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Laboratory Safety Materials Science & Engineering Dept. Along with Environmental Health & Safety University of Tennessee
Laboratory Safety
Materials Science & Engineering Dept.Along with
Environmental Health & SafetyUniversity of Tennessee
Contact Information
Posted on the MSE website Door Placards
For Lab Safety Questions: Pam Koontz [email protected] James Cantu [email protected]
For Hazardous Waste Questions: April Case [email protected]
Environmental Health & Safety
Environmental Health & Safetyehs.utk.edu974-5084 www.facebook.com/utkehs
Robin Lyn TrundyUTK/UTIA Safety [email protected]
UTK/UTIA Biosafety Office
Amy KnowlesUTIA Occupational Health [email protected]
Marsha SmithRadiation Safety OfficerPhone: 974-5580E-mail: [email protected]
UTK Radiation Safety Office
MATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
SAFETY COMMITTEEDr. Kurt SickafusDr. Carl LundinDr. Roberto S. BensonDr. Maulik PatelChris WettelandGreg Jones
Procedure For When An Accident Accurse
• For Emergency Call 911• Call your Supervisor• Call Safety Coordinator Greg Jones, or assistant
Coordinator, Dr. Malik Patel• If you can not reach any of the above from our
Dept. contact the MSE main office (Carla)• Call Environmental Health & Safety for help with
spill cleanup, or to report unsafe conditions• Help your Supervisor fill out a “Supervisors
Report of Employee Accident form” ASAP!
If Treatment Is Needed
UT Student Health Center1800 Volunteer Blvd.
UT Medical Center1924 Alcoa Highway
Safety depends on choices
Good choices rely on having good information before the choice has to be made.
Safety is a Choice
Training◦ Initial◦ Periodic◦ As-needed
Resources◦ MSDS/SDS, Labels, Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP),
Emergency Response Plan, Faculty In Charge, Person In Charge (PIC)
Ask Questions!
How Do We Get That Information?
What is the nature of my lab?◦ My work space◦ My neighbor’s work space
What hazards are present?◦ Chemical/Physical/Bio/Rad◦ Do you know how to react?◦ Have you practiced?◦ Have you shared your knowledge?
Is there an Emergency Plan, Chemical Hygiene Plan, SDS?
What Questions Should I ask?
Emergency ResponsePlan, Share, Practice
Make a planWrite it downEnsure everyone understandsReview and practice
Accidents Spills / Splashes / Accidental Releases Near Misses Fire Campus wide emergency UT Alert System (http://www.utk.edu/utalert/
)
Types of Emergencies
Emergencies – 911
Chemical spill or release – EHS – 4-5084 (do not leave a voicemail message)
After hours spill or release – UTPD – 4-3111
Who You Gonna Call?
Physical HazardsKnow your work environment
Environmental Hazards◦ Work area conditions◦ Hot/cold, humid/dry, improper lighting
Chemically Produced Physical Hazards◦ Explosives & Reactives
Equipment Hazards◦ Mechanical, Electrical, Vacuum, High pressure,
Cut and Abrasion Hazards, Hot and Cold equipment, Open flames, Noise/Sound
What are Physical Hazards
Number one type of accident is still “Slips, Trips, and Falls”◦ Maintain safe pathways and use good
housekeeping◦ Keep cables and cords in safe paths where they
will not be damaged and they will not contribute to trip hazards.
Environmental hazards
Highly Reactive compounds and incompatibles can cause very powerful energy release in the form of intense light, heat or pressure waves.
Chemically Produced Physical Hazards
Use only the scale of reaction required and approved to achieve your goals.
Use proper PPE and Engineering Controls to prevent exposure to a potential explosion
If the agent/reaction has the possibility of a violent reaction believe that it could happen to you.
Chemically Produced Physical Hazards
Know and train on even the most basic equipment.
Equipment with moving parts can entrap extremities, clothing, and long hair. ◦ Use proper clothing and PPE and tie back long
hair. Ensure guards are in place and in good
condition. Never remove safety devices Moving parts can throw objects Use lockout tagout procedures when
repairing
Mechanical Hazards
Ways to avoid common lab electrical hazards are ensuring cables and cords are not damaged by the lab environment. ◦ Avoid heat/flame damage to insulation such as
with hotplates or ◦ mechanical trauma such as the damage a cord
may receive behind a heavy object such as a gas cylinder.
Electrical Hazards
Do not daisy chain extension cords or power strips.
