Biology Laboratory Safety Module:

Chemical Safety

This presentation is designed to provide students with information important for the safe use of chemicals in the laboratory.

It will cover the following information:1. Types of hazards that might be encountered2. Preventive safety measures, including good

laboratory practices3. What to do in case of an emergency4. Your rights & responsibilities as a student at

Northern Michigan University

Chemical Safety Module

Types of hazards associated with chemicals

I. Health hazards• Acute Hazards: bad effects observed quickly• Chronic Hazards: bad effects that take a

relatively long time to develop

II. Physical hazards• Flammable compounds• Explosive compounds• Compressed gases

Health hazards associated with chemicals

A chemical may be:–Toxic–Corrosive–Carcinogenic–Reproductive or developmental toxic (teratogen)– Irritating or allergenic

Procedures for safe handling of hazardous chemicals are described in NMU’s Chemical Hygiene Plan, available at:

http://webb.nmu.edu/Departments/PublicSafety/SiteSections/PoliceServices/Policies/ChemicalHygiene.shtml

General Laboratory Safety

• Always exercise safe laboratory practices:

– Never use mouth suction to fill a pipet.

– Clean up all spills in accordance with safety procedures.

– Handle all glassware carefully.

– Use a fume hood whenever instructed to do so.

– Wash hands immediately after handling chemicals or other hazardous materials and immediately prior to leaving the lab.

Proper Pipetting Technique• Never use mouth suction to fill a pipet• A variety of pipetting aids are available for filling

pipets• For small volumes (less than 1 mL) you will use a

mechanical pipetter

Laboratory Preparation

• Be prepared before the laboratory begins– Review laboratory procedures

– Be aware of hazards you may encounter during lab

– Dress appropriately for lab

– Know what personal protective equipment (PPE) will be required during lab

– Be aware of procedures that should be followed in case of spills or other accidents

Personal Protective Equipment• To protect yourself from hazardous chemicals,

you may use the following equipment:– Gloves– Protective eyewear– Masks or respirators

• Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for chemicals indicate what kind of PPE is needed. PPE requirements are dependent upon the concentration & amount of the chemical being used.

• Some chemicals should be handled in a fume hood to protect you from harmful vapors.

Gloves• A variety of gloves are available to protect from

different types of chemical or physical hazards, including:

- Insulating gloves- Vinyl gloves- Latex gloves- Nitrile gloves

• Change gloves as needed:- if a hazardous chemical is spilled on the gloves.- if you suspect the gloves may be torn.

Types of GlovesInsulating gloves:

- may not insulate when wet- are not intended to provide protection against

chemical spills

Vinyl, Latex and Nitrile Gloves- are intended to prevent skin contact with

hazardous chemicals. - non-latex gloves can be provided if you are

allergic to latex.

Types of Gloves

Eye Protection

• Eye protection is required is required whenever the lab is using potentially hazardous fluids.

Note: Even if you are not personally using a hazardous fluid, you are required to use eye protection in the lab to prevent accidental eye contact.

• Contact lenses do not provide protection against chemical hazards.

• Notify your instructor if you splash something in your eye while wearing contacts.

Types of Eye Protection• Different types of eye protection are available,

depending on the hazard level:– Safety glasses– Safety goggles– Face shields

Face shieldGoggles

Additional Personal Protective Equipment

• For some experiments, aprons or lab coats may be appropriate.

Chemical Fume Hoods Safe Operation

When the fume hood is not in use, the sash of

the hood should be kept closed.

When working in the hood, the sliding sash should be kept at the height marked on the side of the sash, to

allow proper air flow

Chemical Fume Hoods Safe Operation

• Work at least 6 inches within the hood.

• Only items necessary to perform the present experiment should be in the hood. The more equipment in the hood, the greater the air turbulence and the chance for gaseous escape into the lab.

• Do not block the rear exhaust vent in the hood.

Chemical Fume Hoods Unsafe Operation

• The fume hood is not a storage cabinet for chemicals or unused items.

• Hoods shall not be used as a means of disposing of toxic or irritating chemicals, but only as a means of removing small quantities of vapor which might escape during laboratory operations.

• Never leave an experiment unattended.

• Keep your work area free of clutter and personal items (book bags, clothing, etc.)

• Do not work in the laboratory alone.

Chemical Fume Hoods Unsafe Operation

Transporting chemicals and other laboratory materials

• When transporting chemicals or other materials between laboratories, make sure that they are carried in a secondary container

• Solutions, dry chemicals, microplates, etc. should be carried in a tub.

• Slides should be placed in a slide box

Transporting chemicals and other laboratory materials• Test tubes or vials should be in a rack that is carried in a tub.

• A cart should be used to transport bulky materials. If using a cart, materials should still be in a secondary container.

• Make sure you have at least one ungloved hand to open doors etc. – remember that lab gloves are to be considered potentially contaminated at all times

Emergency Response

• In case of an accident, you may need to use an eyewash or safety shower.

• Be sure you know where these items are located, and how to use them.

