Module 4: Chemical Safety PDF

MODULE 4: CHEMICAL SAFETY Learning Outcome:  In this lesson, we will learn about the proper usage of personal protective equipment material and proper its proper procedure. Learning Objectives:  State the meaning and use of personal protective equipment  Determine the proper use...

MODULE 4: CHEMICAL SAFETY Learning Outcome:  In this lesson, we will learn about the proper usage of personal protective equipment material and proper its proper procedure. Learning Objectives:  State the meaning and use of personal protective equipment  Determine the proper use of PPE materials and procedures applied.  Minimize risks which may be present within a laboratory or workplace Definition of Terms: Chemical - any element, chemical compound, or mixture of elements and/or compounds. Safety - being secure from undergoing or causing hurt, injury, or loss. Hazard - An item or condition which poses potential risk to safety or health. Chemical Safety - being secure from undergoing or causing hurt, injury, or loss when working with elements, chemical compounds, or mixtures of elements and/or compounds. Chemical Hazards - elements, chemical compounds, or mixtures of elements and/or compounds which poses potential risk to safety or health. PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) – equipment worn to minimize the exposure to hazards that cause serious workplace injuries and illnesses. Importance of Chemical Safety Protecting people. Chemical safety prevents injuries, illnesses, and deaths from exposure to hazardous chemicals. It also protects the environment from contamination Protecting property. Chemical accidents can damage property Protecting a company’s reputation. Company that demonstrates a commitment to chemical safety build trust with customers, investors and the community. Reducing cost. Chemical safety prevents accidents and injuries, which can reduce medical expenses, worker compensation claims, and legal liabilities. Improving employee morale. When employees feel safe, they can focus on their jobs and perform better. Meeting regulations. Chemical safety ensures that businesses comply with regulations governing the use, storage, transportation, and disposal of chemicals. Demonstrating sustainability. Companies can build trust with stakeholders and customers by reducing chemical waste and adopting safer alternatives Chemical safety in the workplace Providing chemical safety training Ensuring access to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Implementing proper handling procedures Minimizing chemical waste through proper storage, handling, and disposal practices. In general, long sleeves and buttoned up lab coat, safety glasses, fully enclosed shoes are mandatory and minimum personal protective equipment (PPE) required in lab workers or students in a laboratory containing hazardous materials. Tying hair back and usage of hairnets and wearing appropriate gloves is also recommended in many situations. A hazard assessment should be undertaken to determine the most appropriate control to minimize exposure to a hazard. Controls superior to the use of PPE are methods involving elimination, substitution, engineering or administration. If these methods are not feasible or do not provide sufficient protection, then PPE’s may be chosen control. All PPE selected should be appropriate to the hazard, clean and fir the user. NOTE: PPE is only effective if you wear and use it correctly! Potential hazards within the school laboratories may include: Splashes from liquid chemicals particularly acids or caustic liquids Chemical gases or vapors Harmful dusts (silica) Impact/ penetration/ puncture particularly from broken glass, scalpels and syringe needle Cryogens Irritants and lachrymators Light and laser radiation Biological materials Heat and cold Noise Eye and Face Protection  Safety Glasses – A wide range of safety glasses are available including scratch resistant, ultra- light weight, anti-fog and wrap around. It is important to get a safety glasses which are comfortable, do not visually impar the user but also provide optimum protection. Glasses should be washed periodically with soap and water. NOTE: Contact lenses and prescription glasses DO NOT provide adequate eye protection.  Safety Goggles – If there is risk from chemical splashes then safety goggles are recommended. Goggles are tight fitting, complete covering the eyes and area immediately surrounding the eyes. They can provide protection from impact, dust and splashes. Some goggles will fit over prescription glasses.  Laser Safety Goggles – Laser radiation can be extremely dangerous to the unprotected eye. Direct, reflected or stray beams can cause permanent eye damage. Laser retinal burns can be painless, so it is essential that appropriate eye protection is worn.  