Table of Contents

• Purpose
  
• Introduction
  
• Specific Requirements
  
• References
  

Purpose

The purpose of this procedure is to provide guidance to laboratories for the approval of storage and consumption of food and/or drink.

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Introduction

The storage and consumption of food and drink in a laboratory space must be minimized in order to ensure protection for laboratory personnel from hazardous material exposure. Contamination of work surfaces, release of airborne particles, mists or vapors or other means of chemical spread can occur without knowledge of laboratory personnel. In order to reduce potential exposures and to ensure compliance with prudent laboratory operations, regulation and other guidance, this procedure is to be used to approve laboratories for limited food and drink storage and consumption. Without prior approval, there shall be no food or drink stored or consumed within laboratory spaces.

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Specific Requirements

Any consumption or storage of food or drink in a laboratory must be approved by Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S). This procedure is to be used to identify and authorize areas within a laboratory for limited storage and consumption of food and drink.

1. Laboratory personnel must initiate the request for evaluation. Requests must include an up-to-date chemical inventory and identification of general activities to be conducted in the laboratory.

2. EH&S staff will evaluate the laboratory using the following criteria:

1. Are there facilities available in the general area for the storage and consumption of food and drinks, along with adequate sanitary facilities?

2. Chemical use and storage must be minimal, also any radiological or biological materials must be below regulatory levels. In accordance with National Research Council's Prudent Practices no chemicals with an acute toxicity hazard identified as medium or high may be used or stored within the room if food storage or use is to be permitted.

   Hazard Rating	Toxicity Rating	Oral LD50 (Rats, per kg)	Skin Contact LD50 (Rabbits, per kg)	Inhalation LC50 (Rats, ppm for 1 h)	Inhalation LC50 (Rats, mg/m3 for 1h)
   High	Highly toxic	50 mg	200 mg	200 mg	2,000
   Medium	Moderately toxic	50 to 500 mg	200 mg to 1 g	200 to 2,000	2,000 to 20,000
   Low	Slightly toxic	500 mg to 5 g	1 to 5 g	2,000 to 20,000	20,000 to 200,000

   Acute Toxicity Hazard Level
   (pg. 42, Prudent Practices, 1995)

3. The room shall be large enough with adequate counter/desk space to provide complete physical separation of the food area and laboratory use area.

4. One sink shall be designated as sanitary use only (handwashing, dishwashing). The sanitary use sink shall be adjacent to the requested food use area and separated from any hazardous material use. If a sink is needed for laboratory operations, a second sink must be available

5. Ventilation in the room must be oriented such that general airflow is away from potential food areas.

6. Laboratory cleanliness must be maintained at a very high level to ensure no inadvertent contamination of laboratory and food areas.

7. EH&S will conduct periodic inspections of any authorized laboratories to ensure continued compliance.

3. EH&S will provide evaluation results to laboratory personnel. If the laboratory is approved, a map will be provided that identifies the designated area and must be posted conspicuously in the laboratory, with a copy maintained in the EH&S files.

4. Annual reevaluation of designated areas will be conducted to ensure adequacy of the space, controls and minimal hazardous material use.

5. EH&S can revoke the food and drink privileges for failure to maintain compliance with any of the above requirements.

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References

1. Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) 1910.1450, 2002.

2. Prudent Practices in the Laboratory, National Research Council, National Academy Press, 1995.

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