Physics & Astronomy Chemical Safety page

Your Physics and Astronomy Chemical Safety Officers:

  1. For the Main Building at PAIS (#114), the Campus Observatory (#208), and the Warehouse (#223), the Chemical Safety Officer is the Facilities Operations Manager (505-220-8036, Room 1211, Building # 114).
  2. For Regener Hall (#35) the Chemical Safety Officer is Aaron Cross (277-5905, Room 112, Building # 35)

NOTES:

  1. Application of cosmetics in areas where chemicals are present is considered equivalent to eating or drinking in those areas.
  2. ALWAYS wash your hands after using ANY Chemicals.
  3. ALWAYS confine long hair and loose clothing while using or handling chemicals.

Storage, categories, and policies (UNM EHS) for all chemicals

HAZMAT (Hazardous Materials) information (Shipping and Receiving of):

Detailed information sheets (links):
What are, and what to do with Chemical WASTES or items to be disposed of.
What should I know about containers?
Who is responsible?
Where do I get labels, containers, and information or answers to questions?
Training requirements and suggestions
What to do if a chemical spill occurs
What about PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)?
What if I suffer physical contact with a chemical?
Where, when can I or can I not, eat, drink, or smoke, near or around chemicals, or in laboratories?
Refrigerators, Freezers, Microwave Ovens, your chemicals and your foods
Use and storage of FLAMMABLE chemicals
Use and storage of ACIDS and OXIDIZERS

Chemical labeling:
Most chemicals utilized at the University will be in the original container with the manufacturer’s label intact. However,
when a chemical is transferred from one container to another, a special, color coded label, available in most labs or from the Facilities Manager in Room 1211 must be affixed to the secondary container. The chemical name, manufacturer and date must be listed on the label, as well as the type, and degree, of hazard (number inside of check boxes).

Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)
All laboratories, storage rooms, or offices which have ANY chemicals used or stored in them are subject to the EHS rules and regulations concerning chemicals. If an item is produced with an MSDS sheet by its manufacturer, then it falls under these guidelines, should have an MSDS sheet listed in our records, and EHS is to be notified of its existence in our building(s), and it is to be published on a list of chemicals (Chemical Inventory) on the inside of the door to the room it is being used or stored in. The Chemical Safety Officer shall be notified of any new chemicals introduced to any rooms under his/her jurisdiction, and of any removed from rooms, and where, and how, they were disposed of. There are also specified EHS forms for the disposal of any and all waste chemicals which can be acquired from the Safety Officer(s).

Responsibilities of your Chemical Safety Officer(s):

Responsibilities of Laboratory Personnel (You, the user):