1. Laboratory Safety Safety Training for Research
Laboratories at Stanford University

2. Topics We’ll Cover: Chemical hazard awareness
Control of chemical exposures
Chemical storage/transportation/shipping
Chemical waste management
Emergency response

3. Introduction: Overview
PLAN
USE
STORE
DISPOSE
RESPOND

4. PLAN: Gather Information
Sources
Labels
MSDS
Reference books
Chemical safety database
Toxic gas table
EH&S
Exposure limits listed in: *Cal/OSHA Regulations
*ACGIH TLV and BEI booklet

5. PLAN: Gather Information
Cal/OSHA’s Lab Standard (8 CCR 5191 – Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories)
Appendix A of regulation provides basic rules and procedures for working with chemicals
SU’s Chemical Hygiene Plan
Each laboratory responsible for developing Lab Safety Plan

6. PLAN: Gather Information
MSDS
quality varies
presumes industrial use
helpful info included:
Visual appearance or odor of hazardous chemical when being released
signs/ symptoms of chemical exposure
permissible exposure limits (if established)

7. PLAN: Gather Information

8. PLAN: Gather Information
Chemical Safety Database
Stanford system
Basic safety info
Storage code designations
Access through on-line inventory or EH&S web page (

9. PLAN: Gather Information

10. PLAN: Know The Chemical Hazards
Physical Hazards:
Flammability, corrosivity or reactivity
Health Hazards:
Acute Health Hazards
High concentration (ceiling limit), short exposure duration
Damage happens quickly
Chronic Health Hazards
Low concentration, long exposure duration
Long latency (symptoms may appear long after exposure)

11. PLAN: Know Routes of Exposure
Inhalation
Absorption (skin or eye contact)
Ingestion
Injection (cuts, puncture)

12. PLAN: Assessing Hazard Level
Depends on:
Chemical: toxicity, concentration
Use: duration, frequency, amount
Evaluation may include:
Baseline survey or audit
Observation of work practices, personal protective equipment (PPE), engineering controls
Air monitoring

13. The Dose Makes The Poison
Men Hospitalized for Eating Chili
1999 Darwin Awardee,
Honorable Mention
(May 1999, Philippines) Three men attempting to land in the Guinness Book of World Records were hospitalized in Legaspi after eating huge amounts of chili peppers. They were treated for acute gastritis and high blood pressure, and released.

14. PLAN: Controlling Hazards
1) Substitute to less toxic material or less
hazardous procedure (microscaling expt.)
2) Use of engineering controls
Ventilation, isolation
3) Use of administrative controls
Ensuring safe work practices, rotating staff
4) Use of personal protective equipment
Gloves, safety glasses/goggles

15. PLAN : Waste Reduction Purchase only what you plan to use
Check inventory prior to
any purchase
Inventories only remain as accurate as your lab keeps it!

16. PLAN: Updating Inventory
SCIMSweb at:
Update SCIMSweb inventory to:
Add chemicals new to the lab
Delete old chemicals no longer used
Report increases or decreases in average volumes kept
Contact EH&S at to gain inventory access

17. . Reproductive Health Protection Program
University promotes early recognition of potential reproductive hazards.
Reproductive Hazards:
Chemical, biological, radiological or physical agents that can damage reproductive systems of males and females.
Can result in infertility, spontaneous abortion, developmental impairment or death of fetus or child.
EH&S services include:
Evaluates work areas.
Recommend proper procedures to reduce workplace exposures
Tier II training.
Contact the IH/Safety Program at for assistance.

18. Overview
PLAN
USE
STORE
DISPOSE
RESPOND

19. USE: Labeling Label every container Change the label when you
change the contents
Label water!
Spell out the common chemical name
Add date to label when received

20. USE: Exposure Control Inhalation: Lab hoods Designed to:
(1) Exhaust contaminant out of
breathing zone of worker
(2) Provide some splash protection
(3) Not designed to contain or withstand explosions.
Never put your head inside the hood!
Close chemical containers

21. USE: Exposure Control Inhalation: Lab hoods For proper performance:
Ensure certification is current
Lower sash to required height
Do not place anything within 6” of the front and back
Elevate large equipment off surface
Minimize storage in the hood
Do not disable flow alarm

22. Energy Conservation
A substantial amount of energy is used to heat and cool air that goes out fume hoods.
A 6-foot fume hood can cost Stanford as much as $6,200 per year to operate.
Please keep hood sashes closed and lights off when not in use.*
* Applies to Moore (aka McCullough Annex), McCullough, and Green Earth Sciences.

