Introduction to Safe Working for Scientific Research Workers and Post Graduate Students at

1. Introduction to Safe Working for Scientific Research Workers and Post Graduate Studentsat Sutton Bonington SARAH WATSON Assistant Safety Officer University Safety Office, ext 13301

2. Programme • Safety Why bother - Legislation Organisation Costs • General Precautions • Specific Hazards • Biological agents - Working to the Code

3. SAFETY - WHY BOTHER? • LEGAL DUTY • MORAL DUTY • ££££££££

4. Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 • Section 2 & 3 - Duties towards employees & othersEnsure, so far as is reasonably practicable, health, safety and welfare at work

5. Duties towards employees & people affected by undertaking [visitors/students] • provide and maintain equipment and procedures • use, handling, storage and transport of articles and substances • information, instruction, training and supervision • safe place of work and access/egress • welfare facilities - toilets, washing facilities

6. General First aid Fire Noise Lead Asbestos Highly flammable liq Ionising Radiations Coshh Genetic modification Electricity Pressure systems Work equipment PPE Manual Handling Display Screen Equip Legislation

7. Responsibilities • Academic Supervisors Identify hazards & risks Written procedures Ensure effective supervision & training to full competency • Demonstrators [employees] • Understand the practical • Know the hazards/precautions • Be ready to intervene • Action in case of accidents

8. RESPONSIBILITIES [S. 7 & 8 HSAWA] INDIVIDUALS - THAT MEANS YOU - Work safely - Follow instructions & rules - Don’t endanger others - Don’t misuse safety equipment - Report problems /unsafe situations NO HORSEPLAY - IT’S DANGEROUS!

9. University Organisation

10. ££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££ WHEN SOMETHING GOES WRONG!

13. Incompatible Chemicals in Waste Solvent

14. COST OF ACCIDENTS & WORK RELATED Ill HEALTH IN EDUCATION SECTOR ILL HEALTH £110 - 170 M ] INJURY £50M ] total £220 - 480M Non Injury Accidents £70-260 M ]

15. Postgraduates at Risk • 30 - 40 accidents per year • 50% handling sharps • Others • chemical exposure • slips and knocks • hot/cold contact • animals • manual handling

16. substances toxic/ carcinogens flammable Biological material Allergens noise vibration radiation[ ion/non-ion] electricity machinery pressure systems display screen equip manual handling mech. handling transport falls, falling objects slips, trips Typical Hazards

17. General Lab Safety • Risk Assessment • Training Needs/Records (Personal Dev Folder) • Fire • Accidents & First Aid • Glassware Safety • Housekeeping • Late Working • Unattended Experiments

18. Risk Assessment • Legal Requirement • Before work starts • Identify hazards • Look at controls in place • What improvements are needed? • Incorporate precautions in protocols See School Procedures

19. Training Records • Training log/Personal Dev Folder [RCOP] • Personal to you • Courses, procedures, equipment • Records who has trained you in these • Confirms attainment of competence to work unsupervised

20. Video • Practicing Safe Science

21. COSHH Risk assessment • Nature of hazard - harm that can be caused • Properties [toxicity, flammability] • quantity to be used • form • duration and frequency of use

23. Exposure Routes Exposure Routes – how can harm be caused? • Inhalation • Ingestion • Skin Contact/penetration- absorption, cuts

24. Decide on control measures • Eliminate or substitute, justify use. • Engineering - contain, extract [ FCs/MSCs] • Handling controls - e.g.avoiding aerosols • Personal protection • Information Training, supervision • Health surveillance/screening/vaccination Other considerations Storage Transport Disposal Emergencies - spills, first aid

25. PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT [PPE] Last resort not first line of defence Lab Coats - must be worn in lab, fastened, remove before entering offices/clean areas Type - side fastening with cuffs - biological work Gloves - correct type for work - latex vs nitrile, - powder free - worker vs product protection Eye/ face - mandatory in certain areas, or subject to RA protection - personal - if not cleaning regime - suitable for purpose RPE - half masks, full masks, powered hoods - fit critical to protection Footware - no open toe/canvas shoes in labs/risk areas

26. Workplace Exposure Limits • Where there is exposure to a substance hazardous to health, control of that • exposure shall only be treated as adequate if • the principles of good practice for the control of exposure to substances hazardous to health are applied; • any workplace exposure limit approved for that substance is not exceeded • Given in ppm and mg/m3 • Time averaged concentration in air • Long term (8 hours) • Short term (15 minutes) - STEL

27. EXAMPLES OF SUBSTANCE WITH WEL [mg/m3] [mg/m3] 8hr 15mins Formaldehyde 2.5 2.5 Acrylamide 0.3 - Benzene 1.0 - Acetone 1210 3620 Bromine 0.66 2 Methanol 266 333 Toluene 191 574 Xylene 220 441 HW dust 5 - Grain dust 10 - If substance does not have WEL it does not mean it is safe - check MSDS/seek advice

