College of William and Maryat the Applied Research Center

Employee Safety Guidelines

Getting to knowEnvironmental, Health & Safety

Web site: http://web.wm.edu/facman/safety/Web site: http://web.wm.edu/facman/safety/

Industrial Safety Fire Safety Laboratory Safety Radiation Safety Recycling Safety Data Sheets Management Respiratory Protection Program CPR/First Aid Training

Industrial Safety Fire Safety Laboratory Safety Radiation Safety Recycling Safety Data Sheets Management Respiratory Protection Program CPR/First Aid Training

Why are you here?

• Hazardous Communication

• Free Lunch discussing SAFETY

• Personal Protective Equipment

• Laboratory Safety Equipment

• Lab Maintenance

• Emergency Procedures

• Handling Cryogenics and Gases

• Need to Know/Nice to Know

Hazardous Communication

• Signs• Labels• Safety Data Sheets (SDS)• Warning Devices• Lab Protocols & Standard

Operating Procedures (SOP)

• Training• Supervision/daily

oversight• On-the-job

reminders/corrections

NFPA Hazard Diamond

Chemical LabelGlobal Harmonization System

Safety Data Sheets (SDS)• Previously known as MSDS• Details information about the

nature of a chemical – Physical and chemical properties– Health– Safety– Fire – Environmental hazards

Where do I find the College’s MSDSs? http://www.wm.edu/facman/safety/msds.php

Applied Research CenterEmployee Safety

Guidelines

Necessary Attire Proper attire in the lab is very important

Personal Protective Equipment • Job Specific

– Check standard operating procedure before performing a new task

» Pouring liquid Nitrogen » Cutting samples at the work bench

– Protective equipment such as gloves and earplugs are available in all of the labs.

• Always wear Close-toed shoes

Safe PracticesKeep long hair or clothing away from your immediate work area.

Create potential hazards when working with moving equipment and electrical devices.

Wear gloves Handling, loading or unloading

samples Cleaning the lab or equipment

Lab Coats Wear when dealing with caustic

chemicals to protect you from a spill Do not store clean lab coats with

soiled lab coats

Necessary Attire Proper attire in the lab is very important

DON’T DO

Necessary Attire Proper attire in the lab is very important

– Employees wearing unsafe or inappropriate attire will be asked to leave work and

return later with proper dress

– Pay will be forfeited for the lost time

– Repeated violation of this or any safety procedure will result in written notification to your lab sponsor.

Lab Maintenance (Housekeeping)

Any space you use in the lab is to be kept clean and organized.

While you are working in the labs, use these Safe Practices:

•Make sure everything you need is clean and ready to use.

• Ensure all of your samples and containers are labeled.

• Clean up the workspace you used, and clean and return all tools and equipment to their proper place.

•If you have to store containers or samples, place them in a drawer, cabinet, or in the fume hood if necessary.

•Please do not leave work out on the bench while you are not there to attend to it.

Poor Housekeeping

Proper Housekeeping

Lab Maintenance (Housekeeping)

Lab Maintenance (Housekeeping)

Lab Maintenance (Liquid Chemicals and Solvents)

• Never pour chemicals down the drain nor dispose of contaminated material in ordinary trash.

• EPA guidelines are very strict regarding what goes down the drain, and waste-water testing is performed frequently to make sure labs are not disposing of chemicals in the sink.

• Common solvents used at the ARC include Isopropanol, Methanol, and Acetone.

• Use these solvents in small amounts and inside of a fume hood.

• Other used liquids should be kept in properly labeled waste containers and disposed of during the next chemical waste pickup.

Lab Maintenance (Liquid Chemicals and Solvents)

•Hazardous waste must be labeled with start date and constituents

•Waste containers must be closed when not in use.

•Waste stored in fume hoods should be in secondary containment.

Handling Gas Cylinders• Gas Cylinders

– Heavy

– Difficult to move

– Contain high pressure

• Dropping or Damaging a gas cylinder

– Rapid loss of pressure making the making the cylinder into a gas propelled missile.

– Less severe damage

• May result in the slow expulsion of gas

• Displaces oxygen

• Causes a suffocation hazard

Handling Gas Cylinders

• When transporting a gas cylinder a distance of more than a few feet, you must use the cart provided for carrying cylinders.

• Always make sure, whether the cylinder is on the cart or on a cylinder rack that it is secured by a strap or chain. Never leave a gas cylinder unsecured.

If you accidentally drop a gas cylinder, or you see one about to drop, do not try and catch it. Instead, move away from the cylinder, avoiding possible injury due to gases escaping from a broken valve or the potential projectile-cylinder.

