Safety in Laboratories Department of Chemical Engineering University of Sydney

Chemical Engineering Safety is compulsory NSW Occupational Health and Safety Act 1983 NSW Occupational Health and Safety Act 1983 Occupational Health and Safety (Hazardous Substances) Regulation 1996 Occupational Health and Safety (Hazardous Substances) Regulation 1996 Penalty for breach: Penalty for breach:  $ for a corporation  $ for an individual

Chemical Engineering Locations Corridors and stairs Corridors and stairs (Emergency) Exits (Emergency) Exits (Emergency) Telephones (Emergency) Telephones Fire extinguishers Fire extinguishers Fire alarms Fire alarms Evacuation assembly point Evacuation assembly point

Chemical Engineering Telephone numbers (935#-####) Security (emergency) Security (emergency) Security (non-emergency) Security (non-emergency) Fire, police, ambulance0 000 Fire, police, ambulance0 000 Chemical Engineering administration office Chemical Engineering administration office

Chemical Engineering In an emergency Keep calm Keep calm Tell someone about it: the Floor Wardens, fellow Workers, your Supervisor, others in the area Tell someone about it: the Floor Wardens, fellow Workers, your Supervisor, others in the area Call the Security Emergency Centre (1 3333) and/or Police/Fire Brigade/Ambulance (0 000) Call the Security Emergency Centre (1 3333) and/or Police/Fire Brigade/Ambulance (0 000) Be ready to describe where you are and what is wrong (fire, medical or criminal) Be ready to describe where you are and what is wrong (fire, medical or criminal) Leave the building if the type of emergency warrants it, or if directed by Wardens/Security Leave the building if the type of emergency warrants it, or if directed by Wardens/Security Go to your assembly point Go to your assembly point

Chemical Engineering Forms Occupational injury, illness or incident report Occupational injury, illness or incident report Request for disposal of hazardous waste Request for disposal of hazardous waste Laboratory work permit Laboratory work permit Permit to operate unattended equipment Permit to operate unattended equipment

Chemical Engineering Laboratory hazards 1. Biological, e.g. pathogenic micro- organisms, biological tissues, animals 2. Chemical, e.g. corrosives, flammables, toxics 3. Physical, e.g. noise, radiation 4. Electrical/mechanical, e.g. high voltage apparatus, machinery with moving parts 5. Psychological, e.g. emotional stress

Chemical Engineering Industrial hazards extremes of temperature extremes of temperature extremes of pressure extremes of pressure noise noise machinery machinery dangerous materials dangerous materials slips, trips and falls slips, trips and falls over exertion over exertion fire and explosion fire and explosion electricity electricity “hostile” environments “hostile” environments systems of work systems of work

Laboratory organization Tidy workplaces Tidy workplaces Moving parts Moving parts Electrical safety Electrical safety Physical containment Physical containment Protective equipment Protective equipment Separate storage areas for different classes of dangerous goods Separate storage areas for different classes of dangerous goods

Chemical Engineering Dangerous goods classes 1. Explosives 2. Compressed gases 3. Flammable liquids 4. Flammable solids and reactive substances 5. Oxidizing agents 6. Toxic and infectious substances 7. Radioactive substances 8. Corrosive substances

Chemical Engineering Safe handling of chemicals Order through: Order through:  your supervisor  Safety Officer Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) Labeling Labeling

Chemical Engineering MSDS Identification codes Identification codes Health hazards Health hazards Precautions Precautions Protective equipment Protective equipment Emergency Emergency First aid First aid Safe handling Safe handling Physical and chemical properties Physical and chemical properties

Chemical Engineering Chem Alert II MSDS may be downloaded from the University Risk Management Office website: Chem Alert II MSDS may be downloaded from the University Risk Management Office website: Chem Alert II

Chemical Engineering Labeling Staining solution Methanol 5 % v/v Acetic acid 7 % v/v Water88 % v/v Your Name Date/Month/Year

Chemical Engineering Waste disposal Wastes should be segregated: Wastes should be segregated:  Non-hazardous waste  Hazardous waste Hazardous waste should be segregated: Hazardous waste should be segregated:  Store in an approved dangerous goods container available  Label the container

Chemical Engineering Mercury spillage Contain the area of the spill Contain the area of the spill Pick-up droplets using pasteur pipette, eye-dropper, suction bottle, or strips of adhesive tape, avoiding skin contact Pick-up droplets using pasteur pipette, eye-dropper, suction bottle, or strips of adhesive tape, avoiding skin contact Sprinkle sulphur powder or proprietry products like Mercurisorb, HgX on contaminated area, using at least twice as much powder as volume of spill Sprinkle sulphur powder or proprietry products like Mercurisorb, HgX on contaminated area, using at least twice as much powder as volume of spill Leave for 24 hours Leave for 24 hours Use sodium thiosulphate (photographic fixer) solution to further decontaminate area once mercury has been collected Use sodium thiosulphate (photographic fixer) solution to further decontaminate area once mercury has been collected Place mercury and other agents in a container and deliver to safety officer Place mercury and other agents in a container and deliver to safety officer

Chemical Engineering Smoking prohibited Smoking is completely banned in University occupied buildings and University owned vehicles

Chemical Engineering Department of Chemical Engineering safety policies This may be accessed from the Department of Chemical Engineering homepage This may be accessed from the Department of Chemical Engineering homepage

Chemical Engineering University of Sydney safety policies Guidelines on laboratory safety Guidelines on laboratory safety Guidelines for working with hazardous substances Guidelines for working with hazardous substances Clinical and related wastes: Guidelines for management Clinical and related wastes: Guidelines for management Guidelines for hazardous waste disposal Guidelines for hazardous waste disposal Decontamination and disposal of biological wastes Decontamination and disposal of biological wastes notes/biosafety/decontamination.html notes/biosafety/decontamination.html

Chemical Engineering Occupational Health and Safety University of Sydney Occupational Health and Safety Policy University of Sydney Occupational Health and Safety Policy The Risk Management Office maintains a manual The Risk Management Office maintains a manual

Chemical Engineering Australian Standard 2243: Safety in laboratories AS General AS General AS Chemical aspects AS Chemical aspects AS Microbiology AS Microbiology AS Ionizing radiations AS Ionizing radiations AS Non-ionizing radiations AS Non-ionizing radiations AS Mechanical aspects AS Mechanical aspects AS Electrical aspects AS Electrical aspects AS Fume cupboards AS Fume cupboards AS Recirculating fume cabinets AS Recirculating fume cabinets AS Storage of chemicals AS Storage of chemicals

Chemical Engineering Security Front door and back gate remain closed at all times Front door and back gate remain closed at all times Never leave the building alone after hours Never leave the building alone after hours Ask identification of strangers Ask identification of strangers Never leave valuables unattended Never leave valuables unattended Security bus available after hours Security bus available after hours

Chemical Engineering Security bus route