Materials Science & Engineering Dept.
Along with
Environmental Health & Safety
University of Tennessee
For Lab Safety
Questions:
 Pam Koontz
 pjkoontz@utk.edu
 James Cantu
 jcantu@utk.edu
For Hazardous Waste
Questions:
 April Case
 acase3@utk.edu
Environmental Health & Safety
ehs.utk.edu
974-5084 www.facebook.com/utkehs
UTK/UTIA Biosafety Office
Robin Lyn Trundy
UTK/UTIA Safety Officer
974-1938
rtrundy@utk.edu
Amy Knowles
UTIA Occupational
Health Nurse
974-5728
aknowles@utk.edu
UTK Radiation Safety Office

Marsha Smith
Radiation Safety Officer
Phone: 974-5580
E-mail: mmsmith@utk.edu
Dr. Kurt Sickafus, Chair
Dr. Carl Lundin
Dr. Roberto S. Benson
Mr. Greg Jones
•
•
•
•
•
•
For Emergency Call 911
Call your Supervisor
Call Safety Coordinator, Greg Jones
If you can not reach your Supervisor or Greg
contact the MSE main office (Carla)
Call Environmental Health & Safety for help with
spill cleanup, or to report unsafe conditions
Help your Supervisor fill out a “Supervisors Report
of Employee Accident form” ASAP!
UT Student Health
Center
1800 Volunteer Blvd.
UT Medical Center
1924 Alcoa Highway


Safety depends on
choices
Good choices rely
on having good
information before
the choice has to be
made.

Training
◦ Initial
◦ Periodic
◦ As-needed

Resources
◦ MSDS/SDS, Labels, Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP),
Emergency Response Plan, Faculty Advisor,
Person In Charge (PIC), Lab Placards

Ask Questions!

What is the nature of my lab?
◦ My work space
◦ My neighbor’s work space

What hazards are present?
◦
◦
◦
◦

Chemical/Physical/Bio/Rad
Do you know how to react?
Have you practiced?
Have you shared your knowledge?
Is there an Emergency Plan, Chemical Hygiene
Plan, SDS?
Plan, Share, Practice
 Make
a plan
 Write it down
 Ensure everyone understands
 Review and practice



Identify local emergency numbers
Locate medical treatment centers and trauma
centers
Procedures for dealing with an emergency
◦ Physical injury
◦ Chemical exposure
◦ Environmental Exposure

Evacuation and Meeting
location





Accidents
Spills / Splashes / Accidental Releases
Near Misses
Fire
UT Alert System
(http://www.utk.edu/utalert/)


Emergencies – 911
Chemical spill or release –
EHS – 4-5084
(do not leave a voicemail message)

After hours spill or release – UTPD –
4-3111
Plan, Share, Practice

Environmental Hazards
◦ Work area conditions
◦ Hot/cold, humid/dry, improper lighting

Chemically Produced Physical Hazards
◦ Explosives & Reactives

Equipment Hazards
◦ Mechanical, Electrical, Vacuum, High pressure, Cut
and Abrasion Hazards, Hot and Cold equipment,
Open flames, Noise/Sound

Number one type of accident is still “Slips,
Trips, and Falls”
◦ Maintain safe pathways and use good housekeeping
◦ Keep cables and cords in safe paths where they will
not be damaged and they will not contribute to trip
hazards.

Highly Reactive compounds and
incompatibles can cause very powerful energy
release in the form of intense light, heat or
pressure waves.



Use only the scale of reaction required and
approved to achieve your goals.
Use proper PPE and Engineering Controls to
prevent exposure to a potential explosion
If the agent/reaction
has the possibility of a
violent reaction believe
that it could happen
to you.







Mechanical
Electrical
Vacuum/High pressure
Cut and Abrasion Hazards
Hot and Cold equipment
Open flames
Noise/Sound


Know and train on even the most basic
equipment.
Equipment with moving parts can entrap
extremities, clothing, and long hair.
◦ Use proper clothing and PPE and tie back long hair.




Ensure guards are in place and in good
condition.
Never remove safety devices
Moving objects can throw objects
Use lockout tagout procedures when
repairing

Ways to avoid common lab electrical hazards
are ensuring cables and cords are not
damaged by the lab environment.
◦ Avoid heat/flame damage to insulation
◦ mechanical trauma such as the damage a cord may
receive behind a heavy object such as a gas
cylinder.




