Working Safely With Chemicals

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Working Safely With Chemicals
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Environmental Health Safety Department6
Eisenhower Parking Deck865-6391www.ehs.psu.edu

• Let No Harm Be Done

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Environmental Health and Safety Department

• Asbestos Abatement
• Biological Safety
• Emergency Planning Oil hazardous materials
• Environmental Assessments
• Ergonomic Assessments
• Fire Safety
• Hazardous Material Oil Storage Management
• Indoor Air Quality
• Laboratory Safety Radiation Safety
• Radiation Safety
• Waste Management radioactive, hazardous and
  biological

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EHS Safety Policy (SY01)Responsibilities
Supervisor

• All supervisors are familiar with policies and
  rules and provide for the health and safety of
  those supervised. They are in a key position in
  the organizational structure to carry out the
  department's safety policies and to prevent
  injuries to their employees.
• Ensure that required safety equipment, devices
  and personal protective equipment and apparel are
  provided and maintained, and are properly used by
  individuals working in their operations.
• Provide employees and students with instruction
  and assistance in the proper operation of
  equipment or materials involved in any operation
  which may be potentially hazardous. Provide for
  health and safety training.
• Take prompt corrective action when unsafe
  conditions, practices or equipment are reported
  or observed. Encourage reporting of concerns.
• Promptly conduct a thorough investigation in all
  work-related injuries, illnesses and accidents,
  submit appropriate recommendations on all
  accident reports, including the Employer's
  Reports of Occupational Injury or Illness (page
  4.19) or theIncident Report (page 8.05), as
  appropriate, and follow through to ensure
  corrective measures have been implemented.
• Coordinate or conduct inspections to maintain
  safe and healthful conditions, and address any
  deficiencies that are identified.

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EHS Safety Policy (SY01) contdResponsibilities
Employee/Student

• Comply with applicable environmental health and
  safety policies, standards, rules, regulations
  and procedures. These include safety-related
  signs, posters, warnings and written/oral
  directions when performing tasks.
• Do not perform any function or operation which is
  considered hazardous, or is known to be hazardous
  without proper instructions and authorization.
• Only use equipment and materials approved or
  provided by the supervisor or instructor and for
  which instruction has been provided by this or
  other experience.
• Become thoroughly knowledgeable about potential
  hazards associated with the work area knowing
  where information on these hazards is maintained
  and how to use this information when needed.
• Wear or use prescribed protective equipment.
• Report all unsafe conditions, practices, or
  equipment to the supervisor, instructor or safety
  officer whenever deficiencies are observed.
• Inform the supervisor or instructor immediately
  of all work-related injuries or accidents and
  obtain prompt medical attention when necessary.
• Provide information necessary for the supervisor
  or safety officer to adequately and thoroughly
  complete the Employer's Report of Occupational
  Injury and Illness and any other associated
  accident/illness reports

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Working Safely with Chemicals

• Chemical Safety Concepts
• Safe Use and Storage
• Disposal
• Emergencies
• Radiation Safety

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Chemical Safety

• TOXICITY -- the ability of a chemical substance
  to cause harm
• HAZARD -- likelihood a material will cause harm
  under the conditions of use
• With proper handling, even highly toxic chemicals
  can be used safely
• Less toxic chemicals can be extremely hazardous
  if handled improperly.

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Exposure to Toxic Chemicals

• Exposure to toxic agents can have severe
  consequences, including death
• These injuries can occur in any area where toxic
  chemicals are handled
• Most chemical injuries could have been avoided
• If these people had had the proper equipment, if
  they had been using the proper techniques and if
  they had had adequate knowledge, such as
  exposures probably would not have occurred.