Extension cords are designed for temporary use only.
If electrical work is needed in your lab a qualified electrical worker is required to do the work.
Use GFCI outlets when the risk of shock is higher such as at sinks and water sources. ◦ Note: Grounding and GFCI are not the same.
Electrical Hazards cont’d
Never bypass a grounding prong on an electrical plug.
If your outlets are not “holding” or “gripping” the plug, then notify facilities services as the outlet may be damaged and a fire hazard.
If work is required in your lab please ensure you are aware of what a lockout condition is and how it relates to you as a non-electrical worker.
Electrical Hazards cont’d
Chance of Implosion or Explosion◦ Where do all the parts go?
Particularly dangerous with Glassware For pressurized equipment and glassware:
◦ Ensure a blast shield or hood sash is in place.◦ If using a face shield eye protection must be worn
as well
Vacuum and High Pressure
Broken Glassware should be replaced.
Good housekeeping keeps your lab both looking better and safer.
PIC’s look around your lab and ask…Do we have the PPD we need?Does the lab look safe?
THINK Safety…
Use Cryo gloves and eye protection when working with Liquid Nitrogen or dry ice. ◦ Flash Freezing works well on samples◦ It also can work well on you
Dispense and Transport Liquid Nitrogen only with approved methods.
Hot and Cold Equipment
Never leave unattended. Keep away from flammable
and combustible materials including volatile flammable gases
Keep hair tied back and loose clothing away
Open Flames
Hearing protection programs can be required under OSHA.
Thresholds are set for an 8-hour work day EHS can survey a work area on request.
Noise and Sound
Chemical HazardsHazard ClassesStorageUse & Handling
◦ Oxidizer◦ Flammable◦ Explosive◦ Acutely Toxic◦ Corrosive◦ Compressed Gases◦ Health Hazard◦ Environmental Toxin◦ Exclamation Mark
Hazard Classes
SDS Chemical labels Chemical Hygiene
Plan SOPs
How do you know?
Oxidizers and flammables
Acids and bases Flammables and
corrosives Corrosives and
metals Know what to do
with strong reactions
Incompatible Chemicals
Segregate incompatibles by storing in different cabinets
Use secondary containment when space is at a premium
Segregation and Storage
Do◦ Segregate by hazard
class first◦ Use proper
containers◦ Use secondary
containment◦ Check expiration
dates◦ Inspect shelving and
shelf clips periodically
Don’t◦ Stack chemicals or store
too high◦ Allow containers to
hang over edge◦ Use food containers◦ Allow excessive bench
top and fume hood storage
◦ Keep chemicals indefinitely or past expiration dates
◦ Store flammables in unapproved refrigerators
Some chemicals are unstable when stored past their expiration dates:Ethyl ether (diethyl ether)Sodium AzidePicric Acid
Have these chemicals been stored too long?
Lab Specific SOPs Chemical Hygiene
Plan Chemical Inventory Use chemical
hoods
Chemical Use and Handling
Use a cart with secondary containment
Move limited quantities
Use caution going through doorways and public areas
Use freight elevator
Transporting Chemicals
Deface old labels when reusing containers
Label containers clearly
Remove or deface all labels when disposing of containers
Labeling
Personal Protective Equipment
ClothingEye ProtectionHand Protection
Long pants Long sleeves Closed-toe, non-absorbent shoes Protect your clothing with a lab coat or
apron What are you taking home on your shoes?
Proper Clothing
The type of eye protection required depends on the work being performed.
Wearing the proper eye protection is required by the Laboratory Standard and Personal Protective Equipment Standards.
Eye Protection
Anticipate the presence of hazards, select and use the appropriate safety devices.
Eye Protection
Immediately begin flushing the eyes with large amounts of tepid water for a minimum of fifteen minutes.
While the eyes are being flushed, medical help should be summoned
What is the first action for chemicals in the eyes?
It’s not measured by distance, but by time
10 seconds For strong
caustics/acids equipment should be immediately adjacent to the work area
Maximum distance from work station to eye wash/safety shower?
Never neutralize chemicals splashed in the eyes – always flush with water only
Never use an emergency eye wash bottle
You must never work alone in the laboratory
Activate every eyewash at least weekly to verify operation and clear liquid flow
Keep areas around eyewashes clear from clutter to provide quick and easy access in the event of an emergency
Additional Eye Safety Precautions
You can eat with false teeth, you can dance with a wooden leg, you can even hear with a hearing aid, but you can’t see with a glass eye.