Do not daisy chain extension
cords or power strips.
Extension cords are designed
for temporary use only.
If electrical work is needed in your lab a
qualified electrical worker is required to do
the work.
Use GFCI outlets when the risk of shock is
higher such as at sinks and water sources.
◦ Note: Grounding and GFCI are not the same.



Never bypass a grounding prong on an
electrical plug.
If your outlets are not “holding” or “gripping”
the plug, then notify facilities services as the
outlet may be damaged and a fire hazard.
If work is required in your lab
please ensure you are aware of
what a lockout condition is and
how it relates to you as a nonelectrical worker.



Chance of Implosion or Explosion
Particularly dangerous with Glassware
For pressurized equipment and glassware:
◦ Ensure a blast shield or hood sash is in place.
◦ If using a face shield eye protection must be worn
as well



Broken Glassware should be replaced.
Use proper technique and PPE when working.
Good housekeeping keeps Glassware from:
◦ Accumulating in the dirty bin
◦ Accidentally being knocked over

Don’t forget that when you need
to move something large or
cumbersome around the lab a
pair of sturdy work gloves may be
in order.



Most lab surfaces that are heated look the
same hot and cold: “Hot Glass Looks Like
Cold Glass”
Remember to allow proper cooling times on
heated elements before work or repair
Use caution with heating mantles and
hotplates around combustible and
flammable materials

Use Cryo gloves and eye protection when
working with Liquid Nitrogen or dry ice.
◦ Flash Freezing works well on samples
◦ It also can work well on you

Dispense and Transport
Liquid Nitrogen only with
approved methods.



Never leave unattended.
Keep away from flammable
and combustible materials
including volatile flammable
gases
Keep hair tied back and
loose clothing away



Hearing protection programs can be required
under OSHA.
Thresholds are set for an 8-hour work day
EHS can survey a work area on request.
Hazard Classes
Storage
Use & Handling
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
Oxidizer
Flammable
Explosive
Acutely Toxic
Corrosive
Compressed Gases
Health Hazard
Environmental Toxin
Exclamation Mark






Lab Door Placard
SDS
Chemical labels
Chemical Hygiene
Plan
SOPs
Hazardous
Communication
(Right-To-Know)





Oxidizers and
flammables
Acids and bases
Flammables and
corrosives
Corrosives and
metals
Know what to do
with strong
reactions


Segregate
incompatibles by
storing in different
cabinets
Use secondary
containment when
space is at a
premium

Do
◦ Segregate by hazard
class first
◦ Use proper
containers
◦ Use secondary
containment
◦ Check expiration
dates
◦ Inspect shelving and
shelf clips
periodically

Don’t
◦ Stack chemicals or store
too high
◦ Allow containers to hang
over edge
◦ Use food containers
◦ Allow excessive bench
top and fume hood
storage
◦ Keep chemicals
indefinitely or past
expiration dates
◦ Store flammables in
unapproved refrigerators
Some chemicals are unstable when stored past their expiration dates:
Ethyl ether (diethyl ether)
Sodium Azide
Picric Acid



Lab Specific SOPs
Chemical Hygiene
Plan
Chemical Inventory

Routes of exposure
◦
◦
◦
◦
Contact
Injection
Inhalation
Ingestion


Know the hazards
Use Proper PPE
Fume Hoods
 Shields
 Storage Cabinets
 Secondary
Containment
ex. Spill Trays





Use a cart with
secondary
containment
Move limited
quantities
Use caution going
through doorways
and public areas
Use freight elevator



Best practice –
order from
manufacturer
Must be authorized
to ship haz mat
Must give minimum
of 72 hours notice


Deface old labels
when reusing
containers
Label containers
clearly (contents,
your name, date)


Do not eat or drink
in the chemical
laboratory.
Provide break area
outside the lab
Clothing
Eye Protection
Hand Protection




Long pants
Long sleeves
Closed-toe, non-absorbent shoes
Protect your clothing with a lab coat or apron


The type of eye
protection required
depends on the work
being performed.
Wearing the proper eye
protection is required
by the Laboratory
Standard and Personal
Protective Equipment
Standards.


It is the responsibility
of the employer to
determine the
presence of hazards,
select and purchase
the appropriate
safety devices, and
train the employees.
The employer is not
required to provide
prescription safety
eyewear.