28. Regulated Chemicals/substances • Schedule One Poisons • Very Toxic/carcinogens • Locked cabinet and restricted access • Chemical/Biological Warfare Materials • sarin, soman, tabun, VX • Sulphur & Nitrogen Mustards • Lewisites • Saxitoxin, Ricin, • Schedule 5 pathogens [ e.g Vibrio Cholera] • Toxins e.g. Botox, Tetrodotoxin, Verotoxin, Staphlococcal toxins, Conotoxin

29. Flammable Liquids • Flashpoint - temp. to form a flammable atmosphere • Flammable FP < 55C • Highly Flammable FP < 32 C • Extremely Flammable FP < 21 C • Flammability range - 1 to 15 % in air

30. Flammable Liquids • Precautions • avoid vapour release • store in solvent bin [ 50l max per room] • never store with acids/oxidising agent • stoppered labelled containers • minimum quantities on bench < 500ml • enclosed carriers for Winchesters • spark-proof fridges • beware of - static build up on large scale decanting - Flammable atmospheres /heavy vapours • know spillage procedure - clear up immediately

31. Latex Allergy • latex can cause skin/respiratory sensitation. • 1% of population may react. • history of asthma, dermatitis, eczema, hayfever • Immediate • local or generalised spots and swelling (5-30 mins) • Delayed (peaks 24-48 hours then subsides) • red rash on back of hands / between the fingers • skin may become leathery and develop blisters • Seek advice from Occ Health if skin/resp symptoms • Latex alternatives & powder free gloves

32. Explosion in a Microwave Oven • Heating 300 ml media in 1 litre Duran bottle. • Cap swelled and sealed bottle which then exploded. • Debris hurled 3m across lab - unoccupied!!! • Use foam or Kim Wipe neck inserts.

33. Noise [Noise at Work Regs 1989] • Daily Noise Dose • exposure = intensity x duration • 3 dB = twice intensity thus half duration • Control Levels • <85 dB(A) - negligible risk • 85 - 90 dB(A) - small risk • inform of risk & HP available on request • >90 dB(A) - high risk - control at source compulsory HP audiometry [OHD via SSO]

34. Pressure Systems • Stored energy • Steam • Gas or vapours > 0.5 bar • Boilers, autoclaves, air receivers, reactors • 250 bar/litre for system • Requirements • Design/construction • safe operating limits • Written scheme for examinations • Written operating instructions • Notify Estate Office

35. Lasers/Ionising Radiation • Separate Introductions • Local rules for safe use • Health/medical checks

36. LABORATORY U.V SOURCES [280nm - 400nm] Examples: Transilluminators, gel docs, hand held lamps Biocidal lamps, Mercury vapour lamps [uv spec] Health Effects: Sunburn, cancer, eye damage Safety precautions Interlocks/enclosure UV opaque shielding UV opaque visor Cover exposed skin Restrict access to area Associated hazards : Ethidium Bromide Mercury

37. Electricity • 50 V AC can KILL • Electricity at Work Regulations • design, construction, maintenance • earthing, fusing, isolation, insulation • live working [special precautions] • University Code of Practice • Periodic inspection/testing - usually annual - sticker? • User visual checks plugs, cable & socket, evidence of overheating, casing • Report all defects • All repairs by workshops • Avoid - overloading sockets/ [max 3kW/multiboard] - long extension leads[trips /heating ]

38. Cryogenic Liquids • Asphyxiation • <18% O2 (spills > 143ml LN/m3 : 1:700) • confined spaces, DO NOT TRAVEL IN LIFT • Cold Burns • eye protection - goggles/visors/specs • hands - non absorbent insulated gloves eg leather. Sleeves over ends/securely banded. • Feet - closed shoes, trousers over • tongs/forceps • Ice Plug formation • Oxygen enrichment • Exploding vials • Transport by road- DON’T - very hazardous • Use cardice

39. FIRE - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW! • Procedure • Call point location • Escape route(s) • Assemply point • Appliances • fire warden/monitor • Token system

40. First Aid and Accidents • Report all accidents, health issues and near misses • Be aware of how to summon a first aider • Be aware of how to summon the emergency services

41. Fire Procedure • Raise the alarm • Dial 8888 [0115 951 8888] • Leave the building by nearest exit • Close doors and windows behind you • Report to assembly point • Only use extinguisher if: • Small, contained fire • Confident • Clear exit route

42. Fire Procedures • On hearing alarm - leave building by nearest exit - closing doors/widows - go to assembly • Fire Tokens • Small searchable area • Confirm to Evacuation Co-ordinator • Notify if known false alarm - 8888

43. Fire Extinguishers - New Colours Water Foam Dry Powder CO2