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

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

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

Safety by Design – PPE notes 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 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.

Resources

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

NFPA Labels Resources

Radiation Safety Robin Bell All radioactivity questions; shipping & receiving radioactive samples Environmental Health and Safety Andy Finn All non-emergency safety and hazmat questions; shipping samples Public Safety All immediate threats

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.

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 x –Notify others. Loss of power –Check that emergency power is on. –Call Public Safety x –Notify others.

Floor-Plan

Disaster Response – First Aid General Considerations –For serious wounds, call Public Safety x 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 –1 o cool with water, cover with loose bandage; –2 o,3 o 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 ( F, 41-46C). DO NOT USE HOT WATER. Electrocution –Turn off mains. –DO NOT touch the victim until contact is broken.

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

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

Chemical Safety - Spills General considerations –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 x –Do not work alone.

Chemical Safety - Spills 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 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 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 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 – First Aid Chemical exposure and/or inhalation –Call Public Safety x (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.

Specific Hazards

Specific Hazards – Osmium Tetroxide 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. Storage Usage Disposal

Specific Hazards – Osmium Tetroxide 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. Storage Usage Disposal

Specific Hazards – Osmium Tetroxide 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. Storage Usage Disposal

Specific Hazards – Osmium Tetroxide 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. Storage Usage Disposal

Specific Hazards – Osmium Tetroxide 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. Storage Usage Disposal

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

Specific Hazards – Corrosives 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 Storage Usage Disposal

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

Specific Hazards - Stains 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. Storage Usage Disposal

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

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

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

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

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

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

Laboratory Safety Grigorieff/Nicastro Group meeting