Annual Laboratory Safety Review

1. Annual Laboratory Safety Review Grigorieff/Nicastro Group meeting 08 January 2010

2. Safety by Design • Objectives of our laboratory safety program • To do high-quality work with minimal risk to ourselves, our co-workers, and our community • Regulatory compliance

3. Safety by Design PPE e.g. gloves, eyeglasses, coats Administrative Control e.g. training and resources, site monitoring Engineering Control e.g. experimental design, lab layout

4. Gloves Latex, Nitrile, Neoprene Latex is easiest to use, but can sensitize and cause allergic reaction. Neoprene is most resistant, but least dextrous. Nitrile provides better protection than latex for most chemicals (acetic acid is an exception). Safety by Design – PPE notes

5. Eye protection Glasses, Goggles, Face shields Can provide impact protection, splash protection, and UV radiation protection. Know your equipment. Coats Mostly provide splash protection, also protects clothing. Should be laundered separately from other clothing. Shoes Chemical and impact protection. Open toes are not acceptable. Safety by Design – PPE notes

6. Resources

7. Resources MSDS • Material Safety Data Sheets • Each lab should have a book containing MSDS’s pertinent to the lab. • They can also be found online at www.siri.org • MSDS’s provide a summary of hazards, disposal requirements, and spill response guidance.

8. Resources NFPA Labels

9. Resources Environmental Health and Safety Andy Finn afinn@brandeis.edu 6-4262 All non-emergency safety and hazmat questions; shipping samples Radiation Safety Robin Bell bell@brandeis.edu 6-4261 All radioactivity questions; shipping & receiving radioactive samples Public Safety 6-3333 All immediate threats

10. Disaster Response Evacuation procedure • If a fire alarm is sounding you must evacuate the building. • Use the stairs – NOT the elevator. • If personal belongings are close at hand you may take them. • Use the nearest building exit. • Proceed to the main building entrance. • If so notified, proceed as a group to the primary evacuation destination for your building.

11. Disaster Response Fire • If the fire is small, you may use a fire extinguisher – PASS. • Activate fire alarm. • Evacuate building. • Check that doors are not hot before opening; close doors as you leave. Bomb • Evacuate the building. • Do NOT use cell phones. Flood • Be aware of electricity. • Call Public Safety x6-3333. • Notify others. Loss of power • Check that emergency power is on. • Call Public Safety x6-3333. • Notify others.

12. Floor-Plan

13. Disaster Response – First Aid General Considerations • For serious wounds, call Public Safety x6-3333 first, then treat. • Watch for shock • First aid kits: Mike’s desk, Val’s area, Wall mounted Cuts and punctures • Apply pressure and elevate. Burns • 1o cool with water, cover with loose bandage; • 2o,3o do not remove burnt clothing, cover loosely, wait for expert help. • For minor cryo burns, frozen tissues should be flooded or soaked with tepid water (105-115F, 41-46C). DO NOT USE HOT WATER. Electrocution • Turn off mains. • DO NOT touch the victim until contact is broken.

14. Overview of storage Safely contain hazardous chemicals Identify, organize, and segregate dangerous liquids Comply with regulations Improve efficiency by storing chemicals near the points of use Improve security Chemical Safety - Storage

15. Overview of disposal Segregation inside secondary containers until removal by Triumvirate. Containers are checked weekly. When containers are full, Triumvirate is called for pickup. Chemical Safety - Disposal

16. How to fill out a hazmat label • FULL CHEMICAL NAME • No EtOH or UA • No concentrations • HAZARDS • copy from previous label or label on container DATE No longer added Information

17. Generalconsiderations Alert co-workers. Block access to area. Increase ventilation of area. If the spill is small and you are able to handle it yourself, continue to specific procedures. When cleaning spills, wear appropriate protective equipment. e.g. gloves, goggles, shield, boots, lab coat, apron, etc. All materials used in the cleanup must be disposed of as hazardous waste. If the spill is large, or you are not able to handle it yourself, call Public Safety x6-3333. Do not work alone. Chemical Safety - Spills

