Lab Safety Presentation

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Lab Safety Presentation
June 21, 2005

• Kelly Wagner

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OVERVIEW

• Safety in the laboratory is extremely important
  and steps should always be taken to make the lab
  as safe as possible for you and your co-workers.
• I will cover some of the most important and
  applicable lab safety information that I found of
  importance. For further information, you can
  check out the Tufts safety website
  http//publicsafety.tufts.edu/ehs/index.html

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Indoor Air Quality Problems and Solutions

• Swamp Gas or Sewer Smell
• This is by far the most common problem in
  all of the university labs. Most labs have
  multiple sinks. If the sinks are not used
  frequently, the traps dry out and the odors can
  come up from the drains. The solution is simple
  check all drains in the laboratory if you
  identify a sink or drain that has not been used
  in a while, pour water down it. Putting water
  down an unused sink drain on a routine basis can
  prevent this problem from arising.
• Chemical Odor
• Check to make sure all containers are
  sealed tightly. Do not pour any hazardous
  chemicals down the drains. Check any hoods to
  make sure that they are on and functioning when
  in use.
• Biological Odor
• Make sure all biological waste is properly
  disposed of with the correct labels and
  containment. Check around refrigerators and water
  coolers for mold or other growth.
• Dry or Stuffy Feeling
• Check room temperature and humidity if
  possible. This usually occurs in the winter
  months when the heat is on. Turn down heat, open
  a window. Introduce humidity into the environment.

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Ergonomic Safety

• Eye Strain
• Get an updated eye exam and tell your eye doctor
  how much computer work you do. If you need a
  corrective prescription, get it filled and use
  it.
• Eliminate glare on your computer screen.
• Take a short "vision break" every half hour to
  relax the eyes. During such breaks, use
  techniques of palming, focus change and deep
  winking. The names sound a bit exotic, but the
  techniques are easy to learn.
• Posture Stress
• These approaches help
• Position the top of the computer screen at eye
  level.
• Locate the screen about 18 to 30 inches from your
  eyes.
• Adjust the keyboard height so that your elbows
  are comfortably close to your body and so that
  your arms hang freely.
• Avoid keyboard or mouse positions that put your
  wrists at unnatural angles.
• Sit so as to maintain the four natural curves of
  your spine.
• Take short physical breaks every couple of hours
  if you are doing continuous computer work.
• Repetitive Lab Motions
• Come up with creative technique to take the
  stress off of one finger or part of your hand by
  switching your fingers used or taking a break.

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Appropriate Lab Wear

• DO wear lab glasses, gloves, and lab coat. Tie
  hair back if it is long.
• (for a detailed listing of
• Appropriates gloves for
• Specific chemicals, go
• to http//publicsafety.tufts.edu/ehs/index.htm
  l
• DO NOT wear open toed shoes or shorts

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Safety Features of the Lab

• All Emergency numbers are listed on the door of
  the lab. When an alarm sounds everyone must
  evacuate the building using the stairs adjacent
  to the lab. Do not use the elevator.
• There is any eye wash station by the glassware.
  Try not to block the eye wash station.
• The emergency shower is by Yong and Guangquans
  lab area and should not be obstructed.
• The broken glassware container is between the two
  lab benches and should be used for sharp
  glass/plastic pipettes (call custodians to clean
  up glass box, but there cannot be any
  bio/chemical hazards in this area)
• There is a First Aid Kit attached to the wall,
  next to the showers, by the desk area, which
  includes band aids, disinfectant, and ice packs.

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What is Hazardous Waste?

• Any element, chemical compound, or mixture of
  elements/compounds which is a physical hazard or
  a health hazard. Physical properties include
  flammability, combustibility, instability,
  explosiveness, and water reactivity. Health
  hazards can be either short-term or long-term and
  include agents which can damage the eyes, skin,
  lungs, internal organs, etc.

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Hazardous Waste in the Lab

• Work with any hazardous material under the hood
  (at least six inches from the opening)
• Any material contaminated with chemicals should
  be placed in Satellite Accumulation Areas
• Bio waste includes cells, media, and plastic tips
  used for cell transfer

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Hazard Communication Program