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Chemical Safety

• Keep workers exposure below the Permissible
  Exposure Limit (PEL)
• PELs are regulatory limits set by OSHA on the
  amount or concentration of a substance in the
  air.
• Plan in advance for potential hazards
• Designate a person to manage chemical safety
• Train and inform workers
• Label ALL chemical containers
• Keep file of MSDS for all chemicals used (EHS)

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Have a Plan that includes

• Standard operating procedures (SOP)
• Exposure control measures
• Fume hood personal protective equipment
• Information Training
• Chemicals that require prior planning approval
• Working with Particularly hazardous substances
• Emergencies

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Key to Working Safely .. Understand the
Hazards!

• Know and prepare for hazards in advance
• Review Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)
• Physical and Health Hazards
• Exposure signs and symptoms
• Protective measures
• Emergency procedures
• Read all labels
• Know your protocol / procedures
• Remember, some chemicals may have delayed toxic
  effects on the body

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Physical Hazard .. Hazards due to physical
characteristics of a chemical

• Flammable - catches fire easily and burns
  rapidly
• Combustible - will burn under most conditions
• Explosive - will explode / detonate releasing hot
  gases
• Oxidizer - yields oxygen to enhance combustion,
  may cause ignition of combustibles with no
  external source
• Organic peroxide - uniquely hazardous,
  potentially explosive
• Unstable - tends to decompose during normal
  handling and storage
• Water reactive - reacts with water to release
  flammable gas, causes fire or presents a health
  hazard

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Health Hazard Produces acute or chronic
effects in exposed workers

• Carcinogen - cause cancer or suspected to cause
  cancer
• Toxic Agent - poisonous / cause acute or chronic
  effects
• Reproductive toxin (teratogen) - could have
  harmful effect on male or female reproductive
  system or on developing fetus
• Irritant - can cause inflammation of skin or eyes
• Corrosive - cause irreversible damage to living
  tissue
• Sensitizer - cause exposed person to develop
  allergies to the substance
• Target organ-specific agents - hazardous to
  specific organs in body (e.g., lungs, liver,
  blood, kidneys, nervous system)

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Route of Entry.For a chemical to have an effect
on a worker, s/he must be exposed to it and some
of it must get into his/her system

• Inhalation / breathing - most common route, gases
  / vapors can pass to blood, solid particles
  inhaled into lungs
• Absorption through the skin - many solids,
  liquids, vapors and gases can be absorbed through
  the skin
• Ingestion / swallowing - while not intentional,
  failure to wash hands, eating in contaminated
  lab, etc.
• Injection - accidents handling glass, sharps,
  etc.
• Eye Contact - either physical damage or
  absorption
• The route of entry dictates selection of
  protective equipment

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Signs Symptoms .How will you know if you have
been exposed?

• Dose - Amount of chemical absorbed depends upon
  chemical strength / concentration, exposure
  duration, frequency of exposure
• In general, the greater the dose, the more severe
  the health effects
• Acute effects - occurs rapidly following brief
  exposure (e.g., acid burn)
• Chronic effect - develops/recurs slowly, over
  long period following repeated, long-term,
  low-level exposure (e.g., benzidine linked to
  bladder cancer)
• Individual variability - not all people exhibit
  the same signs and symptoms (especially to
  chronic effects)

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Working Safely with Chemicals

• Chemical Safety Concepts
• Safe Use and Storage
• Disposal of Chemicals
• Emergencies
• Radiation Safety

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Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

• Always wear PPE
• Good lab practice
• Eye protection for workers
• Wear enclosed goggles or face shield over safety
  glasses if chance of splashing or shattering
• Shoes, lab coat, long pants (gives protection
  from falling objects and spills/splatters)
• Plastic/rubber apron for caustics/corrosives
• Correct gloves for chemical
• Never reach into liquids, use tongs for retrieval

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(Chemical) Fume Hood

• Ventilated enclosure that protects you from being
  exposed to chemical fumes, gases and aerosols
  generated within the hood
• Room air drawn into the hood is vented out the
  stack
• Hood should always be ON during use
• Lower sash to marked (lt sash level gt) position

