Laboratory Safety

Introduction to Laboratory Safety, Emergency Response, and Accident Reporting

Laboratory Safety

John HerringtonHealth and Safety Officer College of Math and Physical SciencesOhio State University

herrington.5@osu.eduhttp://www.chemistry.ohio-state.edu/ehs

Laboratory Safety

Class FormatLecture

Video/DemonstrationQuestionsFrequent Breaks

Laboratory Safety

Objectives:

•Raise your Awareness of Safety

•Present the “Fundamentals” of Laboratory Safety

•Complete “Awareness-Level” Training in the Hazard Communication and the Laboratory Standards

Laboratory Safety

ObjectivesWhat We CANNOT Provide:

•In-Depth or Detailed Information

•SOP’s for Specific Processes or Equipment

•“Certification”

Laboratory Safety

Questions:

1. What are the top three leading causes of death for U.S. workers (while on the job)?

2. How many worker deaths were there in 2000?

3. How many occupational injuries and illnesses were there in 1999?

4. How many unintentional deaths took place in the home?

5. Which industry is the most dangerous?

6. How much did worker injuries cost Americans in 2001?

Laboratory Safety

Emergency Response:

•Medical•Fire•Chemical•Building Evacuations

Laboratory Safety

Emergency Response-MedicalCommon Laboratory Accidents:

• Burns (Chemical and Thermal)• Cuts and Punctures• Inhalation of Hazardous

Materials• Contamination of Skin and

Clothing• Ingestion of Hazardous

Materials• Electrical Shock

Laboratory Safety

Emergency Response-Medical

•Call 911 to Report the Emergency

•Provide the Minimum First-Aid Necessary

•Follow Other Departmental Procedures

•Complete Recordkeeping Requirements

Laboratory Safety

Emergency Response-Medical

•Sign Up for CPR Training

•First Aid in the Workplace Through BWC

Laboratory Safety

Emergency Response-Medical-Calling 911

•Report the Location•Nature of the Emergency•The Dispatcher May Ask Questions

•Hang Up After the Dispatcher Has

Laboratory Safety

Emergency Response-Medical-Chemical Splashes

•Get Victim to Safety Shower or Eye Wash Unit

•Flush for 15 Minutes or Until Help Arrives

•Have MSDS Handy•Remove Contaminated

Clothing•DO NOT Perform Chemistry

on a Splash Victim!!!

Laboratory Safety

Emergency Response-Medical-Chemical Splashes

Laboratory Safety

Emergency Response-Chemical Splashes-EYES

•Quick Response Is Important

•Flush for 15 Minutes •You May Have to Force the Eyelids Open

•Have the Victim Roll Their Eyes Around In the Stream

Laboratory Safety

Emergency Response-Medical-Chemical Splashes

Laboratory Safety

Emergency Response-Medical-Chemical Splashes

Laboratory Safety

Emergency Response-Medical Emergencies

•Become Aware of Emergency Equipment Locations (Eye Wash Units, Safety Showers, etc…)

•Inspect Equipment Regularly

•Test Equipment per ANSI Z358.1

Laboratory Safety

Emergency Response

Laboratory Safety

Accident Reporting

•Required By OSHA (unless exempt)

•OSHA 300 Log and Form 301 (or equivalent)

•Sign Up for:1.Accident Analysis2.OSHA Recordkeeping

Laboratory Safety

Accident Reporting

•Useful for Workers’ Comp•Sign Up for:

1.Controlling Costs Through Claims Management

2.Controlling Workers’ Compensation Costs

Laboratory Safety

Fire Emergencies

•Pull the Fire Alarm to Evacuate the Building

•Call 911 to Report the Emergency

Laboratory Safety

Fire Emergencies

•Follow Departmental Procedures

•The Fire Alarm May Only Notify Building Occupants: Call 911

Laboratory Safety

Fire Emergencies-If You Can Do So Without Endangering

Yourself:

•Isolate Fire (close lab door or sash)

•Isolate or Eliminate Ignition or Fuel Sources

•Use an APPROPRIATE Fire Extinguisher

Laboratory Safety

Chemical Emergencies

•Pull the Fire Alarm to Evacuate the Building

•Call 911 to Report the Emergency

Laboratory Safety

Chemical Emergencies

•The Release of a Large Quantity of Hazardous Material

•Small Quantity of an Acutely Dangerous Material

•Chemical “Unknown”

Laboratory Safety

Chemical Emergencies-If You Can Do So Without Endangering

Yourself:

•Isolate the Area•Warn Others About the Danger

•Follow Departmental Procedures

Laboratory Safety

Building Evacuations

• Unless specifically requested and considered advisable by those providing the assistance, moving persons in wheelchairs down a stairway is not recommended. One individual should remain with the disabled person, if this can be done without unreasonable personal risk. Others should evacuate the building and advise of the location of the persons remaining in the building so that the evacuation may be completed by the emergency personnel. Elevators should not be used to move persons with disabilities for the reasons outlined above.

Laboratory Safety

Building Evacuations

The building should not be re-entered unless indicated safe by fire officials or Safety Personnel at the scene. 

Laboratory Safety

Why Should I Be Concerned About Safety?

To Protect the Health and Safety of Yourself and Your Colleagues

To Comply With the Law(s)

To Avoid Lawsuits

Laboratory Safety

How Do I Reduce or Minimize My Exposure?

Planning, Planning, Planning Engineering Controls (Fume

Hoods) Administrative Controls

(Plans, Policies, SOP’s, etc.) Personal Protective

Equipment (Gloves, Goggles, etc.)

Laboratory Safety

Case Study

A Graduate Student was distilling a mixture of dichloromethane and crude material from an ozonolysis of Allyl Bromide, which he mistakenly thought was Bromoacetaldehyde. Unknown to the student, he was trying to distill a mixture of peroxides (that resulted from the ozonolysis). An explosion occurred when the temperature reached 50 degrees Centigrade.

Laboratory Safety

Case Study

The explosion destroyed the heating mantle and the ceramic top of the stirrer/hot-plate. The ceramic top fragmented and sent chards into the face, chest, shoulders, and hands of the student. Fortunately, the student was wearing safety glasses: one chard hit the left lens with such force that it shattered (but remained within the frame). Without the safety glasses, the student would have lost an eye (or worse).

Laboratory Safety

Case Study

What could have been done to prevent the accident?

Laboratory Safety

1.The top three leading causes of death for U.S. workers (while on the job) are:

2.How many worker deaths in 2000?

Highway incidents followed by falls and homicides

5,915

Laboratory Safety

3.How Many Occupational Injuries and Illnesses in 1999?

4.How Many Unintentional Deaths Took Place in the Home?

5.7 Million

33,200

Laboratory Safety

5.Which Industry Is the Most Dangerous?

6.How Much Did Worker Injuries Cost Americans in 2001?

Agriculture

$137 Billion or $970 Per Worker