General Risk Assessment Long Form
HSD063M
Describe the activity, experiment or area under assessment.
The use of the cell sorters in the NIHR Cambridge BRC Immunophenotyping Hub on e6 during periods of lone working.
List the significant
hazard(s).1
i)
ii)
iii)
iv)
v)
vi)
vii)
viii)
ix)
1) Lone working:
Sudden illness and
emergencies
2) Fire
3) Electric shock
4) Difficulties of
entering Flow
Cytometry lab 1
during an emergency
when the ‘Laser On’
light is illuminated.
Describe what could go wrong –
that is, say who might be hurt and
how.2
Is the risk high,
medium or
low?3
Please list the existing and/or intended
control measures which will reduce the
likelihood of all this happening.4
As a rule, during normal working
hours, the cell sorter lab contains
at least two members of staff. Staff
seldom work for more than one
hour alone and are regularly
checked by other staff members.
However, operators may work
alone and outside normal working
hours during periods of increased
usage or when operators are
absent due to other conflicting
duties or sickness.
Low if control
measures are
adhered to.
Effective time management should minimise
the amount of work undertaken out of normal
working hours
Lone/isolated working would
significantly increase the
consequences of sudden illness and
emergencies
(Foreseeable events
include tripping or slipping
resulting in collision with
furniture, pain shock, electric
shock and fainting,
unconsciousness).
Lack of assistance if needed.
Staff should be fully trained on the
equipment they use, this training includes all
the health and safety aspects of the machines.
Any changes in working practices should be
discussed with supervisors and formalised
via contract
Robust footwear should be worn to minimise
the risk of slips and trips
Operators are required to obtain health
clearance through University Occupational
Health Service.
Suggest here any further actions
which may be beneficial. Say
who will carry them out and by
when
An option to fit an automatic
warning device:
-which would operate if specific
signals are not received periodically
from the lone worker,
-or raise alarm in an emergency,
operated manually by the staff
member or automatically by the
absence of activity
Inadequate provision of first aid
(failing to provide medical help as
the person has not been
missed/noticed due to isolated
working)
Flow cytometry Personnel
x)
Fire risk, lone working may
increase the chance of a fire being
unnoticed and overcoming the
operator before an alarm could be
raised.
Low if control
measures are
adhered to.
There is a smoke detector connected to the
building’s fire alarm that would alert
Reception/Security of the presence of fire.
All staff must receive fire safety training
Flow cytometry Personnel
xi)
Electric shock: caused through
faulty equipment or whilst
handling high voltage plates when
trying to rescue a cell sample
during breakdown of cell sorting
machines.
Low if control
measures are
adhered to.
As written down in the standard operating
procedures the plates should only be handled
when the voltage is off.
Flow Cytometry Personnel
xii)
Difficulties of entry into Flow
Cytometry lab 1 for personnel
responding to emergency.
During an emergency access to the
Flow Cytometry lab 1 is hindered
by local rules, where no personnel
are allowed access if the ‘laser
light’ warning light is illuminated.
Security Staff, Laboratory Managers,
Fire Brigade
Medium unless
new control
measures are
introduced.
A contingency plan should be
prepared in case the lone worker
falls ill, there is an accident, or
there is an emergency such as a fire
or chemical spillage.
This plan should include provision
for entry into the Flow Cytometry
lab 1 when the ‘laser on’ light is
illuminated, indicating the laser is
in use. This should incorporate an
‘emergency power off’ switch to be
located outside the door. The
switch should be covered and
locked during normal working
hours and keys held in reception
and with laboratory manager for
immediate access to operators.
Outside normal working hrs the
switch should not be locked
Simon McCallum will discuss this
plan and lone worker policy with
Alan Brownlee in first instance and
obtain information/quotation how
much such a switch would cost and
whether department or group would
be charged
In the event of an alarm being
raised or failure of personnel to
respond,
If ‘Laser On’ sign is illuminated,
Security staff/Lab
Management/Fire brigade should
1) Call x30149
2) If no response; knock on the
door
3) If no response; turn off the
power using the emergency
power off switch and gain
access.