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Fume Hood Inspection Program

• Regular inspection
• Tested for adequate flow
• Results labeled on hood
• Safe sash level marked
• (lt sash level gt)
• Never use an unsafe fume hood

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Fume Hood Considerations

• Turbulence caused by
• Rapid hand movements in / out of hood
• Obstructions at airfoil
• Persons walking by creating disturbance
• Limit Sash Area
• Performance improves as sash opening decreases
• Keep at or below the safe (lt sash levelgt) level

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Labels
Flammable
Health
Reactivity

• NFPA Diamond -
• used by fire / rescue personnel

Special hazard
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Chemical Storage Considerations ..

• Dry Chemical Storage
• Keep organic and inorganic separated
• Liquid Chemical Storage
• Determine major storage groups (acid, base, etc.)
• Designate separate storage for highly toxic
  chemicals
• Store only cleaning materials under sink

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Chemical storage requirements

• Inventory chemicals annually (see SY24)
• Dispose of old and unused chemicals through EHS
  following chemical waste requirements.
• Segregate chemicals according to hazard, i.e.
  flammables separate from oxidizers, acids
  separate from bases

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Chemical Storage contd

• Keep containers closed unless you are working
  with container - do not store waste containers
  open with funnels in opening, do not evaporate
  solvents as a means of disposal.
• Ensure all containers are labeled - no
  abbreviations or formulae

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Safe Storage .

• Flammable Liquids
• Corrosive Materials
• Reactive (Oxidizers and Reducers)
• Cryogenics
• Gas Cylinders

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Flammable Liquid Storage ..

• Keep quantities below allowable storage limits
  (SY08 Storage, Dispensing and Use of Flammable
  Liquids)
• UL-approved safety cans
• Store flammable liquids in an approved storage
  cabinet (combined total volume of liquids not
  greater than 120 gallons with no more than 60
  gallons of Class I or II).
• No more than 3 storage cabinets per fire area.

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Corrosive Material Storage ..

• DO NOT store acids and bases together
• Material should be stored in cabinets
• Store heavy containers on lower shelves
• Store on shelves with raised edges
• Do not store liquids above eye level
• Glacial acetic acid has special storage
  requirements-store with flammable liquids

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Reactive .

• Oxidizer
• Chemicals that react with other substances can
  result in fire or explosion
• Oxidizers supply oxygen to a fire
• Water-Reactive
• Chemicals that react with water, water vapor or
  moist air
• Produces a flammable or toxic gas
• Pyrophoric
• Chemicals that ignite on contact with air
• Flame may often be invisible

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Reactive Storage .

• Segregate
• Acids from Bases
• Acids and bases from flammables
• Pyrophoric compounds from flammables
• Perchloric acid from reducing agents
• Water from water reactive chemicals
• Sodium/phosphorus aqueous material - fire
• Acid with cyanide compounds - toxic gas
• Chlorine ammonia - toxic chloramines
• Store thermally unstable materials in approved
  refrigerator

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Chemicals Requiring Special Precautions.

• For chemicals with high degree of acute toxicity,
  select carcinogens reproductive toxins
• Establish designated area
• Proper storage and management
• Use engineering controls (e.g., fume hood)
• Use appropriate PPE
• Waste removal
• Decontamination procedures
• Emergency planning and response

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Cyrogenic Materials ..

