The CHEMS department is currently undergoing a review of standard operating procedures (SOPs). The ORCBS will review current research project SOPs and provide recommendations.

The threshold of risk requiring ORCBS review of an SOP includes the following:

Experiments that involve potential serious safety and health hazards
1) Real or Potential Atmospheric hazards, Poison gases, Flammable gases, Asphyxiants, Cryogens
2) Single experiments that use >10 gallons of flammable
3) Large reactors, distillation columns or processes,
4) Reactives and explosives; this category includes use of perchloric acid, any solution of organic acids (acetic, lactic, propionic, etc.) mixed with mineral acids (nitric, sulfuric, HF, HCl)
5) Highly toxic compounds, HF, isocyanates

Observable Serious safety and health hazards
6) Mechanical
7) Electrical
8) Engulfment/Entrapment
9) Temperature Extremes
10) Noise
11) Machine guarding
12) Light hazards, UV, laser, IR
13) Field hazards, surveying, well drilling
14) Confined Spaces