Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
If needed, the department will supply all personal protective equipment. Protective clothing is worn to guard the body from exposure to hazardous materials as well as from heat, cold, abrasion and sharp objects. WCB - BC Industrial Health and Safety Regulation 14.02 states "The personal wearing apparel of a worker shall be of a type and condition that will not expose him/her to any unnecessary and avoidable hazards".
Laboratory Protective Clothing
The following safety guidelines apply to all faculty, staff and students who work in areas where hazardous chemical, biohazardous, or radioactive materials are used. The minimum dress in all laboratories, when hazardous materials are used, will be a fastened lab coat, that is below the knee in length, safety glasses or goggles and substantial shoes (no sandals). Bare legs are not acceptable when working with corrosives, reactive, toxic materials easily absorbed by the skin, radioactive or infectious materials. Shorts, skirts or dresses are not recommended when working with or near hazardous materials. Material and physical hazards that must be considered when selecting clothing, gloves, boots and eye protection are: corrosiveness, toxicity, reactivity, flammability, infectious properties, radioactivity, extreme temperatures, heavy objects, overhead objects and sharp objects. Consult the MSDS for specific information or call the HS&E office (822-2029). Protective clothing and gloves shall not be worn outside the laboratory or work area. Additional restrictions may be required depending on the nature of the hazard. Gloves Gloves may be an important part of your primary protective equipment, if they are used properly. Gloves are to be worn when handling isotopes, hazardous chemicals or biohazards and NOT when wandering around a lab handling pens, phones, door handles or equipment. Gloves are designed to prevent contamination, not cause it. Choose the glove that is appropriate to the type of hazard that you are handling. Gloves are only to be worn in the laboratory. Gloves may also be required to protect your hands from physical abrasions, sharp edges or objects, dusts, splinters, heat and cold. Please consult with your supervisor to assess your specific needs. Eye Protection Safety glasses or goggles must be worn whenever there is a potential for splashing of chemical or biological substance or for impact from projectiles or dusts. Selection of eye protection should be made after careful hazard analysis. A hazard analysis will determine what eyewear is necessary. A face shield and safety goggles or safety glasses (never wear face shield alone) should be used in more hazardous operations. Use more protection conducting reactions which have potential for explosion and using or mixing strong caustics or acids, such as: -Washing glassware in acid -Grinding materials -Using glassware in reduced or excess pressure or temperature (where there is significant hazard
of explosion or breakage). Goggles or Goggles and a Face Shield Goggles are required where there is a danger of chemical splash according to ANSI Z87.1. The selection of protective equipment is up to YOU, unless a local procedure mandates using this equipment. Wear goggles/face shield: If the substance is a serious eye hazard and/or the operation involves a high risk that eye-hazardous material will splash, then use goggles or goggles and face shield. Note that it only takes 30 seconds to cause blindness in the eye of a rabbit instilled with a 1% sodium hydroxide solution). Caustics tend to be more dangerous to eyes then acids HF is also a serious eye hazard Hot materials are much more injurious than the same materials at room temperature and they are more likely to splash or spatter. Use goggles or goggles + face shield when handling a liquid hotter than 60 degrees C. Also remember there are many types of "goggles". You want goggles with covered vent ports that block splash from every direction. Goggles or Face Shields and Goggles shall be worn if there is need for protection of the entire face, such as where there are flying particles and/or acids. Use goggles or goggles + face shield if you do not know what the eye hazard is The wearing of safety glasses does not excuse the employee from the requirement of wearing safety goggles.
Footwear Policy
Protective footwear is designed to protect the foot from physical hazards such as falling objects, stepping on sharp objects or exposure to corrosive chemicals. In many areas of the Department faculty and staff are exposed to these hazards. In the recent past the WCB has issued inspection reports noting that faculty and staff are working on construction sites ie Structures and Materials Labs, machine shops and other material handling tasks without wearing adequate foot protection. The WCB has also issued inspection reports noting that workers in laboratories are not wearing substantial footwear in order to provide protection against chemical or physical hazards in the labs. The following safety rules are proposed for our construction sites, machine shops, and laboratories. Many other work areas of the department may also require that protective footwear be worn. Omission of these work areas from this document is not an indication that protective footwear is not required.
Laboratories Footwear
All faculty, staff and students working in laboratories shall wear substantial footwear to protect against the hazards commonly encountered in laboratories. These hazards include chemical, biological, and radiation hazards as well as physical hazards associated with sharps, broken glassware, material handling and electricity. "Substantial footwear" should be made of a solid material which completely encloses the foot (for example, an oxford or athletic style leather shoe). Open toe or open heel sandals or shoes with a ventilated construction are not acceptable.
