Lab Safety and Responsibilities

Lab Safety

• Safety is defined as freedom from danger or hazards.
• Labs are inherently hazardous environments.
• Risks can be minimized through planning, management, and conduct.
• Regardless of position, everyone in a lab must follow the rules and be proactive about safety.

Management and Employee Responsibilities

• Management is responsible for providing safe equipment, safety gear, and training employees in safe practices.
• Management can be held legally responsible for workplace accidents.
• A documented health, safety, and environmental (HSE) program to comply with OSHA requirements is needed.
• Management needs to provide a HSE management program
• Management needs to provide a safe work place that also protects society and the environment.
• Hazards must be identified and managed by management.
• Management needs to provide information on all hazards to employees.
• Management needs to supply safety equipment to employees.
• Management is responsible for providing safety training to employees.
• Management needs to monitor employee health if they are exposed to possible hazards.
• Management is responsible for protecting the environment.
• Management needs to act on identified safety problems.
• Employees need to follow rules laid out by management.
• Employees should use common sense.
• Employees need to use all equipment correctly and responsibly.
• Employees are expected to maintain PPE.
• Employees should report all possible problems to management.

Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment

• A need to understand the materials and processes being handled is key.
• A hazard is the potential to cause harm.
• Risk is the chance of a disaster occurring.
• For instance, acid has corrosive properties (hazard); the risk is how it can be dropped/spilled, creating messes and impacting the environment.
• To identify hazards, all tasks in the lab should be listed.
• With hazards identified, all steps involved in each task should be documented.
• All hazards/risks involved with each step should be rated by danger level.
• Evaluate what is needed to minimize the risks, including necessary safety equipment.
• Processes should be reviewed every 2 years.

Lab Design for Safety

• Adequate space and workflow is needed so workers can move freely and equipment must be placed with workspace around them.
• Benches should be wide enough, with walking space, to limit cross-contamination.
• Gas, water, and electricity points must be included with well marked and maintained.
• Service should be conveniently located but safely placed.
• Gas tanks need to be in locked cages in the shade.
• Gas cylinders must be strapped in place.
• All gas supplies must have correct pressure valves.
• Gas supply should have an isolation stop cock in a convenient position near a door.
• Must have clear labels for gas
• Gas should never be placed below combustible materials like shelving.
• Power outlets must be visible and labeled clearly.
• Power outlets have to be above the water line of adjacent sinks to prevent floods.
• An emergency shut-off switch is essential.
• The emergency shut-off switch can be near the gas valve.
• All electricity outlets must be connected by an electrician and checked regularly.
• Benches of solid wood like teak are desired.
• Work tops must be easy to clean and disinfect with a thick vinyl top.
• Bench coats can be used to protect the surface.
• Fume cupboards located away from cross currents of air from windows and doors are needed.
• Fume cupboards need to be lined with a suitable material, such as chemically resistant paint if painted.
• Trolleys must be sturdy and large enough to carry what is needed.
• Space between benches for trolley movement is required.
• Trolley storage should have a trolley bay to keep trolleys from clogging passages.
• Enough sinks in each lab are required.
• Sinks must be of stainless steel but porcelain is also usable.
• Sink positions should be at a comfortable level.
• Sinks should have space for washing and drying equipment.
• Autoclaves should have assigned rooms.
• Autoclaves require consideration for inlet and outlet space.
• Autoclaves need space available for waiting material and cooling.
• Only relevant workers should access the lab.
• Safe conduct is essential and relies on knowledge.
• Integrity of research may be affected by unauthorized visitors.
• Chemicals and equipment may be sensitive to: moisture, light and temperature so stable lab conditions must be maintained.
• Analysis may be affected by temperature changes.
• Monitoring systems should be in place that trigger alarms when temperature changes occur.
• Emissions and waste levels need to be monitored.
• Plan storage areas according to chemicals/agents being used.
• Storage instructions should follow temperature/dark/moisture/containers protocol.
• Plans for incubators/growth rooms are needed.
• Storage environments should be monitored too.
• Assigne a space for live material to be received and prepared before entering lab.
• Decontamination facilities also need to be planned.

Protective Equipment and Safety Measures

• General equipment includes fume hoods, extractors, emergency showers, eyewash stations, spill kits, and shielding.
• Personal equipment includes lab coats, gloves, eyewear, ear plugs, headgear, and shoes.
• It is important that, equipment is properly installed and easily accessible.
• All possible contaminated air must be cleaned by extraction fans/filters before release into the environment.
• Vents should be placed to avoid posing any danger.
• Emergency safety points must be installed.
• Have fire extinguishers, sand buckets, fire blankets, emergency showers, eye wash stations, first aid boxes, fire alarms, and contact number lists in the lab
• Proper emergency shut down procedures must be in place.
• A plan for when to shut down procedures need to be established.
• The steps for emergency shut down need to be described.
• Who to inform in the context of emergency shut down needs to be specified.
• Emergency exits must be sufficient, accessible, and clearly marked.
• Alarm systems must be in place.
• Gathering points outside labs must be assigned, with people assigned to do head counts.
• Contact numbers must be provided.
• Have wash basins in labs, wash rooms for glassware, plastic, and contaminated equipment.
• Plan waste disposal areas according to lab needs, including procedures for biohazards, chemical waste, and radioactive waste.

Lab Construction and Layout

• Construction materials must be suitable for the work being done.
• Flooring should be solvent resistant.
• Wall coatings should be non-porous.
• Building specifications should be adhered to.
• Offices and relaxation areas should be separate from labs but within walking distance.
• Areas for food and drinks must be well clear of lab contamination.
• Bathroom/washing facilities must also be included in plans.