BIO-335%20Health%20and%20Safety%20in%20Lab

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BIO-335Health and Safety in Lab
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Outline

• Your Responsibilities
• Importance of Pre-Planning
• Assessing Hazards and Risks
• Working with Hazardous Materials
• Working with Equipment
• Emergency Procedures

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OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY
We all have legal and moral responsibilities in
health and safety for the SU community by
ensuring sound and safe conditions in all our
activities
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT POLICY
We take all necessary actions to fulfil legal
obligations for the protection of the
environment, through the appropriate assignment
of responsibilities throughout the University,
and establishment of directives, procedures and
standards.
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Why Lab Safety?

• Legal Reasons
• Moral Reasons

Choices
The person best prepared to choose will know the
likely outcome.
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Research employee injuries
The most common serious injuries cuts due to
careless use of razor blades. Source Howard
Hughes Medical Institute, Office of Laboratory
Safety. All reported injuries are shown, without
regard to severity
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When Conducting Experiments

• Identify ALL hazards
• Ensure all safety equipment available and
  operative
• Follow pre-planned work procedures
• No substitution without thorough review (contact
  supervisor when not sure)
• Develop an Attitude of Safety Awareness

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Before Starting any Work,Learn!

• Properties of materials, reagents and their
  prescribed safety procedures
• Be familiar with operating procedures for ALL
  equipment used
• Emergency spill procedures (use of adsorbents and
  disinfectants)
• Escape routes
• Location of fire extinguisher, eye wash, shower,
  first aid, and spill kits

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TakesOne minute to write a safety rule.One
month to put it into operation.One life to make
a safe worker. But it takes onlyOne second to
destroy a life.
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Assessing Hazards and Risks

• Risk due to hazardous materials
• Physical Hazards
• electrical
• mechanical
• temperature
• electromagnetic fields
• Biohazards
• Hazards from Radioactivity

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Risks due to Hazardous Materials

• Compressed Gases
• Flammables and Combustibles
• Oxidizers
• Toxic
• Corrosive
• Reactive

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General Rules for Handling Hazardous Materials (1)

• Label all containers, pipes, process vessels and
  storage areas
• Labels should identify the product and hazards
  associated with its use
• Read the label at least three times before using
  the products
• when removing from storage
• before opening the container
• before actual usage

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General Rules for Handling Hazardous Materials (2)

• Date containers when opening for the first time
• Maintain up to date inventory
• Regularly dispose surplus materials
• Keep chemicals stored properly
• Keep your workplace neat and organized

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Handling Compressed Gases

• Gas cylinders must be properly secured
• When not in use or during transport shut valves,
  relieve gas in regulator, remove regulator and
  re-cap
• Gas cylinders must be labeled like all other
  containers

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Handling Compressed Gases

• Corroded bottles or cylinders should not be
  stored or used
• Check hoses, tubing and regulators daily
• Empty cylinders should be returned to supplier as
  soon as possible
• Empty gas cylinders should be marked EMPTY

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Compression!
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Rules for HandlingFlammable Materials

• Storage of flammables
• Use approved flammable storage cabinets
• Do not store flammables with oxidizers
• Store flammable liquids only in approved
  refrigerators
• Ensure all containers labelled, including waste
  containers

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Testing flammable cabinets
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Testing flammable cabinets
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Testing flammable cabinets
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Rules for HandlingFlammable Materials

• Precautionary Measures of flammables
• Use flammable and combustible liquids in a fume
  hood
• Ensure that all sparking equipment, e.g.,
  switches, relays, thermostat, variacs are removed
  from the fume hood
• Ensure pressure release valve open when heating
  flasks of flammable liquid

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And if not used/stored properly..
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Rules for HandlingCorrosive Materials

• Storage
• Store in corrosive storage cabinets
• Store corrosives on lower shelves
• Do not store acids and bases together
• Do not store concentrated acids or bases under
  sinks
• Hydrofluoric acid (HF) must be stored in plastic
  containers
• Ensure all containers labelled

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Rules for HandlingCorrosive Materials

• Precautionary Measures
• Use proper eye, hand and body protection
• Prevent exposure to corrosive fumes and vapours
• Pour Chemicals properly (always add acid to
  water, never reverse!)

