Faculty of Computing, Science and Engineering
Science Centre
SAF 001: Risk assessment for general laboratory procedures
This assessment evaluates particular potential hazards present on a daily basis in the
laboratories within the Science Centre, and is not exhaustive. Health surveillance is not
required for anyone doing general work covered by this generic risk assessment.
Further SAF codes evaluate specific aspects of hazard within laboratories along with the
completion of the Safe Working Procedures within the Science Centre. All can be found on
the Faculty Health and Safety Website.
Persons at risk
 Inexperienced workers (including undergraduate students, school pupils and school
pupils on ‘work experience’ schemes) within laboratories (where a variety of hazards
exist) must be supervised at all times
 Visitors must be accompanied in laboratories at all times by a member of staff familiar
with the types of hazard found within the area.
 Children under 16 are not allowed in labs (unless through an organised visit) and
must always be under close supervision within the Science Centre
 Pregnant or new mothers may be at risk from some chemical, biological or physical
hazard, and as such specific risk assessments completed.
 Persons with a history of particular medical conditions such as allergies, respiratory
disorders, impaired immune systems and skin conditions.
 Person who under an emergency evacuation may be less mobile and for whom a
personal evacuation plan will need to be drawn up.
 Persons with a hearing or visual impairment who may need help leaving the building
during an emergency evacuation.
Students/staff with disabilities:
 Each of the laboratory areas is equipped with adjustable benching, adjustable fume
cupboards, hearing loops, seating, procedures and processes to accommodate
learning in each of the specialised areas.
 Personalised risk assessments will be completed to allow for all aspects of Health
and safety concerns to be addressed so supporting all learning outcomes where
possible.
General Laboratory Rules
a)
Attendance at an introductory lab safety training session is mandatory for all laboratory
workers either through induction of new members of staff, post graduates or specific
sessions for undergraduate students
b)
All activities in the laboratories must be subject to a written Procedural Risk Assessment
(PRA). Staff will ensure that all practical sessions are risk assessed and available on the
Faculty Health and Safety website. Undergraduate and Post-graduate students need to
ensure that all aspects of their final year project or other project work have had the
appropriate PRA carried out.
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c)
The PRA must be available for inspection while working in the Laboratories.
d)
Do not enter a laboratory unless a member of staff is present
e)
PPE will be worn as required. All personal possessions other than those required only
for laboratory work will be stored within the digital lockers provided outside each
laboratory area.
Students must comply with any safety instructions given by academic or technical
staff.
f)
PPE must be removed upon leaving the laboratory.
g)
Keep the gangways and benches in the laboratories as clear as possible.
h)
Do not sit on benches.
i)
Lay out apparatus in an orderly fashion, to avoid reaching or leaning across hazards.
Tidy work is more efficient and carries less risk of mistakes.
j)
Eating, drinking and smoking in the laboratories is forbidden.
k)
Mouth pipetting is prohibited
l)
POWDERED LATEX GLOVES are prohibited within the laboratories. Low protein,
non-powdered latex gloves can be used under specific circumstance, but the norm is for
nitrile disposable gloves (to EN374-2 and EN 375-3 standard)
m)
To avoid contaminating door handles and light switches gloves must not be worn outside
the laboratory
n)
Lab coats are NOT to be worn outside the laboratory area
o)
The use of personal communication and entertainment devices in laboratories is
restricted, and to be used only for educational purposes. Please refer to SAF code 13
p)
Do not keep snacks or drinks containers in the pockets of your laboratory coat.
q)
Anyone who is, in the opinion of the laboratory supervisor, under the influence of either
alcohol or drugs or behaves in a manner that will injure fellow students or staff will be
excluded from the laboratory session and will be subject to further disciplinary action.
r)
Students are strongly advised to wear safety glasses if you have contact lenses in the
laboratory. This is because of the following hazards:
1. Organic solvent splash which dissolves the contact lens onto the eye.
2. Corrosive vapours may migrate behind the lens and dissolve in the tears. This
could cause permanent damage to the eye.
Any student continuing to wear contact lenses without protection does so at their
Own risk.
s)
Always tie back long hair.
t)
Wear sensible foot wear (not sandals, high heels etc).
u)
All chemicals should be handled with great care, according to the PRA and COSHH
assessment.
