chemicals
- Standard Operating Procedure for Flammable Liquids
- Standard Operating Procedure for Oxidizing Chemicals
- Standard Operating Procedure for Pyrophoric Chemicals
- Standard Operating Procedure for Reactive Liquids
- Standard Operating Procedure for Reactive Solids
- Standard Operating Procedure for Reproductive Hazards
- Standard Operating Procedure for Acutely Toxic Chemicals
- Standard Operating Procedure for Acutely Toxic Gases
- Standard Operating Procedure for Water Sensitive Chemicals
- Standard Operating Procedure for Formaldehyde, Formalin, and/or Paraformaldehyde*
- Standard Operating Procedure for Urethane*
- Standard Operating Procedure for Particularly Hazardous Substance*
* denotes Standard Operating Procedure Template customization required
