Committee on Chemical Safety

Chemical Safety Advisory Panel

What We Do

The CCS Safety Advisory Panel (SAP) is a technical environmental, health, and safety resource for the Committee on Chemical Safety (CCS) and ACS as a whole in addressing emerging and complex chemical safety and regulatory issues on an as needed basis. 

Background

In 2015, the Laboratory Chemical and Waste Management Task Force was reformed and renamed the Safety Advisory Panel (SAP). A primary focus of the former Task Force since its inception in 1981 was laboratory waste management and associated regulations. The SAP's mission has been expanded to include special projects associated with laboratory safety, such as the development and implementation of chemical safety levels (CSLs) and chemical information systems.

SAP meets once a year to respond to CCS requests for assistance, to identify emerging issues, and to establish project plans that support ACS in responding to those issues. The panel:

  • Identifies methods for ACS to address emerging and complex chemical safety and regulatory issues;
  • Provides expert guidance for reports and responses to environmental, health, and safety questions;
  • Works in partnership with other ACS parties in preparing draft ACS responses to EHS regulatory concerns that arise.

Objectives

Influence legislation and regulation.

  • Monitor federal and state law- and rule-making.
  • Partner with the ACS Office of Public Affairs and other committees to provide Environmental Health and Safety expertise and direction in the legislative influence that the Society pursues.
  • Help legislative representatives and regulators understand laboratories’ concerns during the legislative and regulatory process.
  • Establish and maintain contact with legislative representatives, regulators and trade groups to promote ideas for wise legislation and regulation.

Inform laboratory professionals to help them understand and comply with EHS regulations.

  • Inform ACS members about pending federal law- and rule-making through written articles, internet postings and presentations.
  • Write, or encourage regulators to write, tailored guidance documents to assist laboratory professionals in their understanding of and compliance with EHS regulations.
  • Develop and present seminars, training sessions, or posters at relevant national and regional meetings.

Inspire good laboratory EHS management practices.

  • Provide expertise in defining safe laboratory practices.
  • Monitor laboratory practices with an eye to new activities that promote safety and environmental stewardship.
  • Disseminate information about such practices to the laboratory community via publications, symposia, and the Internet.

Members

  • Tilak Chandra, University of Wisconsin–Madison 
  • Todd Houts, University of Missouri
  • Robin Izzo, Princeton University
  • Ken Kretchman, North Carolina State University (Retired)
  • Leah McEwen, Cornell University
  • Peter Reinhardt, Yale University (Retired)
  • Samuella Sigmann, Appalachian State University (Retired)
  • Ellen M. Gordon, Cornell University
  • Rob Toreki, ilpi.com

Staff Liasons

  • Marta Gmurczyk
  • Rachel Bocwinski