Administrative controls establish work practices that reduce the duration, frequency, or intensity of exposure to hazards. These types of controls are generally not as reliable as engineering controls because the user typically must follow appropriate procedures and must be fully trained and aware in order to do so.  Each laboratory must have safety procedures that include safety practices for any work that involves hazardous materials.  These safety procedures should be laboratory-specific and communicated by lab-specific training, SOPs, or Job Safety Analyses and be properly documented.   An example of an administrative control is developing an SOP for the safe use of hydrofluoric acid in the laboratory.

Standard Operating Procedures

Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that include safe work practices and hazard controls are required for all hazardous laboratory tasks, including those involving hazardous chemicals and processes.  A risk assessment should be performed prior to development of an SOP so that appropriate controls can be selected to mitigate the identified risks.

SOPs should include:

• Summary of hazards inherent to the materials, equipment, and processes
• Safe work practices, including the use of the Hierarchy of Controls (elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls, and personal protective equipment)
• Identification of any required procedure-specific training
• Identification of designated areas for storage and use of particularly hazardous substances
• Waste handling procedures that satisfy regulatory requirements
• Procedures for site and personal decontamination, both for routine experiments and in the event of an accident or emergency

Download a copy of our SOP template.

AL’s CHSO maintains tools and resources that may be referenced while developing SOPs and is also available to assist with SOP development.