2. INVENTORY OF HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL PRODUCTS

Return to Table of Contents


Identification of hazardous substances regulated by OSHA's standard is the first step in the University's compliance program. Upon identification of hazardous substances in the workplace, the Tennessee Act requires the establishment and maintenance of a hazardous substance inventory for each work area in which hazardous substances are used or stored.

Any substance which is capable of producing adverse effects on the health and safety of human beings is considered to be a hazardous substance and shall be listed on the
inventory.


2.1 Chemical Products Used

Substances used, but not produced, by The University of the South are to be listed if:

they appear on any one of the four OSHA base lists, or

their manufacturer has included health or safety warnings on their labels.

The four base lists cited by OSHA for hazardous substances are:

1. Toxic and Hazardous Substances, 29 CFR 1910, Subpart Z, OSHA;

2. the latest edition of Threshold Limit Values for Chemical Substances and Physical Agents in the Work Environment, published by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists;
3. the latest Annual Report on Carcinogens published by the National Toxicology Program of the U.S. Public Health Service; and,

4. the latest editions of Monographs published by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

It is the responsibility of department chairs, program directors and work force supervisors (hereafter referred to as supervisory personnel) to ensure that all materials believed to contain hazardous substances, in facilities under their supervision, be inventoried by work location and that copies of the inventory be posted in the work location, and sent to the Environmental Health and Safety office. It is the responsibility of each department using the procedure outlined above, to determine which substances are hazardous. Final inventories shall be sent by the department safety coordinator to the EHS office, to all work locations using or storing hazardous substances, for posting.

The hazardous substance inventories shall be updated at least annually by the department chairs and/or thier safety coordinator. Additions, deletions and corrections to the inventory shall be listed. The updated inventories are to be submitted to the EHS office by the date indicated.


2.2 Chemicals Produced

Various academic laboratories may produce small quantities of chemicals for research purposes. These are not produced for re-sale, and as such, The University of the South is not considered a "chemical manufacturer," as defined by the Standard.