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PART A – INSTITUTE OF CHILD HEALTH RISK ASSESSMENT FORM
Guidance on
Arrangements for Risk Assessment
Risks must be controlled using measures identified by a Risk Assessment
Arrangements for Risk Assessment in the
Unit of Developmental Biology Unit
In accordance with the Institute Statement of Safety Policy these arrangements detail
the requirements for Risk Assessment of all Unit work and activities. They have been
authorised by Patrizia Ferretti, the Head of Unit.
All Unit work and activities must be assessed to ensure that risks to the health and
safety of staff and others have been identified and control measures implemented to
reduce those risks to an acceptable level. Information about the health and safety
risks arising from work activities and the control measures in place must be brought to
the attention of all people exposed to the risks.
It is the responsibility of the person in charge of the work (e.g.
supervisor/manager/project leader) to ensure that the risk assessment is carried out
(either by themselves or a nominated person). The risk assessment must contain the
project/work title, with enough information to identify the work unambiguously. The
risk assessment must end with a declaration that the risks identified will be controlled
by the specified safety control measures and the work will be carried out in
accordance with Unit/Institute codes of practice. The risk assessment must be signed
and dated by the person in charge of the work.
All risk assessments carried out in or for the Unit must be copied to the Area Safety
Officer (ASO). It is the responsibility of the ASO to:
 circulate risk assessment forms and information to Unit managers and supervisors
 keep a record of all Unit risk assessments returned to them
 monitor compliance with Institute Policy on risk assessment and advise the Head
of Unit accordingly
 advise members of the Unit on the risk assessment procedure
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RISK ASSESSMENT FORM
Confocal Microscopy Facility
(Relevant: PART A)
__________________________________________________________________________
WORK/PROJECT TITLE
Confocal microscopy facility
Project start date: 26/04/2009
Duration: 36 months
__________________________________________________________________________
LOCATION(S)
1st floor Philip Ullmann, room 153, ICH:
Confocal microscope room
_________________________________________________________________________
DESCRIPTION OF WORK
Objectives:
The aim of the facility is to assist the scientific staff
Techniques to be used:
analysis of results by transmitted light
fluorescence microscopy
confocal microscopy
time-lapse photography
microphotography
__________________________________________________________________________
PERSONS INVOLVED
Directly involved:
Dr Bertrand Vernay
Dr Patrizia Ferretti
Research Assistant/Confocal microscope manager
Head of Developmental Biology Unit and Supervisor
Indirectly involved:
Other laboratory personnel
Maintenance staff
Cleaning staff
Visitors
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__________________________________________________________________________
HAZARD IDENTIFICATION (state the hazards involved in the work) (Definition of Hazard: the potential to do
harm. e.g. dangerous machines, toxic substances, electricity, manual handling, hazardous environment)
1. Microscopy Hazard: e.g. mercury vapour exposure, eye damage, burns, fire
2. Organ, tissue and cell cultures Hazard: inoculation, inhalation, infection (particular
risk in the case of human tissues handling)
3. Toxic substances and flammables including poisons, carcinogens, enzymes, mutagens,
volatile substances and chemicals in general use in the laboratories. Hazards:
poisoning, chemical burns, exposure to carcinogens, risk of fire
4. Animal handling Hazard: inoculation, infection, asthma and allergies
5. Electrical equipment such as power packs, microscopes, computers. Hazards:
electrocution
6. Waste disposal (eg E.coli, mouse tissue, plasmids and other vectors, chemicals).
Hazards: poisoning, chemical burns, exposure to carcinogens
7. Compressed gases Hazards: explosion, risk of fire
8. Out of hours working. Hazards: any of the above
___________________________________________________________________________
RISK ASSESSMENT (make an assessment of the risks involved with the work and where possible state
high, medium or low risk) (Definition of Risk: the likelihood that harm will result from the hazard)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Microscopy Risk: high
Organ, tissue and cell cultures Risk: medium
Animal handling Risk: medium
Toxic substances Risk: high
Electrical equipment Risk: high
Waste disposal Risk: medium
Compressed gases Risk: high
Out of hours working. Risk: medium
___________________________________________________________________________
CONTROL MEASURES (state the control measures that are in place to protect staff and others from the
above risks. Put in place adequate control measures for any risks that have been identified as uncontrolled)
All the techniques to be used in this project are demonstrated to the students either by the
supervisor or by an experienced member of the laboratory.
