Safety in the Department of Organic Chemistry An introduction for researchers in Organic Chemistry on the C-floor and in labs B9, B11, B46 and B47 Prof. Simon Woodward

University Safety Organisation

Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) This Act places duties on all employed persons to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and the health and safety of others who may be affected by what they do, or omit to do. In addition every employee has a duty to co-operate with their employer and must not intentionally or recklessly interfere with or misuse anything provided in the interest of health, safety, or welfare. Thus, everyone bears a statutory responsibility for taking due care in the laboratory, for observing appropriate precautions, and taking necessary preventative measures when carrying out operations. Remember that there is always an element of danger present in a laboratory. You will be in frequent contact with potentially dangerous materials or equipment, careless or improper use of which can result in a serious accident, even physical injury. In research work it is particularly important to try and anticipate problems; make sure that you are always properly briefed. Do your homework! If in doubt – ask!

Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH, 1990) It is a criminal offence for any work using potentially toxic materials to proceed without a proper risk assessment first having been made. The object of an assessment is the elimination or adequate control of risks to health. Risk is a function of both hazard (potential of a substance to impair health) and exposure potential (extent to which a substance may enter, or come into contact with, the body). RISK = HAZARD x EXPOSURE POTENTIAL Each of these experiments must be separately assessed using the standard COSHH assessment grid in your lab. notebook. Your project supervisor (or nominee) must check and sign the assessment before you start the experiment. High risk experiments (Category A) must be directly supervised. Undergraduates are not allowed to work when the laboratory is not manned by postgraduates. Inexperienced Researchers (Undergraduate Project Students, 1st Year PhD students) Failure to carry out COSHH assessments will be treated as a serious offence, and will lead to immediate suspension from laboratory work. All Researchers Risk Categories A This activity must be directly supervised. B The supervisor's advice and approval must be sought before the task is started. C The work involves risks requiring careful attention to the safety related aspects of it, but the worker has been trained in the task and has demonstrated competence. D Tasks in this category carry no undue risks. (In preparative work, very few reactions fall into this category).

Further details of how to carry out COSHH assessments, including worked examples can be found in the Safety Handbook

Incidents DO Happen... Chemistry Building, 3 rd Floor, Nottingham University

...And People DO Get Hurt UCLA Chemical accident left a research assistant with fatal burns The 23-year-old graduate was using a syringe to extract from a sealed container a small quantity of t-butyl lithium -- a chemical compound that ignites instantly when exposed to air. As she withdrew the liquid, the syringe came apart in her hands, spewing flaming chemicals. A flash fire set her clothing ablaze and spread second- and third-degree burns over 43% of her body. Eighteen days later, she died in a hospital burn unit. Two months earlier, UCLA safety inspectors found more than a dozen deficiencies in the same lab, among the findings: Employees were not wearing requisite protective lab coats, and flammable liquids and volatile chemicals were stored improperly. But the required corrective action was not taken, records show, and on the day of the incident all that stood between Sangji's torso and the fire that engulfed her was a highly flammable, synthetic sweater that fueled the flames. (extract from Los Angeles Times, 2009)

This Was Avoidable UCLA Chemical accident left a research assistant with fatal burns The 23-year-old graduate was using a syringe to extract from a sealed container a small quantity of t-butyl lithium -- a chemical compound that ignites instantly when exposed to air. As she withdrew the liquid, the syringe came apart in her hands, spewing flaming chemicals. A flash fire set her clothing ablaze and spread second- and third-degree burns over 43% of her body. Eighteen days later, she died in a hospital burn unit. Two months earlier, UCLA safety inspectors found more than a dozen deficiencies in the same lab, among the findings: Employees were not wearing requisite protective lab coats, and flammable liquids and volatile chemicals were stored improperly. But the required corrective action was not taken, records show, and on the day of the incident all that stood between Sangji's torso and the fire that engulfed her was a highly flammable, synthetic sweater that fueled the flames. (extract from Los Angeles Times, 2009) always wear a lab. coat when handling chemicals

