LABORATORY STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES
These procedures offer generic safety guidelines and standard operating
procedures for the safe handling of hazardous chemicals on campus. Be aware
that this document specifies a minimum set of guidelines, regulations, and
recommendations required to maintain a safe working environment, and does not
provide laboratory workers, research students, or teaching assistants with all
standard operating procedures necessary to work in an area with specific
hazards. It is the responsibility of the Department Chair, Principal Investigator, or
Laboratory Supervisor to develop more detailed procedures as their situations
warrant.
GENERAL SAFETY GUIDELINES
Standard operating procedures must be readily available to all laboratory
employees. The following guidelines have been established to minimize or
eliminate hazards in the laboratory. These guidelines have also been provided to
maintain a safe laboratory environment. It is the responsibility of each person
that enters into the laboratory (whether it’s visitors, students, faculty, or staff) to
understand the safety and health hazards associated with the chemicals and
equipment in the laboratory. It is also the individual’s responsibility to practice
the following general safety guidelines at ALL times:
1. Always wear proper eye protection in chemical work, handling and storage
areas.
2. Always know the physical and chemical hazards associated with the
materials that are being utilized in the lab.
3. Always wear appropriate protective clothing.
4. Confine long hair and loose clothing. Do not wear high-heeled shoes,
open-toed shoes, sandals or shoes made of woven material. Do not wear
shorts, cutoffs or miniskirts, or cover these with a suitable lab coat or
apron.
5. Always wash hands and arms with soap and water before leaving the
work area. This applies even if you have been wearing gloves.
6. Never perform any hazardous work when alone in the laboratory. At least
two people must be present and undergraduate students must be
supervised by an instructor at all times.
7. Never perform unauthorized work, preparations or experiments.
8. Never engage in horseplay, pranks or other acts of mischief in chemical or
biological work areas.
9. Never remove chemicals from the facility without proper authorization.
10. Be familiar with the location of emergency equipment – fire alarm, fire
extinguisher, emergency eyewash and safety shower.
Know the
appropriate emergency response procedures.
11. Use equipment and hazardous chemicals only for their intended purposes.
12. Never mouth pipette chemicals when transferring solutions. Instead, you
should always use a pipette bulb to transfer solutions.
13. Never return reagents to stock bottles.
14. Always lubricate glass tubing thermometers, or thistle tubes before
inserting them into a stopper. Always wrap toweling around them while
inserting into the stopper. (Keep your hands together in the process.)
15. Use a hood whenever there is a possibility of poisonous or irritating fumes
being emitted from the chemicals being utilized.
16. Never leave an experiment unattended while it is being heated or is
rapidly reacting.
17. Keep equipment back from the edge of the lab bench to prevent spillage.
18. Support all beakers and flasks with clamps.
chipped glassware.
Do not use cracked or
19. Never use flames with volatile solvents.
20. Read all labels on chemicals twice before using them in the lab.
21. Report any accident, however minor, to your teaching assistant, research
assistance, Principal Investigator or lab supervisor immediately.
EATING, DRINKING, AND SMOKING
1. Eating, drinking, smoking, gum chewing, apply cosmetics, and taking
medicine in laboratories where hazardous chemicals are used is strictly
prohibited.
2. Food, beverage, cups, and other drinking and eating utensils should not
be stored in areas where hazardous chemicals are handled or stored.
3. Glassware used for laboratory operations should never be used to prepare
or consume food or beverages.
4. Laboratory refrigerators, ice chests, cold rooms, ovens, and so forth
should not be used for food storage or preparation.
5. Laboratory water sources and deionized water should not be used for
drinking water.
6. Laboratory chemicals should never be consumed or tasted.
7. Do not smoke in any chemicals laboratory. Be aware that tobacco
products in opened packages can absorb chemical vapors. For this
reason laboratories will never be considered smoking areas.
HOUSEKEEPING AND MAINTENANCE
In the laboratory, keeping things clean and organized can help provide a safer
environment. Keep drawers and cabinet’s doors closed and electrical cords off
the floor to avoid tripping hazards. Keep aisles clear of obstacles such as boxes,
chemical containers, and other storage items that might be put there (even
temporarily). Avoid slipping hazards by cleaning up spilled liquids promptly and
by keeping the floor free of loose equipment such as stirring rods, glass beads,
stoppers, and other such hazards. Never block or even partially block the path to
an exit or to safety equipment, such as a safety shower or fire extinguishers. Use
the required procedure for the proper disposal of chemical wastes and solvents.
Supplies and laboratory equipment on shelves should have sufficient clearance
so that, in case of a fire, the fire sprinkler heads are able to carry out their
function. Contact the Environmental, Health and Safety Office for information on
required clearances.
The work area should be keep clean and uncluttered, with chemicals and
equipment stored. Clean the work area upon completion of a task and at the end
of the day. Laboratory floors should be cleaned on a regular basis by the
custodial or maintenance services for the building. The building services or
custodial staff are prohibited from cleaning up chemical materials, and
custodians are not expected to mop any floors that have not been properly
decontaminated after a spill.
In preparation for any maintenance service, the laboratory staff or an assigned
individual by the Laboratory Supervisor must remove hazards that the custodial
workers might encounter during their work activities. Chemical containers and all
waste containers must be moved by the laboratory staff to a safe and secure
location before custodians enter the laboratory. In the event a supervisor does
not wish a particular laboratory disturbed, custodial floor cleaning can be
suspended by contacting Custodial Services within FMC.