18. Flammable liquids Turn off all flames. Prevent further spread of the spill by surrounding it with pads or sorbent. Use additional pads/sorbent to soak up liquid. Report the spill and cleanup to your PI immediately. Chemical Safety - Spills

19. Acids/Bases Prevent further spread of the spill by surrounding it with pads or sorbent Use more pads/sorbent to soak up liquid. If broken glass is present, pick it up with tongs or a scoop. Report the spill and cleanup to your PI immediately. Chemical Safety - Spills

20. Mercury Use the mercury spill kit. If broken glass is present, pick it up with tongs or a scoop. Follow instructions in mercury cleanup kit Report the spill and cleanup to your PI immediately. Chemical Safety - Spills

21. Solid spills Use a plastic scoop to collect as much of the spill as possible. Try not to create dust After the bulk of the spill is collected, use wet towels to wipe the area down. Report the spill and cleanup to your PI immediately. Chemical Safety - Spills

22. Chemical exposure and/or inhalation Call Public Safety x6-3333 (fire-alarm in a serious situation) Rinse with copious amounts of water (> 15min) Eyewash stations – hold eyes open; remove contacts while rinsing Showers - remove contaminated clothing Evacuate the area and remove victims to fresh air. Chemical Safety – First Aid

23. Specific Hazards

24. Osmium tetroxide as solid or solutions should be in tightly sealed containers and these should be placed in secondary containers Keep separated from combustible and reducing substances, food and feedstuffs. Ventilation along the floor. Specific Hazards – Osmium Tetroxide • Storage • Usage • Disposal

25. Dangers are high acute toxicity; severe irritant of the eyes; and respiratory tract. Vapor can cause serious eye damage Acrid, chlorine-like odor detectable at 2 ppm (20 mg/m3). The odour warning when the exposure limit value is exceeded is insufficient. A harmful contamination of the air can be reached very quickly on evaporation of this substance at 20°C. Specific Hazards – Osmium Tetroxide • Storage • Usage • Disposal

26. Chemical goggles (safety glasses alone are not adequate protection because of osmium tetroxide’s severe effects on the eyes). Disposable nitrile gloves (NOT latex). Double-gloving is recommended when working with pure osmium tetroxide or concentrated solutions. Prepare the smallest amount of solution necessary for the procedure. Prepare the solution volumetrically rather than gravimetrically. If a balance must be used, weighing must take place in the chemical hood. Specific Hazards – Osmium Tetroxide • Storage • Usage • Disposal

27. Waste must be segregated. All lab ware that has come in contact with osmium tetroxide must be decontaminated by rinsing or dipping in corn oil before removing from the chemical hood. Immediately after work with osmium tetroxide, decontaminate any spills with kitty litter that has been soaked with corn oil. Discard kitty litter as hazardous waste. Specific Hazards – Osmium Tetroxide • Storage • Usage • Disposal

28. A 2% solution of osmium tetroxide can be fully neutralized by twice its volume of vegetable oil (corn oil is preferred because of its high percentage of unsaturated bonds). For every 10ml of 2% osmium tetroxide solution, 20ml of corn oil is required. Pour the corn oil into the osmium tetroxide solution and wait for the oil to completely turn black. To confirm that the osmium tetroxide is fully neutralized, hold a piece of filter paper soaked in corn oil over the solution. Blackening indicates that osmium tetroxide is still present and more corn oil should be added. Dispose of the neutralized solution as hazardous waste. Specific Hazards – Osmium Tetroxide • Storage • Usage • Disposal

29. Methanol, isopropanol, ethanol Stored under hoods Don’t work around open flames (mostly) Waste must be segregated, except for ethanol. Specific Hazards – Flammables • Storage • Usage • Disposal

30. Acid/bases Stored in cabinets under hoods Inorganic and organic acids must be separated Use gloves and glasses when working with full strength corrosives Disposal can be down the drain as long as pH > 5.5 and < 12.0 Specific Hazards – Corrosives • Storage • Usage • Disposal

31. Silver stain solutions Must be sequestered for pickup by Triumvirate Storage Usage Disposal Specific Hazards - Oxidizers