• Cold (e.g., Ar (-302oF), H2 (-423oF), N2
  (-320oF), O2 (-297oF)) vapors can rapidly freeze
  human tissue
• Produces large volumes of gas that can displace
  breathable oxygen
• Materials can be embrittled
• Boiling/splashing occurs when charging or filling
  a warm container
• Wear face shields during transfers, loose
  fitting, dry leather or cryogenic gloves and long
  pants w/o cuffs

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Gas Cylinders .(SY30)

• Chain or strap cylinder to wall/bench
• Always use a cart safety chain when
  transporting cylinder
• Store flammable gas lecture bottles in flammable
  storage cabinet
• Keep non-compatible gases separate
• Store multiple cylinders by nesting
• Store oxidizers 20 ft. from flammable gases

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Electrical Safety

• Fires are often caused by damaged electrical
  equipment and the misuse of such equipment.
• check all equipment for damaged and worn
  insulation on wiring
• connect ground wires to clean metal
• keep wires and other electrical equipment away
  from water hot surfaces
• avoid use of extension cords,(designed for
  temporary use only)
• avoid homemade/makeshift wiring (use approved
  wiring methods)
• never touch a switch/outlet with wet hands
• do not use electrical equipment in a flammable
  atmosphere (I.e. electrical plug strip in a fume
  hood)

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Pollution Prevention

• Buy Less, Use Less, Store Less!
• keep volatile chemical containers capped.
• store chemicals in vented cabinet, dont use fume
  hood for storage
• keep waste solvent containers capped when not
  using
• substitute less hazardous chemicals
• avoid mercury, EHS exchanges thermometers
• redistribute surplus chemicals through EHS
• Provide secondary containment for 55 gallon drums
  of potentially polluting materials that are
  located in areas where they could leak into a
  drain or escape to the environment.

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Working Safely with Chemicals

• Chemical Safety Concepts
• Safe Use and Storage
• Disposal of Chemicals
• Emergencies
• Radiation Safety

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Disposal of Unwanted Chemicals ..

• Chemical Disposal Methods.
• In-Lab Chemical management
• On-Site Hazardous Materials Management - OSHMM
• Redistribution of Unwanted Chemicals -
• ITS FREE!!!!

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In-Lab Chemical Management

• Flushing down the sanitary sewer (limited to
  chemicals on drain disposal guideline SYG01)
• Neutralization
• Normal Trash
• If you have questions or are uncomfortable with
  steps outlined for in-lab management, please call
  EHS at 814-865-6391

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Acid Neutralization(hydrochloric, phosphoric,
sulfuric, lt50 acids)

• Use fume hood wear PPE
• Dilute acid with cold water to 110 (always add
  acid to water)
• Slowly add sodium carbonate or calcium carbonate
  until pH between 5 10
• Allow solids to settle
• Decant solution to drain with at least 50 times
  the volume of water
• Allow solid to dry and package for disposal in
  normal trash

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On-Site Hazardous Materials Management

• Annual review of chemicals
• Removal of surplus chemicals and chemical waste
• Evaluate gas cylinders, unknowns potential
  explosives
• Laboratory and Stockroom cleanouts
• Request a chemical waste pick-up by contacting
  http//www.ehs.psu.edu

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Chemical Disposal

• Complete Chemical p-u request prior to pick up
• Download from web http//www.ehs.psu.edu
• All containers must be labeled with red tags
• Mixtures, solutions and powders must be in
  chemically compatible containers
• No beakers, flasks, leaking containers or bottles
  without caps.
• Its free!!!!

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Waste accumulation contd

• Labeling - each container of waste must be
  labeled with a red tag (supplied by EHS)
• Waste accumulation areas must be under the
  oversight of someone who works in that area

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Oversight requirements

• Check area once a week
• sign and date check list
• back-up overseer for times of illness or vacation
• post accumulation area with sign

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Designated waste accumulation area orWhere
should I put waste before you pick it up?

• An area close to the point of generation and
  under the oversight of the person generating the
  waste
• Secondary containment must be used for waste
  storage - EHS provides 2 sizes of containment
  bins one large enough for 5 gallon containers
  and one for smaller bottle sizes.

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Where does chemical waste go when it leaves my
area?