Face Shields – Face shields have transparent sheets of plastic which cover the face and protect against potential splashes or sprays of hazardous liquids and dust. The head piece is adjustable and should fit snugly. On most models of face shields, replacement visors can be purchased. Foot Protection If work involves exposure to hot substances, corrosive or poisonous materials PPE must cover exposed body parts, including legs and feet. Shoes should completely cover the foot, enclosing the whole top of the foot. Thongs, sandals and “doll shoes” are not permitted in the lab. Leather is the most widely used upper material because of its versatility, durability and resistance to chemicals. It is desirable to have dedicated lab shoes to prevent contamination in home environment. This is particularly important if biohazards material is handled. Hand Protection Hazard to hand may include: Skin absorption of harmful substances; chemical or thermal burns; bruises, abrasions, cuts, punctures; and fracture and amputations. Common gloves for the laboratory: Type Protects against Do not use with Butyl gloves Wide variety of chemicals, such Aliphatic and aromatic -Made of a synthetic rubber as peroxide, highly corrosive hydrocarbons and halogenated -Resist oxidation, ozone acids (nitric acid, sulfuric acid, solvents. corrosion and abrasion, and hydrofluoric acid and red-fuming remain flexible at low nitric acid). Strong bases, temperatures alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, esters and nitro compounds Natural (latex) rubber gloves - Most water solutions of acids, Can cause allergic reactions. Excellent tensile strength, alkalis, salts and ketones. Hypoallergenic gloves, glove elasticity and temperature liners and powderless gloves are resistance. available. Neoprene gloves Alcohols, organic acids, alkalis -Made of synthetic rubber hydraulic fluids, gasoline -Good pliability, finger dexterity, high density and tear resistance  Nitrile gloves Chlorinated solvents such as Strong oxidizing agents, -Made of copolymer dichloromethane, chloroform. aromatic solvents, ketones and -Good dexterity and sensitivity Oils, greases, acids, caustics acetates. and alcohols. Cryo-gloves Tissue damage by cryogens or Not for immersion -heavy gloves very cold containers and equipment. When selecting gloves consider:  Type of chemicals handled  Nature of contact (total immersion, splash, etc.)  Duration of contact  Area requiring protection (hand only, forearm, arm)  Grip requirements (dry, wet, oily)  Thermal protection  Size and comfort.  Abrasion / puncture resistance requirements Before use, inspect gloves to ensure they are not torn, cut or punctured. A more thorough check can be made by filling the gloves with water and tightly rolling the cuff towards the fingers will help reveal any pinhole leaks. Gloves that are discolored or stiff may also indicate excessive use or degradation from chemicals. Discard damaged gloves. Disposable gloves should be changed often and not re-used. Any gloves from which hazardous chemical contamination cannot be removed must be collected as contaminated waste. Gloves contaminated with biohazardous material should be handled as biohazardous waste. Clothing Long sleeved, fully buttoned up lab coats or wrap around gowns, which are easy to remove, must be used in all laboratories where lab work involves hazardous material. Lab coats help prevent contamination of regular clothes from splashes and toxic material. Skirts and shorts expose part of the leg and this must be taken into account, when assessing the level of PPE needed for any particular procedure. To reduce the risk of contamination lab coats should be removed on leaving the laboratory and preferably hung on a hook, one lab coat per hook. Lab coats should be washed regularly, using the laundry service and not taken home to be wash with normal clothes. A lab coat which is grossly contaminated with hazardous material must be disposed of as hazardous waste. Respiratory Protection 1. Disposable Mask – Dust masks can be used for non-toxic particulate matter such as silica dust. They should be worn when preparing a chromatography column. Most masks are disposable or have disposable filters, so should not be reused. 2. Half Face Respirators - Half face respirators can be used to protect against a variety of particulates, gases and vapors depending upon the cartridges chosen. Cartridges contain filters. These filters rely on sorbent material to “soak up” the gas and vapor molecules. Cartridges should be dated when put into use and replaced regularly, depending on load and use. Face pieces can be washed with soap and water, and ideally should not be shared between use. Hearing Protection Exposure to excessive noise depends upon a number of factors: Loudness of the noise, measured in decibels (dB) Duration of exposure to the noise Movement between work areas with different noise levels If noise is generated from one or multiple sources Generally, the louder the noise, the shorter the exposure time before hearing protection is required. If engineering and safe work methods do not lower employee exposure to workplace noise to acceptable levels, lab workers must wear appropriate