Formaldehyde

Formaldehyde is a common chemical used in many laboratories as a preservative and disinfectant. It is also a strong irritant, skin sensitizer and potential carcinogen.

Anyone working in a laboratory where formaldehyde is used must complete the formaldehyde awareness training sponsored by the EHS Office. The EHS Office also provides a written template that can be easily modified to each particular laboratory to assist with the requirement for each formaldehyde user to implement a written control plan. Where formaldehyde is used, air monitoring must be done to determine employee exposure levels. Labs that have not been tested should contact EHS for free sampling.