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1.2.2 Chemical Hygiene Officer

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The Chemical Hygiene Officer (CHO) is an institutionally designated role responsible for providing technical authority, program oversight, and subject matter expertise in support of the University’s Chemical Hygiene Plan and laboratory chemical safety programs. The CHO supports a proactive safety culture by helping ensure that chemical hazards are identified, evaluated, and controlled through effective institutional systems and laboratory-level implementation.

Role Overview

The CHO serves as a technical resource to the campus laboratory community, providing guidance on chemical hazard assessment, control strategies, and regulatory requirements applicable to laboratory operations. An Associate Chemical Hygiene Officer supports these functions and may act in the absence of the CHO. Current contact information is available on the EHS Subject Matter Experts page.

Key Responsibilities

  • Chemical Hygiene Plan Stewardship: Maintain, periodically review, and update the University Chemical Hygiene Plan and Laboratory Safety Manual in collaboration with relevant stakeholders.
  • Technical Guidance and Consultation: Provide technical expertise on laboratory chemical safety, hazard controls, exposure prevention strategies, and regulatory interpretation, and direct laboratories to appropriate institutional resources as needed.
  • Particularly Hazardous Substances: Develop institutional guidance for the safe handling, storage, labeling, and use of particularly hazardous substances , and assist laboratories in developing laboratory-specific SOPs and controls for these materials.
  • SOP and Practice Review: Provide technical review and feedback on laboratory SOPs and work practices involving hazardous chemicals, including spill response, decontamination, waste handling, and personal protective equipment.
  • Engineering Control Program Oversight: Provide design review input, performance criteria, and programmatic oversight for laboratory engineering controls (such as fume hoods and emergency equipment) in coordination with Facilities and project teams.
  • Training and Competency Support: Develop and deliver institutional laboratory safety training and support supervisors in providing task- and laboratory-specific training.
  • Incident Review and Learning: Review laboratory incidents, near misses, and hazardous occurrences to identify systemic issues and recommend corrective actions and preventive improvements.
  • Design and Renovation Consultation: Provide technical input during laboratory design, renovation, or modification projects to support alignment with applicable codes, standards, and institutional requirements.
  • Institutional Reporting and Escalation: Communicate emerging risks, trends, and programmatic needs to EHS leadership and University administration, and escalate systemic chemical safety concerns as appropriate.

Supporting a Proactive Safety Culture

The CHO supports a proactive and learning-oriented safety culture by encouraging open communication, worker engagement, and continuous improvement in laboratory chemical safety practices. This approach emphasizes prevention, shared responsibility, and system-level solutions rather than individual blame.

Consistent with Cornell Policy 8.6 – Environment, Health and Safety, the Chemical Hygiene Officer has the authority to suspend or restrict laboratory activities when conditions present an imminent hazard or pose an unacceptable risk to personnel, facilities, or the environment. Such actions are taken to protect health and safety and are accompanied by consultation and follow-up to address underlying system or control deficiencies.

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