Pull down on the appropriate lever to activate the eyewash or safety shower located in each laboratory

Some eyewashes are located behind sinks. Pull out the hose and squeeze the spray lever to activate.

Compressed Gases

• Compressed gases present a unique hazard. Depending on the particular gas, there is a potential for simultaneous exposure to both mechanical and chemical hazards.

• Gases may be:– Flammable or combustible – Explosive – Corrosive – Poisonous – Inert – or a combination of hazards

• The compressed gas also presents a physical hazard. The gases are contained in heavy, highly pressurized metal containers. The large amount of potential energy resulting from compression of the gas makes the cylinder a potential rocket or fragmentation bomb.

Compressed GasesCareful procedures are necessary for

handling:– various compressed gases – cylinders containing compressed gases – regulators or valves used to control gas

flow– piping used to confine gases during flow.

• Gas cylinders must be secured at all times to prevent tipping.

• Regulators are gas specific & not necessarily interchangeable!

• Always make sure that the regulator & valve fittings are compatible.

Prevention

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NFPA-type label • NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) diamond was created as a way to quickly determine what hazards a chemical presents.

• NFPA rates chemicals in 3 categories with a numerical rating of 1-4 for hazard level.

A rating of 2 or more in any category means that extra precautions should be taken when using that chemical. Specific details can be found on the MSDS for each chemical.

Colors represent kind of hazard

• Red = fire• Yellow = reactivity• Blue = health• White = specific hazard

Prevention

3

24Numbers show degree of hazard

• 0 = Minimal• 1 = Slight• 2 = Moderate• 3 = Serious• 4 = Severe

NFPA-type label

Prevention

NFPA-type labels

3

24COR

White = specific hazard

• OX = Oxidizer

• ACID = Acid

• ALK = Alkali

• COR = Corrosive

• W = Use no water

• Other symbols:

SDS• One way to get information about the potential hazards of

chemicals is by consulting the SDS which gives information about properties of a chemical and what is known about how it is hazardous.

• SDS’s for products known to be on campus are located in the online database maintained by Public Safety at http://publicsafety.nmu.edu/Departments/PublicSafety/SiteSections/EmployeeSafety/MSDSBinder.shtml

• To look up new SDS’s log on to the above website with these passwords. This will direct you to a site with over 2.7 million MSDS’s: Userid: nmumsds Password: msds

• Additional useful information is provided at the Frequently Asked Questions page for SDS at http://www.chcs.org.uk/safety-data-sheet-faq.htm

What Does an SDS Tell You?

• Chemical identity– Composition of mixtures– Alternate names

• Health & reactivity information• First aid treatment• What to do if the chemical is spilled• Toxicology & chronic exposure risks• Proper disposal• Contact information for the manufacturer

• The specific information & organization of an SDS varies from one supplier to another.

– As an example, the following pages show an SDS supplied by Fisher Chemical for phenol

Phenol SDS

Synonyms

Contact information

Compositionand CAS number- For mixtures, information on all components

A CAS (Chemical Abstracts Service) Registry Number is a unique identifier that tells you, for example, that phenol and carbolic are actually the same substance – both have the same CAS #.

Phenol SDS

Emergency overview – the most important hazard information

Health effects – both acute and chronic effects may be listed. Routes of exposure are listed in this section.

Phenol SDS

Read this section before working with a chemical. In case of emergency, you may need to provide this information when seeking medical treatment.

Phenol SDS

Firefighting personnel will need this information if there is a fire in the building. This is why it is important to keep an up-to-date chemical inventory.

Phenol SDS

These sections give information on handling and storage of the chemical as well as what to do in case of a spill

Phenol SDS

What exposure levels are allowed for this chemical?

What personal protective equipment should you use when handling the chemical?

The amount of chemical used may affect the kind of PPE required.

Phenol SDS

Basic chemical properties

Some chemicals may explode or produce dangerous compounds if allowed to react with other chemicals.

Phenol SDS

Results from different toxicological tests are reported in this section.

The dose required to cause problems will usually be reported here.

Teratogen: causes problems with developing embryos.

Phenol SDS

What bad things could happen if the chemical is released to the environment?

How should the chemical be disposed of to avoid human health or environmental problems?

Phenol SDS

If you plan to ship a chemical to another location, you will need to be aware of this information.

You always have the right to ask questions, or report hazards, either directly or anonymously without fear of reprisal to…

• Your lab instructor and/or the course instructor

• Biology Department Head & Chemical Hygiene Officer – Dr. John Rebers (jrebers@nmu.edu)

• Public Safety (227-2151)

Reporting Hazards

Next…

• Please complete the PRESENTATION REVIEW ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

• Then complete the QUIZ that follows the confirmation

• You must achieve a perfect score on the quiz to successfully complete your safety training. You may retake the quiz as many times as necessary.

• Failure to complete your safety training will result in your exclusion from the laboratory portion of your course

After the quiz…

Remember to complete any additional safety training modules that are required for your course.

Remember, you must earn a perfect score on the quiz to pass.