LABORATORY
SAFETY
SHORT COURSE
Compulsory for all MS students
who wish to attend lab courses
or do their own lab work
Question:
Do we really need to care about lab safety,
or is it just unnecessary bureaucracy and
a waste of our preciuous time?
Answer:
We really need to take lab safety seriously, because
we all want a safe working environment, and
because the consequences can be quite severe
if lab safety is neglected.
Chain of responsibility regarding
EHS at the MN Faculty
Dean
Institute
leader
Individual
advisers
Course
supervisor
Person
responsible
for rooms
RESPONSIBILITY OF INDIVIDUAL ADVISERS:
Individual advisers for students and PhD-students shall
see to that the tasks delegated are carried out within the
HMS framework. This includes:
• Responsibility for checking the technical devices that are to be used.
• Provide datasheets for all chemicals in use.
• Check the students/PhD-students general knowledge concerning HMS.
• Evaluate the risks before research work commences.
• Give those involved the necessary information and training concerning
the work methods, risks, protective measures and instructions.
RESPONSIBILITY OF INDIVIDUAL ADVISERS CONT’D:
• Regularly check the work, the organization, and the cleanliness.
• Check that chemicals are disposed in accordance with prevailing
routines and as soon as possible after their use.
• Check that chemicals are marked properly.
In addition, individual advisers have a special responsibility to see to
that foreign language students/PhD-students understand existing
routines, and that no other circumstances create security problems for
these students.
RESPONSIBILITY OF COURSE SUPERVISOR :
The course supervisor is responsible for safety when laboratory courses
and other courses are held.
RESPONSIBILITY OF STUDENTS :
The students shall contribute to the carrying out of HMS routines.
They are required to carry out all work connected with their studies
in accordance with the requirements and instructions from the institute.
The students are to be informed of their duty to actively contribute to
HMS work by, among other things, preventing and limiting injuries.
The student’s work is to be suspended when it cannot be continued
without posing a threat to health and safety, cf. ” Work environment
book for students at the UiO”
ROUTINES FOR LABORATORY WORK
(from MN Faculty EHS handbook)
• Work in the laboratories has to be planned.
• Any laboratory user is to keep a personal laboratory
journal of the work being done.
• If laboratory work that may create a potential danger or
risk is scheduled outside normal work hours, some other
person must keep in touch with the user during this time.
• Women should inform the leadership when pregnancy has
been ascertained, so that the work situation may be
arranged accordingly.
ROUTINES FOR LABORATORY WORK CONT’D
• The standard clothing is a laboratory coat, a divided suit
in the engineering workshops, “sealed” shoes, long
trousers or skirt, and if necessary, safety gear
• It is not allowed to eat, drink, smoke, take snuff, chew
gum, or store food and drink in the laboratory
• It is not allowed to wear clothes, jewelry or anything on
one’s head that may create a risk in the laboratory
• Workbenches are to be kept clean and tidy
See also additional info in ACS Safety folder
The concept of controlling risk.
RISK EVALUATION WHEN WORKING
WITH HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS
The user is to:
• Base his/her risk evaluation on the information found in the
chemical database.
• In cases where no laboratory routines have been
established, the user is to conduct his/her own risk
evaluation, cf. “Risk evaluation form”
• Evaluate possible interferences and emergency situations, as
well as the consequences and appropriate responses to these.
RISK EVALUATION WHEN WORKING
WITH HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS CONT’D
The user is to:
• Set up appropriate work procedures when doing experiments
involving hazardous chemicals.
• Replace hazardous chemicals and processes with ones
which are less hazardous when possible.
• Plan the use of hazardous chemicals in order to minimize waste.
• Be certain that waste is disposed of in accordance with regulations.
• Contribute to the integration of the risk evaluations into the work
procedures.
