Lab Safety PDF

# Lab Safety ## **Safety** The quality or condition of being safe; freedom from danger, injury, or damage. ## **Lab Safety** * Hazards and Symbols * Lab Safety Equipment * Lab Prohibition and Rules ## **Why is Lab Safety Important?** * Lab safety rules and symbols are needed so that students...

# Lab Safety ## **Safety** The quality or condition of being safe; freedom from danger, injury, or damage. ## **Lab Safety** * Hazards and Symbols * Lab Safety Equipment * Lab Prohibition and Rules ## **Why is Lab Safety Important?** * Lab safety rules and symbols are needed so that students do not injure themselves or their classmates. ## **Safety** Deals with prevention of unintentional damage caused by physical hazards. ## **Security** Deals with protection against intentional damage caused by external factors. ## **Regularity agencies** 1. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 2. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 3. National Institute of Occupational Safety and health (NIOSH). 4. American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIHP). These agencies developed several regulations for work places and restricting release of hazardous materials into the environment. * EPA: Sels of rules for prevention of environmental protection * NIOSH: Work under the umbrella of CDC [Center of Disease Control & Prevention] ## **What do you want to know about Hazard?** * Hazard identification, hazard evaluation, and hazard controls are critical steps in all laboratory activities to determine control measures to reduce lab worker exposure to hazardous chemicals. ## **Hazard Identification** A hazard is the potential source of danger or harm and often associated with an agent, condition, or activity. The Principal Investigator and/or Lab Manager can provide guidance concerning what constitutes a hazard in the performance of an experiment or research plan. ## **Hazard Identification (Cont.)** |Hazard Types | Examples| |:---|:---| |Agent| Carcinogenic, teratogenic, corrosive, pyrophoric, toxic, mutagenic, reproductive hazard, explosive, nonionizing radiation, biological hazard/pathogenic, flammable, oxidizing. self-reactive or unstable, potentially explosive, reducing, water-reactive, sensitizing. peroxide-forming, catalytic, or chemical asphyxiate| |Condition| High pressure, low pressure, electrical, uneven surfaces, pinch points, suspended weight, hot surfaces, extreme cold, steam, noise, clutter, magnetic fields, simple asphyxiant, oxygen-deficient spaces, ultraviolet radiation, or laser light | |Activity| Creation of secondary products, lifting, chemical mixing, long-term use of dry boxes, repetitive pipetting, scale up, handling waste, transportation of hazardous materials. handling glassware and other sharp objects, heating chemicals, recrystallizations, extractions, or centrifuging| * The types of hazards which laboratory workers may be exposed to can be classified into: * Chemical hazards, such as corrosives, flammables, toxics, explosives... * Physical hazards, such as heat, noise,...... * Electrical/Mechanical hazard, such as high voltage apparatus, machinery with moving parts,..... * Safety hazard, such as autoclave, centrifuge, ....... * Biological hazards, such as pathogenic, microorganisms, biological tissues, animals.... * Psychological hazard, such as emotional stress ## **Hazard Evaluation** * It is an organized effort to analyze the significance of hazardous situations associated with a process or activity. * To sufficiently understand the purpose of a hazard evaluation and hazard controls, one must understand the relationship between hazard and risk. The terms hazard and risk are not synonymous. * Hazard is the potential source of danger or harm (noted on the previous slide). * Risk is the probability of suffering harm from exposure to an unsafe situation. * Laboratory self-auditing (e.g., informally weekly and formally quarterly) can potentially identify hazards that may otherwise go unnoticed and provide an opportunity for the Principal Investigator or Lab Manager to interact with lab workers on hazard identification. ## **Hazard Control(hierarchy of controls)** Most effective E. Elimination S. Substitution E. Engineering Controls A. Administrative Controls P. PPE Least effective ## **Elimination** The concept of elimination is easy to grasp. If you eliminate the hazard, then there is no hazard. This is the most effective control, but not always easy to implement. However when elimination is practical, it is the option that the employer must choose. Examples of elimination include: * Removing flammable material from an area with ignition sources * Permanently sealing off an open hole. * The solution should be 100% effective, as long as the hazard is not reintroduced back into the workplace or process. ## **Substitution** Substitution seeks to reduce the risk of exposure by replacing the hazardous material for a ***less hazardous*** one. It is oftentimes grouped with elimination, because the first substance or hazard is being removed from the workplace. The goal of this control method is to choose a new chemical that is ***less hazardous*** than the original. Examples of substitution include: * Replacing ***toxic*** materials with ***nontoxic*** material. * Replacing ***hazardous*** equipment with ***non-hazardous*** equipment. ## **Engineering Controls** Engineering controls are favored over Administrative Controls and Personal Protective Equipment. This type of control can ***remove*** the hazard at the source ***before*** coming in contact with the lab worker. Don't ***eliminate*** hazards; instead they ***isolate*** workers from the hazard. The cost of engineering controls are typically higher that less effective measure but are more proactive. * Engineering controls are typically ***independent*** of worker interactions to provide this ***high level*** of protection. Examples of Engineering include: * Chemical Fume Hoods; and * Biological Safety Cabinets (BSCs) ## **Administrative Controls** Administrator controls (or work practices) are those that ***modify*** workers' work schedules and ***tasks*** in ways that minimize their exposure