ATI
Advanced
Technology
Institute
Code of practice for
laboratory safety
ATI Code of Practice – Laboratory Safety – July 2008
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ATI Code of Practice – Laboratory Safety – July 2008

The Basics
Before you do ANYTHING in the lab you must have read and
understood this guide!
The purpose of this guide is to give the new ATI lab user
information about policies regarding the ordering,
transportation, handling and disposal of chemicals in the ATI
Laboratory areas.
Before you are allowed to work in laboratory areas, you’ll
need to have completed the ATI safety induction and read
any relevant safety information. This guide is not a
substitute for the ATI safety induction.
The laboratory areas at the ATI are provided to enable you
to complete the practical aspects of your project work and
are not to be used for any other purpose.
All chemical usage in the ATI is subject to completion of a
COSHH risk assessment. This MUST have been completed
before attempting any lab work. See the guide to writing
COSHH forms for more info.
We take the safety and security of our students, researchers
and staff as well as laboratory facilities very seriously and
behaviour which endangers these will not be accepted.
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ATI Code of Practice – Laboratory Safety – July 2008

General rules for laboratory areas
Eating and drinking in lab areas is FORBIDDEN. Anyone
caught eating or drinking in the lab will have their access to
all laboratories cancelled.
Don’t bring anything into the lab that shouldn’t be there
such as coats, bags and computers.
YOU are responsible for maintaining your own safety
paperwork (e.g. COSHH risk assessments) and this could be
requested by the university safety office or outside agencies
at any time. Your project supervisor should be able to help
you with this if necessary.
You must be wearing appropriate personal protective
equipment (PPE) in the lab. This will depend on what you are
doing but disposable nitrile gloves are recommended as a
minimum for all lab work.
You MUST have read MSDS (material safety data sheet) data
and written a COSHH risk assessment for the chemicals
and/or equipment you intend to use.
If you wish to leave any chemicals, solutions or samples in a
lab for a short time please label the container with date,
contents, owner’s name and telephone extension. Any
unlabelled container MAY BE REMOVED FOR DISPOSAL
WITHOUT WARNING by ATI staff.
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ATI Code of Practice – Laboratory Safety – July 2008

Consideration for other lab users
If you use any glassware for your experiments please rinse it
out and leave it ready for loading in the dishwasher. Any
broken glass can go in the solid hazardous waste bin.
Leaving a mess will not be tolerated. Please leave all
laboratories and equipment in a clean and tidy condition and
book sufficient time on any equipment to allow for cleaning
up afterwards.
Please dispose of general waste in the bin provided.
Hazardous solid waste and liquid waste are dealt with on
pages 9 to 11.
Don’t help yourselves to consumables in the labs. If you want
to take any equipment to another lab, check with the users
first. A signing out book is available in the lab for short term
loan of equipment.
If you break any equipment in the lab or find something
broken tell, or e-mail, the Laboratory Manager so that repair
or replacement can be arranged.
If you are in any doubt about use of any chemicals or
equipment in ATI labs find out first as the stupidest
questions are usually the ones you don’t ask.
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ATI Code of Practice – Laboratory Safety – July 2008

Ordering Chemicals
All orders for chemicals should be passed to the Chemistry
Research Technician for ordering. Before ordering chemicals
you must have completed and had approved a COSHH risk
assessment detailing which chemicals you intend to use,
where they will be stored and how you propose to dispose of
any waste products.
All orders for chemicals and/or laboratory equipment must
be accompanied by a valid cost/project code and consent
from your academic supervisor (as appropriate).
When ordering chemicals you will need to provide catalogue
numbers, CAS numbers and current prices as well as a
completed COSHH risk assessment signed by your project
supervisor before any orders are processed.

Transportation of Chemicals and samples
Sometimes it is necessary to move chemicals and samples
from one lab to another. When moving samples it is best to
transport them in closed containers for protection.
When moving chemicals from one lab to another make sure
all containers are closed, particularly those containing
solvents and that everything is labelled.
If moving large bottles (Winchesters) always use a bottle
carrier. Where possible only transport the amount of any
chemicals you will need in order to minimise the effects of
any accidents or spills.
Take extra care when transporting cryogenics and note that
transport of liquid nitrogen in lifts is strictly forbidden.
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ATI Code of Practice – Laboratory Safety – July 2008

Chemical Handling
Before opening the bottle make sure you have read the MSDS
(material safety data sheet) you are using and ensure you are
aware of what to do in the event of a spill.
Wear the appropriate PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) –
this could include goggles, gloves, lab coat, face shield,
rubber apron or breathing apparatus.
Always add acid to water, not the other way around as
concentrated acids may spit or boil if water is added. When
mixing concentrated acids for etch recipes this MUST be
done with extreme caution.
Solvents and concentrated acids should be used in a fume
cupboard where possible. Open bottles of solvents or acids
should be opened far enough back in the fume cupboard so
that fumes are contained.
Take note of hazard warning labels on the bottles you are
using and be aware of any incompatibilities of chemicals you
are using.
All solvents should be handled in a fume cupboard as solvent
fumes quickly form explosive mixtures with air.
Be aware of the flash point of any solvents you are using and
take necessary precautions to avoid heat, sparks or static
discharges. Some solvents have a very low flash point (e.g.
diethyl ether -45C).
If any chemicals get on the outside of the bottle be sure to
rinse and dry the bottle before replacing it back in its
cupboard.
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ATI Code of Practice – Laboratory Safety – July 2008

