The New Laboratory Ventilation Standard

The recently revised ANSI/ASSP Z9.5 standard on laboratory ventilation is now available from the American National Standards Institute and the American Society of Safety Professionals. The update—the first for this standard since 2012, when AIHA was the ANSI Z9 secretariat—was directed by James Coogan, chair of the Z9.5 subcommittee, and completed by sixteen subcommittee members who are competent in lab ventilation. I was honored to be one of those members. Broadly defined, industrial ventilation is a method of controlling the environment with airflow and is used to minimize employee exposures to hazardous chemicals and biological agents, mainly by removing or reducing air contaminants to safe levels of exposure. ANSI Z9 standards specify performance of ventilation equipment so it can provide safe and healthy workplaces. They are developed through cooperative efforts of experts and provide a consensus at the time when the standards are published. COVERAGE OF ANSI Z9.5-2022 The updated standard has over 150 pages, consists of ten main sections and five helpful appendices, and provides over 450 requirements and good practices for labs to follow. It covers all types of laboratory-related ventilation topics including management, system design, construction, hood airflow requirements, airflow testing and monitoring, special requirements for unique lab hoods (such as gloveboxes, ductless hoods, and perchloric acid hoods), airflow management, supply air systems, exhaust air systems, ductwork, recirculation of exhaust air, commissioning of lab ventilation systems, reporting, training and work practices, maintenance, emergency responses, air cleaning and filtration, and appropriate exhaust air pollution control equipment. Appendix 4 provides an audit tool to help users determine whether they are in compliance with recommended standard practices. Following is a sampling of these practices, numbered as they appear in the new standard: •3.1. Management has established a Laboratory Ventilation Management Plan (LVMP) to help ensure proper design, selection, operation, use, and maintenance of laboratory ventilation equipment.

•3.2. In each operation using laboratory ventilation systems, management has designated a “Responsible Person.” (Note: this individual is often an OEHS professional.)

•3.3. Laboratory management has developed a Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP) in accordance with the OSHA standard on occupational exposure to hazardous chemicals in laboratories (29 CFR 1910.1450) and incorporated it into the LVMP.

•3.3. The design and operation of laboratory and exposure control ventilation systems limit worker exposures to safe concentrations.

•3.4. There is a process for systematically assessing the potential for hazardous chemical exposures, which applies to all spaces and devices where a potential exists for overexposure to airborne hazards.

•3.7. Adequate laboratory fume hoods, special purpose hoods, or other engineering controls are used when there is a possibility of employee overexposure to airborne contaminants generated by a laboratory activity.

•3.9. Complete and permanent records are maintained for each laboratory ventilation system as part of the written LVMP.