Safety Moments Topic: Hazard Identification and Hierarchy of Controls A Safety Moment is a brief safety talk about a specific subject at the beginning of a meeting or shift. Also known as safety minutes or safety chats, these talks can be done in a variety of ways, but are typically a brief (2-5 minute) discussion on a safety related topic. They can cover a variety of safety topics and remind employees of the importance of being safe; at work, at home and in all aspects of our lives. Use one slide per Safety Moment (unless specified).

Hierarchy of Controls The 5 steps to controlling laboratory hazards 1) Elimination.  2) Substitution.  3) Engineering controls.  4) Administration controls.  5) Personal Protective Equipment.  As stated earlier, wearing appropriate PPE is important.  While we try to not depend on it as a primary protective measure it can still reduce serious injury and even death if the other 4 steps above fail. Below is a visual graphic to emphasize the above steps from the The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/hierarchy/           -- 

Hierarchy of controls

Hierarchy of Controls: Elimination: Do you need to do the experiment or activity at all?  Or, are there portions of the process where you can eliminate chemicals, materials or energy sources?

Hierarchy of Controls: Substitutions: Can you substitute a safer activity such as using a chemical or energy source that is less hazardous or by reducing the amount of chemical or energy needed to complete the experiment? Chemical Substitutions: Instead of : Consider: Benzene Toluene, Cyclohexane, Ketones Carbon tetrachloride 1,1,1- trichloroethane or Isopropyl alcohol Diethyl ether (extractions) Hexanes Chromate ion (oxidation) Hypochlorite ion Formaldehyde (bio preservation) Ethanol or commercial product (ex. Formalternate) Methanol Ethanol, anhydrous Mineral oil Silicon oil K or Na (reactive group 1 metals) Ca or Mg Strong Acid (HCl) / Base (OH-) Acetic acid / bicarbonate Benzoyl peroxide (catalyst) 30% Hydrogen peroxide or Lauroyl Peroxide

Hierarchy of Controls: Engineering Controls: Isolating the activity from people.  Common lab engineering controls are guards on equipment, using mechanical devices (instead of your hands) to manipulate items and ventilation (both room ventilation and specialized ventilation such as fume hoods and snorkels). 

Hierarchy of Controls: Administrative Controls: Training people to be aware of potential hazards, how to do things correctly and to reduce the amount of time spent being exposed to the activity.  This is often a category in many labs that could be improved.  Some examples include: doing a hazard analysis prior to the experiment, writing and following Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and training and practicing an activity prior to using the chemicals or equipment.

Hierarchy of Controls: Personal Protective Equipment: Is the last line of defense if the other controls fail. It protects the user from coming into contact or exposing themselves to the hazardous equipment or agent. It is least effective because it relies on the person to wear it correctly, it must be in good working order and must be the right PPE for the hazard.