Laboratory equipment, including refrigerators, freezers, and work surfaces, must
be cleaned by laboratory staff. Likewise, if maintenance is required on
equipment in the laboratory, such as a sink, water faucet, safety shower, or
cabinet drawers, the same principles of the laboratory preparation apply. The
Laboratory Supervisor must ensure that the immediate area is decontaminated
prior to maintenance personnel entering the laboratory. Additionally, any
infectious agents, radioactive materials or chemicals must be moved to a secure
area prior to initiation of maintenance work. Furthermore, the Laboratory
Supervisor must inform maintenance personnel of the presence of any
hazardous materials to which they might become exposed.
SPILLS AND ACCIDENT REPORTING
SPILLS
It is the responsibility of each individual using hazardous materials to become
familiar with the emergency response procedures dictated by the manufacturer of
such materials. The following general rules should be followed in the event of a
major (i.e., greater than 5 gallons of a typical solvent; much less for more toxic
materials) hazardous materials spill or other emergency.
1. ACTIVATE EVACUATION (FIRE) ALARM, IF NECESSARY, FOR THE
BUILDING
Be familiar with the sound of the alarm system in your facility. If the
incident could threaten the health of individuals in the building, activate the
alarm.
2. CALL FOR HELP, AND CALL THE UNIVERSITY POLICE, IF
NECESSARY, AT 281-283-2222
Get as much information as you can about the chemical. If possible,
locate a Material Safety Data Sheet. Be sure of the UHCL police have
been accurately informed as to the nature and location of the spill, and
whether there are injuries requiring the assistance of an ambulance.
Campus police will contact the Office of Environmental, Health & Safety.
3. ATTEND TO LIFE-THREATENING INJURIES
The primary concern in the event of an emergency is to protect life and
health of others.
4. PREVENT ACCESS TO THE AREA
Barricades of some sort should be set up to prevent inadvertent access to
the area of the spill. This action may be necessary to prevent injury and to
control the spread of contamination.
5. CONTAIN THE SPILL TO PREVENT RELEASE TO THE
ENVIRONMENT
If the spill can be safety contained, prevent release to the sanitary sewer
system, the storm sewer, and/or ground. Do not jeopardize your own
safety.
6. INITIATE MATERIAL SPECIFIC CLEAN_UP PROCEDURES
The Office of Environmental, Health and Safety will assist in spill cleanup.
However, accountability for the spill and disposal of spill residue belongs
to the individual or department.
ACCIDENT REPORTING
All accidents should be reported to the Principal Investigator, Laboratory
Supervisor, or Teaching Assistant. Accidents resulting in even minor medical
treatment or observation must be reported to the Workers’ Compensation
Coordinator.
An accident can be reported to the Office of Environmental, Health and Safety by
calling 281-283-2106.
INSPECTIONS
Laboratory inspections will assist the Office of Environmental, Health and Safety
department in its mission to maintain a laboratory environment that is inherently
safe for its employees. Inspections will be conducted to ensure the effective
communication of the University of Houston Clear Lake’s Laboratory Safety
Program. The ability of any laboratory to operate in a manner that minimizes risk
to personnel and the environment is dependent on laboratory workers who
understand and carry out prudent practices for the safe handling, storing and
disposing of chemicals. The goal of each laboratory inspection are to:
1. Maintain laboratory facilities and equipment in a safe operating condition,
2. Provide a safe working environment for all employees and the public, and
3. Ensure that all laboratory procedures and experiments are conducted in a
safe and prudent manner
The following checklist will be utilized by the Office of Environmental, Health and
Safety during the annual laboratory inspections. This checklist will assist the
OEHS in the overall assessment of safety conditions in the University laboratory
areas. The purpose of the checklist is to provide guidance in safe chemical
storage, use and disposal, as well as to increase compliance with applicable
regulations. Additionally, the checklist may be used by the Principal Investigator,
Laboratory Supervisors, or laboratory employees as a guide to ensure the
adherence to the guidelines.
UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON CLEAR LAKE
OFFICE OF ENVIORNMENTAL HEALTH & SAFETY
LABORATORY SAFETY INSPECTION CHECKLIST
Building/Room:
Date:
Principle Investigator:
Inspected By:
Questions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
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28.
29.
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31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
General signs and information properly posted?
No smoking signs prominently posted?
All floors clean and dry?
Passageways, storerooms, work areas & aisles clear?
Proper illumination provided in the actual work area?
Proper clothing being worn by employees in the work area?
Work areas have at least two exits available (if necessary)?
Exits are visible and unobstructed?
Are MSDS readily available to the employees?
Are standard operating procedures readily available to workers?
Are emergency telephone numbers posted?
Are telephones in the work area conveniently located?
First-aid supplies adequate for potential hazards & available?
PPE available to the employees and being utilized properly?
Safety shower visible, operational & easily accessible?
Eyewash visible, operational & easily accessible?
Hand wash station available and easily accessible?
Is the chemical spill kit visible and easily accessible?
Access to electrical panels is unobstructed?
Are all electrical switches marked to show their purpose?
Electrical and/or phone cords properly secured on the floor?
Chemicals stored by classification not alphabetically?
All chemicals are properly labeled?
Do employees follow good housekeeping practices?
All materials are piled, racked or stored in a safe manner?
Step stools available to reach high places in the work area?
Are the work areas or bench tops uncluttered?
Are fume hoods certified and properly operating?
Flammable storage cabinets available & in good condition?
Fume hoods & biosafety cabinets uncluttered & accessible?
Waste containers properly labeled and in good condition?
Sharp containers available and in good condition?
Refrigerated storage area monitored for temperature control?
Compressed gas cylinders properly secured & labeled?
Portable fire extinguishers provided in adequate # & type?
Are fire extinguishers mounted in accessible locations?
Explicit instructions posted for acid splashes & acid spills?
Yes
No
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