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v)
Spillages must be cleaned up immediately and neutralised where appropriate. All
spillages must be reported to the Supervising Staff.
w)
Flammable liquids should be used in a fume cupboard or a well ventilated area away
from possible sources of ignition.
x)
Mercury vapour is toxic. All spillages of mercury must be reported to a member of the
technical staff immediately for clean up.
y)
Do not interfere with equipment that has not been allocated to you.
z)
Good standards of personal hygiene must be maintained at all times. Hand-to-face
operations must be avoided. Hands must be washed when leaving a ‘wet’ laboratory.
Most importantly if you have any doubts concerning safety, consult a member of staff.
In addition all defects in equipment and systems of work should be reported
immediately to a member of Academic or Technical staff.
Service shut-downs in emergencies:




Each ‘wet’ laboratory with a natural gas supply has an emergency gas shut-off panel
(gasguard) just inside the door. An alarm will sound if any gas supply is left on
without ignition and the supply will shut down, similarly this will happen under actual
fire activation.
Specific ‘wet’ laboratories with specialised gases similarly have gas detectors which
will alarm and shut down in the event of gaseous release or actual fire activation.
All labs are fitted with RCD’s (residual current device) to prevent electrocution and all
fume cupboards are fitted with emergency cut out switches for each fume cupboard.
Fume cupboards will not function when the fire alarms are activated (except when
alarms are being tested)
Hazard
Risk factors for
consideration
Risk control measures
Release of hazardous gases,
aerosols, volatile liquids or
dusty solids
Ensure hazard data is known
through risk assessment and
COSHH data
Working in poorly ventilated
areas
Ensure appropriate storage,
use, disposal and emergency
procedures are in place
before commencing work
Chemicals
Depending on the specific
compound, chemicals have
the potential to be poisonous
(toxic, including carcinogens,
teratogens and mutagens),
burn (corrosive), irritate,
produce allergenic reactions,
explode, ignite or asphyxiate.
Using incorrect PPE
Incorrect disposal of
chemicals
Work involving airborne
release must be done within
a fume containment facility
Wear correct PPE
Some specified chemicals
cannot be used without
following Home Office
procedures
Chemical disposal must be
adhered to via your PRA
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Biological agents
May have the potential to
cause disease by inhalation,
ingestion or contact with
wounds and mucous
membranes, physical
damage (animal bites and
scratches) and allergies (by
physical contact and inhaling
allergenic dusts)
Major potential route is by
inhalation
Refer to SAF 002
Precautions for
Microbiological work and
SAF 003 Disposal of
microbiological waste
Any work with GM
(genetically modified)
organisms to follow GM
protocol and SAF 004 local
rules for activities involving
genetically modified
organisms
Categorise infection hazard
(for this Faculty category 1 or
2)
Refer to SAF 005 for use of
Insectary
Minimise the production of
aerosols and contain any that
are produced within
Biological safety cabinets
Working areas to be
swabbed with decontaminate
solution (2% virkon)
Environmental projects
assessed through fieldwork
risk assessment when
working with animals and
through SAF 012 risks
associated with contact with
animals and animal byproducts
Sharps
Such as blades (scalpel and
microtome), also shards of
broken glass can cause
physical injury
Improper disposal of needles,
blades and glass
Removing caps from glass
containers
Promptly dispose of needles,
blades and broken glass in
the appropriate designated
containers (glass bins,
sharps containers and clinical
sharps containers)
Use of glass pipettes
Take care with microtome
and removing caps from
glass containers’
Do not use damaged
glassware
Take care with the use of
glass pipettes and rubber
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teats
Fires and burns
Caused by ignition of
flammable reagents and
other materials by faulty
electrical equipment. Carries
the risk of death, personal
injury and severe property
damage.
Work involving:
Flammable organic solvents
Ensure familiarity with fire
emergency procedures
Naked flames
Remove waste promptly
Cryogenic materials
Store flammable organic
solvents in fire-retardant
cabinets and segregate from
naked flames and electrical
equipment
Microwave ovens
Burns can be received from
Bunsen flames, handling hot
objects (from autoclaves),
and scalds from steam and
superheated liquids (agar in
a microwave oven,
waterbaths)
Ultra cold materials (liquid
Nitrogen)
Waterbaths
Autoclaves
Use of Winchester carriers
for carrying bottles
Hot water from some taps
Using unsafe portable
electrical equipment
Use of apparatus involving
high voltages (HV) or
currents (e.g. electrophoresis
equipment)
Ensure PAT testing for all
equipment
Check re-test dates on
portable electrical equipment
and do not use if date has
expired. (Contact Estates for
re-test)
Keep water away from mains
electrical sockets
Follow procedures for
equipment use
Only competent engineers to
attempt repairs to electrical
equipment
Use heat resistant gloves for
handling hot or cold items
Use of liquid nitrogen refer to
risk assessment
Non-ionising radiation sources
Such as Ultraviolet lamps,
and microwave ovens, have
the potential to damage
tissues (particularly the eyes
with UV) if exposed.