23. USE: Exposure Control
Remember: Lab hoods are NOT designed to contain or withstand explosions.

24. USE: Exposure Control Inhalation: Respirators
Generally not required in labs
May be needed if:
can’t work in fume hood
need protection in addition to fume hood
Call EH&S if you think you need one
requires medical evaluation, training and fit testing

25. USE: Exposure Control Absorption: Gloves Disposable / reusable
disposable: drip/drop and low toxicity
reusable: high exposure and/or higher toxicity
Glove material choice balances many factors:
protection
side effects (possible latex allergies?)
ease of use (durability / tactility / grip)
cost
Double glove may be necessary
Check EH&S website for glove selection:

26. USE: Exposure Control Absorption: Glove use
Inspect gloves before wearing
Remove immediately if splashed or contaminated and WASH HANDS!
Dispose of contaminated gloves as hazardous waste
Remove gloves before you leave the lab
Use designated pens when wearing gloves

27. USE: Exposure Control Absorption: Eye/ Face Protection
Labs are eye hazardous areas
Safety glasses, goggles
Face shields
How about
Prescription glasses?
Contact lenses?

28. USE: Exposure Control Absorption: Protective Clothing
Also have to protect skin on other body parts
Researchers have been injured:

29. USE: Exposure Control
Nitric Acid:

30. USE: Prevent Absorption
Phenol

31. USE: Prevent Absorption
Sodium Hydroxide

32. USE: Exposure Control Proper Lab Attire Lab coat Closed toe shoes
Pants are much safer than shorts and skirts
Don’t wear loose clothing
Don’t wear tight clothing

33. USE: Exposure Control Ingestion: No mouth pipetting !!!
No eating, drinking or applying cosmetics in chemical use areas
Wash hands before leaving the lab
No food or drink storage in labs

34. USE: Exposure Control Injection:
Don’t directly handle broken glassware, needles and other sharp objects

35. USE: Ergonomics Repetitive activities Manual handling
microscope
computer use
pipetting
Manual handling
heavy lifting
pushing carts
shelving items
For training or post-injury work-site evaluation, call EH&S

36. Overview
PLAN
USE
STORE
DISPOSE
RESPOND

37. CHEMICAL STORAGE Provide Lab Security
Keep the public from your chemicals
Systems already in place:
Lock your lab when unattended
Do not prop open building doors
Respect the card key system

38. CHEMICAL STORAGE Select locations away from exits Shelves Sinks
provide earthquake protection
use overhead storage judiciously
don’t store within 18” of ceiling
Sinks
do not store chemicals over a sink
do not store chemicals in a sink

39. CHEMICAL STORAGE Secondary containment Segregation
check volume of containment
keep them clean
Segregation
separate by storage group
letter codes

40. CHEMICAL STORAGE Flammables Flammables storage cabinet
required for > 10 gallons of flammable & combustible liquids
inspect for rust
acetic acid

41. CHEMICAL STORAGE Flammables Refrigerators explosion proof flammables
regular
1 gal of isopentane did this

42. CHEMICAL STORAGE Compressed Gases Store upright Restrain
metal
two-restraints
no gang chaining
Place in safe location
Segregate incompatibles

43. CHEMICAL STORAGE Protect the valve Disconnect regulator
Use valve cover
NO BENCH CLAMPS
Mark once emptied
Get compressed gas safety training !!

44. STORAGE: Exercise Heavy items stored on low shelf
Secondary containment and lips on shelves in use

45. STORAGE: Exercise Blocked eyewash and shower Box overhead - heavy?
Food in lab
Jar of juice on benchtop

46. TRANSPORTING CHEMICALS
Preventing Spills
Transportation within or between buildings
use carts with secondary containment
segregate by storage group
safety carriers
Container selection
good condition
compatible

47. SHIPPING SAMPLES/CHEMICALS
All shippers (Fedex, UPS) will require you to state if a “Dangerous Good”
Determine if hazardous material
Toxic, biohazard, corrosive, flammable
Dry Ice. Compressed gasses (even air)
Proper packaging and labeling
Use only specifically designed packages
Shipping papers signed by certified person

48. SHIPPING SAMPLES/CHEMICALS
Overseas shipments require Customs Broker contract
Stanford Contract; American Overseas
Research exclusion from export controls
PI must file documentation with Dean of Research
For additional assistance, contact
EH&S at or,
Dean of Research at  

49. Overview
PLAN
USE
STORE
DISPOSE
RESPOND

50. DISPOSE: Identify Wastes
Point your browser to: hazardouswaste.stanford.edu
What is hazardous waste?
First, it has to be a waste
Your decision
Surplus Chemicals not wastes
Surplus Chemicals
In original non-leaking container
Legible manufacturers label
See freechemicals.stanford.edu
Obtain chemicals or donate

