Laboratory Safety Orientation (Lab. Standard 29 CFR 1910.1450)

Prepared by: Mahjoub Labyad, MIS Public Health Specialist

Environmental Health & Safety OfficeEnvironmental Health & Safety Office http://www.d.umn.edu/ehsohttp://www.d.umn.edu/ehso218-726-7139218-726-7139

Lab Standard

• US Code, Title 29 CFR 1910.1450

• Occupational Exposures to Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories

• Enforced by OSHA

• In Minnesota, by Inspectors from the Dept. of Labor and Industry (MNOSHA)

Lab StandardKey Components

• Maintain Airborne Exposures Below Recognized Exposure Limits.

• Prevent exposure through skin absorption or ingestion

• Maintain fume hoods and other control devices.

• Employee information and training

Lab StandardKey Components (Cont.)

• SOP’s for certain hazardous chemicals

• Required approval for extremely hazardous chemicals

• Medical consultation and exam of exposed workers

Recognized Airborne Chemical Exposure Limits

OSHA (Legally Enforceable) Action Level PEL’s (Permissible Exposure Limit) 8 hr TWA 15 min STEL Ceiling

Control of Airborne Chemicals

• Chemical Substitution of highly toxics

• Use small quantities of chemicals

• Careful work procedures• Work inside fume hoods (Volatile substances)

• Use of glove boxes (Highly toxic, carcinogens, or pyrophoric)

• Use of PPE (Respiratory protection) As a last resort – (too many special requirements)

Prevention of Skin Absorption

• Substitution hazardous for less hazardous chemical

• Careful work procedures

• Use of appropriate PPE gloves

• Use of other PPE (lab coat, face & eye protection, etc)

Prevention of Inadvertent Ingestion

• Personal hygiene (wash hands and face)

• Proper use of gloves

• No eating or drinking in labs

• Proper labeling of all containers

• Use a lab coat to protect personal clothing

Fume Hoods Management

• Checked annually by EHS Office

• Maintained by Facilities Management

• Magnehelic gauges

• Vertical and horizontal sashes

• Sash locks

• Limit clutter, do not block vent openings

(check out Fume hood SOP handout)

SOP’s Requirements

• Safety and health considerations when working withHazardous chemicals

• Toxic hazard• Fire or explosion hazard• Reactivity hazard

• When working with hazardous equipment

• Safety precautions should be written into SOP protocol

Information and Training

Information

• Contents and availability of lab Safety Plan (LSP)

• Signs and symptoms of exposure to chemicals

• Location of MSDS file and how to access individual MSDS’s

Information and Training

Training

• How to detect presence or release of chemicals in lab,

• Physical and health hazards of chemicals

• Measure to take to protect from exposure to chemicals in the lab,

• General and research specific safety procedures and SOP’s for working in the lab.

Additional Protection

Required when working with:

• Select carcinogens, reproductive toxins, substances with high degree of acute toxicity

Provisions required:• Designated area• Containment devices (fume hood, glove box)• Procedures for safe removal of waste• Decontamination procedures

Medical Consultation & Examination

Required whenever:

• Worker develops signs or symptoms of exposure to a hazardous chemical

• Spill, leak, or explosion results in likely worker exposure

• Exposure monitoring routinely above action level for an OSHA regulated substance requiring medical monitoring

Medical Consultation & Examination

• Info to Physician– Identity of chemical (include MSDS)– Description of conditions of exposure– Signs and symptoms being experienced

• Physician’ s Written Opinion– Recommendation for medical follow-up– Results of medical exam and tests– Employee informed of results of exam

Key Information on MSDS’s

• Identification of substance & manufacturer• Physical and chemical properties• Acute and chronic health hazards including any

exposure limits• Signs and symptoms of exposure • Fire, explosion, and reactivity hazards• Safety precautions when using or storing

chemicals

Review of Specific Chemical Hazards in Laboratory

• Type of Hazard– Health, Fire, Explosive, Corrosive– Chemical, Physical, Biological,

Radiological

• Methods of exposure & hazard control

• Emergency response actions

Physical Hazards in Laboratories

• Glassware and sharps

• Tripping hazards

• Pressure/vacuum generating processes

• Hot processes

• Electrical hazards

Other Hazards

Biological • Viral/bacterial agents,Mold spores• Blood products• Needles & Syringes

Radioactive• Radio-isotopes, Sealed radiation sources• X-rays• Lasers

Review of Laboratory Layout

• Location & operation of fume hoods

• Chemical storage plan/area

• Location of personal protective equipment

• Location & operation of emergency response equipment

Operation of Fume Hoods

• Magnehelic gauges and how to check if hood is operating properly,

• Use of vertical and horizontal hood sashes & locks,

• Work 8” to 10” inside hood to contain airborne contaminants,

• Do not block exhaust vents or clutter inside of hood with excess stored chemicals.

Chemical Storage Plan

• Flammable storage cabinets

• Other designated flammable and combustible liquid storage

• Acid storage

• Oxidizer storage

• Chemical waste storage

• Radio-isotope stock and waste storage

Chemical Container Labeling• Original container labels should not be defaced,• Required label information:

– Complete name of chemical s(no abbreviations)– Date of preparation– Initials of preparer– Hazard warnings, Assume dilutions have same

hazards as concentrated material.

