Introduction to Safe Working for
Scientific Research Workers and
Post Graduate Students at
Sutton Bonington
SARAH WATSON
Assistant Safety Officer
University Safety Office, ext 13301
Programme
Safety Why bother -
Legislation
Organisation
Costs
General Precautions
Specific Hazards
Biological agents - Working to the Code
SAFETY - WHY BOTHER?
•LEGAL DUTY
•MORAL DUTY
•££££££££
Health and Safety at Work etc
Act 1974
Section 2 & 3 - Duties towards
employees & others Ensure, so far as is
reasonably practicable, health, safety and
welfare at work
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
Legislation
General Coshh
First aid Genetic modification
Fire Electricity
Noise Pressure systems
Lead Work equipment
Asbestos PPE
Highly flammable liq Manual Handling
Ionising Radiations Display Screen
Equip
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
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!
University Council
Organisation Vice Chief Financ-
Chancellor ial Officer
Head Of University
School/Admin Safety Officer
Section
Head of School/Section
Division Safety Officers
Section
Leaders
Individuals
Responsibility
Advice
Information
£££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££
WHEN SOMETHING GOES WRONG!
Incompatible Chemicals in Waste Solvent
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 ]
Postgraduates at Risk
30 - 40 accidents per year
50% handling sharps
Others
– chemical exposure
– slips and knocks
– hot/cold contact
– animals
– manual handling
Typical Hazards
substances
– toxic/ carcinogens pressure systems
– flammable display screen equip
– Biological material manual handling
– Allergens
mech. handling
noise
transport
vibration
falls, falling objects
radiation[ ion/non-ion]
slips, trips
electricity
machinery
General Lab Safety
Risk Assessment
Training Needs/Records (Personal Dev Folder)
Fire
Accidents & First Aid
Glassware Safety
Housekeeping
Late Working
Unattended Experiments
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
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
Video
Practicing Safe Science
COSHH Risk assessment
Nature of hazard - harm that can be caused
• Properties [toxicity, flammability]
• quantity to be used
• form
• duration and frequency of use
Hazardous property Example
Irritant, Harmful, Ammonia,
Sensitising Glutaraldehyde, isocyanates,
animal allergens, latex
Toxic/carcinogenic, Mutagenic, Acrylamide, MNU, EthBr,
Teratogenic cytotoxic drugs
Corrosive String acids & bases
Infectious Bacteria, virus
Flammable Alcohol, acetone
Explosive Hexane, hydrogen
Oxidising Potassium permanganate,
Hydrogen peroxide
Ecotoxic Mercury
Exposure Routes
Exposure Routes – how can harm be
caused?
– Inhalation
– Ingestion
– Skin Contact/penetration- absorption, cuts
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
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
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
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
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
Flammable Liquids
Flashpoint - temp. to form a flammable
atmosphere
– Flammable FP 90 dB(A) - high risk - control at source
compulsory HP
audiometry [OHD via SSO]
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
Lasers/Ionising Radiation
Separate Introductions
Local rules for safe use
Health/medical checks
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
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 ]
Cryogenic Liquids
Asphyxiation
– 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
FIRE - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW!
• Procedure
• Call point location
• Escape route(s)
• Assemply point
• Appliances
• fire warden/monitor
• Token system
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
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
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
Fire Extinguishers - New Colours
Water
Foam
Dry
Powder CO2