© Imperial College London 1 Safety in the Laboratory Dr. Ann Maconnachie Departmental Safety Officer Chemical Engineering

Safety in the Laboratory Behaviour in the laboratories C.O.S.H.H. risk assessments (Control Of Substances Hazardous to Health regulations 2002) Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Laboratory Safety Offence Handling Chemicals Electrical Safety Use of Fume Cupboards Handling hot or cold items What to do if an accident and near miss occurs

Safety in the Laboratory BEHAVIOUR IN THE LABORATORIES A tidy lab is essential for a safe working environment. Keep all work areas free from clutter. Do not block passageways with bags etc. Eating and drinking in the labs is forbidden. Do not put on make-up or use phones or MP3 players. Students are only allowed in the labs in the timetabled period e.g. 2 to 5pm for 1 st year students.

Safety in the Laboratory C.O.S.H.H. RISK ASSESSMENTS Risk assessments must be carried out on all hazardous substances. Hazardous substances are those classified as: Toxic, Harmful, Irritant, or Corrosive Any substance with a Workplace Exposure Limit Dust and bacteria of any kind, or Anything else which may be hazardous to health e.g. asphyxiants

Safety in the Laboratory C.O.S.H.H. RISK ASSESSMENTS A risk assessment identifies the hazards inherent in the substance and estimates the likelihood that it will cause harm. RISK = HAZARD x LIKELIHOOD OF EXPOSURE A COSHH assessment has been made on all the chemicals that you will use Make sure that you understand the hazards and any control measures that are necessary and follow them

Safety in the Laboratory PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE) PPE is provided free of charge for you to wear Make sure that you follow any instructions on what PPE you must wear ALWAYS wear your lab coat and eye protection when working in the labs or the pilot plant. ALWAYS wear a hard hat in the pilot plant laboratory You will be given instructions about when to wear gloves or ear-defenders.

Safety in the Laboratory LABORATORY SAFETY OFFENCE Not wearing safety glasses Not wearing hard hat in the Pilot Plant Using MP3/IPOD Eating or drinking in the lab Or any other offence eg using a mobile phone Penalties First offence – written warning Second offence – 5% deduction from Final report mark Third offence – Laboratory ban – no more experimental access

Safety in the Laboratory HANDLING CHEMICALS Wear appropriate PPE. Label all bottles and containers clearly. Do not carry bottles by the neck. If you spill or drop chemicals inform the technician. NEVER put waste chemicals down the sink. ALWAYS put them in the appropriate waste container. If in doubt ask the technician or demonstrator.

Safety in the Laboratory ELECTRICAL SAFETY All equipment in the labs is tested regularly to ensure that it is safe for you to use. If any equipment is faulty or ceases to work inform the technician in charge of the lab straightaway DO NOT use faulty equipment

Safety in the Laboratory USE OF FUME CUPBOARDS Make sure that you keep the sash down when the experiment is running. Avoid putting your head inside the fume-cupboard if at all possible. Try to work with only your hands inside the cupboard. Before you start work make sure that the fume cupboard is working If in doubt ask the technician.

Safety in the Laboratory HANDLING HOT OR COLD ITEMS Remember that cold materials e.g. dry ice or liquid nitrogen can burn your skin as much as heat. Ensure that you protect your hands and face from splashes Wear appropriate gloves and face protection Do not touch the heating surface of a hot-plate or heater unless you are sure that it is cold. ALWAYS keep flammable materials or solvents away from ignition sources e.g. heaters or electric motors.

Safety in the Laboratory WHAT TO DO IF AN ACCIDENT OR NEAR-MISS OCCURS Accidents cause injury Near-misses might have caused injury ALL accidents and near-misses MUST be reported Inform the technician or demonstrator immediately. Lists of first–aiders can be found opposite the lifts.

Safety in the Laboratory Finally – look on our web-site for more safety information : althandsafetyinformation