School of Chemistry, Jan 2015

Safety Regulations in the Chemical Laboratory

Safety Regulations in the Chemical Laboratory

Kate NowellSafety Officer School of ChemistryRoom: 252Ext: 4-0548 Email: knowell@unimelb.edu.au

Sioe See VolaricDeputy Safety Officer

Room: 283Ext: 4-6472

Email: sioe@unimelb.edu.au

Christine BaggsBio 21 EHS Coordinator

Ext: 4-7757Email: cbaggs@unimelb.edu.au

Personal Protective Equipment

Lab coat Safety Glasses/Goggles Closed shoes Gloves: Latex, Nitrile, Neoprene, Barrier,

PVC, PVA, Cotton, Leather Welding, etc. Face Shield Other PPE as required for the task

Glove Safety Do:

Ensure you use the correct glove for the chemical-consult MSDS

Replace gloves IMMEDIATELY after contamination

Do Not: Re-use gloves Touch common surfaces (door handles) with

gloves Wear gloves or lab coats outside of the lab Watch out for defective gloves (check

expiration date)

SHOES Examples of suitable footwear

Examples of unsuitable footwear

Personal Protective Equipment

The last line of defence.PPE use is mandatory.PPE Maintenance & Inspection: Check PPE on a regular basis—send

lab coats for cleaning Throw out PPE when it is

worn/damaged Replace with new ones conforming to

Australian Standards

Building Evacuations If the alarm sounds, safely shutdown all

experiments (gases, heat, reactions that require monitoring).

A floor warden wearing a yellow hard hat will ensure areas are clear and assist with an orderly evacuation (do not wait to be told).

KNOW THE LOCATION OF: Various exit pathways First Aid kits Safety Showers / Eye Wash Stations Spill kits—every lab must have one Fire extinguishers / fire blankets Emergency Assembly Area

Emergency Assembly Area

MacFarland Court

Emergency Information Once outside, take direction from the Wardens and proceed

to the assembly point – MacFarland Court (grassy area next to Chemistry West).

Stay out of the building until you are told by the Building Emergency Controller (BEC) that you are allowed to re-enter the building.

If you have an incident in your lab, please inform the Safety Officer ASAP. No incident scene should be cleaned up without permission from the Safety Officer.

If there is a fire and the fire alarm has not sounded, activate the closest red break-glass alarm – this will contact the fire brigade and evacuate the building. Only fight small fires.

Emergency contacts are listed in the Safety Manual and throughout the building.

Material Safety Data SheetsBefore using a chemical for the first time, you must read the

MSDS.

An MSDS contains information you need to safely use, store, and dispose of the chemical and what to do in the event of a spill, leak or exposure.

Australian MSDSs have 16 sections.

Identification: UN number, DG class, Poisons schedule, Hazard Ratings and statements, etc.

Physical data: Flashpoint, auto-ignition temperatures Emergency data: Spills, health effects, first aid Storage and use: Incompatibilities, disposal considerations. MSDSs can be accessed in ChemWatch GoldFFX at:

http://safety.unimelb.edu.au/topics/chemical/chemwatch/

GoldFFX access and info

GoldFFX search

Search Results

ChemWatch MSDS

Hazards Identification

Exposure Control

Manufacturer’s MSDS list

Manufacturer’s MSDS

Chemical Hazard Risk Assessment

Available in Green lab books from Chemistry Store

Must be added to other lab books Must be signed off by your supervisor

before the work If this form is not appropriate for the

experiment use a generic risk assessment form.

Risk Control HierarchyRisk Control Hierarchy

Eliminate (design change) Substitute (safer chemical) Isolate (barriers / enclosure) Engineering controls (fume

hood) Administrative controls (rules) Personal Protective Equipment

MostPreferred

LeastPreferred

Faulty / Broken EquipmentAffix tag in a visible location and tell your

supervisor

WasteDO NOT POUR

CHEMICALS DOWN SINKS!

Use the appropriate waste container (Water Soluble, Water Insoluble, Chlorinated etc.)

Glass/plastic bottles Clean glass only in

glass bins behind the building – choose recycling or landfill.

Remove chemical residue Remove/deface chemical label incl. hazard diamond

Residue-free chemical containers are recyclable-bins outside

Pyrex glass (lab glassware), Pasteur pipettes, slides are not recyclable.

Recycling In green/yellow bins Contents as indicated Printer cartridges Batteries (safe disposal)

Housekeeping Keep benches tidy & clutter free Corridors, passages, exits must remain clear Seal all chemical and waste containers Label chemical containers clearly (full chemical

name) Do not store chemical containers on the floor Liquid chemicals must be in spill trays Keep the laboratory floor dry at all times. Clean up

spills. Food and drink must never be taken into

laboratories Ensure sinks are clear of rubbish, debris and any

obstructions Beware of broken glass – clean up only with dust

pan and brush to prevent glass cuts

Additional Requirements

All water connections must have hose clamps installed.

All unattended hotplates must have a secondary temperature control method.

Passengers must not travel in a lift with gas cylinders or liquid nitrogen.

Supervision / After hours work

Hons/Masters/PhD students/staff must not carry out experiments alone in the lab.

Working after hours: 6 pm – 7:45 am, weekends, public holidays: Swipe card access, East Wing entrance or bio21 foyer Fill in After-Hours Register No hazardous operations after hours Use a buddy system Do not loan your keys/card to anyone. Report lost

keys/card. No parties, no alcohol consumption!

Gas Alarm strobe & siren

Gas Alarm Panel – data display

Gas Alarm Panel – data display

Gas Isolation Panel

Lab Inspections

Full lab inspection: Every 3 months, Bio21

Every 6 months, Chem

Emergency eye washes: Weekly Safety Showers: Every 4 weeks

Specific Safety Inductions

Resonance Lab, Room 283 NMR, Mass Spectrometry, EPR Decanting liquid nitrogen

X-Ray Diffractometer Lasers (plus eye exam required) Solvent Decanting

Other Safety Information

Some entry/exit points to the building will be blocked at various times. Learn your way around using different entry/exit points.

Report unsafe areas/situations to the Safety Officer.

Smoke Free Campus – designated spots only

Read Chem News every Friday for safety updates. Let us know if you are not receiving it.

Required Study Documents

Chemistry EHS Manual v5http://www.chemistry.unimelb.edu.au/ehs-procedures-and-processes

Practical Aspects of Chemical Safety Chemical Management – also return assessment Compressed Gas Safety – also return assessment Fire Extinguisher Safety Regulations in the Chemical Lab (this presentation)

Laser & Ionising Radiation (if applicable)Questionnaires to be returned and passed before work.Laser Eye exam required before work.http://www.university-eyecare.org.au/

Required Online Training

Visit http://safety.unimelb.edu.au/support/training/courses/ Complete the following courses:

EHS Roles & Responsibilities for Supervisors Risk Management

Print or save your certificates of completion

Online Training

Record your details

Dept: Chemistry

Faculty: Science