General-Use

Standard Operating Procedure Requirements:

An SOP is a set of specific written procedures explaining how to safely

work within a laboratory (or art studio) environment at Wilkes University.
The SOP must be available in the laboratory at all times. The laboratory
manager (lab owner) must prepare a written Standard Operating Procedure
(SOP) outlining the necessary precautions to safely conduct activities in the
lab or studio.

A well-written SOP can be used to satisfy several compliance

requirements. The SOP should be written for all procedures that pose an
identified potential risk to the health and safety of the laboratory personnel.
Although a separate SOP does not need to be written for each individual
experiment or process, procedures with the same hazards can be combined
into one SOP. SOPs must be inserted in Chapter 16 of the laboratory’s Safety
Manual.

NOTE: Laboratory-specific SOPs for using hazardous or regulated

chemicals must be included in the department’s Chemical Hygiene Plan. Use
the SOP template specifically written for the use of hazardous chemicals.

All SOPs utilized at Wilkes University must include:

 The person’s name who created or modified the SOP

 The version of the SOP
 The approval signature of the department’s Chairperson were the SOP
will be used

The General Use SOP template is provided below:

SOP Title: ___________________________________________

Created by_________________________ Version__________

Department Chairperson Approval: _______________

Date Approved: ________________

Section 1: Authorization and Supervision

Describe who is authorized to use the equipment or perform the process including
training requirements, supervision, hours of operation, etc.

Section 2: Detailed Process or Equipment Operation

Describe how the equipment is to be used. (ex. Safety guards and fixtures in place,
location of emergency power switch, equipment or process setup procedures, etc.)

Section 3: Potential Hazards

Describe potential physical and/or health hazard associated with the process or
equipment.

Section 4: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Identify the required PPE needed to perform the process or use the equipment (ex.
safety glasses, gloves, goggle, lab coat or proper attire, face mask, etc.)

Section 5: Material Safety Data Sheet Locations

Provide an exact location for the Material Safety Data Sheets and other safety
materials associated with the process or use of equipment.