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Chemical Inventory

Laboratories must maintain precise, up-to-date chemical inventories that accurately represent all chemicals in their possession. This inventory responsibility extends beyond the main laboratory space to include all storage locations, such as shared spaces, refrigerators, freezers, and cold rooms. The chemical inventory management process follows a straightforward tracking system. Each new chemical container receives a unique barcode upon acquisition and is assigned a specific storage location in the database.

Safety Data Sheets, Chemical Container Labels & Other Chemical Safety Information

Safety Data Sheets and Chemical Container Labels

Cornell EHS provides campus wide access to Chemwatch, an online Globally Harmonized System chemical container label and Safety Data Sheet (SDS) database consisting of over 250,000 Chemwatch authored documents, and 13 million vendor supplied documents.

A Cornell NetID is required to access the Chemwatch Database. Using this database, you can:

  • Search for SDSs

Chemical Bulk Storage

The Environment, Health and Safety Office administers the University's Chemical Bulk Storage Program.  Cornell University currently has bulk hazardous substances stationary storage tanks registered with the NYS DEC.  Regulated Chemical Bulk Storage tanks are defined as (6NYCRR Part 596):

Hazard Communications

Cornell University employees have a right to know about the health and physical hazards presented by chemicals they work with or could be exposed to in their work location, and what they can do to avoid injury or illness when working with these chemicals. Environment, Health and Safety provides information and training in order to reduce the possibility of accidental exposure and to comply with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Hazard Communication Standard.

Chapter 1 - Introduction

Regulatory Framework and Chemical Hygiene

Cornell University Policy 8.6 – Environment, Health and Safety establishes institutional responsibilities for maintaining a safe and healthful working environment and ensuring compliance with applicable environmental health and safety laws, regulations, policies, and guidelines. This Laboratory Safety Manual supports that policy by providing practical guidance for laboratory operations and by supplementing the University’s Chemical Hygiene Plan.

Pyrophoric Chemicals

Pyrophoric chemicals are used in research to catalyze certain reactions and often are incorporated into final products. However, they pose significant physical hazards. They are liquids and solids that will ignite spontaneously in the presence of oxygen and water. They must have limited to no exposure to the atmosphere. Exposure of these reagents to air could result in spontaneous ignition that could cause burns or other injuries to the person handling the reagent or others in the immediate area.

Regulated Chemicals and Specific Chemical Hazards

Chemicals and toxic substances, which encompass a broad spectrum of risks to human health, the environment, and the society in which we live and work, are subject to regulation by federal agencies. This page provides information about specific chemical hazards that may require additional training and EHS involvement in process development.

Chemical Hygiene Plan

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulation 29 CFR 1910.1450, Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories, requires employers to develop and implement a Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP) that protects laboratory personnel from chemical health and safety hazards and ensures exposures remain below applicable OSHA Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs).

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