SECTION V: SAFE
WORK PRACTICES
(Understand the Hazards of Your Work
Environment)
Information presented is not intended to be
comprehensive or all inclusive; contact your supervisor, safety officer, or the
Environmental Health and Safety Office, 475-7041, for assistance or further
information on any given topic.
LABORATORY SAFETY
1.
Know what
substance you are preparing to use; never use chemicals from unmarked
bottles. If you are unfamiliar with a
chemical substance, consult references, such as the Material Safety Data Sheet,
prior to use.
2.
Know the location and use of all first aid
equipment.
3.
Wear safety
goggles with splash guards at all times; use other protective equipment as
needed for the specific job.
4.
Report any injury
immediately, no matter how minor.
5.
Never pipet by
mouth.
6.
Never conduct
unauthorized experiments.
7.
Avoid working
alone in the lab.
8.
Wear proper
clothing, remove jewelry and watches, and tie back long hair.
9.
Don’t smoke, chew gum, apply cosmetics, eat or drink in labs or in
a chemical storage area, and don’t bring or store food items in these areas.
10.
Don’t get into
the habit of smelling chemicals as a means of identification.
11.
Clean up all
spills, leaks or broken glass as soon as feasible.
12.
Keep containers
closed when not in
use.
13.
Inspect equipment
for possible defects prior to use.
14.
Never leave heat
sources unattended (e.g., gas burners, hot plates, heating mantles, sand baths,
etc.).
15.
Use a fume hood
with very reactive or toxic substances; avoid breathing the fumes.
16.
Keep walkways open
and clear of obstructions.
17.
Wash hands before
and after working in the science lab or storage area and after spill clean-ups.
18.
Keep broken glass
separate from the regular waste or garbage.
19.
Analyze new lab
procedures in advance to pinpoint potential hazards.
20.
Analyze accidents
to prevent recurrences.
21.
Conduct regular
in-house safety and health inspections with a positive emphasis (improvement,
not guilt). Be sure emergency equipment
such as fire blankets, safety showers and eye wash fountains, is included in
your inspection.
22.
Stress the
importance of dropping to the floor and rolling in the event of a clothing
fire; running can result in more severe injury.
Rolling smothers the fire and also helps keep flames form the victim’s face and reduces smoke inhalation.
23.
Pre-plan for
emergencies; clearly identify procedures to follow.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR USE, STORAGE AND DISPOSAL OF
CHEMICALS
The uniqueness of laboratory chemicals is endless and
each of their storage properties may also be unique. The following are generic guidelines:
1.
Provide adequate
storage for all chemicals on hand.
2.
Provide
appropriate cabinets for chemicals requiring specialized, non-shelf storage.
3. Segregate chemicals upon receipt and store in their
proper location.
4. Avoid floor
chemical storage (even when it is considered temporary).
5. Avoid storing chemicals above eye level
.
6. Ensure that shelf assemblies are firmly secured and
anchored (preferably to walls).
7. Provide anti-roll lips on all shelves.
8. Store acids in a dedicated acid cabinet. (If nitric acid is stored within that same cabinet it needs to
be isolated from the other acids.)
9. Store flammables in a dedicated flammables cabinet.
10.
Store severe
poisons in a dedicated poisons cabinet.
11.
Do not re-use
shipping containers for material other than their original contents.
12.
Properly label
each container with the date received and the date removed form the
storeroom. If shelf life is a problem,
indicate on the label. Always label
bottle with the date it is opened.
13.
Maintain an
inventory of all chemicals on hand, including quantity and date received.
14.
Provide approved
explosion-proof refrigerators for all flammable chemicals that must be
refrigerated.
15.
Allow only
authorized personnel to distribute chemicals from the stockroom.
16.
Have a qualified
chemist periodically check the stockroom to ensure that all chemicals are
housed in their proper storage area, and non-compatible chemicals have been
segregated.
17. Periodically check the age of stored chemicals and properly discard any that are beyond normal shelf life. (Rule of thumb: bottles of chemicals should not remain unused on shelves in the lab for more than one week; in a storeroom near the lab for more than one month; in the main stockroom for more than one year.)
18. Regularly practice purchase and inventory control and proper management of chemicals to minimize the generation of waste.