to workplace hazards. **Example:** * Rotuting Worker shifts * Prohibiting Mouth Pipetting & Use Pipette Filler] ## **Personal Protective Equipment(PPE)** Personal Protective Equipment(PPE) is the last line of defense when it comes to reducing exposure to a hazard. However, it provides another layer of protection for the individual and can be used in conjunction with engineering and administrative controls. * Equipment worn by individuals to reduce exposure such as contact with chemicals or exposure to noise. ## **Personal Protective Equipment** * Lab Coat * Gloves * Goggles Safety (Primary Protectors) * Face Shields (Secondary Protector) * Safety Shoes * NO open Shoes ## **Hazard Communication Standard Pictogram** * The Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) requires pictograms on labels to alert users of the chemical hazards to which they may be exposed. Each pictogram consists of a symbol on a white background framed within a red border and represents a ***distinct*** hazard(s). The pictogram on the label is ***determined*** by the chemical hazard classification. ## **HCS Pictograms and Hazards** |Pictogram|Hazards| |:---|:---| || **Flammable materials** <br> Chemicals that are easily ignited or explode under usual lab activities such as low-molecular weight alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, and hydrocarbons. | || **Oxidizer materials** <br> Oxidizers are solids, liquids, or gases that react readily with most organic material or reducing agents with no energy input. They can speed up the development of a fire and make it more Intense. Substances that do not readily burn in air can burn rapidly in the presence of an oxidizer. Combustible materials can burn spontaneously without the presence of obvious ignition sources such as a spark or flame| || **Corrosive materials** <br> * Skin Corrosion/Burns * Eye Damage * Corrosive to Metals| ## **Lab Hazards Symbols (Cont.)** |Symbol | Hazards| |:---|:---| || **Explosive materials** <br>Substances present in laboratories become highly reactive or explosive when exposed to certain workplace conditions (e.g., heat, fire, water, air, light, etc.).| || **Carcinogenic materials** <br> * Acute Toxicity (fatal or toxic)| || **Compressed gas** <br>Compressed gases can be toxic, flammable, oxidizing, corrosive, inert, or a combination of these hazards. | ## **Emergency Equipment** The first 10 to 15 seconds after exposure to a hazardous substance, especially a corrosive substance, are critical. Delaying treatment, even for a few seconds, may cause serious injury. * **Emergency eyewashes** are designed to flush both eyes simultaneously and the face area only. They shouldn't be used to flush the user's eyes, because the high rate or pressure of water flow could damage the eyes in some instances. * **Emergency showers** are designed to flush the user's head and body. ## **Emergency Equipment (Cont.)** * **Fire Blanket:** A fire blanket is a fire safety tool that can be used to extinguish small fires or to protect a person who is on fire. * **Fire Extinguisher:** A fire extinguisher is a portable device that is used to extinguish fires. ## **Flammable & Combustible Material:** **Flash Point:** The minimum temperature which a liquid gives off vapour in sufficient concentration to form an ignitable mixture with air near the surface of liquid * Volatility of material ↑, Flashpoint ↓ * Flash point ↓, Flammability ↑ A flammable material will ignite at lower temperature than a combustible material when exposed to ignition source ## **Prohibition** 1. Do not eat (includes chewing gum), drink, or smoke, or apply cosmetics or lip balm in areas in the laboratory. Cosmetics, food, and tobacco products in opened packages can absorb chemical vapors. Coffee pots, lunch storage, etc. must be maintained in a separate location away from the work area. Areas where food is permitted must be prominently marked and a warning sign (ex. Eating Area-No Chemicals) posted. 2. Never take your hands or pen/pencil to your face or mouth while working in the lab. 3. Separate equipment must be dedicated to that use and prominently labeled. 4. Do not smell or taste chemicals (use wafting technique) 5. Do not leave the laboratory until your wash your hands and wrists with soap, even if you wore gloves. 6. Do not handle contact lenses in the laboratory, except to remove them when an emergency requires the use of the emergency eyewash. 7. Wipe the bench tops down with disinfectant both before you begin your work and after you have completed your work. 8. Dispose of waste products according to instructions. 9. Don't engage in practical jokes or horseplay in the lab 10. Long hair must be tied back or covered to minimize fire hazard or contamination of experiments. 11. Open toed shoes, sandals, cloth/mesh sneakers, or ballerina shoes, shorts, short skirts, capris, and torn clothing are prohibited in areas where hazardous materials are used, or mechanical work is being performed. 12. PPE must NOT be worn outside of the lab, especially when touching surfaces such as door handles and elevator buttons -minimizing the possibility of cross-contamination to public areas. 13. Loose clothing (e.g., ties or wide sleeves) may pose a hazard. 14. Read the label on chemical bottles at least twice before using the chemical. Many chemicals have names that are easily confused. ## **Working Alone in the Lab** * Working alone in any laboratory creates increased risk to the health and safety of researchers. * Risks include not having access to basic first aid and the possibility of being unable to summon emergency assistance. * All operations involving individuals working alone must be approved by the Department Chair/Center Director and the Principal Investigator/Supervising Faculty. * Undergraduate students are not permitted to work alone or without supervision outside of normal working hours in University's teaching and research laboratories. ## **Symbols and Color Codes** | Color | Type | Meaning | Example | |:---|:---|:---|:---| |Red| Prohibition Signs|Must not do| | |Blue|Information Signs|Must Do| | |Yellow|Warning Signs| Be caution| | |Green|Safe Condition Signs|Do it safely| |