Section 325.35003. Requirements for areas containing a carcinogen.

(1) An employer shall ensure that a regulated area be established where a carcinogen is manufactured, processed, used, repackaged, released, handled, or stored.

(2)   All areas shall be controlled in accordance with the requirements for the following category or categories describing the operation involved:

(a)    Isolated systems. An employer shall ensure that if an isolated system is used, the employees working with a carcinogen within an isolated system such as a “glove box” wash their hands and arms upon completion of the assigned task and before engaging in other activities not associated with the isolated system.

(b)   Closed system operation. An employer shall ensure that access to regulated areas be restricted to authorized employees where the carcinogens are stored in sealed containers, or contained in a closed system, including piping systems, with any sample ports or openings closed while the carcinogens are contained within.

(3)   If employees are exposed to any of the following, then employers shall ensure that employees wash hands, forearms, face, and neck upon each exit from the regulated areas, close to the point of exit, and before engaging in other activities:

(a)   4-Nitrobiphenyl.

(b)   Alpha-Naphthylamine.

(c)   ) 3,3'-Dichlorobenzidine   (and its salts).

(d)  Beta-Naphthylamine.

(e)   Benzidine.

(f)  4-Aminodiphenyl.

(g)   2-Acetylaminofluorene.

(h)   4-Dimethylaminoazo-benzene.

(i)   N-Nitrosodimethylamine.

(4)      An  employer  shall  ensure  that  open-vessel   system  operations  as  defined  in R 325.35002  (l) are prohibited.

(5)    An employer shall ensure compliance with all of the following provisions when operations involve “laboratory-type hoods” or are in locations where carcinogens are contained in an otherwise “closed system,” but are transferred, charged, or discharged into other normally closed containers:

(a)  ) Access shall be restricted to authorized employees only.

(b)  Each operation shall be provided with continuous local exhaust ventilation so that air movement is always from ordinary work areas to the operation. Exhaust air shall not be discharged to regulated areas, nonregulated areas, or the external environment unless decontaminated. Clean makeup air shall be introduced in sufficient volume to maintain the correct operation of the local exhaust system.

(c)   Employees shall be provided with, and required to wear, clean, full body protective clothing, such as smocks, coveralls, or long-sleeved shirt and pants, shoe covers, and gloves before entering a regulated area.

(d)  An employer shall provide each employee engaged in handling operations involving carcinogens addressed by this rule, with, and ensure that each of these employees wears and uses, a NIOSH-certified air-purifying, half-mask respirator with particulate filters for all of the following:

(i)   4-Nitrobiphenyl

(ii)   Alpha- Naphthylamine

(iii)   3,3'-Dichlorobenzidine   (and its salts)

(iv)   Beta- Naphthylamine

(v)   Benzidine

(vi)   4-Aminodiphenyl

(vii)   2-Acetylaminofluorene

(viii)   4-Dimethylaminoazo-benzene

(ix)   N-Nitrosodimethylamine

(e)   An employer shall provide each employee engaged in handling operations involving the carcinogens addressed by this rule, with, and ensure that each of these employees wears and uses any self-contained breathing apparatus that has a full facepiece and is operated in a pressure-demand or other positive-pressure mode, or any supplied-air respirator that has a full facepiece and is operated in a pressure-demand or other positive- pressure mode in combination with an auxiliary self-contained positive-pressure breathing apparatus for all of the following:

(i)   Methyl chloromethyl ether

(ii)   Bis-Chloromethyl ether

(iii)   Ethyleneimine

(iv)   Beta-Propiolactone

(f)    An  employer  may  substitute  a   respirator  affording  employees  higher  levels  of protection than the respirators specified in subrule   (6)  (d) and  (e).

(g)    Before each exit from a regulated area, an employer shall require employees to remove and leave protective clothing and equipment at the point of exit and at the last exit of the day and to place used clothing and equipment in impervious containers at the point of exit for purposes of decontamination or disposal. The contents of the impervious containers shall  be  identified  in  accordance  with   R 325.35006a,  R 325.35007,  and R 325.35008.

(h)   Drinking fountains are prohibited in a regulated area.

(i)    Employees shall be required to wash hands, forearms, face, and neck on each exit from the regulated area, close to the point of exit, and before engaging in other activities. An employer shall require employees exposed to any of the following to shower after the last exit of the day:

(i)   4-Nitrobiphenyl.

(ii)   Alpha-Naphthylamine.

(iii)   3,3'-Dichlorobenzidine   (and its salts).

(iv)   Beta-Naphthylamine.

(v)   Benzidine.

(vi)   4-Aminodiphenyl.

(vii)   2-Acetylaminofluorene.

(viii)   4-Dimethylaminoazo-benzene.

(ix)   N-Nitrosodimethylamine.

(6)    If cleanup of leaks of spills, maintenance, or repair operations on contaminated systems or equipment, or any operations involving work in an area where direct contact with a carcinogen could result, then an employer shall ensure that each authorized employee entering that area comply with all of the following requirements:

(a)  Be provided with and required to wear clean, impervious garments, including gloves, boots, and a continuous air-supplied hood in accordance with Occupational Health Standard Part 451 “Respiratory Protection,” as referenced in R 325.35002a.

(b)   Be decontaminated before removing the protective garments and hood.

(c)   ) Shower upon removing the protective garments and hood.

(7)  Laboratory activities. All of the following requirements apply to research and quality control activities involving the use of a carcinogen:

(a)  ) Mechanical pipetting aids shall be used for all pipetting procedures.

(b)     Experiments,  procedures,  and  equipment   that  could  produce  aerosols  shall   be confined to laboratory-type hoods or glove boxes.

(c)   ) Surfaces on which a carcinogen is handled shall be protected from contamination.

(d)     Contaminated wastes and animal carcasses shall be collected in impervious containers that are closed and decontaminated before removal from the work area. The wastes and carcasses shall be incinerated in a manner so that carcinogenic products are not released.

(e)   All other forms of carcinogens shall be inactivated before disposal.

(f)  Laboratory vacuum systems shall be protected with high-efficiency scrubbers or with disposable absolute filters.

(g)   An employer shall ensure that all of the following provisions are met for employees engaged in animal support activities:

(i)    Employees shall be provided, and required to wear, a complete protective clothing change, clean each day, including coveralls, or pants and shirt, foot covers, head covers, gloves, and appropriate respiratory protective equipment or devices.

(ii)   Employees shall remove and leave protective clothing and equipment at the point of exit before each exit from a regulated area and at the last exit of the day and place used clothing and equipment in impervious containers at the point of exit for purposes of decontamination or disposal. Containers shall comply with requirements set forth in R 325.35008.

(iii)     Employees shall wash hands, forearms, face, and neck upon each exit from a regulated area close to the point of exit and before engaging in other activities.

(iv)   Employees shall shower after the last exit of the day.

(h)  Air pressure in laboratory areas and animal rooms where a carcinogen is handled and bioassay studies are performed shall be negative in relation to the pressure in surrounding areas. Exhaust air shall not be discharged to regulated areas, nonregulated areas, or the external environment unless decontaminated.

(i)   There shall not be a connection between regulated areas and any other areas through the ventilation system.

(j)   An employer shall maintain a current inventory of carcinogens.

(k)     Ventilated apparatus, such as laboratory-type hoods, shall be tested at least semiannually or immediately after ventilation modification or maintenance operations, by personnel who are fully qualified to certify correct containment and operation.

History: 2002 AACS; 2013 AACS.