51. DISPOSE: Identify Wastes
All chemical waste is hazardous, except:
chemicals listed on nonhazardouswaste.stanford.edu
Many buffers are hazardous due to organics
empty containers, 5 gallons or smaller, did not contain acutely hazardous material (E.g.: acrolein; see website)
Mixed waste
biohazardous + chemical  chemical waste
Deactivate any biological organisms
radioactive + chemical  “call EH&S first”
Short half-life preferred (32P)
Treat the chemical portion

52. DISPOSE: Label Use one label per container Accumulation Start Date
Instructions on back
Accumulation Start Date
Chemical Composition
Hazard Identification
Name/Location
Call to get labels

53. DISPOSE: Accumulate Time and Volume Limits in Labs
8 MONTHS!!!
55 gallons total/1 quart of acutely hazardous waste
Satellite Accumulation Area: In the Lab
Waste from your lab only
Proper segregation, secondary containment
Laboratory Satellite Accumulation Area
Waste from several labs (lab waste only)
As close a practical to generation site
All people who have access must be trained
Notify EH&S if you want to set up.

54. DISPOSE: “Universal Wastes”
Fluorescent Tubes
Batteries
batterybucket.stanford.edu
Electronic Equipment
Not waste unless monitor is physically broken. If broken, needs hazwaste label.
Follow “Sensitive Property” procedures
electronicwaste.stanford.edu

55. DISPOSE: Pickup Procedures
Standard pickup:
when a container is full or is 8 months old
wastepickup.stanford.edu
Blanket pickup:
for repetitive wastes, at least 5 gallons/month
submit blanket pickup request
one form per waste

56. DISPOSE: Prohibitions
Illegal Disposal
don’t put in a drain or trash
don’t intentionally evaporate
Transportation
EH&S will pick the waste up
Treatment without EH&S approval

57. DISPOSE: Benchtop Treatment
Call EH&S for additional training
Volume and time limitations
Peer-reviewed treatment method
Especially useful for mixed wastes
Non-sewerable but non-hazardous wastes
No additional requirements
Example: pH>2.0 but < 5.5

58. Overview
PLAN
USE
STORE
DISPOSE
RESPOND

59. RESPOND: Life Safety Boxes
Life Safety Box Contents
Item: Updated by:
room map lab
emergency contacts lab
front cover EH&S
inventory printout EH&S

60. RESPOND: Chemical Spill/Exposures
Safety Shower/ Eyewash Use
Yell for help
Stays on once activated
Flush for 15 minutes
Remove clothing
Keep injured eye lower
Keep area accessible
Water accumulates
Water not tempered!

61. RESPOND: Chemical Spill/Exposures
Medical Response - depending on severity
Employees go to Stanford Hospital ER or Sequoia Occupational Health (454 Forest Avenue, Palo Alto)
Students go to Stanford Hospital ER or Vaden Student Health.
Take MSDS with you!
Reporting:
Complete SU-17 and DWC-1 and SU-16, as appropriate – with assistance from supervisors.

62. RESPOND: Chemical Spill
If health threatening:
cal
alert others
evacuate
remain nearby to provide information
If not health threatening
Clean it up yourself
Call (EH&S; 24/7)

63. RESPOND: Chemical Spill
When to call EH&S ( )
DO call if:
spill is not contained in a hood or a lab bench and might either enter a sink, floor drain, contact soil, or produce hazardous vapor emissions, OR
Spill is > 50 ml
you can’t complete cleanup within 8 hours
DON’T need to call if:
spill is < 50 ml, AND
you are knowledgeable of the hazards, AND
you can clean it up with what you have at-hand

64. RESPOND: Spill Cleanup
Spill cleanup kits
Absorbent kits (from EH&S)
Solvents, dilute acids/bases, other liquids
Acid / base neutralizer kits (stores, supplier)
Mercury spill kits (stores, supplier)
All contaminated spill cleanup materials must be managed as hazardous waste

65. RESPOND: Fire Extinguisher
Know location
Keep accessible
Get training

66. EH&S Training Resources
This is Tier II training.
Get operation-specific training (Tier III Training) from your PI or supervisor.
Information and training required upon initial assignment to work area where hazardous chemicals are used and prior to assignments involving new exposure situations.

67. EH&S Training Resources
Training courses available include (but not limited to) :
Safetytrain.stanford.edu
Ergonomics (laboratory, computer, safe lifting)
Fire Extinguisher
Bloodborne Pathogens
Laser Safety
Compressed Gas
Electrical Safety
Waste Accumulation Area, Benchtop treatment
Contact EH&S at to schedule trainings

68. EH&S Resources SU Environmental Health & Safety 723-0448
hazardouswaste.stanford.edu
wastepickup.stanford.edu
freechemicals.stanford.edu