Kathleen,

The official (and prescribed) "duty" of the Chemical Hygiene Officer is found in the definitions section of the Lab Standard. There is only one listed:

"...to provide technical guidance in the development and implementation of the Chemical Hygiene Plan."

The non-mandatory Appendix A to the standard lists some possible duties and responsibilities.  The list is neither prescriptive nor is it all inclusive.  Essentially, the CHO is what the employer says the CHO is and has the duties that the employer assigns.

That is both the good news and the bad news - all rolled into one.

I know that isn't much help to your question - but it is really up to you and your employer to negotiate what your CHO role is (other the the prescribed one) and to get release time to accomplish those tasks.

Harry


-----Original Message-----
>From: "Schmidt-Nebril, Kathleen" 
>Sent: May 20, 2011 8:17 AM
>To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU
>Subject: [DCHAS-L] Realm of Duties for a Univercity CHO?
>
>I was hoping to get some feedback on the duties of what the assignment of "University CHO" may include for others in academia. My university has no EH&S dept, OSHA officer or general safety trainer and I have been the CHO for the science dept along with a hefty teaching load.  My understanding of the OSHA reg for implementing a CHO is that it is directly a result of the OSHA Lab Standard.    Would someone with my designation have to meet the needs of chemicals in other areas of the university say the art dept or physical plant?  At this time the other dept/areas are handling there own chemicals and training independently of me. I am trying to build a case for detailed reasons/regulations  why the university should employ a separate OSHA officer to oversee non-laboratory use/handling of chemicals as I feel they don't understand the load such a position would carry.  Any feedback is appreciated..
>
>Kathleen Schmidt-Nebril, NRCC-CHO
>Dominican University

Harry J. Elston, Ph.D., CIH
Editor, Journal of Chemical Health & Safety

"You can have peace. Or you can have freedom.
Don't ever count on having both at once"
   -Robert Heinlein

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