1. Microscopy: Research staff is instructed, as necessary, in the safe use of the
microscope equipment. Bulbs for fluorescent microscopy contain mercury and can
explode releasing mercury vapour. To minimize this risk, bulbs are housed within a
specialized closed casing, the hourly use of all bulbs is logged and the bulbs are
changed when the life is expired. Bulb changing is done by trained personnel only. The
light sources for the fluorescent microscope (including UV light) are adequately
shielded in normal use and the lamp housing is only removed by an experienced
person. The confocal and multiphoton microscopes are serviced by Leica and Zeiss
annually. Records are kept by the manager of the facility (Dr Bertrand Vernay). The
confocal and multiphoton imaging systems contain lasers which are enclosed within
the equipment casing to reduce risk. Risks are further minimised by working in
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accordance with manufacturer (Leica, Zeiss, Spectra Physics) standard operating
procedures and UK rules regarding Laser Class I, IIIb and IV. All confocal users are
instructed in the safe use of confocal microscopy equipment by Dr Bertrand Vernay.
Any repair or maintenance work is carried over by a trained manufacturer’s engineer.
The room is cooled to minimize fire risk. In addition, placement of unnecessary
flammable materials and solvents into the immediate vicinity of the laser is avoided.
Microscope slides will be disposed of in designated sharps bins. Risk: low
2. Organ, tissue and cell cultures: risks are minimized by not manipulating the live
sample in the confocal room. Samples are imaged on the microscope in closed culture
vessels.Risk: low
3. Toxic substances: risks are minimised by following established laboratory safety
guidelines for control of substances hazardous to health (COSHH) and by referring to
chemical safety data sheets. Any user introducing toxic substance in the confocal room
should warn the facility manager beforehand and ensure that the risk assessment has
been completed and approved. Copies of local COSHH procedures are kept in the
laboratory rooms of each microscope’s user and if the confocal room if relevant.
Flammable substances (ethanol) of volumes less than 500 ml will only be stored away
from electrical equipement and heat source. Risk: low
4. Animal handing: microscope users must have a Personal Licence for work with
animals, issued by the Home Office. Personnel involved in work with animals are
routinely screened by the Occupational Health department and all work at the Institute
of Child Health will be carried out in accordance with the Home Office Licence and
users’local Codes of Practice. Risk: low
5. Electrical equipment: All electrical equipment (including safety cabinets) is checked
for electrical safety by a competent assessor, with date of the inspection attached to the
equipment by an adhesive label. Portable appliance testing is carried out annually by
an external contractor, currently BOC Ltd. Records are held by the Head of Laboratory
Management (Lesley Alterman). If any equipment is identified with a fault, it is
referred to a qualified electrician employed by the Institute. All workers are instructed
in the safe use of laboratory equipment, by Dr Bertrand Vernay and must comply with
the written instructions given in the Area safety code (copy kept in confocal room
153). Risk: low
6. Waste disposal: All laboratory waste including tissues, cells and cell products will be
disposed of according to Institute Safety Arrangements. Risk: low
7. Compressed gases: The confocal room has nitrogen, carbon dioxide and 95% oxygen5% carbon dioxide mixture cylinders. Only trained personnel should install cylinders
and regulators. The cylinders are fixed to the wall away from heat source. The risk of
fire is limited when using the 95% oxygen- 5% carbon dioxide mixture by the small
amount of gas used and the dilution of the gas in the room in the event of a leak. The
gas mixture is directly injected in the culture medium of the sample.
8. Out of hours working: Lone worker personal alarms are available, to raise the alarm in
case of an emergency, and are available from the porters at the ICH front desk, who
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will provide instructions for use of the alarms (contact Head Porter Richard Johnson
extn 2197). Risk: low
Measures to protect other personnel i.e. maintenance staff, cleaners, other visitors to
laboratory from identified risks: Entry to the confocal microscopy room is only by
appointment with the facility manager or other members of the research team. Risk: low
_______________________________________________________________________
DECLARATION
I the undersigned have assessed the work, titled above, and declare that there is no significant
risk and that the work will be carried out in accordance with Institute/Unit codes of practice.
Name Dr B. Vernay
This section must clearly identify the manager/supervisor/project leader
for the work and be signed and dated by him/her
Signed ............................................................................... Date ......3/09/2009............
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