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Rules for HandlingToxic Materials

• Minimize exposure time (pre-planning!)
• Use proper eye, face, hand and body protection
• Be aware of emergency procedures
• Practice good personal hygiene
• Inform your supervisor of medications you are
  taking if working in a hazardous area
• Toxic effects on both female and male
  reproduction
• Inform supervisor if pregnant (many effects
  during 1st trimester)
• Decontaminate your work space daily

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Rules for Handling Reactive Materials

• Purchase only the amount you need
• Date when first opened
• Do not open a bottle past its expiration date
• Do not open a peroxide former if crystals or
  precipitates are present
• Store peroxide forming materials (ethers,
  tetrahydrofuran (THF), cyclohexene, p-dioxane,
  cyclooctene) away from heat and light

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Reactive Materials

• Monitor containers for signs of instability
  (e.g., changes in colour, crystal formation,
  drying out)
• Store perchloric acid bottles in glass or ceramic
  trays
• Store water reactives away from sources of water
• Dispose properly
• Plan experiments carefully
• Ensure proper safety equipment available and
  operative

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Incompatible Chemicals

• Think before you mix chemicals (hazardous
  reactions, fires, toxic fumes)
• Level of incompatibility may depend on quantity
  used, temperature, pressure
• Store incompatible chemicals separately
• Organize experiments, reactions, to avoid mixing,
  unless under controlled conditions
• Review literature and MSDS prior to experiment
• Do not dispose incompatible wastes in the same
  container

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Health and Safety at Workplace
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Cryogenic Liquids

• Cryogenic liquids materials with boiling point
  lt-73C (e.g., liquid nitrogen, helium, argon,
  slush mixtures of dry ice with isopropanol)
• Very small amounts of liquids produce large
  volumes of gas
• Rapid evaporation can lower available oxygen in
  the immediate area, creating an oxygen deficient
  atmosphere (e.g. elevators!)
• Skin contact to cryogenic liquids cause cold
  burns and frostbite

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Cryogenic Liquids - Precautions

• Wear insulated gloves, safety glasses/face
  shields when handling and transferring cryogenic
  liquids
• Fill containers to indicated maximum level
• Perform operations (pouring) slowly

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Electrical Hazards

• Do not perform any modification/service of
  electrical equipments by yourself
• Always remember that we have a call center that
  will solve your electrical/mechanical problems
  promptly! (9988)

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Mechanical Hazards

• Mechanical hazards such as this open drive belt
  must be guarded
• No loose clothing
• Be more careful if long-haired
• Tripping and slipping

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Vacuum Systems - Precautions

• Wear safety glasses when using vacuum systems
• Inspect glass for cracks
• Wrap glass (flasks) under vacuum with tape or
  vacuum hose
• Wrap dewar flasks with tape
• Use traps between vacuum sources and vessels
  under reduced pressure

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Vacuum Pumps

• Vacuum pumps should be placed on a tray to catch
  oil that inevitably leaks from these units.
• Vacuum equipment should be trapped or filtered as
  appropriate.

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High Pressure Systems

• Wear safety glasses and protective gloves when
  using high pressure apparatus
• Check systems for leaks and possible defects
• Place protective shield between you and the
  apparatus
• Use fume hoods designed with explosion proof
  sashes where possible
• Do not work alone using high pressure apparatus
• Do not leave high pressure reactions unattended
  for extended periods
• Be aware of emergency procedures

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Centrifuges

• Clean up spills immediately
• Ensure load is balanced
• Log all usage

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Centrifuge Accident at Cornell University, 1998
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Safe Use of Autoclaves

• Learn how to use, autoclave bags, proper loading
  and removing the waste
• Not everything is autoclavable!
• (e.g. phenol, corrosives, flammables, melting
  plastics)

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Glassware

• Inspect glassware for cracks, stars, or stress
  lines before use
• Repair or discard defective glassware
• Wear eye protection when working with glass
  apparatus
• Wear safety gloves when inserting rubber or
  plastic tubing into glass
• Do not wash broken glassware with other glassware
• Do not mix glassware or broken glass with regular
  garbage dispose in cardboard boxes or designated
  containers for recycling