Machine Shop, Wood Shop, Structures and Materials Labs
All faculty and staff who are working in these areas shall wear substantial footwear equipped with steel toes. Boots or shoes must be CSA rated with either a green or yellow triangle or square to meet the requirements of this section. Students whose studies require the use of machine shop facilities shall abide by the same rules. Loaner boots are available. Certain activities may require footwear, which will also protect the soles of the feet from punctures. Those personnel whose duties may require them to enter these areas must have similar protection. Supervisors may authorize exceptions to these requirements after ensuring that hazards will be avoided by other means. Hazardous areas shall be cordoned off so that faculty, staff and students who are not equipped with safety footwear will not enter these areas. When such staff must enter construction areas, then barricades and dedicated walkways shall be provided to ensure equivalent protection. Such areas shall be posted with signs stating ie: Construction Site Authorized Personnel Only Protective Footwear Must be Worn Construction or renovation work done by outside contractors should also be posted. Major work sites will have barricades and signs in place to prohibit the entry of unauthorized persons. All contractors working on the campus shall post the required signs and adequately barricade the sites under their control.
Respiratory Protection
A written respirator program is designed to ensure that respirators used by employees in the Department provide effective protection against airborne contaminants to which they may be exposed. Respirators will only be considered as a way to control exposure after the Department has first considered engineering and administrative controls such as ventilation, enclosing the process, substitution of less hazardous products, rescheduling of work procedures, etc. to restrict employee exposure. Responsibilities 1. The Department of Health, Safety and Environment is responsible for providing coordination and technical and administrative standards for Departmental Respirator Programs. Activities include: a) Assessing the type and amount of exposure. b) Selecting the appropriate respirators. c) Implementing training and instruction programs. d) Administering the overall program, ensuring that individual departments are keeping records. 2. Departments (supervisors) are responsible for: a) Ensuring that respirators are available as needed. b) Ensuring that employees wear respirators as required. c) Ensuring that training and fit-testing are completed by new users and occur annually. d) Maintaining the Respirator Program within WCB guidelines which includes keeping upto-date records of those using respirators. 3. The employee is responsible for: a) Using the respirator supplied in accordance with training instructions. b) Cleaning, disinfecting and storing the respirator.
c)
Reporting a respirator malfunction to the supervisor.
Respirator Selection Procedures A. Identify Types of Hazardous Materials and Respirator Needs The following procedure refers to the use of half-mask or full-face dual cartridge respirators. Disposable dust masks may only be used for non-toxic or low toxic particulate materials; they must have two straps and a NIOSH-approval TC number on the mask or strap. Procedures for respirators, other than cartridge types, are provided elsewhere. A cartridge type of respirator may only be used for protection against materials which have adequate warning properties (odour, taste, or irritation) when the mask leaks or the material has broken through the cartridges; not for situations which are immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH); this includes a low oxygen environment (<20%), highly toxic materials (will injure or be fatal in very small doses; e.g. LD50 or LC50 < 50 mg/kg) and high concentrations of contaminants (greater than the protection factor for the mask). Where eye irritation is a known characteristic of the contaminant, a full-face respirator must be worn. Consult with HS&E for further information. Protection factors (PF)** are used to determine the maximum concentration of a particular airborne contaminant in which a respirator is permitted to be used. The maximum concentration is the product of multiplying the PF times the permissible concentration (PC). Respirators are required for the following situations: a) Rooftop entry where fume hoods or hazard control systems vent onto the roof. b) Working with hazardous fumes, dusts or vapours (during welding and painting operations) where engineering controls are not available or practical. c) As an escape respirator in the event of a hazardous material release (i.e. ice rink ammonia room). d) During spill clean-up operations. e) Other situations, not listed below, must be reviewed with HS&E before work starts. B. Select Appropriate Respirator The following cartridges are available for use with half-mask and full-face respirators. Select the cartridge which is designed for the type of respirator and materials being used. Consult with HS&E on cartridge use in situations not listed below. Cartridge Type Organic vapour/ acid gas Organic vapour only Colour Yellow Black Examples of Uses Rooftop entry/lab procedures Solvent , paint plastic welding Toxic dusts/infectious aerosols/asbestos/welding Lab procedures/ammonia spill Lab procedures/acid spill/chlorine/sulphur dioxide
Dusts/particulates/aerosol Purple s Ammonia/amines Acid gas Green Grey
There are other types of cartridges that address additional classes of airborne hazardous materials.
