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Lab Safety Manual
1st Page
Chapter 1
Emergency
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Chapter 2
General
Safety
Chapter 3
Chemical
Hygiene Plan
Chapter 4
Radiological
Safety
Chapter 5
Biological
Hygiene Plan
Chapter 6
Laser
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Chapter 7
Administrative
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Chapter 8
Standard
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Chapter 9
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1st Rule of Lab Safety
Haz-Waste No-No
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Updated December
1999
General Safety
Section 2.1 - General Safety &
Operational Rules
C. Housekeeping
As in many general safety procedures, the following listing of good housekeeping
practices indicate common sense activities which should be implemented as a matter of
course in the laboratory. These recommendations are designed for accident prevention.
THE AREA MUST BE KEPT AS CLEAN AS THE WORK ALLOWS.
Each laboratory employee shall be responsible for maintaining the
cleanliness of his/her area.
Reagents and equipment items should be returned to their proper
place after use. This also applies to samples in progress. Contaminated or dirty glassware
should be placed in specific cleaning areas and not allowed to accumulate.
Chemicals, especially liquids, should never
be stored on the floor, except in closed door cabinets suitable for the material to be
stored. Nor should large bottles (2.5l or larger) be stored above the bench top.
Reagents, solutions, glassware, or
other apparatus shall not be stored in hoods. Besides reducing the available work space,
they may interfere with the proper air flow pattern and reduce the effectiveness of the
hood as a safety device.
Counter tops should be kept neat and
clean. Bench tops and fume hoods shall not be used for chemical storage. All work done in
fume hoods shall be performed in the "Safety Zone", (6" minimum from the
sash).
Stored items, equipment, and glass tubing
shall not project beyond the front of shelf or counter limits.
Stored items or equipment shall not
block access to the fire extinguisher(s), safety equipment, or other emergency items.
Stairways, hallways,
passageways/aisles and access to emergency equipment and/or exits must be kept dry and not
be obstructed in any fashion, including storage, equipment, phone or other wiring.
No combustible material such as
paper, wooden boxes, pallets, etc., shall be stored under stairwells or in hallways.
Hallways shall be kept free of boxes and materials so that exits or normal paths of travel
will not be blocked.
Materials stored near aisles shall be restrained to prevent their
falling.
Mats and carpeting shall be kept in good
condition.
All working surfaces and floors should be cleaned regularly.
All containers must be labeled with
at least the identity of the contents and the hazards those chemicals present to users. If
the contents of all containers are known we will no longer have an unknown waste disposal
problem.
D. Electrical
The typical laboratory requires a large quantity of electrical power. This
increases the likelihood of electrically-related problems and hazards. One must address
both the electrical shock hazard to the facility occupants and the fire hazard
potential. The following recommendations are basic to a sound electrical safety program in
the laboratory.
All electrical equipment shall be properly grounded.
All electrical equipment shall be U.L. listed and/or F.M. approved.
Sufficient room for work must be present in
the area of breaker boxes. All the circuit breakers and the fuses shall be labeled to
indicate whether they are in the "on" or "off" position, and what
appliance or room area is served. Fuses must be properly rated.
Equipment, appliance and extension cords
shall be in good condition.
Extension cords shall not be used as a substitute for permanent
wiring.
Electrical cords or other lines shall
not be suspended unsupported across rooms or passageways. Do not route cords over metal
objects such as emergency showers, overhead pipes or frames, metal racks, etc. Do not run
cords through holes in walls or ceilings or through doorways or windows. Do not place
under carpet, rugs, or heavy objects. Do not place cords on pathways or other areas where
repeated abuse can cause deterioration of insulation.
Multi-outlet plugs shall not be used
unless they have a built-in circuit breaker. This causes overloading on electrical wiring,
which will cause damage and possible overheating.
Most of the portable multiple outlets are rated at 15 amps.
Employees shall check when all connections are made to determine that the total input
average will never exceed 15 amps. (The amperage on electrical equipment is usually
stamped on the manufacturer's plate).
All building electrical repairs,
splices, and wiring shall be performed by the Physical Plant Electrical Department.
Electrical standards may be
obtained by referencing NFPA 70 - NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CODE.
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