Use of UV lamps for
visualising bands on
electrophoresis gels
Lasers can permanently
damage the eyes
Use of microwave ovens for
heating aqueous liquids and
melting small volumes of
solidified agar
Ultrasound can damage
hearing
Using ultrasonic
disintegrators
Ensure UV shield is in place
e.g. visualising equipment
Wear polycarbonate safety
spectacles or face shields
when unshielded short-wave
UV has to be used
Regularly test microwave
oven door seals for leakage
of radiation
Wearing hearing protection
when using ultrasonics.
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Gases
Asphyxiant gases can
deplete the oxygen in the air
we breathe. Liquid nitrogen
can produce large volumes of
odourless gas which can
accumulate, particularly in
confined spaces (such as
lifts)
Storing or transporting liquid
nitrogen in a confined space
Release of large volumes of
any asphyxiant gas from a
compressed gas cylinder
The storage and use of liquid
nitrogen refer to risk
assessment
Ensure liquid nitrogen is
stored and transported only
in a cry-contained (dewar)
and only used in well
ventilated areas
Specific laboratories or
confined spaces to have
appropriate signage and
subject to a specific
assessment
Familiarity with the oxygen
depletion alarms and
systems for specific
laboratories
Familiarity with the gas
detection alarms and
systems for specific
laboratories
High pressure systems
Specifically in gaseous and
liquid systems, also vacuums
Can cause problems when
components fail. The
resultant release of energy
can project solids or liquids at
high velocity
Use of gases from
compressed gas cylinders
Specific equipment e.g.
HPLC
Familiarisation with the use
of specific detection systems
within laboratories and
storage areas
Use of PPE
Autoclaves
Specialised equipment use
Noise
Excessively loud noise can
lead to hearing loss and
tinnitus
Ultrasonic disintegrators
(sonicators) can affect others
in the vicinity within the
laboratory
Reduce noise where possible
Ear defenders must be worn
Signage on doors when
using a sonicator
Trips, slips, falls and manual handling
Can lead to severe injury in
work areas where there
maybe inappropriate storage
of materials, wet floors,
trailing cables and build up of
waste material
cold room floor within the
Environmental lab
liquid spillages on floors
Follow recommendation on
manual handling policy
(Faculty health and safety
Sciences website)
Handling materials on
shelves above head height
Manual handling training
specifically for those at risk
Lifting or moving heavy
containers
Use appropriate safety
ladders (that have been
registered and checked),
‘Kiksteps etc.
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Remove waste material
promptly
Repetitive movements
Poor posture can lead to
upper limb disorders in
particular
DSE assessment of any
laboratory IT equipment
where prolonged use is
required
Repetitive manual pipetting
Assess equipment computer
workstations
If required use of powered
pipettors if available
First Aid
For chemical or biological spillages on body surfaces (skin and eyes) remove contaminating
material as soon as possible. This can be achieved by flushing the affected area with cold
tap water for up to 15 minutes. Each ‘wet’ laboratory has a hand wash basin and hand-held
wash shower. Emergency full showers are located on the 3rd floor lab R324 and ground floor
lab 2 R019.
For heat or cold burns the same remedy applies. Cold water effectively removes heat from a
heat burn or increases the temperature of a cold-burn affected area. Flood the affected area
for 15 minutes
Minor cuts can be treated locally, First aid boxes can be found within each laboratory area.
For emergency help contact ext 4444 and a list of Faculty first aiders is displayed on the
Health and Safety notice boards within each lab
For any injury if irritation persists then seek medical attention via the student health centre on
0300 1231765 or the University Hospital North Staffordshire Emergency care centre 01782
674455
Accident Reports
Accident and incident (near miss) forms are available on the Faculty Health and Safety
website.
Accident reports must be completed soon as possible after the incident.
All accidents, including near misses (incidents), must be reported.
Fire Alarms
Weekly fire alarm testing within the Science centre will occur at 10.30 am every Tuesday. In
the event of actual fire activation follow the instruction to leave the building by fire marshals
and congregate on the Trent car park until instructed to be allowed back into the building.
Reviewed: July 2013 (Audra Jones)
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