hearing protection. Hearing protectors must reduce noise exposure to within the acceptable limits. Noise is excessive where it exceeds the exposure standard of 85dB(A), over an average of an 8 hour period or where a peak noise level of 140dB (C) occurs. Some types of hearing protection include: Single-use earplugs are generally made of foam or silicone rubber plugs. Roll the plug slowly and smoothly into a cylinder. Immediately insert plug into ear canal and hold it in place until it has begun to expand. Aim to get three-quarters of the length of the plug into the canal. Pre-formed or molded earplugs must be individually fitted by a professional and can be disposable or reusable. Reusable plugs should be cleaned after each use. Earmuffs require a perfect seal around the ear. Glasses, facial hair, long hair or facial movements such as chewing may reduce the protective value of earmuffs. Always read instructions from manufacturers before using hearing protection. Example of Laboratory tasks, Hazard and Recommended PPE Task Potential Hazard Recommended PPE Working with small volumes of Skin or eye damage Safety glasses or goggles corrosive liquids (< 1 liter). Chemically resistant gloves Lab coat, closed shoes, pants Working with large volumes of Large surface area skin or eye Safety goggles and face shield corrosive liquids (> 1 liter), damage, poisoning, or great Chemically resistant gloves Lab acutely toxic corrosives, or work potential for eye and skin coat, closed shoes, pants which creates a splash hazard damage Working with small volumes of Skin or eye damage Slight Safety glasses or goggles Light organic solvents (< 1 liter). poisoning potential through skin chemically resistant gloves contact Lab coat, closed shoes, pants Working with large volumes of Major skin or eye damage, or Safety goggles and face shield organic solvents (> 1 liter), very potential poisoning through skin Chemically resistant gloves, lab dangerous solvents, or work contact coat, closed shoes, pants which creates a splash hazard Working with toxic or hazardous Potential skin or eye damage, Safety glasses (goggles for large chemicals (solid or liquid). potential poisoning through skin quantities), Chemically resistant contact. gloves, lab coat, closed shoes, pants. Working with chemical dusts Skin or eye damage, respiratory Safety glasses or goggles, damage. appropriate gloves, lab coat, closed shoes, pants, Fume hood or appropriate respiratory protection (P1 mask or half face respirator) Chemical spill cleanup. Skin or eye damage, respiratory Safety glasses or goggles, damage. appropriate gloves, lab coat, closed shoes or boots if necessary, pants, appropriate respiratory protection. Working with ultraviolet Conjunctivitis, corneal damage, UV resistant safety glasses lab radiation. erythema. coat, closed shoes, pants Working with cryogenic liquids Major skin, tissue, or eye Safety glasses or face-shield for damage. large volumes, heavy insulated gloves, lab coat, closed shoes, pants. Working with very cold Frostbite, hypothermia. Safety glasses, insulated gloves equipment, dry ice or in a low and warm clothing, lab coat, temperature room. closed shoes, pants. Working with hot liquids, Burns resulting in skin or eye Safety glasses or goggles for equipment, open flames damage. large volumes, insulated gloves, (autoclave, Bunsen burner, lab coat, closed shoes, pants. water bath, oil bath). Instrument repair. Eye damage from foreign Safety glasses, no loose clothing objects. or jewelry.  Metal or woodworking. Eye damage from foreign Safety glasses, gloves, no loose objects, lacerations from burrs clothing or jewelry. or splinters. Glassware washing. Lacerations, eye damage Safety glasses Heavy rubber gloves, lab coat, closed shoes, pants. Working with loud equipment, Potential ear damage and Ear plugs or headphones as noises, sounds, or alarms, etc. hearing loss. necessary. Safely Handling of Chemicals Store safely. Keep the chemicals in a cool, dry, clean place, out of reach of children and animals. Store them in original containers and avoid storing them in drinking glasses Label clearly. Use clear labels on all chemicals, including a description, signal words, pictograms, and hazard statements Read labels. Always read the labels and follow the instructions Use PPE. Wear the appropriate PPE Wash hands. Wash your hands and practice good hand care, especially after handling chemicals. Have a plan. Know what to do if you or someone else accidentally spills a chemical. Know the procedures and where to get help in an emergency, such as the phone number of the nearest poison center Clean up spills. Clean up the spills immediately. Dispose safely. Dispose chemicals safely, not on the ground, in rivers, or into sinks, drains, or toilets. Use safety data sheets. Safety data sheet (SDS) are essential for protecting yourself and your employees when working with chemicals. Provide training. Make sure staff members understand the risks and are equipped to handle chemicals safely.