J. Particularly Hazardous Sustances

In addition to the general safety guidelines mentioned throughout this plan, special precautions are needed when handling select carcinogens, reproductive toxins, and substances of high acute toxicity.

J1. Carcinogens

A carcinogen commonly describes any agent that can initiate or speed the development of malignant or potentially malignant tumors, malignant neoplastic proliferation of cells, or cells that posses such material. A listing of carcinogenic chemicals can be found in Appendix B. Carcinogens commonly used in larger volumes at Colgate include acrylamide, benzene, chloroform, formaldehyde, and methylene chloride.

Select carcinogen means any substance that meets one of the following criteria:

• It is regulated by OSHA as a carcinogen.
• It is listed under the category, "known to be carcinogens," in the Annual Report on Carcinogens published by the National Toxicology Program (NTP) (latest edition).
• It is listed under Group 1, "carcinogenic to humans" by the International Agency for Research on Cancer Monographs (IRAC) (latest edition).
• It is listed under Group 2A or 2B by IRAC or under the category "reasonably anticipated to be carcinogens" by NTP, and causes statistically significant tumor incidence in experimental animals in accordance with any of the following criteria:
  • after inhalation exposure of 6-7 hours per day, 5 days a week, for a significant portion of a lifetime, to doses of less than 10 mg/m³.
  • after repeated skin application of 300 mg/kg of body weight per week.
  • after oral doses of less than 50 mg/kg of body weight per day.

J2. Reproductive Hazards

A reproductive toxin is a chemical that affects the reproductive capabilities including chromosomal damage (mutagens) and effects on the fetus (tetratogens). A mutagen affects the chromosome chains of exposed cells. The effect may hereditary and become part of the genetic pool passed on to future generations. A tetratogen (embyrotoxic or fetotoxic agent) is an agent that interferes with normal embryonic development without damage to the mother or lethal effects on the fetus. Effects are not hereditary.

J3. Highly Toxic Chemicals

Acutely toxic chemicals are substances falling into any of the following categories:

• A chemical that has a median lethal dose (LD50) of 50 mg or less per kg of body weight, when administered to albino rats weighing 200 to 300 g each.
• A chemical that has a median lethal dose (LD50) of 200 mg or less per kg of body weight, when administered by continuous contact for 24 hours (or less if death occurs within 24 hours) to the bare skin of albino rabbits weighing 2 and 3 kg each.
• A chemical that has a median lethal concentration (LC50) in air of 200 parts per million by volume or less of gas or vapor, or 2 mg per liter or less of mist, fume, or dust, when administered by continuous inhalation for one hour (or less if death occurs within one hour) to albino rats weighing 200 to 300 g each.

J4. Handling Procedures

For the cases of substances that present special hazards the following procedures will be used to minimize risk. These procedures must be followed in laboratory operations with substances believed to be highly toxic or carcinogenic, even when used in small amounts. The extent of precaution depends on the hazards of the particular substance. Factors such as physical form and volatility of the substance, type and duration of exposure, and the amount to be used should be considered. All plans for experimental work and waste disposal must be approved by the laboratory supervisor in consultation with the Departmental Chemical Hygiene Officer.

The overall objective is to minimize exposure to toxic substances, by any route of exposure. The general precautions outlined elsewhere in this plan should normally be followed whenever a toxic substance is transferred from one container to another or is subject to some chemical or physical manipulation. The following procedures must also always be followed:

Record Keeping
Accurate records that include the amounts of chemicals used and names of researchers or students involved should be kept as part of the laboratory notebook record of the experiment.

Storage
Substances having high chronic toxicity should be stored in a well ventilated area in a secondary container or tray.

Labels and Signs
All containers in the high chronic toxicity category will include a warning such as: WARNING! CANCER SUSPECT AGENT. All newly purchased containers should already contain this warning, but batch containers and solutions must also be labelled. Any area used for storage should have a label identifying the special toxicity hazard that exists.

Designated Areas
All experiments with and transfers of particularly hazardous substances or mixtures containing such substances must be done in a designated area. A designated area is defined as a laboratory, a portion of a laboratory, or a facility such as an exhaust hood or glove box that is designated for the use of highly toxic substances. Its use need not be restricted if all personnel who have access to the controlled area are aware of the nature of the substances being used and the precautions that are necessary. Designated areas will be clearly marked with a conspicuous sign such as the following: WARNING! HIGHLY TOXIC SUBSTANCE IN USE: AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY. The working surface of the hood can be fitted with removable liner of absorbent material. Surfaces can be protected from contamination with chemically resistant trays or plastic backed disposable paper.

Protective Equipment
In some cases, the laboratory supervisor may deem it advisable to wear special protective equipment when working with particularly hazardous substances. Examples include long gloves or an apron covered by a disposable coat.

Decontamination
On leaving a controlled area, remove any protective apparel, thoroughly wash hands and arms, face, and neck. If disposable apparel or absorbent paper have been used, place these items in a closed impervious bag or container for disposal. Work surfaces will be thoroughly washed and rinsed. All equipment that is known or suspected to have been in contact with particularly hazardous substances will also be washed and rinsed.

Waste Disposal
All general waste disposal procedures will be followed. Certain additional precautions must also be observed when waste materials are known to contain amounts of highly toxic substances. Volatile toxic substances must never be disposed of by evaporation in the hood. If practical, waste materials should be decontaminated as the last step in the experiment by some procedure that can reasonably be expected to convert the toxic substance to nontoxic substances. Consult Prudent Practices for Disposal of Chemicals from Laboratories (available in EHS Office) for specific destruction procedures. If decomposition is not feasible, the waste will be stored in closed, impervious containers such that personnel handling the containers will not be exposed to its contents. All waste containers must be labeled to indicated the contents (constituents and approximate amounts or percentages) and the type of hazard that contact may pose. For instance, if a waste stream is known to contain appreciable amounts of a carcinogen, the container should be labelled: CANCER SUSPECT AGENT. The generation of acutely hazardous waste (P-waste) must be closely monitored. As a small quantity generator, Colgate is allowed to store no more than 1 kg (2.2 lbs) of acutely hazardous waste. All wastes and residues that have not been chemically decontaminated will be disposed of in accordance with Colgate University's Hazardous Waste Procedures.

Last modified: April 08, 1998