Training lab personnel on the proper handling of hazardous chemicals and hazardous waste doesn’t have to be time-consuming. This type of training, however, is an annual requirement of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA). This type of training can take the form of classroom training, web-based training and even on-the job training.
These training requirements vary according to whether the school is considered a Large Quantity Generator (LQG), Small Quantity Generator (SQG) or Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Generator (CESQG). In addition, OSHA requires that laboratory personnel receive health and safety-related training specific to their responsibilities and to the hazards to which they may be exposed (29 CFR 1910.1450).
The section that follows tells more about environmental laws, regulations and best practices associated with training for laboratory personnel.