Immediately begin
flushing the eyes
with large amounts
of tepid water for a
minimum of fifteen
minutes.
While the eyes are
being flushed,
medical help should
be summoned



It’s not measured
by distance, but by
time
10 seconds
For strong
caustics/acids
equipment should
be immediately
adjacent to the
work area
 Never
neutralize
chemicals splashed
in the eyes – always
flush with water only
 Never use an
emergency eye wash
bottle
 You must never work
alone in the
laboratory
 Activate
every
eyewash at least
weekly to verify
operation and clear
liquid flow
 Keep areas around
eyewashes clear from
clutter to provide
quick and easy
access in the event of
an emergency
You can eat with false teeth,
you can dance with a wooden leg,
you can even hear with a hearing aid,
but you can’t see with a glass eye.




Choose the right
gloves for the job
Disposable vs
Reusable
Latex vs other glove
materials
For non-chemical
work




Follow
manufacturer’s
recommendations
Not all gloves are
the same
There is no one
perfect glove for all
chemicals
Gloves to protect
you vs. gloves to
protect your work




Be aware of what
you touch with your
gloves
Remove gloves
before leaving lab
Never reuse
disposable gloves
Contamination not
always visible


85 decibels
sustained over 8 hr
work day
EHS can monitor
noise levels

If you need to wear
a respirator contact
EHS at 4-5084


Gases stored in
steel pressure
vessels above
atmospheric
pressure
A standard cylinder
may hold about 300
cubit feet of the gas
in excess of
2000psi

What hazards can be present?
◦
◦
◦
◦
They can be very heavy
High Pressure
Can Conduct Electricity
Any chemical hazard




Flammable
Asphyxiant
Oxidizer
Toxic

Properties & safe
use before using
 SOPs, CHP, SDS

Never accept
unlabeled cylinders


Always store with the
valve closed and the
cap secured.
Secure the upper third
of a cylinder with
straps or chains to a:
◦ Secure bench
◦ Wall mount
◦ Approved free standing
Stand

Always Store upright


Always bond and ground cylinders of
flammable gases.
Oxidizer (e.g. Oxygen) cylinder storage
must be separated from flammable gas
storage areas or combustible materials by at
least 20 feet or by a non-combustible wall.




Slack chains or
straps
Excessive storage
Protect from high
temperatures
Do not store in
escape paths or
near fire exits


Compressed gas
cylinders must have
hydrostatic testing
done every 5-10
years, depending on
the gas.
Do not keep
cylinders around for
longer than this time
period because it
prevents this testing.


Never roll, drag or slide
cylinders, even for short
distances. Cylinders
should always be moved
by using a suitable hand
truck with retaining straps
or chains
Never drop cylinders or
permit them to strike each
other.




Always use regulators
and pressure relief
devices when using
cylinders.
Only regulators and
plumbing approved for
the specific gas should
be used.
Never use an adapter to
make a regulator “work”
Open the cylinder valve
before adjusting pressure
on regulator.

Never permit oil,
grease, or other
readily combustible
substances to come
in contact with
oxygen cylinders,
valves or
regulators.


Never use oxygen
as a substitute for
compressed air.
Do not permit
cylinders to come
in contact with
electrical apparatus
or circuits.




When returning empty
cylinders, close the
valve before shipment.
Leave some positive
pressure in the
cylinder.
Replace any protective
caps originally shipped
with the cylinder.
Mark the cylinder
“EMPTY” and segregate
from full cylinders.

What a pressurized
container can do
when the right
amount of heat is
applied.


Remember, a plan is only a plan if it’s on
paper.
And a paper plan is only as good as the
practice put into it.
What’s in it for you?

What we look for?
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
PPE use
Chemical Storage
Labeling
Emergency Equipment
Hazardous Waste
Door Placards
Infrastructure Problems


Plan, Share, Practice
Be a good example
NO LESSON IS SO IMPORTANT
AND NO TASK SO URGENT
THAT WE CAN NOT TAKE TIME
TO TEACH, LEARN, AND
PRACTICE SCIENCE SAFELY
The Laboratory Safety Institute
www.labsafety.org
Thank you for your patience and attention,
Please let me know if there is anything I can
help you with to make MSE a safer place to be!