UNIVERSITY OF JYVÄSKYLÄ Laboratory safety at the Department of Biological and Environmental Science

SAFETY Most important! By using correct working methods and realizing the risks we can prevent accidents To avoid risks: –Do not eat or drink in the lab –Keep your working place clean and in good order –Wash your hands before leaving the lab –Do not wear contact lenses, high heels, long scarfs –Use common sense!

Before you start working in the lab: –Be aware where you can find and how to use emergency shower, eye wash stations and bottles first aid equipments fire extinguishers, fire plankets alarms –Be aware what safety garments you should wear Lab coat Proper gloves Goggles Breathing mask if needed…

–Read the SAFETY DATA SHEETS R- and S-phrases or H- and P-phrases Storage and waste First aid Understant all the time what you are doing and that there is other people working in the lab If you are unsure, ask! Always inform lab tecnicians about falty devices and other shortcomings

DISPOSAL OF LABORATORY WASTE Correct disposal of laboratory waste is a part of laboratory safety Try to minimize the amount of waste Classification: –Ordinary waste –Hazardous waste –Glass waste –Puncturing and cutting waste –Microbiological and GMO waste –Radioactive waste

Hazardous waste –Explosive –Flammable –Oxidizing –Dangerous to environment Regardless of the concentration are classified hazardous –Irritant –Dentrimental –Poisonous –Carcinogenic –Corrosive –Contagious –Dangerous to reproduction –Damaging genotype Depending on the concentration

Classification of the substanceThe limit of the concentration of the substance (%) Irritant (Xi and R41) * 5 Irritant (Xi and R36, R37, R38) * 20 Detrimental (Xn and R20, R21, R22) * 25 Detrimental, can cause the risk of permanent damage (Xn and R68/exposure mode) 10 Detrimental, can cause serious health hazards during long-term exposure (Xn and R48/exposure mode) 10 Extremely poisonous (T+ and R26, R27, R28) * 0,1 Extremely poisonous, can cause the risk of permanent damage (T+ and R39/exposure mode) 0,1 Poisonous (T and R23, R24, R25) * 3 Poisonous, can cause the risk of serious permanent damage (T and R39/exposure mode)1 Poisonous, can cause serious health hazards during long-term exposure (T and R48/exposure mode) 1 Carcinogenic, group 1 tai 2 (T and R45, R49)0,1 Carcinogenic, group 3 (Xn and R40)1 Corrosive (C and R35) * 1 Corrosive (C and R34) * 5 Dangerous to reproduction, Group 1 or 2 (T and R60, R61)0,5 Dangerous to reproduction, Group 3 (Xn and R62, R63)5 Genotype damaging, Group 1 or 2 (T and R46)0,1 Genotype damaging, Group 3 (Xn and R68)1 T. Heinonen, Ongelmajäteopas, Ekokem, Hämeenlinna, 2009.

Warning signs Be aware that H- and P-phrases will replace R- and S-phrases

How to act in practice? If the waste is classified as a hazardous waste you must but it in a refuse container with following informations: –Waste –Trade names –Presentages –Department/group –Warning signs Do not fill up the container, leave 10 % expansion reserve Make sure that the safety data sheet is available Inform lab technicians about the filled waste bottle

Puncturing and cutting waste –Needles, scalpel blades into the collection container –No other waste Bacterial waste –Destroy liquids by training it with 0,2 M NaOH solution for about half an hour and then pour down the drain –Put contaminated tubes, pipette tips and cell culture dishes in autoclave bags for autoclaving

CONTACT PERSONS Laboratory work safety and chemical hazardous waste –Alli Liukkonen Safety category II –Varpu Marjomäki Radioactive waste –Jari Ylänne Laboratory technicians by departments –Ecology: Elina Virtanen –Electron microscope: Petri Papponen –Cell and molecular biology: Irene Helkala, Arja Mansikkaviita, Alli Liukkonen, Petri Papponen, Laura Pitkänen –Aguatic Science: Tuula Sinisalo, Nina Honkanen –Environmental Science: Leena Siitonen, Mervi Koistinen