Occupational safety in our Laboratories

Occupational safety in our Laboratories Michael Schulz With kind assistance of safety specialist M. Wied Max-Planck-Institut für Festkörperforschung, Stuttgart Occupational safety annual briefing 2015

Transport and storage of cryogens and gases Safety rules for cryogenic usage Safe handling of LASER devices Handling and storage of chemicals Occupational safety notes Overview Occupational safety annual briefing 2015

Man andcryogenor gas alwaystravelseparately thecargo-elevator forcansand gas cylinders thestaircaseorthecommonelevatorforyou Whythat? In casetheelevatorgets stuck and He or N2isleaking, youmightsuffocatebeforetheservicetechniciansgetyou out Therefore block thecargoelevatorwiththeprioritykey! Elevator worksonlywith registered smart cards (see Mr. Winzenz 3M29.1) General transportation rules for cryogens and gases Occupational safety annual briefing 2015

Priority keys for the cargo elevator: 6 D 10 inside the Dosimeter safe 7 B 11 at the doorframe on the right hand side Occupational safety annual briefing 2015

Transporting LHe- and LN2- cans • To avoid pressure build-up, always connect He-cans to the return line immediately after transport • Only unpressurized transport for LN2-cans Occupational safety annual briefing 2015

Transporting gas cylinders • Only without pressure regulating valves • Safety cap fixed on top • Use chain in cargo elevator Occupational safety annual briefing 2015

Use chains to prevent gas bottles from toppling over Close pressure regulating valve, but leave the main valve open Storage of gas cylinders Main valve Pressure regulating valve Occupational safety annual briefing 2015

Should be stored inside gas cylinder cabinet • Try to reduce amount of gas cylinders to the minimum Occupational safety annual briefing 2015

Safety precautions for refilling cryogens • Wear protective equipment • Cover skin • Wear close-toed shoes Occupational safety annual briefing 2015

Before you start check the tubes for cracks, they might break during refilling procedure • Frozen tubes are brittle, so keep your distance and beware of flying debris and cold exhaust Occupational safety annual briefing 2015

Occupational safety annual briefing 2015

Ambient medium condenses on the surface of Non-insulated ducts, transporting cold He-gas or liquid He. At first, humidity freezes as ice on the surface of the ducts. Hereafter the most dangerous state, the selective condensation of oxygen at -183°C (90 K), begins. Ice is now “washed off“ off the ducts. Oxygen is dripping from the duct. Due to increased concentration of oxygen at ground level there is a fire hazard! Refilling liquid He and N2 Occupational safety annual briefing 2015

To avoid selective condensation choose slow filling rate boil off reduced Keep electric equipment out of range of the higher oxygen concentration Occupational safety annual briefing 2015

Prior to refilling your system check tubes and valves Always wear protective clothing Choose slower filling rates Avoid refilling when you‘re alone Stop refilling LN2 and LHe immediately when exhaust turns liquid Summary Occupational safety annual briefing 2015

Our magnet systems 16 Tesla Oxford 9 Tesla PPMS and 9 Tesla Oxford 7 Tesla VSM-Squid Occupational safety annual briefing 2015

Cross section of cryostat Occupational safety annual briefing 2015

Magnet-quench A Laboratory has approx. 75 m³ capacity of breathable air,stored energy inside magnet at maximum field: 100 KJ In case of a quench this energy is yielded to the He,causing an immediate boil off of up to 40 l He. The produced amount of gas is approx. 30 m³ He-gas. Thus the oxygen concentration of the ambient air is reduced to approx. 60 %.That means 12.6 % instead of 21 %. Leave lab immediately ! lack of oxygen ! Occupational safety annual briefing 2015

Composition of atmospheric air Occupational safety annual briefing 2015

Consequences of oxygen deficiency 11 – 17 Vol% O2: unrecognized physical and mental loss of efficiency 8 – 11 Vol% O2: after several minutes without warning loss of consciousness 6 – 8 Vol% O2: unconsciousness in a few minutes < 6 Vol% O2: instant unconsciousness, after 4 minutes persistant cerebral damages, after 8 minutes death Occupational safety annual briefing 2015

Spectrum of LASER devices Occupational safety annual briefing 2015

Effects of LASER-Beams Wavelength range Effect on the eyes Effect on the skin 100-315nm Inflammation of the cornea sunburns, accelerated ageing, skin cancer Excimer-Laser UV 315-400 nm Lens opacification Increased pigmentation, skin cancer He-Ne-Laser 400-700 nm Retinal injury Darkening of pigment, burns VIS 700-1400 nm Lens opacification, retinal injury Burns High-performance diode Laser IR 1400-3000 nm Lens opacification, corneal burn Nd-YAG-Laser 3000 nm- 1mm Corneal burn CO2-Laser Occupational safety annual briefing 2015

Classification of Laser-devices acc. to BGV B2 and BGI 832 Occupational safety annual briefing 2015

Classification of Laser-devices Occupational safety annual briefing 2015

LASER RADIATIONDO NOT STARE INTO BEAMCLASS 2 LASER PRODUCT Acc. to EN 60825-1:2001 P  1 mW; = 632,8 nm Labeling of Laser-devices Warning sign Additional label with Performance parameters Laser class 1 and 1M: Need not to be labeled explicitly if performance parameters are included in the manual by the manufacturer. Occupational safety annual briefing 2015

Protection from laser irradiation Shield the laserbeam Fence off laser work area Decrease laserpower to the effectively needed energy level Avoid sphere of influence of the laserbeam Use personal safety equipment Occupational safety annual briefing 2015

Eye protection, labeling Occupational safety annual briefing 2015

Never forget to wear your personal protective equipment / check internal plant instructions Use fume hoods for working with solvents and other chemicals To dispose ask Mr. Konrad from the supply store For storage there is an hazmat cabinet in 6D12 Basics for handling chemicals Occupational safety annual briefing 2015

The supply store can provide you with tables, equipment and further advice. For Lab-coats see Ms. Bühler next to the supply store. Personal Protective Equipment Occupational safety annual briefing 2015

Handling aggressive chemicals HF burn, not evident until a day after (wikipedia) Such asHydrofluoric acid (HF) for etching samples: • Listen toinstructionsgivenbytrainedpersonnel • Beextremelycarefuland double check your PPE! • Your PPE mightbecontaminateddon‘ttouchit after removal! Occupational safety annual briefing 2015

Internal plant instructions for handling equipment and chemicals System instruction Guidelines (Institutssicherheitsordnung) Occupational safety notes Occupational safety annual briefing 2015

Internal plant instructions • In every Lab near exit • Marked with bright green arrow • Contain important instructions Occupational safety annual briefing 2015

System instruction Occupational safety annual briefing 2015

GUIDELINES AND RULES OF THE MAX PLANCK SOCIETY ON A RESPONSIBLE APPROACH TO FREEDOM OF RESEARCH AND RESEARCH RISKS * The following “Max Planck Society Guidelines and Rules on a Responsible Approach to Freedom of Research and Research Risks” were drawn up by the “Security and Defense Research” Working Group, with the support of the Ethics Council of the Max Planck Society, at the request of the Scientific Council of the Max Planck Society and were unanimously approved by both bodies. The Scientific Council of the Max Planck Society acknowledged the rules with approval at its meeting of February 18, 2010 and decided to recommend approval of the rules to the Senate of the Max Planck Society which also approved it in its meeting of March 19, 2010. Occupational safety annual briefing 2015

In case of further questions Feel free to see me in my office: 6 A 9 Occupational safety annual briefing 2015

Thank you for your attention! Occupational safety annual briefing 2015

Occupational safety in our Laboratories