Accidents and Spills
Any incidents or accidents however trivial MUST BE
REPORTED to ATI staff. Your COSHH risk assessment should
have already detailed what action to take in the event of a
spill or an accident.
Things do go wrong in the labs sometimes and accidents are
unavoidable. If you do have an accident the first thing to do
is DON’T PANIC and let a member of the ATI technical team
know about it.
Spill kits are available for use in the cleanroom (near HF
cupboard) and prep lab (just inside door) in the event of
large spill (> 500ml).
Small solvent spills can be mopped up using paper towel or a
cleanroom wipe and left in a fume cupboard/wet bench to
evaporate. Many dry chemicals can be mopped up using a
damp cloth and disposed of as solid hazardous waste. Take
care not to raise too much dust when dealing with powder
spills.
Given that most research is carried out on a small scale,
large chemical spills are unlikely but in the event of a major
spill it may be necessary to evacuate the entire building.
Since some chemicals are more dangerous than others, each
spill must be dealt with depending on the volume involved.
For example 1 litre of dichloromethane would be far more
hazardous than 1 litre of 1% sodium hydroxide.
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ATI Code of Practice – Laboratory Safety – July 2008

Disposal of Solid Waste
Bins are provided in the prep lab and cleanroom areas for
solid waste disposal:


Hazardous solid waste (large blue drum)
Non-hazardous waste (yellow bins in cleanroom,
dustbin in prep lab)
Hazardous solid waste includes used sample vials, bits of
silicon, broken glass, contaminated gloves and cleanroom
wipes, used syringes, Pasteur pipettes and any solid
chemicals spills.
Anything with solvent residues should be left for fumes to
evaporate in a fume cupboard before placing in the
hazardous solid waste bin.
Non-hazardous waste includes clean or lightly soiled gloves,
paper towel, or cleanroom wipes; clean plastic disposable
pipettes and plastic Petri dishes etc.

Disposing of used liquid chemicals
Don’t throw any liquids down the sink except water. Waste
bottles are provided for disposal of liquid waste generated as
a result of your laboratory accomplishments.
If you’re not sure how to dispose of your waste or unsure
which bottle to put it in then seek advice before going any
further. A member of the ATI technical will should be able to
help. Labelled bottles are provided for disposal of liquid
waste. Please provide details on the label of what’s gone
into the bottle.
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ATI Code of Practice – Laboratory Safety – July 2008
If you’ve filled up a waste bottle please inform a member of
the ATI technical team. There should be spare empty waste
bottles available under the wet benches/fume cupboards.

Liquid Waste Categories
Here’s a list of waste types with examples:
Non-Halogenated
Solvents (White Label)
E.g. Acetone, Toluene, Methanol, IPA,
NMP/1165, Xylene, used photoresist
Halogenated Solvents
(Yellow Label)
E.g. Chloroform, Dichloromethane, Any
solvents with chloro or bromo in their name
Acid Waste
(Green Label)
E.g. Hydrochloric, Sulfuric, Nitric,
Phosphoric acids, Used etch solutions,
Nanoparticles
(Aqua Label)
E.g. CNTs, Nanowires, Quantum Dots, Metal
Nanoparticles
Alkali Waste
(Blue Label)
Gold Etch Waste
(Purple Label)
Solvents & Cyanides
 (Pink
Special
Label)cases
E.g. KOH, NaOH, NH3OH and other
Hydroxides, Used Photoresist Developer
Used Gold Etch
Used Cyanide based dyes in solvents
for(usually
wasteused
disposal
by Semimetrics only)
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ATI Code of Practice – Laboratory Safety – July 2008

Special cases for waste disposal (not exhaustive)
HF (Hydrofluoric Acid) is neutralised before disposal and is
washed down the sink with excess water.
DO NOT USE HF WITHOUT TRAINING.
Used Piranha is left to decompose for a few days after use,
then neutralised before disposal.
DO NOT USE PIRANHA WITHOUT TRAINING.
Flammable metals (e.g. magnesium) react violently with
acids liberating hydrogen and in the form of dust can form
explosive mixtures with air. Some metals exist as
nanoparticles requiring additional safety precautions.
Halogenated solvents (e.g. chloroform) should not be mixed
with non-halogenated solvents (e.g. acetone) as they may
cause an adverse reaction leading to fire or explosion.
Mixed acids for etch recipes may generate fumes and gases
when mixed. Whilst this is fine when handled in a fume
cupboard or wetbench, note that acids when mixed may
generate fumes and pressure inside the bottle so care should
be taken when opening the acid waste bottle. Used etches
should be transferred to a clearly labelled beaker and left
for a day or two in a fume cupboard before transferring to
the acid waste bottle.
Some solvents (e.g. THF, diethyl ether) may form peroxides
during storage. This is characterised by crystals at the
bottom of the bottle. If you see crystals in a bottle DO NOT
OPEN IT and seek advice. These peroxides are usually SHOCK
SENSITIVE so bottles must be handled with extreme care.
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ATI Code of Practice – Laboratory Safety – July 2008

