State Law and the UC Davis Policy and Procedure 290-65 require principal investigators working with campus-recognized chemical carcinogens to develop written Safety Protocols as described in the Chemical Carcinogen Safety Manual.  To comply with reporting requirements established by CalOSHA, users of Class II and III carcinogens must register with the Office of Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S).  To register for carcinogen use and receive a Carcinogen Use Authorization (CUA) the principal investigator or projects supervisor shall:

• Add the chemical carcinogen into the Chemical Inventory System (CIS) account

• Add users to the CIS-associated Chemical Carcinogen Authorization
• Complete and post one or more written Safety Protocols (in the format described below), and note on Animal Care Protocols when chemical carcinogens are used in the protocol.

The entrance to rooms where carcinogens are used or stored must be posted with a label indicating “Cancer Suspect Agent”, and have the written Safety Protocol(s) posted in the work area. The principle investigator or project supervisor is required to prepare this written Safety Protocol that shall include the following information:

• Name of principal investigator and/or project supervisor and their phone numbers.
• Names of all other personnel associated with the project and their phone numbers.
• Names, amounts, physical form, concentrations, and storage/use locations of the carcinogens involved.
• Proper precautions for handling during normal use, including personal protective equipment and location restrictions.
• A brief description of the experiment, including:

a.  Concentrations of stock and working solutions.

b.  Techniques and equipment to assure containment.

c.  Emergency procedures including deactivation and/or decontamination.

d.  Personal protective measures to be employed and/or equipment to be used.

e.  Duration of the proposed project.

• An appropriate means of  detecting spills and contamination and decontaminating surfaces that may become contaminated with the chemical carcinogen.  This information can often be found in the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for the chemical of concern.
• Emergency procedures for spills must be specified.  Consideration should include the following:

When volatile liquid or gaseous chemical carcinogens (e.g. ethyleneimine, dibromochloropropane, vinyl chloride) are spilled in the fume hood or glove box:

a.       Put on additional layers of gloves, ensure your laboratory coat is buttoned and don chemical splash goggles.  Put on an apron if large amounts of liquid are present.

b.       Contain the spill by absorbing it with paper towels, rags, or suitable chemical absorbents  Place spill clean-up materials in a double layer of plastic bags.  Seal the bag and label with a hazardous 

          waste label.  Leave the bag of spill waste in the hood.

c.       Decontaminate the spill area using the specified decontamination method.

d.       Check for residual spillage and decontaminate again if necessary.

e.       Thoroughly wash arms, hands, and face.  As soon as possible, shower and wash hair if Class III carcinogens are spilled.

 

When volatile liquid or gaseous chemical carcinogens (e.g. formalin, benzene) are spilled in the general room outside of a fume hood or glove box:

a.      Evacuate the room and close the door behind you.

b.      Call the Fire Department (911) and EH&S (530-752-1493), in that order, for assistance.

c.      Do not re-enter the room until cleared by EH&S.

d.      Shower if advised to do so by EH&S.

 

With nonvolatile liquids (i.e., dilute aqueous solutions, tissue cultures):

a.   Put on additional protection if needed

b.   Place the contaminated absorbent in double bags for disposal by EH&S.

c.    Decontaminate the spill area using the specified decontamination method.

d.    Check for residual spillage and decontaminate again if necessary.

e.    Thoroughly wash the arms, hands, and face of exposed individuals.  Shower and wash if Class III carcinogens were spilled.

 

When a substance is a particulate:

a.   Isolate the area by barricading or other means so that the spill is not spread.

b.   Put on additional protection (gloves, lab coat, apron).  If the spill is extensive, respirators and/or impermeable coveralls may be necessary.  Contact EH&S (752-1493) for guidance.

c.   Gradually push particles from outside of the spill area towards the center, using moist towels.  Do Not Dry Sweep!!

d.   Pick up particulates by using moist towels or sponges.  All carcinogen wastes must be managed and disposed as hazardous waste.

e.   Additional wet-mopping or special vacuum may be necessary depending on the extent of the spill. 

f.    Decontaminate the spill area using the specified decontamination method.

g.   Check for residual spillage and decontaminate again if necessary.

h.   Thoroughly wash arms, hands, and face after cleanup.  Shower and wash hair if Class III chemical carcinogens were spilled.

 

Note:  In all cases, all contaminated protective equipment, towels, wash water, etc. are considered contaminated hazardous waste.  This must be double-bagged, labeled, and disposed by EH&S as hazardous waste.  See Safety Net #8, “Guidelines for Disposal of Chemical Waste” for more information.

• If the research involves handling chemical carcinogens in syringes, emergency procedures for accidental inoculation must be specified.  These procedures must include immediate thorough washing of the injection site and reporting immediately to Occupational Health Services or Cowell Student Health Center for medical evaluation. 

• Researchers should contact Occupational Health Services (530-757-3200) after any significant exposure to chemical carcinogens.
• Any emergency incident or exposure to a chemical carcinogen must be reported to EH&S or the UC Davis Fire Department immediately, and followed up by a written incident report to EH&S within ten days.

The Chemical Carcinogen Safety Manual, which includes the list of chemical carcinogens and required forms, is available on the EH&S website.  For additional information. Contact your EH&S Safety Advisor, EH&S at 530-752-1493, or ehsdesk@ucdavis.edu.

Revised 10/2008

AWM