Site-Based Chemical Hygiene Specialists in Schools: Enhancing Safety and Compliance

Current regulations mandate school districts to have a designated Chemical Hygiene Officer (CHO) who oversees chemical safety protocols. While this is a crucial step, this article argues that adding site-based Chemical Hygiene Officer Specialists in each school can significantly enhance safety and compliance standards.

Why Chemical Hygiene Matters

Science labs can pose hazards due to chemicals, biological materials, and equipment. The National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) and other leading organizations emphasize the importance of safe lab practices.  Even non-dedicated labs fall under safety regulations – known as ‘science instructional spaces’ usually in the elementary and middle school levels. School districts, especially in light of potential legal liabilities, must prioritize responsible chemical management and provide the necessary safety products and at least annually safety training.  Chemical hygiene and safety are the cornerstones of every science, technical, and innovative workplace and these must be taught and enforced in our schools to better prepare our students for post-secondary and ultimately the job market with the skills necessary.

Benefits of a District Chemical Hygiene Officer (CHO)

A district CHO develops and implements the Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP), ensuring compliance with OSHA’s Laboratory Standard. This includes:

• Professional Development: Providing safety training for staff based on specific courses taught that are grade level and subject-area appropriate.
• Documentation and Reference Materials: Making the CHP, Safety Data Sheets (SDS), and other resources readily available to all staff and stakeholders.
• Collaboration: Working with administrators and teachers to implement the safety program and adapt it as needed.
• Chemical Management: Monitoring procurement, use, and disposal of chemicals within the district and possibly the management of a banned/prohibited list of chemicals.
• Inspections: Ensuring regular inspections of equipment and labs, maintaining accurate records which are completed and documented before June 30 annually.
• Technical Assistance: Offering guidance on the CHP based on OSHA, NFPA, and NIOSH standards and accepted better professional safety practices.
• CHP Review and Updates: Regularly reviewing (at least annually) and revising the CHP to maintain compliance and best practices.

The Case for Site-Based CHO’s in K12 Science Departments

While a district CHO is essential and legal in OSHA and state-approved OSHA plans, there’s a strong case for adding CHO’s in each school. This concept has proven successful in states like New York and California, where having an on-site chemical safety person with appropriate training and qualifications minimizes potential risks and fosters safety awareness in their school science and STEM department.  There is merit in having these specially qualified and training people in our schools for multiple reasons.

Here’s why site-based CHO’s are beneficial:

• Increased Safety Awareness: CHO’s can provide a more localized focus on safety within each school and each science / STEM department member.
• Reduced Legal Liability: Having readily available experts can minimize legal concerns and proactively provide training and hazard analysis / risk assessment to planned activities.
• Improved Chemical Management: On-site expertise enhances responsible chemical management across the chemical lifecycle.

While larger districts may see the immediate advantages of CHO’s, smaller and medium-sized school districts can also reap the benefits. Having a designated CHO with specialized knowledge in each school with chemicals and laboratories proactively addresses potential issues and improves overall safety.  It is a positive step in your risk management and safety program for any school district to actively have more trained people in your buildings rather than relying on a single person in the whole district to manage chemical spills, incompatible chemical storage, PPE, and other aspects of regulatory compliance.

Qualifications and Training for CHO’s

Effective CHO’s require specific safety qualifications and experience. Programs like the CHO/CHL Pathway from Safer STEM can provide the necessary safety training and qualification as well as access to safety and risk management solutions and resources needed to be an effective Chemical Hygiene Officer at the district or at the school level.  Here is an overview of this course. https://saferstem.com/chemical-hygiene-officer-certification-training/

Conclusion

Having site-based CHS fosters a safer learning environment. It reflects the commitment to safety found in industry and is a natural step for school systems.  As educators, we prioritize informed decision-making. Implementing site-based CHO’s is a logical and intelligent step towards a safer future for our students and staff.  We are in the business of intelligence as well as safety compliance for our students and our staff.