So Why Protect My Eyes?
Safety Showers
Choose the right gloves for the job
Disposable vs Reusable
Latex vs other glove materials
For non-chemical work
Hand Protection
Follow manufacturer’s recommendations
Not all gloves are the same
There is no one perfect glove for all chemicals
Gloves to protect you vs. gloves to protect your work
Be aware of what you touch with your gloves
Remove gloves before leaving lab
Never reuse disposable gloves
Contamination not always visible
Glove Selection
85 decibels sustained over 8 hr work day
EHS can monitor noise levels
Hearing Protection
If you need to wear a respirator contact EHS at 4-5084
Respiratory Protection
Compressed Gas Cylinders
Gases stored in steel pressure vessels above atmospheric pressure
A standard cylinder may hold about 300 cubit feet of the gas in excess of 2000psi
About Gas Cylinders
What hazards can be present?◦ They can be very heavy◦ High Pressure◦ Can Conduct Electricity◦ Any chemical hazard
Flammable Asphyxiant Oxidizer Toxic
Gas Cylinder Basics
Properties & safe use before using SOPs, CHP, SDS
Never accept unlabeled cylinders
Know the Hazards
Always store with the valve closed and the cap secured.
Secure the upper third of a cylinder with straps or chains to a:◦ Secure bench◦ Wall mount◦ Approved free standing
Stand Always Store upright
Cylinder Storage – Do’s
Always bond and ground cylinders of flammable gases.
Oxidizer (e.g. Oxygen) cylinder storage must be separated from flammable gas storage areas or combustible materials by at least 20 feet or by a non-combustible wall.
Cylinder Storage – Do’s
Slack chains or straps
Excessive storage Protect from high
temperatures Do not store in
escape paths or near fire exits
Cylinder Storage – Don’ts
Compressed gas cylinders must have hydrostatic testing done every 5-10 years, depending on the gas.
Do not keep cylinders around for longer than this time period because it prevents this testing.
Other Considerations
Never roll, drag or slide cylinders, even for short distances. Cylinders should always be moved by using a suitable hand truck with retaining straps or chains
Never drop cylinders or permit them to strike each other.
Moving & Transport
Always use regulators and pressure relief devices when using cylinders.
Only regulators and plumbing approved for the specific gas should be used.
Never use an adapter to make a regulator “work”
Open the cylinder valve before adjusting pressure on regulator.
Safe Handling of Compressed Gas Cylinders
Never permit oil, grease, or other readily combustible substances to come in contact with oxygen cylinders, valves or regulators.
Safe Handling of Compressed Gas Cylinders
Never use oxygen as a substitute for compressed air.
Do not permit cylinders to come in contact with electrical apparatus or circuits.
Safe Handling of Compressed Gas Cylinders
When returning empty cylinders, close the valve before shipment.
Leave some positive pressure in the cylinder.
Replace any protective caps originally shipped with the cylinder.
Mark the cylinder “EMPTY” and segregate from full cylinders.
Safe Handling of Compressed Gas Cylinders
Gas bottle explosion
What a pressurized container can do when the right amount of heat is applied.
Transportation?
Remember, a plan is only a plan if it’s on paper.
And a paper plan is only as good as the practice put into it.
Plan, Share, Practice
How We Inspect / How You Can Help
What’s in it for you?
What we look for?◦ PPE use◦ Chemical Storage◦ Labeling◦ Emergency Equipment◦ Hazardous Waste◦ Door Placards◦ Active PIC’s
Inspections
Identify local emergency services◦ Eye Wash, safety shower, fire alarm…
Have procedures for dealing with an emergency◦ Physical injury◦ Chemical exposure◦ Call list
Evacuation and Meetinglocation
Emergency Response Plan
SERF Upper, 4th Floor exit
SERF Lower, 2nd Floor exit
Tandec and Senter Hall
Evacuation and Meeting Location
Dougherty Upper, 4th Floor exit – SERF Loading dock.
Dougherty Lower, 1st Floor exit – sidewalk across the street from the MSE Mechanical shop.
Ferris Upper, 4th Floor exit – Ferris Lower, 1st Floor exit
Evacuation and Meeting Location
Short list to remember:
1. Always have a lab partner when doing an experiment.
2. Always have a SOP and follow it.3. Always take time to us proper PPD.4. Always ask questions when you don’t
know.5. Always know what your going to do and
who your going to call BEFORE the accident happens.