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Control Measures

• Eye protection
• Gloves
• Lab coats
• Footwear
• Fume hoods
• Emergency showers
• Eyewashes
• Fire extinguishers

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Eye Protection

• Use appropriate safety glasses
• Goggles for liquids
• Safety glasses for explosion risks
• Wear at all times in labs

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Gloves

• Minimizes contact with hazardous agent
• Use appropriate gloves (PVC, latex, rubber,
  nitrile, polypropylene?)
• Check resistance chart!
• Do not wear gloves in halls or elevators

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Lab Coats

• Protects clothing
• Protects body
• Should have snaps
• Non-flammable fabric (i.e. not polyester!)
• Do not wash with regular clothing

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Footwear

• Closed-toed shoes must be worn in labs at all
  times (i.e. no sandals!)
• Shoes must cover the foot
• Steel toed boots must be worn in mechanical areas

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Fume Hoods

• Chemical hoods
• Biosafety hoods
• Radioisotope hoods
• Exhaust canopies
• Recirculating hoods
• Perchloric acid hoods
• Hydrofluoric acid hoods

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Fume Hood Safety

• Never put your head into a fume hood
• Minimize storage of chemicals equipment in a
  fume hood
• Work with sash at indicated operating level
• Raise large pieces of equipment at least 3-5 cm
  above the floor of the fume hood
• Do not obstruct back slots
• Keep sash closed when not working in fume hood

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Emergency Showers/ Eyewashes

• Do not obstruct the access to Emergency
  Showers/Eyewashes (or any other safety equipment)

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Emergency Showers/ Eyewashes

• Know location of emergency showers and eyewash
  stations
• Become familiar with operation
• Wash for minimum of 15 minutes with running water
• Remove all contaminated clothing
• Wait for medical assistance
• Report incident

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Fire Extinguishers

• Attend a fire training
• Extinguish fire only if feel comfortable
• Pull fire alarm

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Emergency Procedures

• Fires
• Explosions
• Spills
• Emissions
• First aid
• Injuries

• Report incidents, accidents, property damage

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Fire Extinguishers and emergency exits

• Sabanci University is equipped with a water spray
  system with heat/smoke sensors
• Learn the location of fire alarm buttons, fire
  extinguishers/cabinets and emergency exits
  nearest to your lab
• In case of a fire first start the alarm before
  trying to operate the extinguisher

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Waste Disposal

• Label all wastes
• Sharps ? containers
• Solvents ? waste containers
• Broken glass ? boxes
• Batteries ? recycling

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Waste Disposal - General Guidelines

• Use the dedicated containers for disposal
• Label all hazardous waste containers with
  hazardous waste label
• Do not mix incompatible wastes
• Do not overfill waste containers
• Contact lab specialist for disposal

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An overnight incident

• Thermometer melted from heat
• Mercury vaporized
• Rubber supports melted
• Fire burnt itself out

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Weekly Lab Checks

• Purge Eyewash station
• Fire extinguisher
• First Aid Kit
• Fume Hood
• Tubings, pressurized connections
• Chemical storage
• Cap Sinks, floor drains

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Find the potentials
Whats Wrong?
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Find the potentials
Whats Wrong?
2
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Find the potentials

• Whats Wrong? 3

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Find the potentials

• Whats
• Wrong?
• 4

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Find the potentials

• Whats
• Wrong?
• 5

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Accident waiting to happen!

• Did this person attend to
• BIO-335 Health and Safety in Lab
• course???

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• Each MAT and BIO Lab has one or two Lab
  Responsibles.
• Each instrument in the labs has responsible grad
  students.
• All the names and contact info of responsible
  people are written on the doors or up the
  instruments.

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Before Leaving the Lab!

• Turn off
• Gas
• Water
• Power lines
• Other non-necessary equipment
• Clean your work area
• Fill in the logbooks!!!
• Report any kind of abnormality in the
  lab/equipments
• Return ALL chemicals to storage
• Lower fume hood sash
• Wash your hands

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Working Alone or After Hours

• Never work alone in the labs!
• Use buddy system
• Have a friend contact lab at regular intervals

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Memorize Important Telephone Numbers

• Health emergency
• 6666
• Security
• 5555
• Call center
• 9988

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