Housekeeping
When you have finished your lab work please ensure you
have cleaned up any equipment you have used. Used
glassware should be rinsed with tap water before being left
for cleaning.
Make sure you clean up any bench space of fume cupboards
you have used. Any powder spills or breakages should be
disposed of as hazardous solid waste (blue bin).
ANY SAMPLES OR CHEMICALS LEFT UNLABELLED IN THE
LAB ARE LIABLE TO BE REMOVED AND DESTROYED
WITHOUT WARNING
Turn off and clean any electrical equipment you have used
(hotplates, spin coaters etc). When leaving the lab please
turn off the lights if no other lab users are around.
If you are leaving any unattended experiments you MUST
leave details of your name, contact number (mobile and/or
office phone) and the reagents used in your experiment to
protect other lab users.
If you are working with particularly hazardous chemicals and
leaving them unattended (e.g halogenated solvents,
concentrated etch recipes, toxic metals) please ensure you
leave a copy of your COSHH risk assessment nearby.
Note that if you are leaving experiments running overnight or
are entering the ATI outside normal opening hours you should
have completed an ‘out of hours’ working form and certain
equipment may need a ‘silent running’ notification. This is to
ensure University security services are aware you are in the
building.
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ATI Code of Practice – Laboratory Safety – July 2008

Use of electrical equipment
If you are using any electrical equipment in the lab please
ensure it has a valid (in date) PAT test certificate. This
should be stuck to either the equipment or the plug.
Just because a piece of electrical equipment has a valid PAT
test label DOES NOT mean that it is safe, but it does mean it
was safe at the last test date.
Before turning on any equipment check for signs of damage
to the equipment, cable and plug and if in doubt do not turn it
on.
You should also think about where you operate electrical
equipment. For instance operating a hotplate at 160C next
to a plastic bottle of solvent is not generally a good idea.
Neither is leaving a hairdryer near a sink full of water.

Are you trained?
Please do not attempt to use any equipment or processes for
which you have not received training. If you don’t know what
you’re doing then you may cause expensive damage. If the
equipment you wish to use is in your supervisor’s laboratory,
then they should be the first person you contact.
If the equipment you wish to be trained on is found in one of
the ATI’s general access areas, (e.g. clean room, optics lab,
etc) then contact laboratory manager in the first instance.
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ATI Code of Practice – Laboratory Safety – July 2008

Cryogenics
Some of the equipment you might be using needs to be
cooled down using liquefied gases (usually liquid nitrogen).
Direct skin contact with cryogenic materials may cause
frostbite so insulated gloves should be worn when handling
these materials. Be aware that surfaces, especially metal
surfaces that have been cryo-cooled present a danger of skin
sticking, through freezing of moisture, which can result in
mechanical skin damage through removal.
Liquid nitrogen poses little risk of cryogenic burns if handled
safely but it is important to point out that it presents a far
greater hazard as an asphyxiant so should always be
dispensed outdoors with only relatively small quantities used
inside the building (typically less than 10 litres) and in well
ventilated areas.

Vacuum systems
Vacuum systems pose hidden dangers and your entire process
should be considered before using any vacuum systems
including any effects on pump oil. You must account for
pumping hazardous materials as part of your process using a
COSHH risk assessment and this must include unexpected
reactions should something go wrong.
Exposure of any part of the body to high vacuum may cause
severe tissue damage. All pump equipment must be
inspected before use and the ATI technical support team
contacted in the event of any problems.
Spilt oil from pumps presents a significant hazard for slips
and falls and spillages must be cleaned up immediately.
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ATI Code of Practice – Laboratory Safety – July 2008

Lasers
Before you can do any work with lasers in the ATI you must
have been registered as a laser user and received
appropriate training. All lasers above class I must be
registered. A separate University document exists to cover
all aspects of working safely with lasers. Lasers of Class 3B
and above require use of specialised laser goggles.
Apart from the obvious risks of eye and tissue damage, you
need to consider the chemical safety of both your
experimental samples and any hazardous gases or lasing
materials used.

Nanoparticles
At the time of writing new legislation is coming into force
regarding the risks associated with nanotechnology, and in
particular carbon nanotubes. This is mainly because the
aspect ratio of carbon nanotubes is similar in some cases to
asbestos.
Working safely with nanoparticles is covered in a companion
guide available on the ATI intranet.

Chemical safety and pregnancy
Some chemicals, particularly halogenated solvents, are
suspected or known to cause inheritable genetic defects and
may damage the unborn child.
Expectant or nursing mothers should pay particular attention
to any chemicals they come into contact with as any
exposure to chemicals may be passed on to your child either
directly or through breast feeding.
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ATI Code of Practice – Laboratory Safety – July 2008
Any questions or comments?
Contact the author of this guide by e-mail at
j.underwood@surrey.ac.uk
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