Transporting Gas Cylinders

Handling Gas Cylinders

To move a gas cylinder from one floor of the building to another, call at least one other person to assist you.

1. Have the person helping you wait at the elevator of the floor you are sending the cylinder.

2. Load the cylinder on the cart into an empty elevator, making sure the warning sign is visible. Press the number for the floor you want to send the cylinder to and exit the elevator. Do not ride in an elevator with a gas cylinder.

If an elevator door opens when it is carrying a gas cylinder, do not enter the elevator. Wait for the elevator to pass and then press the elevator call button again.

Transporting Gas Cylinders

Handling Liquid Nitrogen

• Some of the equipment at the ARC requires liquid nitrogen to function.

• When filling dewars with liquid nitrogen, wear the temperature shielding cryo-gloves, face shield and goggle to protect you from any spills or gas plumes.

• Always wear long pants and close-toed shoes when pouring or transporting liquid nitrogen as any skin contact will cause a burn.

Handling Liquid NitrogenPouring Liquid Nitrogen

• When pouring liquid nitrogen into another dewar or into lab equipment, use caution and have the necessary tools ready.

– Use a funnel capable of withstanding the temperature change to avoid spills.

– Always wear the temperature shielding gloves, face shield, goggles, long pants and shoes.

• DO NOT try and lift a dewar that is too heavy for you

• DO NOT pour liquid nitrogen at any level above your shoulders.

• DO NOT try to pour liquid nitrogen into equipment when you are alone.

– Always have someone nearby to help you in case of difficulty. NOTE: Spilling LN2 on floors

will cause damage to vinyl tiles, which is costly to repair.

Electrical Safety Inspect your equipment's cords and plugs

periodically. Look for damaged cord jackets, loose or broken plug blades,

evidence of overheating, and separation of the plug from the cord.

Extension cords should only be used as a temporary measure (90 days) .

Power strips are acceptable for use of several low-current devices such as computers and their peripherals. The strips must have built-in over-current and voltage surge protection. Avoid daisy chaining

Never use "zip” cords for an extension cord. Keep appliances away from water.

For More Information: http://www.jlab.org/ehs/manual/PDF/6210T2ExtensionCords.pdf

Lab Safety Equipment

• All of William and Mary’s labs at the ARC are stocked with standard safety equipment.

– Know the location and proper use of fire extinguishers and other pertinent safety equipment in your area.

• Fire extinguishers are marked and mounted near the entrance to the labs as well as in the lab hallways.

Lab Safety EquipmentIn Case of an Emergency

Eye wash stations are next to the sink in every lab, as well as combination safety shower and eyewash stations in the hallways.

Please learn to locate eyewash stations, preferably with your eyes closed.

Emergency phone numbers are listed on Jlab safety cards on all the phones and are also posted on the inside of the lab door.

Always learn the location of all of the safety equipment you will need in the lab and in case of an emergency.

Emergency Procedures

Employees are expected to be familiar with emergency procedures for their work area and any special procedures regarding equipment or materials.

IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY OR SERIOUS INJURY,

CALL 911 AND THEN CALL 5822.

If any accident or other incident occurs, notify your supervisor, no matter how insignificant it may seem.

If an alarm sounds in a building you are in, evacuate the building immediately, avoid elevators and any hazards such as gas plumes or spills.

Be familiar with several possible exits, as you may have to avoid these types of hazards in an emergency evacuation.

Emergency Procedures

http://www.jlab.org/intralab/emergency/phonecard.pdf

Need To Know and Nice to Know Laboratory Accidents •Nine out of ten lab accidents are caused by operator error

– Due to operator fatigue, inattentive, or haste

•Other common causes – Improper use of equipment– Use of the wrong tool for

the job– Poor equipment

maintenance

Minimize Risk and Exposure •Assume that all substances of unknown toxicity are toxic •Chemicals cause harm through

• Inhalation• Ingestion• Skin contact

•Wear appropriate personal protective equipment •Don’t take short cuts•Think Safety

Questions???

• College of William & Mary Environment, Health, & Safety– http://www.wm.edu/facman/safety/index.php

• Jefferson Lab Environment, Health, & Safety– http://www.jlab.org/ehs/manual/PDF/

EHSbookTOC.pdf

Exposure PreventionExposure PreventionExposure PreventionExposure Prevention

The best way to prevent exposure to airborne substances is to prevent their escape into the working atmosphere by the use of ventilation devices such as fume hoods and exhaust fans

Best way to protect against ingestion hazards is to prohibit eating, drinking, smoking and applying cosmetics in the lab.

The best way to protect against skin contact with substances is to wear personal protective equipment (gloves, safety glasses, lab coat, long pants, closed-toe shoes).