Hazard Type Definitions


Core hazard types |Chemicals - general or specific | Chemical wastes | Biological| Radiation sources |Non-ionizing radiation sources | Safety equipment | Other

Core hazard types (EHS Coordinators to identify and update for Space Registration)
Chemicals Any hazardous chemical as defined in OSHA's Hazardous Communication (HazCom) regulations. 
Biological materials Any microorganism or virus, any primary or established cell line, human or animal-derived material, or biological toxin. All Biological Research Protocols must registered with the EHS Biosafety Program and approved by the MIT Committee on Assessment of Biohazards. Use of any human cell lines or tissues or primary cells requires approval from the MIT COUHES and registration with the EHS OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen Standard compliance program.
 
Ionizing radiation sources Substances that emit ionizing radiation. Massachusetts DPH licenses radioactive material use. Any lab using radioactive materials must have a current authorization issued by the MIT Radiation Protection Committee.
 
Non-ionizing radiation sources Non-ionizing radiation sources includes: lasers and laser systems that require registration with the Radiation Protection Program and the Massachusetts DPH; non-contained radio frequency sources such as radar and microwave (excluding microwave ovens, cell phones, or other such consumer devices); and devices capable of producing static magnetic fields in excess of 5 gauss in spaces accessible to workers.
Flammable liquids >10 gal. total Liquids with a flash point of less than 140° F in quantities greater than 10 gallons total.
Highly reactive materials Any of the following:
  • materials that are normally unstable or readily undergo violent change without detonating
  • materials that, when mixed with water, react violently, form potentially explosive mixtures, or generate toxic gases, vapors, or fumes
  • materials that contain cyanide or sulfide and can generate toxic gaes, vapors, or fumes when exposed to pH conditions between 2 and 12.5
  • materials that are capable of detonation or explosion under different conditions
Large volume oil >55 gal. single container Oil (including cooking oil) in quantities exceeding 55 gallons in a single container, not in the aggregate, at any one time.
 
Chemicals - general or specific (not part of Space Registration)
Gas Cylinders Any container that is used to contain gases at higher than atmospheric pressure.
 
Toxic Gases Gases such as arsine, phophine, silane, diborane, germine, hydrogen selenide that are poisonous and require special ventilation and monitoring systems.
 
Hydrofluoric acid (HF) An especially toxic acid that requires users to have a specific antidote (calcium gluconate) on hand in the laboratory.
 
Perchloric acid & organic peroxides Chemicals that may form explosive compounds or otherwise become unstable and therefore require special precautions.
 
Combustible metals Metals in a form (typically powder or fine particles or thin sections) that allows them to ignite easily in the presence of air and water. Some combustible metals cannot be extinguished with water and require special extinguishing powders (for Class D fires), or special inerting gases.
 
Chemical wastes
Satellite accumulation area

The temporary storage of waste materials at the point of generation.

Less than 90-day storage area An area where RCRA chemical waste may be stored for up to 90 days. This type of storage area does not have to be at the point of generation. All less than 90-day storage areas must be established and managed by the EHS Environmental Management Program.
 
Biological (not part of Space Registration)
Autoclave
 
Radiation sources (not part of Space Registration)
Radioactive material Substances that emit ionizing radiation. Massachusetts DPH licenses radioactive material use. Any lab using radioactive materials must have a current authorization issued by the MIT Radiation Protection Committee.
 
X-Ray Machine A device that emits ionizing radiation. Used as an analytical tool for x-ray fluorescence, diffraction and irradiation work. Also includes diagnostic machines used in medical, dental, and veterinary areas.
 
Accelerator A device that emits ionizing radiation by the acceleration of particles. Typically very high radiation doses associated with this equipment.
 
Non-ionizing radiation sources (not part of Space Registration)
Class 3b and 4 lasers Lasers and laser systems that require registration with the Radiation Protection Program and the Massachusetts DPH. All lasers are required by regulation to be labeled with their class.
 
RF Sources Non-contained radio frequency sources such as radar and microwave. This does not include microwave ovens, cell phones, or other such consumer devices.
 
Magnets Devices capable of producing static magnetic fields in excess of 5 gauss in spaces accessible to workers. Typical devices are nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems.
 
Safety equipment (not part of Space Registration)
Fumes hood  
 
Safety shower  
 
Eye wash station  
 
Fire extinguisher  
 
Spill response material  
Other (not part of Space Registration)
Exposed high voltage Exposed wiring and equipment greater than 600 volts.
 
Confined space Spaces that are large enough and so configured that an employee can bodily enter and perform assigned work; and have limited or restricted means for entry or exit (for example, tanks, vessels, silos, storage bins, hoppers, vaults, and pits are spaces that may have limited means of entry); and are not designed for continuous employee occupancy.
 
Ergonomics hazard or lifting excessive repetitive motion or awkward positions like computing, pipeting or microscopy
 
Noise > 85 dB Regular or continual noise sources in a room that are loud enough to require people to raise their voices to be understood by another person standing at a distance of 3 feet or less.
 
Cranes/lifts/hoists Machine for lifting and lowering a load and moving it horizontally, with the hoisting mechanism an integral part of the machine. Cranes whether fixed or mobile are driven manually or by power.
 
Pressure vessels Vessels containing a volume more than 120 gallons of water under pressure, having internal or external pressure in excess of 15 psi, and an inside diameter of more than 6 inches.
 
Heat stress Operations involving high air temperatures, radiant heat sources, high humidity, direct physical contact with hot objects, or strenuous physical activities have a high potential for inducing heat stress in employees engaged in such operations. At MIT, potential heat stress areas are steam tunnels and areas near furnaces or boilers at CUP.
 
Powered industrial vehicles Fork lift trucks, tractors, platform lift trucks, motorized hand trucks, and other specialized industrial trucks.
 
Powered machine tools Machines and tools such as saws, lathes, drill press, milling machines
 
Cryogenics Fluids existing at temperatures -100° F (-60° C) to -460° F (-266° C), low enough to damage body tissues after prolonged contact with the fluids, surfaces cooled by fluids, or evolving gases.
 
Vacuum oven Oven or furnace where a vacuum pump is used to displace oxygen and, in most cases, to reduce the water vapor content or dew point as well.
 
Hot work area Area where welding, cutting, brazing, using open flames or similar operations are performed.
 
We dropped this from the list because it is so common.
Asbestos Areas in our facilities where asbestos has been identified and are required to be posted and inspected on an annual basis.
 


Last modified by veal@mit.edu on 3/24/03