The Chemical and Lab safety group assists professors, staff and students with all aspects of lab safety that are not related to biological or radiological issues.  The group provides services in a diverse number of fields including chemical safety, nanomaterials, lab ventilation, compressed gases, liquefied gases, field safety, and others.  Support is provided through training, site assessments, inspections, annual fume hood and alarm certification, lab commissioning, safety procedures and programs.

 

Overall control of the program is through the University’s Laboratory Safety Committee with administrative and technical support provided by the Office of Environmental Health and Safety.

NEW – Prevention of Accidental Importation of Chemical Weapons Convention Controlled Chemicals

NEW – Safety Guidelines for the use of Carcinogens, Teratogens, and Highly Toxic Chemicals in Small Quantities

NEW – Guidelines on Working With Nanomaterials

NEW – Guidelines on Working Alone in the Lab

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Accident and Incident Reporting	Emergency Procedures	Hazardous Waste Management	Personal Protective Equipment
Chemical Spills	Vertére-HECHMET Online Access	SDS Online Access	WHMIS

 

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                    Lab Safety and Workplace Safety                    

Laboratory Safety Program Laboratory Chemical Safety Program (PDF) Training Matrix (Lab Personnel) Laboratory PI Inspection Checklist (PDF) Guidelines on Working Alone in the Lab Transporting Chemicals within Buildings

Workplace Safety Machine Safety Guidelines (PDF) Field Research Safety Maintenance Contractor Procedure for Working on Potentially Contaminated Plumbing (PDF) Pregnancy Workplace Screening Tool for Pregnant Workers (PDF) Youth in Labs Guidelines (PDF) Images (photo, video etc.) Guidelines for Research & Teaching Laboratories Tour Guidelines for Laboratories

Eyewash and Showers Emergency Eyewash and Shower Standard (PDF) Eyewash and Shower Needs Assessment Flowchart (PDF)

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) PPE resource page Laboratory PPE Assessment Tool (PDF) Lab Coat Guidelines (PDF) Lab Coat Washing Guidelines (PDF)

Fumehoods Maintenance Procedure for Working on Fume Hood Ducts (PDF) Fume Hoods Design Standard (PDF) Fume Hoods User Guidelines (PDF)

Decommissioning Lab or Equipment Decommissioning of Laboratories Biological/ Chemical Decommissioning form for rooms and equipment (PDF) Cleanup of Laboratory Surfaces Contaminated with Ethidium Bromide (PDF) Safe to Remove Tag (PDF)

Working with Animals Application Process for the Use of  Controlled Substances in Animal Studies (SOP 1.11.0) Working with BrDU and BrDU treated animals (PDF)

Respiratory Protection Respirator Standard (PDF) Respiratory Protection Program (PDF) Respirator User Screening Form (DOCX)

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                                  Chemical Safety                                  

Regulated  Substances and Working Procedures Doxorubicin (PDF) Hydrogen Fluoride (HF) Program IARC Groups 1 and 2A list (2012) MPTP Procedure (PDF) Phenyl Hydrazine and Phenyl Hydrazine Hydrochloride procedure for use (PDF) Semicarbazide Procedure for use (PDF) Temozolomide Procedure for use (PDF) Working with BrDU and BrDU treated animals (PDF) Working with Chlorpyrifos and Chlorpyrifos treated animals (PDF) Working with Tamoxifen and Tamoxifen treated animals (PDF) Handling and Using Piranha Solution (PDF) Safety Guidelines for the Use of Carcinogens, Teratogens, and Highly Toxic Chemicals in Small Quantities (PDF) Guidelines on Working with Nanomaterials (PDF) Prevention of Accidental Importation of Chemical Weapons Convention Controlled Chemicals

High Hazard Chemicals High Hazard Chemical Registration Form (PDF) High Hazard Chemical Definition

Chemical Storage Chemical Storage Flowchart (PDF) Chemical Storage Table (PDF) Compressed Gas Safety

Flammable Liquid Storage Storage Cabinets (PDF) Refrigerators (PDF) Storage Rooms (PDF)

Cryogens Control Program for Liquid Cryogenic Transfer Facilities (PDF) Standard for Inert Cryogenic Liquid Usage in the Laboratory (PDF)

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HECHMET Inventory System 

HECHMET (Higher Education Cooperative for Hazardous Material and Equipment Tracking) is a consortium of Canadian universities (currently 14 and still growing) using Vertére Inventory Management (VIM) software system.

University of Toronto joined HECHMET in late 2017. EHS provides assistance, training, and guidance for the implementation of HECHMET-VIM that works best for each individual department. The use of software is simple, flexible, and durable. Since January 2018, over 70, 000 chemical items have been added into the HECHMET-VIM across all three university campuses. For further information and/or inquiry, please contact the University HECHMET administrator at: hechmet@utoronto.ca

For more information, please see our  Chemical Inventory Guide (PDF)

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Additional Resources

https://campuspolice.utoronto.ca/

Safety in University Buildings

Work Alone Program

 Emergency:  416-978-2222 (8-2222)  |  Non-emergency:  416-978-2323 (8-2323)

 

 

Digital Resources 

For additional digital resources, please visit our Promoting Safety page.