Department Safety Seminar and Discussion Bill Stefura Tech IV, Department of Immunology Safety Coordinator Oct 20, 200

1. Department Safety Seminar and Discussion Bill Stefura Tech IV, Department of Immunology Safety Coordinator Oct 20, 2005

2. Goals of this mini-safety course • Outline of importance of safety procedures—What is your role as a PI or Student or Tech…? • Overview of chemical and biohazard safety resources available for independent study • Discussion of safety or housekeeping issues with your supervisor in the followup to this course. Mandatory for you to arrange.

3. Hazards in the immunology workplace • What are the main hazards do you face in your day to day work? Identify three. • When chemical “X” spills on your pants, you stick yourself with a needle, or blood sample “Y” leaks in the centrifuge…, do you know what to do?

4. Major Types of Hazards: • Chemicals • Biologicals • Some radioactivity • Each other • Less of a concern about lifting, falling…dangers common to other workplaces

5. Hazards • We work with them every day so it is easy to become too relaxed, until... • A hazard is not a concern when it is properly controlled Proper control: • What exactly am I working with? • What can it do to me and my co-workers? • How do I work with it safely? • What should I NOT do? • What do I do if exposed in an uncontrolled way (ie an accident). Contingency plans

6. W H M I S orkplace azardous aterials nformation ystem W H M I S Chemical safety

7. W H M I SGoal To reduce injury and illness from exposure to hazardous materials in the workplace

8. How does this affect You? • The impacts are personal • It may involve short term or long term health effects • It is your and our health

9. WHMIS – MR 52/88is regulated in Manitoba under theWorkplace Safety and Health Act Key Elements - • LABELS • Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) (Contain more detailed information than in labels) • Worker EDUCATION AND TRAINING

10. LABELS (Continued) You must ensure that all controlled products are labeled (including working solutions) The Purpose of the label is to: • Identify the product as controlled • Indicate the hazard and associated risk • Provide basic safe handling instructions

11. Workplace Labels must contain: Product Identifier Safe Handling Information Reference to the MSDS WORKPLACE LABELS Labels available free from Bill Stefura Rm 626 BMSB

12. Material Safety Data Sheets Provide more detailed information about: • Health Effects of Exposure • Hazard Evaluation • Protective Measures • Emergency Procedures Must be: • Current (Validity- 3 years from the date of Preparation/revision) • Readily available • Physical Copy It is against the law to use a chemical without the presence of an MSDS in the Workplace. If you have synthesized a product you must prepare an MSDS

13. Material Safety Data Sheets Departmental MSDS are located: in the RED BINDERS on top of blue cabinets next to 603A near the water cooler It is each workers’ personal responsibility to read and understand the MSDS before beginning work Developing an action plan after something splashes in your eyes or on the floor is not acceptable. You need an effective plan in advance

14. WHMIS MSDSMandatory Procedure for new product acquisition -When you obtain a NEW chemical> You must confirm if its MSDS is present in the collection before working with it -If not attached, then contact the supplier to send you the MSDS -Some suppliers ie. Sigma , have their MSDS on their web site -Remember the MSDS must be reviewed and understood before the chemical is used in any experiment

15. Biohazards • Our most frequently encountered hazards. • No problem-- if worked with knowledgably and safely. • Big communal problem, with long term implications, if not worked with properly by everyone. • Individual and Shared responsibility

16. Biohazards include… • Known threats (you paid for them them) and Unknown threats (silently in the samples you work with: HIV, HepB…). • You need to be aware of how to implement Health Canada Biosafety guidelines-- Copy in Immunology library, on our web page • Ask for help, in advance, if at all uncertain… • Evelyn Froese, Safety Office, Chown Bldg Contact info: on web