• Fill out Chemical Waste pick-up request form on
  web (www.ehs.psu.edu)
• EHS staff picks up waste in less than a week
• Waste is stored at central facility for less than
  90 days and picked up by Hazardous waste Company

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Internal Audit

• Audit your waste program once a year to verify
  compliance
• Supervisor and Dept. head must sign audit

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Documentation

• Waste Management Manual available on web,
  www.ehs.psu.edu
• Manual must contain
• location of accumulation area
• form documenting waste area oversight
• form documenting annual inventory of chemicals
• copies of training records
• audit form

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Wastes with added precautions...

• Toxic - lead acetate, mercuric chloride, mixtures
  containing gt 0.5 ppm benzene
• Reactive - sodium metal, extremely dry picric
  acid, some organic peroxides
• Corrosive (pH lt 2 gt 12.5) - nitric acid, aqueous
  sodium hydroxide, hydrochloric acid
• Ignitable (flashpoints lt140o) - acetone, xylene,
  and acetonitrile
• Dioxins, PCBs, etc.

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Laboratory Stockroom Cleanouts

• Call EHS to do walk through if PI is leaving
• Someone from area must assist
• EHS will sort, categorize, sewer, bulk
  neutralize
• Remaining chemicals entered on p-u request Form

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Redistribution of Surplus Chemicals

• Sealed Containers Unsealed Containers
• Age
• Expiration Date Usable by Others
• Good Shape Past History
• Usable by Others Quality not Assured
• Pure Products
• If you would like to get on our mailing list or
  have questions, please contact Kevin Myers at
  814-865-6391

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Disposition of Wastes ..

• Halogens, flammables, bulked into 55-gallon
  drums and shipped
• Waste Chemicals - packaged and shipped for
  disposal
• Surplus Chemicals - labeled, put on shelves,
  advertised for redistribution
• 250,000 annual disposal costs

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SHARPS .

• What is a Sharp?
• Device that can cut or easily puncture the skin
• Unused, disinfected/contaminated hypodermic
  needles, razor blades, scalpel blades, lancets,
  syringes and Pasteur pipettes
• Other contaminated infectious wastes broken
  glass vials, lab slides or fragile glass
• Disposable Lab Glass?
• empty bottles, test tubes, uncontaminated broken
  glassware, uncontaminated glass pipettes, other
  plastic labware

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Sharps Disposal .

• Segregate from other wastes
• Place in rigid plastic boxes with tight-fitting
  lids
• maroon 5 gallon barrels for non hazardous glass.
  Sharps containers for infectious materials.
• Fill container only 3/4 full
• Materials must be autoclaved
• User/Lab takes infectious material containers to
  buildings collection site (autoclave room)

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Infectious Wastes .

• Nothing that contains pathogens/human blood can
  go to a landfill!!!!
• Infectious or biologically contaminated material
• Materials that have been used for recombinant DNA
  work
• 2 Disposal Methods
• 1. Autoclave and place in infectious waste barrel
• 2. For liquids, add bleach to 10 of total
  volume, incubate 1 hour and pour down drain

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Hazardous Glass Disposal ...

• Disinfect ALL infectious waste
• Empty any hazardous chemicals/drain liquids
• Dispose in glass disposal maroon barrel.

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Working Safely with Chemicals

• Chemical Safety Concepts
• Safe Use and Storage
• Disposal of Chemicals
• Emergencies
• Radiation Safety

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Chemical Emergencies

• Classification
• Simple Spill -- one which you can safely clean
  up yourself
• Major Emergency or High Hazard Spill -- one which
  you can not safely clean up yourself

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Chemical Emergency Response

• To Clean Up a Simple Spill
• Notify your fellow workers and supervisor
• Control Access to the area, prevent contact or
  spread of spill
• Call EHS for advice and to report as soon as
  possible
• EXAMPLE 500 ml of a dilute acid

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Chemical Emergency Response

• Major Emergency
• Call 911 for
• Fires (even if you extinguish it yourself)
• Explosions
• Injuries
• Unknown vapors, fumes or smoke
• Spills that threaten human health or the
  environment
• Incidents which you can not deal with safely
• Contact EHS as soon as emergency has been
  addressed.

