Monday, July 30, 2012

How many SOPs will be required by the new LADA/UC agreement?

The full SOP section of the Agreement (page 13):

UCLA and Regents shall ensure that all laboratory facilities comply with Title 8’s requirements for Standard Operating Procedures (“SOPs”).  Additionally, for any chemical listed in the Chemical Classification List (attached hereto as “Exhibit 1”), the following shall apply:
  • SOPs shall be written by laboratory personnel having the most experience and knowledge and who are routinely involved in the experimental process. 
  • The Principal Investigator and all personnel responsible for performing the procedures detailed by the SOP shall sign the SOP, acknowledging the contents, requirements and responsibilities outlined in the SOP.  
  • The SOP shall be reviewed.  The review shall be conducted by qualified personnel. 
  • The SOP shall be amended and subject to additional review and approval by the Principal Investigator where changes or variations in conditions, methodologies, equipment, or use of the chemical occurs, or when it is reasonably apparent that exposure to injury or illness may be increased or adversely effected by any anticipated or  an unanticipated condition arises when an approved SOP is utilized, or where the scale of any reaction or application has increased beyond the capacity of the equipment or apparatus outlined or described in the original SOP, or the increased scale of any reaction or application had not been evaluated and approved within the scope of the original SOP.  
  • Authors of SOPs shall consider in developing, revising, and reviewing and approving SOPs, the usage and handling recommendations provided by the manufacturer.   
  • A copy of all SOPs relevant to that particular laboratory’s operations shall be maintained in each UCLA and Regents’ laboratory in the Laboratory Safety Manual, or separately designated manual.
  • SOPs shall be in a visible location within each laboratory and readily accessible to all laboratory personnel. Electronically available copies of the SOPs are acceptable to meet this provision,  provided such SOPs are readily accessible to all laboratory personnel.  The UCLA Laboratory Safety Manual and its appendices and UCLA policies 811, 905, and 907 (or Regents’ campus equivalents) shall control the specific procedures to be undertaken in the development, approval and use of SOPs to the extent the Laboratory Safety Manual and policies are not inconsistent with this section.  To the extent that California Code of Regulations, Title 8 requires more stringent procedures, Title 8 shall control.    
Want to know the different sections of Exhibit 1? Courtesy of ACS' Division of Chemical Health and Safety, here they are:
Pyrophoric Chemicals, Water Reactive Chemicals, Potentially Explosive Compound Classes, Explosive Salts, Potentially Explosive Chemicals, Acutely Toxic Chemicals, Acutely Toxic Gases, Peroxide Forming Chemicals, Strong Bases, Strong Oxidizing Agents, Strong Reducing Agents, Regulated Carcinogens. 
Question: Go through Exhibit 1 (page 19 of the Agreement). How many chemicals does the traditional organic chemistry lab contain? I count 30 plus. Readers?

7 comments:

  1. "No changes in details of manufacture or packaging shall be made except by written memoranda. No written memoranda seeking to effect changes in details of manufacture or packaging shall be authority for such changes unless it bears the following stamp."
    Memo to Supervisors composed by Eli Lilly in 1914.

    Chemistry is no joke. It can return wonders or hurt the unwary with indifference. This discovery is taught in most chemistry clases yet it is repeated almost every day and in most labs...

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  2. And exactly how would jailing Professor Hallan improve lab safety? Even Bunsen burners are dangerous if used improperly. This was at least one thing taught in chemistry classes 30 years ago.

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    Replies
    1. Pour encourager les investigateurs principal, bien sur.

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    2. Which, of course, is an unjust use of the legal system, IMO.

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  3. Regarding the SOP, each lab personnel should have all the knowledge about the SOP to insure that they will follow and prevent mistakes.

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  4. The only way to ensure safety in academic lab is to have permanent research staff tasked among other things with safety and training. Otherwise everything you do is going to be a short-lived campaign.

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  5. "A copy of all SOPs relevant to that particular laboratory’s operations shall be maintained in each UCLA and Regents’ laboratory in the Laboratory Safety Manual, or separately designated manual."

    Sounds like another binder sitting on a shelf next to notebooks from the 80s and chemical supply catalogs.

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looks like Blogger doesn't work with anonymous comments from Chrome browsers at the moment - works in Microsoft Edge, or from Chrome with a Blogger account - sorry! CJ 3/21/20