Safe Laboratory Design

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Safe Laboratory Design

• American Chemical Society
• Charlotte, NC
• March 24, 2004

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Safe Laboratory Design

• Purpose
• Eliminate or minimize employee exposure to
  hazardous materials used in laboratories. Human
  comfort and safety.
• Method
• Use of good design and engineering techniques

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Safe Laboratory Design

• Components
• Establish a guidance document
• Must have good architectural and engineering firm
  with relevant experience
• Cooperative work with institutional safety office

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Safe Laboratory Design

• Institutional Guidance Document
• Institutional Policy
• Design Specifics

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Safe Laboratory Design

• Assess user needs
• Design within regulatory framework
• Work within current institutional infrastructure

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User Needs

• Laboratory Planning
• Material needs
• Type of case work
• Fume hood construction
• Polymer
• Stainless
• Composite
• Placement of biological safety cabinets and
  chemical fume hoods

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User Needs

• Chemical
• Type of work
• Type of chemicals
• Biomedical
• Infectious agents
• Level 2-3
• Radioactive
• Isotope used
• Activity

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Hazardous Materials

• Physical and Health Hazards

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Hazardous Materials

• Flammable liquid
• Oxidizers
• Pyrophoric
• Water Reactive
• Toxic
• Infectious
• Radioactive
• Select Agent

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Hazardous Chemicals
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Routes of Exposure

• Inhalation
• Ingestion
• Dermal

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Routes of Exposure

• Inhalation
• Efficient way to introduce chemicals into the body

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Routes of Exposure

• Ingestion
• Dust
• Contaminated Consumables
• Other

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Routes of Exposure

• Dermal
• Lipophyllic Compounds
• DMSO

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Chemical Storage

• Nature of hazard
• Flammable solvents
• NFPA 30
• x
• Separation by compatibility

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Code and Regulatory Issues

• Regulatory agencies prefer that hazards be
  controlled by engineering methods.

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Regulatory Agencies

• Federal
• State
• Local

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Regulatory Agencies

• Federal
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration
• Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Chemicals in
  Laboratories
• Blood Borne Pathogen Standard
• Environmental Protection Agency
• Hazardous Waste
• Nuclear Regulatory Agency
• Radioisotope Use

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Regulatory Agencies

• State
• Environmental Protection Division
• OSHA
• Radiation Protection
• Building Codes

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Regulatory

• Local
• National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
• NFPA 5000
• NFPA 45
• NFPA 30
• Building Codes

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Engineering Methods

• Laboratory design to control hazards
• Ventilation
• Safety Devices
• Storage

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Laboratory Ventilation

• Directional air flow (negative to corridor)
• No re-circulated air (single pass)
• 10-12 Air changes per hour (more in vivarium)
• Point source containment

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Chemical Fume Hoods

• Point source control
• Average flow rate of 100 linear feet per minute
  at a set sash height
• VAV hoods

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Fume Hood Controls
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Point Source Control

• Gas cabinets
• Glove box

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Ventilation Control

• Fans
• Terminal end of duct
• Controls
• DDC controls
• VAV fume hoods

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Fume Hood Exhaust

• Design to prevent re-entrainment.

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Safety Devices

• Restraints
• Pressure Relief
• Shielding
• Instruments

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Restraints

• Compressed gas

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Shielding

• Explosions
• Pressure Relief
• NFPA 58
• Specifically engineered
• Radiation
• Shielding

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Instruments

• Instruments to warn
• Oxygen levels
• Fluorine gas level

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Hazardous Waste

• Need facilities for handling surplus hazardous
  materials and hazardous waste.
• EPA
• DOT

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Hazardous Waste Facilities

• Manipulation and storage of large quantities of
  hazardous materials.

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Hazardous Waste Facilities

• Able to contain potential release of highly
  regulated chemicals.

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Hazardous Waste Facilities

• Appropriate services

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Hazardous Waste Facilities
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Safety Equipment

• Explosion Proof Freezers

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Hazardous Waste
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Summary

• Design to fit specific needs of the laboratory
  functions
• Design within regulatory framework
• Work with the institutional safety office

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