• The purpose of the Hazard Communication Program
  is to promote employee safety through training
  and communication on the safe use, handling and
  storage of hazardous materials. The program
  establishes guidelines for informing employees
  about the hazards of chemicals in the workplace
  and the procedures needed to protect themselves
  from these hazards.
• Responsibilities
• Environmental Health and Safety Department
• The Environmental Health and Safety Department is
  responsible for the development and maintenance
  of the Hazard Communication Program. The EHS
  department will also provide technical
  information and recommendations concerning
  hazardous chemicals, carcinogens and infectious
  agents.
• Supervisors
• Supervisors at all levels, including Principal
  Investigators, have the primary responsibility
  for informing and training employees about safe
  work practices for hazardous materials. This will
  be done BEFORE the work is started.
• Employees
• It is the responsibility of every employee to
  adhere to established safety policies and
  procedures, and to conduct operations in a safe
  manner. Employees should report any unsafe
  condition to their supervisor and the
  Environmental Health and Safety Department.
• Program Information
• The Environmental Health and Safety Department
  maintains a written Hazard Communication Program
  which details requirements for informing
  employees about the hazards of chemicals in the
  workplace and the procedures needed to protect
  themselves from these hazards. The written
  program is available, on request, to employees.

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Hazardous Waste Disposal

• All waste containers must remain closed except
  when actively adding or removing waste.
• All full containers must be dated the date they
  become full. Full containers must be removed from
  the satellite accumulation area within 3 days or
  before a second container is started, whatever
  happens first.
• Tufts university policy is that all hazardous
  waste must be stored in secondary containers.
  This can be accomplished by using plastic pails,
  Rubbermaid containers etc. The intent is to
  prevent spills from entering the environment
  through plumbing via sinks, floor drains and the
  like.
• For definitions of hazardous see the Tufts Safety
  Manual, or if your really bored or have insomnia
  look up the regulations State DEP 310 CMR 30,
  Fed 40 CFR part 261. Basically a waste is a waste
  if
• -It is a characteristic waste.
  (Ignitable, Corrosive, Reactive, EP Toxic)
• -It is listed as a waste.
• -It is inherently waste-like. (Looks
  like a duck, quacks like a duck, IT's a duck!)
• Same intent as the open container rule. Prevent
  air pollution by keeping containers clean and
  cleaning up spills as soon as they occur and
  properly managing the spill material by putting
  it in a sealed container.

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Satellite Accumulation Area Requirements

• 1. Satellite area must be at or near the point of
  waste generation.
• 2. Satellite area must be under control of the
  individual directly responsible for the process
  generating the waste.
• 3. For each satellite area only one container per
  waste stream is permitted.
• 4. When the container is full it must be dated.
• 5. Within 3 days of filling the satellite
  container, it must be moved to the Waste Storage
  Area.
• 6. Containers must be of good integrity and be
  placed in containment.
• 7. Containers must be labeled with the words
  Hazardous Waste, a description of the waste,
  and the hazards of the waste.
• 8. Containers must be kept closed unless being
  added to.
• 9. Inspections must be conducted weekly of the
  satellite areas to confirm compliance (should be
  documented).
• 10. Wastes of different types of hazards must be
  separated.
• 11. Separate the different hazardous waste
  containers within the lab.

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Hot Plate and Hot Plate/Stirrer Combinations

• Purpose and Scope
• Flammable liquid vapors can ignite if an ignition
  source is present. Hot plates and hot
  plate/stirrer combination plates represent such
  an ignition source. Although chemical fume hoods
  do provide some measure of safety, flammable
  compounds still have the potential to ignite and
  cause a hazardous condition if the procedures
  outlined below are not closely followed. Mixtures
  containing even small amounts of flammable
  liquids should be treated as a potential hazard.
• Hot plate and hot plate/stirrer combinations
  should be used in hoods which do not contain
  flammable compounds.
• Hot plate and hot plate stirrer combinations may
  be used in the same hood as flammable compounds
  provided that
• Both flammable and non-flammable compounds are on
  the opposite side of the hood as the hot plate
  and hot plate/stirrer combination plates.
• ALL hot plates and hot plate/stirrer combination
  plates are clearly labeled.
• Keep papers and other combustibles away from the
  hot plate and hot plate/stirrer combinations.
• Unplug hot plates and hot plate/stirrer
  combination units when not in use.
• Be aware of the locations of all fire
  extinguishers, fire blankets, eye wash stations,
  and safety showers in case of an accident.
• Whenever possible, use stirrer plates in place of
  the hot plate/stirrer combination plates.
• Begin to develop a program where you replace the
  exisiting hot plate/stirrer combinaton plates
  with the stirrer only plates.

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Before leaving the lab, make sure

• Hoods have all been switched off
• Any refrigerated centrifuges and
  incubator/shakers have been turned off (if empty)
• Visible spectrophotometer is turned off
• HPLC has been properly shut down
• PCR machine is off
• No faucets have been left running

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