Cartridges which can combine two of the above types are also available. Fit Testing of Respirators To provide protection, respirators that are designed to fit the face must have an effective seal. The respirator user must be clean-shaven where the mask fits the face. Fit tests, I and II, must be performed by respirator users before every use. Check the integrity of the mask, especially the inhalation valves, prior to fitting onto face. First, place the wide part of the face piece over the chin, then place the narrow portion over the nose. Put the straps over the back and top of the head and around neck, then tighten. I) Inhalation (negative pressure) test Cover the inhalation valves (where cartridges are attached) and breathe in normally. The face piece should collapse against the face. Hold for 10 seconds. If the facepiece remains slightly collapsed and no leakage is noticed around the mask, the respirator is probably sealed properly. If leakage does occur, adjust straps and repeat. Once leakage no longer occurs, go on to the exhalation test. II) Exhalation (positive pressure) test Cover the exhalation valve (centre front) with hand and exhale normally. Hold for ten seconds. Note if leakage occurs. Adjust until leakage does not occur. The negative and positive pressure tests must be passed before the chemical test may be attempted. III) Chemical test All users must pass this test before the respirator can be used for the first time. It must be repeated on an annual basis. Attach black or yellow cartridges to respirator. A sample of banana oil (reagent isoamyl acetate - a drop or two in a tissue or in ampoule form) (available in the Env. Eng. Lab Rm 1301) is waved around user's face while moving head sideways, up and down and while counting loudly to 20. Note: talking can significantly impact the tightness of the fit of the respirator. If the odour can be detected, leakage is occurring and further adjustments must be done. After making adjustments, repeat the chemical test. If leakage occurs or the respirator fits uncomfortably tight, a different size of mask or different brand must be tried. If a good fit cannot be obtained, do not use. Report the problem to the employee's supervisor. Training Every employee who may have to wear a respirator will be trained in the proper use of the respirator. Supervisors of workers, who may have to wear respirators, must also be trained. This training will include: 1. Description of the type and amount of exposure. 2. Description of the respirators. 3. The intended use and limitations of the respirators (e.g. cartridge life). 4. Proper wearing, adjustment and testing for fit. 5. Cleaning and storage methods. 6. Inspection and maintenance procedures.
This training must be repeated at least once a year to ensure that employees remain familiar with the proper use of respirators. A record will be kept of this training. Departmental Respirator Programs will be evaluated annually by Health, Safety and Environment to determine that the program continues to be effective. Use of Respirators -piece and the wearer's face. straps, valves, cartridges, etc. as well
as general cleanliness. to each time the respirator is used.
ch as high humidity can affect the filter or cartridges. Employees noting a high resistance to breathing or the smell or taste of chemicals within the respirator, or irritation, will leave the work area immediately and report to the supervisor. After an investigation rules out other reasons, such as failure of ventilation systems, the respirator shall be checked and new filters or cartridges installed. When wearing a respirator, employees experiencing any of the following symptoms will leave the contaminated area: *nausea *unusual odour or taste *dizziness *excessive fatigue *eye irritation *difficulty breathing The co-ordinator will determine whether or not an employee may be allowed to wear a respirator. Where there is any doubt about the ability to wear a respirator by the employee or co-ordinator, the employee is to be examined by a physician. Certain medical conditions may affect an employee's ability to wear a respirator, such as lung disease (e.g. asthma, emphysema); heart disease (hypertension); epilepsy and claustrophobia. Storage and Maintenance Procedures i) Storage - Store respirators and cartridges in sealed plastic bags or containers and keep in a cool, dry place away from contaminants. ii) Maintenance a) Disinfect respirators after each short term use. b) After several short term uses, or a single long term use: 1.Disassemble respirator and wash in warm detergent solution. 2.Rinse thoroughly in warm, clean water. 3.Allow parts to air dry before assembly. 4.Inspect and test after each cleaning to ensure respirator is in proper working order. 5.Defective respirators shall be tagged "out of service" and replaced or repaired. iii) Cartridge "Life"
Purple HEPA Cartridge Cartridge life is dependant on the type of cartridge, frequency and length of time of exposure as well as the concentration of the material. HEPA cartridges (purple) filter out dust through a paper filter. At the end of their life, the holes in the filter are plugged and air cannot be inhaled through them. Discard when breathing becomes difficult. Chemical Cartridges Breakthrough of chemical type cartridges is indicated by odour, taste or irritation characteristics of the material. If odour, taste or irritation of the nasal passages or eyes are experienced, then leave the area and replace the cartridge. Discard cartridges after each use unless worn for a very short time in a low concentration of the contaminant. When a cartridge is removed from its original packaging, a label with the opening date must be applied to the cartridge. Once a cartridge has been removed from its sealed package, it must be discarded within 12 months. Comprehensive documentation of the use of opened cartridges is recommended (see attached form).
Alternative Types of Respirators and Their Use
As described in the first paragraph of the Respirator Selection portion of the preceding procedure, half mask or full face dual cartridge respirators are not suitable in IDLH situations such as oxygen deficient atmospheres or when contaminant concentrations exceed 10 or 50 times the TLV (half-mask and full face, respectively). Air concentrations can only be determined by air monitoring. Other types of respirators that should be considered are: -purifying respirator (PAPR) (full face mask) (e.g. Racal) -contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) (positive pressure) (e.g. mechanical maintenance) Written procedures for use of respirators other than cartridge respirators must be retained with the respirator equipment. For situations that are oxygen deficient, with a concentration greater than 100 times the TLV or IDLH, a supplied air or SCBA respirator is required. Under these circumstances, the Department of Health, Safety and Environment must be consulted to ensure proper equipment and procedures are in place. As with other types of respirator, annual fit testing and training are required. Qualified personnel from Health, Safety and Environment, Plant Operations or the Vancouver Fire Department will provide training and fit-testing.