Personal Protective Equipment

• Laboratory coats or aprons

• Chemical resistant gloves

• Chemical splash goggles & face shields

• Disposable face masks & respirators

• Ear plugs or muffs for noisy environment

Emergency Use Equipment

• Fire Extinguisher

• Eye Wash/Deluge Shower

• First Aid Supplies

• Chemical Spill Cleanup Supplies

• Emergency Call List

Emergency Procedures

• Fire or fire alarm

• Chemical spill

• Biological or radiological spill

• Chemical exposure incident

• Personal Injury

Fire or Fire Alarm

Fire Alarm

• Leave building immediately via nearest exit

Fire in lab– Remove/relocate anyone in danger,– Activate building fire alarm,– Confine/contain fire by shutting door,– Extinguish fire only if small and trained to use

extinguisher, otherwise evacuate.

Chemical Spill

• Leave spill area,

• Alert neighbors,

• Block off entrances to lab, prevent anyone from entering,

• Report to EHS office at 7273

• For more detailed information, consult the chemical spill response guide at www.d.umn.edu/ehso

Radioactive Material Spill

• Inform others and restrict from area, • Use GM instrument to survey self and others who

may be contaminated,• Remove all contaminated clothing,• Call EHS office at 7273• Do not attempt to clean up spill, wait for EHS

personnel,• Consult the Radiation protection page at

www.d.umn.edu/ehso/radiation for more detailed information.

Biohazard Material Spill

• Notify all other lab workers,• Restrict access to spill area,• Remove contaminated clothing, place in

autoclave bag,• Call EHS office at 7273 • Consult the Biological safety page at

www.d.umn.edu/ehso/biosafety for more detailed information.

Chemical Exposure Incident

• Immediately flush affected area with eyewash or deluge shower,

• Flush affected area for 15 minutes,• Remove clothing splashed by spill,• Relocate to fresh air and check for

breathing and pulse,• Transport to emergency services with

copy of MSDS for treating physician.

Personal Injury

• Administer first aid,• Transport to emergency services,• Call 911 for serious injuries,• Complete “Employee Incident Report”

form within 24 hours,• Supervisors must complete a “Supervisor

Incident Investigation Report” within 48 hours.

Experiment PlanningRisk Assessment

• What are the potential hazards?

• What could go wrong?

• What will you do if it does?

• How can risk be minimized?

Potential Hazards?

Chemical exposures• Acute and chronic health effects

• Exposure limits, volatility, particle size• Amounts used, how handled• Process flow

• Skin and eye contact hazard• Corrosive/caustic, pH, water reactive• Absorbs through skin

Potential Hazards (Cont.)

• Physical Energy Hazards– Noise (>85 dBA)– Heat stress (physical demand, humidity,

dry bulb temp, solar gain)– Cold (Wind, dampness, dry bulb temp)– Radiation hazard

• Ionizing• Non-ionizing

Potential Hazards (Cont.)

Fire & Explosion Hazards• Flammable vs combustible liquid• Reactive with air, water, other chems• Chemical and physical properties

• Flash point, vapor pressure, LEL & UEL• Boiling point

Potential Hazards (Cont.)

Physical Hazards• Vacuum/Pressure• Heat producing reactions• Heating elements• Electrical hazards• Tripping hazards• Lifting hazards• Pinch points• Others

What Could go Wrong?

• Fire or explosion

• Chemical spill

• Runaway reaction

• Personal injury

• Chemical exposure

• Rad or bio exposure

Emergency Preparedness

• Trained in use of fire extinguisher and fire emergency response procedures,

• Trained in 1st aid and/or CPR,

• Trained in response to chemical, biological and radiological spills

• Trained in response to chemical exposure incidents.

Risk Minimization

• Micro scale experiments,• Substitution of hazardous substances,• Use of containment devices (fume hood,

glovebox, designated area),• Safe work practices and procedures,• Safety SOP’s,• Trained workers,• Use of appropriate ppe.

Observe General Lab Safety Rules

• No food or drink in labs,• No shorts or open toed shoes,• Never throw broken glass or sharps in

regular trash,• Never throw any chemical down a drain,• Do not touch areas marked “radioactive”,• Never clean up or touch a puddle on floor

unless it is obviously water.

General Lab Safety Rules

• Do not touch items on lab benches or in fume hood. Ask the person who works with them to move them to a safe location,

• Always read and observe signs/labels– “Danger-high voltage”, “poison”,

“flammable”, “oxidizer”, “corrosive”, “Radioactive”.

General Lab Safety Rules

• If an item is knocked over or there seems to be a problem with materials or equipment (noise, smell, heat, odd odor, etc) report it to your supervisor, Lab Safety Officer, or the EHS office. Use 911 as necessary.

Avoidance of Routine Exposures

• Develop safe habits,• Avoid unnecessary exposure to chemicals by

any route,• Do not smell or taste chemicals,• Inspect gloves and make sure they are correct

polymer for the chemical being used,• Eliminate or minimize release of toxic

substances into air.

Working Alone

• Avoid working alone in labs when using hazardous chemicals or processes,

• Use a buddy system or,

• Notify someone in the facility if you must work alone.

Hazardous Waste

• Follow procedures the Hazardous Waste Management website,

• Label all containers appropriately, use start/end dates,

• Keep all containers closed,

• Properly store and separate containers,

• Package by hazardous class,

• Prepare and sign waste disposal form.

End

Please Work Safely!