LABORATORY SAFETY MANUAL

Site Map of Manual

Lab Safety Manual
1st Page

Chapter 1
Emergency Response

Chapter 2
General Safety

Chapter 3
Chemical Hygiene Plan

Chapter 4
Radiological Safety

Chapter 5
Biological Hygiene Plan

Chapter 6
Laser Safety

Chapter 7
Administrative Concerns

Chapter 8
Standard & Special Operating Procedures

Chapter 9
Facility Data

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Appendicies

Bibliography

Glossary

Index

On-Campus Contact Information

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1st Rule of Lab Safety

Haz-Waste No-No

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Updated December 1999

General Safety
Section 2.3 - Personal Protective Equipment

B. Clothing

The following guidelines for laboratory clothing are offered strictly from a safety standpoint.

1. Due to the potential for ignition, absorption, and entanglement in machinery, loose or torn clothing should be avoided unless wearing a lab coat.

2. Dangling jewelry and excessively long hair pose the same type of safety hazard.

3. Finger rings or other tight jewelry which is not easily removed should be avoided because of the danger of corrosive or irritating liquids getting underneath the piece and producing irritation.

4. Lab coats should be provided for protection and convenience. They should be worn at all times in the lab areas. Due to the possible absorption and accumulation of chemicals in the material, lab coats should not be worn in the lunchroom or elsewhere outside the laboratory.

5. Where infectious materials are present, closed (snapped) lab coats and gloves are essential.

6. Shoes shall be worn at all times in the laboratories. Sandals, open-toed shoes, and shoes with woven uppers, shall not be worn because of the danger of spillage of corrosive or irritating chemicals.

7. Care should be exercised in protective clothing selection; some protective clothing has very limited resistance to selected chemicals or fire.

8. Consult the MSDS for a chemical to find out the recommended clothing or PPE for a particular chemical. (Examples are latex, nitrile, or PVC gloves, or aprons.)

C. Aprons - Rubber or Plastic

Some operations in the laboratory, like washing glassware, require the handling of relatively large quantities of corrosive liquids in open containers. To protect clothing in such operations, plastic or rubber aprons may be supplied. A high-necked, calf- or ankle-length, rubberized laboratory apron or a long-sleeved, calf- or ankle-length, chemical- and fire-resistant laboratory coat should be worn anytime laboratory manipulation or experimentation is being conducted. Always wear long-sleeved and long-legged clothing; do not wear short-sleeved shirts, short trousers, or short skirts.

D. Gloves

When handling chemicals, it is recommended that the correct gloves be used to protect the worker from accidental spills or contamination. If the gloves become contaminated they should be removed and discarded as soon as possible. There is no glove currently available that will protect a worker against all chemicals.

Protection of the hands when working with solvents, detergents, or any hazardous material is essential in the defense of the body against contamination. Exposure of the hands to a potentially hazardous chemical could result in burns, chafing of the skin due to extraction of essential oils ("de-fatting"), or dermatitis. The skin could also become sensitized to the chemical and once sensitized, could react to lesser quantities of chemicals than otherwise would have any effect. It is well documented that primary skin irritations and sensitizations account for significantly greater numbers of lost time incidents on the job than any other single type of industrial injury.

Proper selection of the glove material is essential to the performance of the glove as a barrier to chemicals. Several properties of both the glove material and the chemical with which it is to be used should influence the choice of the glove. Some of these properties include: permeability of the glove material, breakthrough time of the chemical, temperature of the chemical, thickness of the glove material, and the amount of the chemical that can be absorbed by the glove material (solubility effect). Glove materials vary widely in respect to these properties; for instance, neoprene is good for protection against most common oils, aliphatic hydrocarbons, and certain other solvents, but is unsatisfactory for use against aromatic hydrocarbons, halogenated hydrocarbons, ketones, and many other solvents.

Gloves of various types are available and should be chosen for each specific job for compatibility and breakthrough characteristics. An excellent information is Guidelines for the Selection of Chemical Protective Clothing published by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) or information provided by glove manufacturers.

1. Selection
   
   For concentrated acids and alkalis, and organic solvents, natural rubber, neoprene or nitrile gloves are recommended. For handling hot objects, gloves made of heat-resistant materials (leather or Nomex) should be available and kept near the vicinity of ovens or muffle furnaces. A hot object should never be picked up with rubber or plastic gloves. Special insulated gloves should be worn when handling very cold objects such as liquid N2 or CO2. Do not use asbestos containing gloves.

2. Inspection
   
   Before each use, gloves should be inspected for discoloration, punctures, and tears. Rubber and plastic gloves may be checked by inflating with air and submersing them in water to check for air bubbles.

3. Usage
   
   Gloves should always be rinsed with a compatible solvent, soap and water prior to handling wash bottles or other laboratory fixtures.

4. Cleaning
   
   Before removal, gloves should be thoroughly washed, either with tap water or soap and water.

5. Removal
   
   Employees shall remove gloves before leaving the immediate work site to prevent contamination of door knobs, light switches, telephones, etc. When gloves are removed, pull the cuff over the hand.

E. Respirators

Respirator use should be avoided if at all possible (and is usually not required if adequate precautions are taken). Where possible, engineering controls (fume hoods, etc.) should be utilized to minimize exposure. If respirators are worn because OSHA PELs are being exceeded or other reasons, a respirator program must be established in accordance with OSHA 29 CFR 1910.134. Your Departmental Chemical Hygiene Officer should be consulted for additional information and guidance.