Lab hazchem records extended: Safety paperwork marches on.
Published Date: 2/14/2025
Notice
Summary
OSHA is asking for public feedback to keep collecting info about how labs handle dangerous chemicals. This affects lab employers who must keep paperwork showing they protect workers from chemical risks. Comments are open until April 15, 2025, and there’s no new cost—just a paperwork extension to keep safety info flowing smoothly.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Protections to Reduce Worker Chemical Exposure
The information collections support employer actions to keep worker exposures at or below permissible exposure limits and require measures such as operating procedures, hazard controls, training, medical surveillance, and designation of responsible personnel. OSHA states these requirements help control overexposure and prevent serious illnesses and death among workers exposed to hazardous laboratory chemicals.
Laboratories Must Keep Chemical Hygiene Paperwork
If you run a laboratory that uses hazardous chemicals, the rule requires you to develop and keep a written Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP) and other records such as exposure monitoring results, worker notifications, training materials, medical surveillance records, and physician opinions. The collection is identified under OMB Control Number 1218-0131 and applies to the Standard at 29 CFR 1910.1450.
OMB Extension Shows Lower Estimated Burden and Costs
OSHA is requesting OMB extend approval of the paperwork requirements and reports an estimated total burden of 602,594 hours across 125,636 respondents and 2,009,466 responses. OSHA also reports the estimated operation and maintenance cost is $42,357,006 (down from $83,566,611), a decrease of $41,209,605, and that the burden-hour estimate decreased by 19,888 hours.
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