This Was Avoidable UCLA Chemical accident left a research assistant with fatal burns The 23-year-old graduate was using a syringe to extract from a sealed container a small quantity of t-butyl lithium -- a chemical compound that ignites instantly when exposed to air. As she withdrew the liquid, the syringe came apart in her hands, spewing flaming chemicals. A flash fire set her clothing ablaze and spread second- and third-degree burns over 43% of her body. Eighteen days later, she died in a hospital burn unit. Two months earlier, UCLA safety inspectors found more than a dozen deficiencies in the same lab, among the findings: Employees were not wearing requisite protective lab coats, and flammable liquids and volatile chemicals were stored improperly. But the required corrective action was not taken, records show, and on the day of the incident all that stood between Sangji's torso and the fire that engulfed her was a highly flammable, synthetic sweater that fueled the flames. (extract from Los Angeles Times, 2009) always read safety reports and act on recommendations

Good Laboratory Practice Plan ahead and make sure that you understand what you are doing Be aware of what your neighbours are doing Make sure you know the location of fire extinguishers and other saftey equipment Awareness Keep your work areas tidy Clean up any spillages or dirty apparatus immediately Make sure that any waste is correctly labelled and disposed of appropriately Make sure that broken glassware and sharps are disposed of in the correct bins Tidyness and Cleanliness Make sure you are aware of all potential hazards before starting an experiment (COSHH) Avoid skin contact, ingestion, and inhalation of all chemical substances Do not use damaged equipment or chipped/cracked glassware Always check electrical equipment for damage before use Never eat or drink in the laboratory Remember that the laboratory is not a playground! Avoiding Hazards Always wear saftey glasses in the laboratory Always wear an approved laboratory coat in the laboratory Use gloves were appropriate Make sure that all of the above are removed when exiting the laboratory Personal Protection

Further details of good laboratory practice can be found in the Safety Handbook

Accidents All laboratories have an eye wash station and emergency shower, and a first-aid box located nearby A list of staff trained in first aid can be found on the Safety website Minor injuries can be treated at Cripps Health Centre Serious injuries should be taken to QMC Accident and Emergency First Aid All accidents should be reported to an appropriate member of staff (e.g. supervisor) and via the on-line form on the Saftey website In an emergency phone security on ext Reporting an Accident

Further details of what to do in the case of an accident can be found in the Safety Handbook

Emergency Procedures Familiarize yourself with the various exit routes from your working areas. Be sure that you know the location of the nearest telephone, fire alarm, extinguishers, fire bucket, fire blanket and safety station for other equipment. All researchers should know the position of fire extinguishers, fire blankets, etc. in their research area. Be Prepared Raise the alarm immediately. Do not try to contain the emergency situation unless it is within your competence to do so. Evacuate the building by the nearest fire exit. Emergency Situation If practical, make all apparatus safe (e.g. turn off all heating sources). Close windows and doors on leaving, but leave the lights on. If you are the last person to leave a room or laboratory, alter the slide indicator on the door so that the green sector is visible. Evacuate the building. DO NOT USE THE LIFT. Assemble in the area between the Chemistry Building and the Physics Building (at least 20 metres away from the building). Do not re-enter the building unless told it is safe to do so by the Assembly Point Officer. On Hearing the Emergency (Fire) Alarm The emergency alarm is a continuous-sounding siren. It is tested just before every Monday.

Further details of Emergency Procedures can be found in the Safety Handbook

Key University of Nottingham Safety Rules All new researchers must read the safety manual and sign the declaration form at the end. Safety glasses must be worn at all times in the laboratories. Laboratory coats are essential wear for Organic experimental work. Bare arms and bare legs are not allowed for experimental work. Note that lab. coats, gloves, etc. should not be worn outside the laboratory. All researchers should know the position of fire extinguishers, fire blankets, etc. in their research area. No one may carry out experimental work whilst alone in the laboratories. All COSHH assessments must be completed before preparative experiments are attempted. Compound hazards should be noted on whiteboards outside labs on a daily basis. Red pen should be used for stench chemicals. Eating, drinking, smoking, or the use of mobile phones, radios, cassette players etc. are forbidden. Overnight or unattended experiments must carry a completed overnight card. Risk experiments must have been independently checked, and the card countersigned by the research supervisor or nominee. All persons present in the Department out of hours (08.30–18.00, Monday–Friday) must sign the 'out- of-hours' register. All unauthorized experiments are expressly forbidden. These rules are in place for your own protection. Contravention of any rule is regarded as a serious offence, and disciplinary proceedings will follow.

Enjoy Your Chemistry Stay Safe