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911 Emergency Information

• Provide the following
• Name
• Building and Room number
• Address
• Type of Emergency (i.e, Fire, Spill, Explosion)
• Any Injuries
• DO NOT HANG UP!!!!!!

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Emergency Eyewash / Safety Shower

• Keep area around safety equipment clutter free
• Portable squeeze bottles are NOT acceptable
• Flush affected area for at least 15 minutes
• For spill on clothing / skin
• Remove clothes
• Wash with soap and water
• Follow info on MSDS for decon steps
• Seek medical advice

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Prepare for Chemical Emergencies

• Know where fire extinguishers, emergency showers
  and eyewash stations are located and how to use
  them
• Your unit should
• have reviewed MSDS Sheet prior to beginning work
• have PPE (I.e, gloves, goggles) for spill cleanup
• Have updated Emergency phone numbers posted

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PPC PLAN

• Preparedness Prevention and Contingency Plan
• 25 Pennsylvania Code and Guidelines for the
  Development and Implementation of the
  Environmental Emergency Response Plans.

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PPC PLAN CONTD

• The PPC plan is intended to serve as a tool for
  planning to prevent a hazardous materials or oil
  release through training and contingency
  planning. It also provides information on what
  to do, who to call and responsibilities of those
  people working with large quantities of hazardous
  materials if there is a release.
• There are 21 locations that store large
  quantities of single chemicals on the University
  Park campus that are covered by the plan and a
  separate plan for each non-University Park
  campus.

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Fire Safety

• Utilize Fire Prevention Measures at all times
• If a fire occurs
• FIRST!! Pull fire alarm or Call 911
• Evacuate the building if you are not trained in
  fire extinguisher use or are unable to otherwise
  extinguish the fire.
• Report all fires no matter how minor
• Know locations and types of fire extinguishers!
• Class ABC - normal combustibles, flammable
  liquids, electrical fires
• Class D - Combustible metals

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Fire Safety .

• Fire Extinguisher Training
• Free to PSU Employees
• cost for refilling fire extinguisher
• On-Site How To demos
• Contact
• Steve Triebold 814-865-6391

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Working Safely With Chemicals

• Chemical Safety Concepts
• Safe Use and Storage
• Disposal of Chemicals
• Emergencies
• Radiation Safety

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Radiation Safety

• Radioactive material may only be used in rooms
  posted with Caution signs
• No food or drinks allowed in posted rooms
• PIs must have University Isotopes Committee
  approval prior to use
• Persons working with radioactive material or
  x-rays must have additional EHS training

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Radiation Safety

• Do not handle items labeled as radioactive or
  move containers labeled as containing radioactive
  material without proper training
• Security Requirements
• Do not let people in whom you dont know
• If you go through a locked door, lock it behind
  you

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Safety Department Contacts .

• Director Maurine Claver
• Chemical Safety
• Kate Lumley-Sapanski, Manager Environmental
  Protection Health
• Kevin Myers, Hazardous Materials Program Manager
  
• Nate Black, Environmental Health and Safety
  Specialist
• Les Gordon, Special Waste Technician
• Radiation Safety
• Eric Boeldt, Manager Radiation Protection
• Mark Linsley, Assoc. Radiation Safety Officer
• Dave Bertocchi, Health Physicists
• Greg Herman, Health Physicists
• James Wiggins, Health Physicist Specialist
• Suzanne Morlang, Health Physicist Assistant

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Safety Department Contacts .

• Biological Safety Occupational Safety
• Curt Speaker - Biosafety Officer Steve Triebold
  - Fire Protection Engineer
• Environmental Protection Bill Dreibelbis -
  Industrial Hygienist Lysa Holland -
  Compliance Engineer
• Asbestos / Lead Abatement
• Mike Burke - Industrial Hygienist