MgCl2
Dimethylsulfoxide(DMSO)
Hazardous Substances Policy - Assessment
CHEMICAL HAZARD AND RISK ASSESSMENT
School of Biosciences
Name of
supervisor
Professor GS Besra
Assessor
Dr Lynn G Dover
Assessment Number*
2022
Date of Assessment
16/4/02
Signature
Signature
Notes
A School COSHH form in Word is available on the School Server.
Available from the Health and Safety Unit.
Guidance on making an assessment is given in Making a Chemical Hazard and Risk Assessment.
Guidance is also available from Guidance on Completing the Chemical Hazard and Risk Assessment Form.
Use a continuation sheet to expand any section of this form in hard copy version.
1
LOCATION OF THE WORK ACTIVITY
2
PERSONS WHO MAY BE AT RISK
E103
List names where possible
Dr Lynn G Dover
Dr William N Maughan
Dr Sudagar S Gurcha
Dr Petr Illarionov
Dr Mark Guy
Dr Henri Strating
Mr Derek Lonergan
Mr Alistair Brown
Mr Kevin Gibson
Mr Ian Daniels
Miss Rosalind Wilson
Miss Suzanne Senior
Miss Janet Redman
Mr Massoud Akkhtar
3
ACTIVITY ASSESSED
4
MATERIALS INVOLVED
NAME
Polymerase Chain Reaction and agarose gel electrophoresis of DNA
AMOUNT
max/stored
Attach copies of data sheet(s)
HAZARD
RISK PHRASES
MgCl2
500g
Irritant
R: 36/37/38
S:26-36
Dimethylsulfoxide
(DMSO)
100ml
Irritant
R: 36/37/38
S:23-26-36
Ethidium Bromide
5g
Carcinogenic
R: 46-36/37/38
S: 46-26-22-36/37/39
Glacial Acetic acid
2.5 l
Flammable
Causes burns
R: 10-35
Ethylenediaminetetraacetic
acid (EDTA)
1kg
Irritant
R: 36/37/38 S: 26-36
S: 23-26-45
HAZDAT NO***
BIOSCIENCESNO***
5
INTENDED USE**
Give brief details and attach protocol/instructions
Various temperature cycling programs applicable to the DNA to be amplified.
All reactions 50-100 l containing max 8% DMSO and 1mM MgCl2
Acetic acid and EDTA to be used in TAE electrophoresis buffer
Gels to be stained in a 5g/ml solution of ethidium bromide in a sealed container
6
RISKS to HEALTH and SAFETY from INTENDED USE
From personal exposure or hazardous reactions. Refer to OELs, flash points, etc., as appropriate. Are pregnant women, breast-feeding
mothers especially at risk?
Acetic acid: Flash point 40C
7
CONCLUSIONS ABOUT RISKS
Is level of risk acceptable? Can risk be prevented or reduced by change of substance/procedure? Are control measures necessary?
Acceptable level of risk. Cannot substitute chemicals. See below for control measures
8
CONTROL MEASURES
Additional to Good Chemical Practice
Use Nitrile gloves for handling DMSO- and Ethidium bromide-containing solutions.
Ethidium bromide shall be weighed out and dissolved in a fumehood
9
INSTRUCTION/TRAINING
Specify course(s) and/or special arrangements.
New staff/students to be trained by postdoctoral fellows where applicable.
10
MONITORING
Performance of control measures,
Personal exposure
Health Surveillance
Personal exposure should not occur if the control
measures are observed.
As Personal exposure.
11
WASTE DISPOSAL PROCEDURE
See School Server for Approved Procedure Document on specific Chemical Waste Disposal.
DMSO-containing waste (usually agarose gels) will be disposed of as solid waste
Ethidium Bromide will be used at <1ug/ml for staining of gels so will be disposed of directly to the drain with great
dilution. No more than 200ml of undiluted stain will be diposed of per day.
12
REVIEW
Enter the date or circumstances for review of assessment (maximum review interval 5 years)
Update names of users as changes occur
13
EMERGENCY ACTION
TO CONTROL HAZARDS
To stabilize situation eg spread absorbant on liquid spill; eliminate sources of ignition, etc.
Use absorbent on spills of DMSO and ethidium bromide solutions. Dispose absorbent as solid waste and
thoroughly wash affected area. Shut off sources of ignition where glacial acetic acid is involved
TO PROTECT PERSONNEL
Evacuation, protection for personnel involved in clean-up, Special First Aid
Inform other laboratory members to avoid the affected area during cleaning
Those involved in cleaning should wear appropriate gloves (see above)
TO RENDER SITE OF EMERGENCY SAFE
Clean-up/decontamination
See control hazards and personnel protection
CONTACT
GSSimon
BesraWard
Ext. 45420
PHONE 58125
10.10.00
*
**
***
Prefix T is used for Teaching Assessment Number.
Please include amount of chemicals used and how.
Hazdat No is the UNICOSHH datasheet report number.
Biosciences No is the Biosciences data sheet number.
UNICOSHH IS A CHEMICAL DATABASE ON THE HEALTH AND SAFETY UNIT SERVER.
BIOSCIENCES DATA SHEETS ARE AVAILABLE IN THE SCHOOL SAFETY OFFICE.