If the ‘Laser on’ light is out enter
without delay.
Important! It is essential to check regularly that control measures specified in this risk assessment document are actually being used in practice. Any specialist
emergency or first aid procedures should be specified here.
Emergency procedures:
First Aid:
Electric shock: In the event of an accident phone 62322 and seek assistance from a first aider. Switch off power, if safe to do so. Secure release from contact.
Send for a doctor or ambulance. Place the casualty in the recovery position. If casualty not breathing, commence respiratory resuscitation immediately.
Biological Agent: Wash any contaminated skin, conjunctivae or mucous membrane immediately.
In the event of a wound, it should be allowed to bleed by vigorous irrigation under running water.
Seek medical Advice and contact University Occupational Health Service immediately.
Spillage: All spillages and surface contamination must be immediately cleaned up and removed including decontamination with a suitable validated
disinfectant, such as 10% solution of Trigene.
Chemical spill: Eyes: Wash with copious amount of water for at least 15 minutes, phone 62322 and seek assistance from a first aider and seek medical
attention.
Skin: Wash with copious amount of water, remove contaminated clothing, phone 62322 and seek assistance from a first aider and seek medical attention.
Inhalation: If inhaled, phone 62322 and seek assistance from a first aider and seek medical attention. Remove victim to fresh air. If not breathing, give
artificial respiration. If breathing is difficult, give oxygen.
If any Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is required, please specify it here or attach it to this form. Any specialist training required should also be specified here.
Attached
Is special monitoring (e.g. hearing test, eye test, health surveillance)
required? If so, please enter details and also contact the University
Occupational Health Service.
What personal protective equipment (PPE) is required (e.g. overalls, gloves, respiratory
protection, eye protection)? You must ensure that any PPE specified is suitable for the
purpose.
None
Gloves
Safety Glasses
Please complete this section to confirm that this constitutes a suitable and sufficient assessment of risk.
Name of assessor:
Signature:
Date:
Name of supervisor:
Signature:
Date:
Anna Petrunkina010915
Harrison/ Simon
McCallum
This assessment should be reviewed regularly (usually every 12 months), or earlier if there is a material change to the process, the equipment, location or relevant safety
technologies. It should also be reviewed when new people are involved, or after an accident or incident has taken place.
Reviewed by (name)
Signature
Date
Indicate changes here5
1 A list of hazards is provided below to help you, but this may not be exhaustive. If any of these hazards can be eliminated altogether, or can be reduced at source by
making an inherent change then we must consider doing so. Hazards in bold will also need an additional, more technical assessment on a specialist form - please ask
your Departmental Safety Officer or the University Health and Safety Office for further advice.
High or low temperatures
High pressures
Chemical hazards
Biological hazards
Genetically Modified Organisms
Ionising radiations
Lasers
Sharp objects
Dusts
Work at heights
Animal houses
Magnetic fields
Machinery hazards
Electricity
Manual Handling
Noise
Vibration
Falling objects
Collapsing structures Flooding
Slips, trips and falls
Asphyxiant gases
Flammable gases
2 Please explain how an accident, incident or health condition could arise. We must consider all events which are reasonably foreseeable.
3 Please see the health and safety risk assessment handbook for further guidance on levels of risk.
4 When deciding on suitable control measures, you should ensure that you are complying with all relevant University policy and guidance documents, and that you have
considered the hierarchy of control measures. In order to comply with legislation, we must also take all steps which are ‘reasonably practicable’ to reduce risk. This means
that we should take all steps which are (in terms of time, cost and trouble) reasonable in relation to the reduction of risk achieved.
5 If changes are extensive, you will need to complete a whole new form, or attach a written amendment. If there are no changes say so