Old chemicals 1
Old chemicals 2
MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) Information
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Identification of substance
Composition/Data on components
Hazards identification
First aid measures
Fire fighting measures
Accidental release measures
Handling and storage
Exposure controls and personal protection
Physical and chemical properties:
Stability and reactivity
Toxicological information
Ecological information
Disposal considerations
Transport information
Regulations
Other information
Most important information from MSDS:
Risk and Safety Phrases
Where to find
Material Safety Data Sheets:
VWR International: http://uk.vwr.com/app/Home
SIRI MSDS Index: http://siri.org/msds
ECOonline (MSDSs in Norwegian):
http://www.ecoonline.no
Labelling symbols:
Poisonous
Self explanatory. Whereas most
chemicals are fairly dangerous if
ingested or inhaled, many of these
are dangerous even on contact.
Environmental hazard
Relatively rare with laboratory chemicals
(most of which pose some environmental
hazard if not got rid of correctly), these
require particular care to be taken on disposal.
Corrosive
Avoid contact with the skin. Bear in mind
that these can (under some circumstances)
rust chemical cupboards
Explosive
Again, fairly self-explanatory, though fairly seldom seen
in the average lab. Bear in mind that noise and movement
can also trigger explosion (not just sparks/flames!).
Flammable or extremely flammable
Chemicals to be stored in flame-resistant cupboards.
Volatile solvents can be a particular problem as they
are prone to spread around from unsealed containers.
This also covers pyrophoric materials (that catch fire
spontaneously on exposure to air).
Irritant or Harmful
This symbol covers a wide range of (sometimes
relatively minor) hazards - with precautions
such as avoid contact with the skin, do not breathe,
etc. - best to refer to relevant data sheet for details.
Oxidising chemical
Oxidising chemicals are materials that
spontaneously evolve oxygen at room
temperature or with slight heating, or that
promote combustion. To be kept away from
flammable chemicals at all costs!
LD50 values for some substances (mg/kg)
Ethanol
Sodium chloride
Nicotine
TCDD (”dioxin”)
Botulinus toxin
Casarett and Doull’s Toxicology. MacMillan, New York 1986
10 000
4 000
1
0.001
0.00001
Flammable liquids
• Flash point:
Lowest temperature where the vapor
above liquid is ignitable.
• Autoignition
temperature:
Lowest temperature at which a material will
ignite without an external source of ignition .
• Boiling point:
Tells you how easy the liquid will evaporate.
Flash point (°C)
Autoignition temp. (°C)
Boiling point
(°C)
Ether
-45
180
34,5
Gasoline
-45
250
32 – 250
Toluene
4,4
480
150 – 210
White spirit
65
240
175-225
FIRE-TRIAGLE
He
at
FIRE!
en
Flammable chemicals
should be kept in
fire-safe closets.
yg
Ox
Do not keep flammable
Matter close to heat
sources
Some fires can be put out
by preventing air supply
Big fire: Evacuate! Close doors
Flammable matter
No more chemicals than
needed (number & volumes)
Avoid clutter.
Important: Keep the lab tidy!
Laboratory hoods
• Operative: Fan switch in position ”1”
• Non-operative: Fan switch in position ”0” and door shut
Use laboratory hoods for all
operations in which toxic,
corrosive, irritating, or flammable
chemicals are involved. Be certain
that the hood is operating properly
prior to execution of your work!
Max 30 cm
FIRE ALARM SYSTEM
• Smoke detector
• Heat detector
• Manual fire alarm box
(alarms Fire Dept.)
(alarms Fire Dept.)
(alarms Fire Dept.)
Prevent false alarms!
Avoid smoke/steam/dust
close to fire detectors.
Depending on circumstances you may:
Alert: Everybody in the area should be alerted.
Use fire alarms when provided.
Call 110!
Assist: Help people who need assistance
to the nearest safe place.
Extinguish: Use the extinguishing equipment at hand.
Do not leave the fire as the fire may flare up again.
Control damage: On leaving the building or the place of
fire, close doors and windows, but do not lock.
Guide: Explain the incident to the area leader or other
person responsible.