17. From the dept web siteSafety training link • Laboratory Biosafety Guidelines • Excerpts from pages 19-23, Laboratory Biosafety Guidelines, 3rd edition, 2004. Published by the authority of the Minister of Health Population and Public Health Branch, Centre for Emergency Preparedness and Response, Government of Canada • (Immunology Department specific additions made September 2004). • 3.1 Operational Practices for Laboratories • 3.1.1 General Practices • The following general practices are required for all laboratories handling infectious substances. • A documented, laboratory-specific procedural (safety) manual must be available for all staff, and its requirements followed; it must be reviewed and updated regularly. It should be posted in the culture area and signed by all workers. • Personnel must receive training on the potential hazards associated with the work involved and the necessary precautions to prevent exposure to infectious agents and release of contained material; personnel must show evidence that they understood the training provided; training must be documented and signed by both the employee and supervisor; retraining programs should also be implemented. • … Items key to most of our projects highlighted. Complete document on web; in dept library.

18. Departmental Emergency Information INCIDENT REPORTING Location: 603A Immunology Department Office Procedure: documentation detailed description of the incident (the records are used for evaluating safety procedures and purposes only) Contacts: Department of Immunology Administrative Assistant Karen Morrow

19. Summary of Key Points • Plan everything before beginning expts • Plan for the worst and how you will handle that situation • Ask questions (in advance!) about how to deal with situations • There is a great amount of information available on chemical and biological safety—locate, read and understand the information that is relevant to your work • Errors affect us all, not just yourself.

20. Departmental Emergency Information EMERGENCY CONTACTS Fire / Medical / Safety / Security from any departmental phone 555 from any cell phone #555 this will connect to the U of M Ft. Garry campus main security dispatcher , who is in radio contact with the Bannatyne staff

21. Kent HayGlass Departmental, investigator and worker safety responsibilities Who is responsible for what?

22. The PI • Responsible for: developing safe work practices (SOPs are a tool to ensure both exptl quality and safety ) • Ensuring that workers/trainees are made aware of them– do your best to ensure they comply. You are not running a daycare—shared responsibility. ACTION: Best if SOP’s , esp for safety, posted and signed. (both functional and evidence) • Creating a safety oriented culture in their group. Openness, willingness to address questions, criticism, suggestions, concerns of other workers/trainees.

23. Trainees, Professional Staff • Responsible for self education. Who has the most to lose? YOU do, so find out. • Responsible for day to day maintenance of safe work procedures by yourself >>and by other members of your group. • If safety concerns arise, it’s good to discuss them immediately in a friendly but persistent manner • (i) speak to the person involved and ask them if what they are doing is being done the proper way • (ii) talk to your Supervisor or the head lab tech for clarification • (iii) chat with the Head or Evelyn Froese in EHSO (confidential if you wish)

24. How to resolve a problem Outcomes • Friendly Conversation / (re-)education • oral warning, • written warning, • termination if suitable action not taken. (n=2)

25. Our Bad Habits-2004 (and 2005) • Autoclave. Personalized garbage bags—by lab now instituted so we can identify those with bad habits. Biological waste must be treated appropriately and promptly. SOP posted in autoclave room or ask Mercedes for advice. Do your own—maid service not available. >> rarer • Babies/children. The lab or your office is not the place for them. >> no longer occurs • Lab coats in library. Food/coffee and lab coats don’t mix. >>no longer occurs • Lab coats in the lab. Some people choose to take home the lab dirt on their clothes rather than wear a lab coat. Do you really want to do this? Mandatory for all work in hoods.

26. Is it real? Are they aware of it? Talk with person directly about the concern. Education. • They don’t care? Talk with your supervisor or the safety rep (Bill Stefura) or the Head in confidence Friendly Conversation, written warning, termination. Questions??

27. Self assessment: Implementation • Web Self Study Course developed by Bill with input from Safety Committee (~30 minutes). Mandatory as of 2005 • Test afterwards (~30 minutes) • Marked by your supervisor (discussion, further education required?) then hard copy forwarded to Bill Stefura for departmental records. • Distributed in October, Must be completed for department by Nov 30.

28. Personalized safety questionnaire • Mandatory for all new and returning trainees, techs this year. • Focus is on your own personal research experience; • Evaluation is Discussion with your supervisor (1:1, in lab meeting…) • How it works… • Deadline for completion (signed) to Bill: November 30 (future 60d) • Future: new trainees employees only