32. Dry powders are kept in locked cabinet in EM area. Once solutions are made, they are kept in the refrigerator in the EM area. Weighed out only on dedicated balance. Wastes generated when making grids must be collected for later disposal. Heavy metals are collected under the sink in the EM area. Grids are not currently collected. Specific Hazards - Stains • Storage • Usage • Disposal

33. Storage Usage Disposal There are not any biologically hazardous organisms in the lab BL2 room is still marked as BL2, but not used as such. BL2 room waste stays there. Bacteria/cells are bleached before drain disposal. Solid waste is collected in the red box in 405 for autoclaving. Ethidium bromide solutions are filtered in the sink in the radioactive corner of 405. Ethidium bromide gels are collected in the hood in 405. Specific Hazards - Biohazards

34. Storage Usage Disposal Raw materials are stored in a hood. Secondary containers might be a good idea. Specific Hazards – Embedding Agents

35. Storage Usage Disposal Wear gloves when preparing the mixtures and during embedding procedures. Cover all working areas with paper towel or diapers and wipe all spills immediately with alcohol. To remove resins from your skin, use soap & water.  DON’T USE ALCOHOL as this will increases skin penetration. Seek immediate medical attention for any suspicious skin rash. Specific Hazards – Embedding Agents

36. Storage Usage Disposal Harden all waste resin prior to disposal.  Carefully wrap discarded containers, beakers, vials, pipettes, etc. Never pour any plastic containing solutions (e.g., propylene oxide-epon mixture) down the drain. All hardened waste (resins, resin mixture and film making solutions) must be stored in the fume hood until disposal.  Specific Hazards – Embedding Agents

37. Always handle LN2 in well-ventilated areas to prevent excessive gas concentration. Liquid ethane must be kept in a hood. LN2 gas has 700 times the liquid volume. A person can become unconscious without sensing any warning symptoms, such as dizziness. Storage Usage Disposal Specific Hazards - Cryogens

38. LN2 can cause severe frostbite and cold burns. Safety glasses and appropriate gloves must be worn when handling LN2. Spills that result in LN2 running inside the clothing can be dangerous. LN2 boils off very quickly. Do not use closed vessels that cannot withstand the pressure. No thermos flasks. Punch holes in cryovials. Never put any part of your body in front of a LN2 supply. Never touch an uninsulated pipe or vessel. Storage Usage Disposal Specific Hazards - Cryogens

39. Liquid ethane is more dangerous than LN2 because there is no leidenfrost effect. Glasses should always be worn when working with liquid ethane. Liquid ethane should only be used inside a functioning hood. Storage Usage Disposal Specific Hazards - Cryogens

40. Must be kept under lock Boxes in freezer and refrigerator Order only what is needed; decay can be significant for 32P Storage Usage Disposal Specific Hazards - Radioactivity

41. Gloves and lab coats must be worn at all times 32P users need badges as well Restricted usage area Storage Usage Disposal Specific Hazards - Radioactivity

42. Solid wastes and scintillation vials are segregated for collection by Radiation Safety Drain disposal is okay, must be recorded Storage Usage Disposal Specific Hazards - Radioactivity

43. Razor blades Needles Glass Sharps Reproductive hazards Mercury Noise X-rays UV radiation Specific Hazards – Other

44. Pregnant users of radiation must declare their pregnancy in writing to the RSO. Limits for exposure are lower for pregnant women (10% of standard). Sharps Reproductive hazards Mercury Noise X-rays UV radiation Specific Hazards – Other

45. In thermometers, thimoserol, and bleach. Sharps Reproductive hazards Mercury Noise X-rays UV radiation Specific Hazards – Other

46. Earmuffs must be worn when operating the sonicator. No one in the cold room except the operator. Sharps Reproductive hazards Mercury Noise X-rays UV radiation Specific Hazards – Other

47. Can be produced by EM. Sharps Reproductive hazards Mercury Noise X-rays UV radiation Specific Hazards – Other

48. Light boxes Edwards Sharps Reproductive hazards Mercury Noise X-rays UV radiation Specific Hazards – Other

49. Laboratory Safety Grigorieff/Nicastro Group meeting