Fire extinguishers
•
•
Carbon Dioxide
Extinguisher
In labs and some
corridors
For small fires
Non-polluting
Dry Chemical
Extinguisher
In corridors.
•
Fire hose
In corridors.
Effective
DO NOT use
against fires
in flammable
liquids.
•
Fire blanket
In some labs.
For use against fire
in persons/clothes.
•
Lab showers
Very effecive
Pollutes a lot.
In some labs.
Exits & Extinguishers
• Fire doors must not be
propped open
• Fire extinguishers must be
easily accessible
Some labs may have special safety rules.
Special training required.
• Stone crushing room & sawing room: Technical personell will
conduct training and hand out dust mask
• Mineral separation lab: Heavy liquids require special fume
hoods and special precautions.
• Organic geochemistry lab.: Organic solvents and strong
oxidizers.
• Palynological lab & sample preparation for ICP-MS and TIMS
use HydroFluoric acid, which is very etching and toxic.
1. Aid in case of accidents
• Chemical spill in eyes: Rinse with lots of water (Eye
wash station, Barikos bottle or tap water). Contact the
eye clinic, Ullevål hospital.
• Burn injuries: Cool down injured part of body with cold
water. Submerge in water (15-20 °C). See doctor.
• Chemical spill on skin: Rinse with lots of water, wash
with soap and water. In special cases: apply
cleaning/neutralising gel.
1. Aid in case of accidents cont’d
• Cuts: Rinse with cold water. Apply band-aid
(found in 1. aid cabinets).
• Gas poisoning: Fresh air. Keep person calm.
See doctor.
• Ingestion of poisonous chemicals. Drink lots of
water. Check MSDS to see if vomiting should be
induced or not. If necessary, call the Poison
Information Telephone : 22 59 13 00. See
doctor.
1. aid cabinets
Geology building:
3. floor:
301 (palynology lab.)
316B (organic geochemistry lab.)
2. floor:
245A (chemistry lab.)
1. floor:
143A (sed.lab.)
119 (secretariat)
0. floor:
025 (thin section lab)
Outside 004 by main stairs
00. floor:
0019 (micro sonde/SEM)
0009 (crushing room)
Nils Henrik Abel building:
11.floor:
1108 (Solveig’s office)
Accident reporting
• All accidents should be reported.
• Use UiO accident reporting form.
• Contact local safety deputy (see list).
Local safety deputies:
• NHA building, 11.- 12. floor: Bjørg Rognerud, 57917
• Geology building 3.- 4. floor & local online chemical
index: Kristian Backer-Owe, 56640
• Geology building 1.- 2. floor: Mufak Naoroz, 56661
• Geology building 00.- 0. floor: Gunborg Bye Fjeld,
58187
• Field work:
Trond Eiken, 57913
Fire safety representatives :
Geology building:
4. floor: Leif Sørbel
3. floor: Kristian Backer-Owe
2. floor: Mufak Naoroz
1. floor: Åsgeir Seland
0. floor: Gunborg Bye Fjeld
00. floor: Muriel Erambert, Marit Sørlie/Kristin Rangnes
(library)
Nils Henrik Abel building:
12. floor: Bjørg Rognerud
11. floor: Solveig Aksdal
Important telephone numbers
• Security and Alarm Centre (24h service)
Emergency: 56666
Ordinary inquiries: 55007
• Ambulance: 113
• Univ. Health Service (daytime) - Emergency:
53174
ALL LABS SHOULD HAVE
A PLACARD WITH THESE NUMBERS
Sources of EHS
information:
• UiO EHS handbook (in Norwegian):
http://www.uio.no/admhb/hms
• Working environment handbook for students at
UiO:
http://www.admin.uio.no/sta/laeringsmiljoutvalget/Handbokengelsk2.rtf
• MN Faculty EHS handbook:
http://www.matnat.uio.no/internt/HMS/English_version_of_HMShand
book_28062006.doc
• IG local safety procedures for each lab.