Safety in the Lab

Module 2: Laboratory Safety Regulations and Compliance

In addition to assuming a leadership role in lab operations, the lab manager is tasked with maintaining a safe working environment. In this module, you will gain familiarity with resources on workplace and laboratory safety. If your institution does not have an environmental health and safety officer, you may need to conduct research to ensure compliance with regulations at the federal (CFR) and state level. You may also be responsible for providing guidance or training, or for arranging to have your staff train with the institutional safety officer, to make sure that lab members follow the regulations.

Working in the lab environment can be part of an exciting and active career; however, talking about your work with family and friends can be difficult, especially when you are conducting genetic engineering or experimenting with animals. In this module, we will briefly discuss the ethical issues that can arise as you conduct and discuss your work in the lab.

Watch this Video 2.1

Before you begin this module, view this introduction to lab safety. You may want to expand your window for better viewing.

Ultimate Lab Safety Video

Outcomes and Objectives

Course Learning Outcomes Addressed in this Module

· identify, implement, and ensure compliance with appropriate rules and regulations regarding ethical and safe laboratory practices

Module 2 Learning Objectives

After completing this module, you should be able to

· locate regulations and information on safety measures for the laboratory to ensure that personnel are appropriately trained and that laboratory practices are in compliance with local, state, and federal regulations and policies

· distinguish among different types of hazards in the lab environment

· interpret hazard identification labels and storage requirements

· locate and select safety data sheets (SDS) and make them readily and easily accessible to members of the laboratory

· support and follow sound ethical practices in accordance with institutional and government policies

Commentary

Topics

Section 1. Compliance Section 2. Basic Lab Safety Section 3. Ethics Section 4. Summary

Section 1. Compliance

As the manager in a laboratory setting, you are responsible for the lab's maintaining compliance with institutional, local, state, and federal regulations. Compliance is the act of conforming to policy, standards, and/or laws. The lab manager is generally responsible for ensuring that lab members are aware of the regulations and that everyone is following the guidance.

Policy refers to rules or principles intended to shape decision-making. You may be responsible for developing policies on the handling of hazardous materials or other types of activities, or for providing each lab member with the institutional policy on working with infectious agents or animals. The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) at your organization should provide guidance on the protection of animal subjects in research. Your organization's Institutional Review Board (IRB) should provide guidance on the protection of human subjects in research.

Laws and regulations differ from policy in that they require or prohibit certain actions and behaviors rather than merely providing guidance on them. If you are not in compliance with the laws and regulations—if you fail to follow them—you may be subject to criminal or civil penalties. Federal laws and regulations include the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OSH Act); the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), which regulates the handling of hazardous wastes; and the Plant Protection Act (PPA), which, in part, governs the production and transport of plants, plant pests, and plant products.

Despite the existence and enforcement of policies and regulations, many individuals are injured each year in the workplace. In 2009, for example, 4,551 individuals were fatally injured at work (BLS, 2011). While the greatest number of these fatalities occurred due to transportation incidents (39 percent), 16 percent resulted from contact with objects and equipment; 9 percent, from exposure to harmful substances or environments; and 2 percent, from fire or explosion. The remaining 34 percent resulted from assault, falls, and other factors (BLS, 2011).

One fatal incident in a research lab took place in 2008, when lack of supervision and a failure to use proper personal protective equipment (PPE) led to severe burns in a lab assistant working at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). The 23-year old researcher was working on her own during a holiday break, not wearing proper goggles or a lab jacket. When she accidentally exposed t-butyl lithium, a pyrophoric chemical, to air, it ignited, causing second- and third-degree burns over more than 40 percent of her body. This caused the lab assistant's death a few weeks later (Trager, 2009).

Federal acts are designed to prevent this type of occurrence. The implementation of a federal act leads to the creation and revision of laws and regulations designed to enforce the act. For example, the Clean Air Act, passed by the president and Congress, provides air quality standards for protecting public health and welfare. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) enforces this act. The EPA staff researches and develops requirements to support the act, such as for the acceptable ambient level of nitrogen oxide. These regulations are published in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).

In the box below, see some links pertaining to safety and environmental compliance:

Quick Links for Compliance Issues

· U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA)

Safety and Health Topics: Laboratories Regulations (Standards-29 CFR) 29 CFR 1910 Table of Contents

· EPA, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)

Hazardous Waste Regulations

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS)

Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Science & Research: Regulations

· U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)

Regulations & Policies: Compliance Assistance

Finding and Referencing Regulations in the CFR

The first step in the development of a regulation is for an agency to decide that the regulation is necessary or for Congress to require the regulation by law. The agency researches the issue and develops a proposal, which is published in the Federal Register. The public and other interested parties review and comment on the proposed regulation. The agency reviews the comments, revises the regulation, and issues a final rule. Once the final rule has been published in the Federal Register, it is added to the CFR, which codifies it.

The CFR contains 50 volumes, also known as titles. The following titles contain environmental standards and regulations.

Table 2.1 CFR Titles for Environmental Standards and Regulations

Title	Category
10	Energy
29	Labor
40	Protection of the Environment
43	Public Lands: Interior
49	Transportation

To find or reference a regulation, you must have an understanding of the regulatory numbering system. The first number in the regulation refers to the title. The second number designates the part. The third number refers to the section. The fourth number references the paragraph.

To illustrate, for the OSHA regulation 29 CFR 1910.120(a), the number 29 refers to the DOL title used by OSHA. The number 1910 refers to part of the DOL title. The number 120 refers to the section of part 1910 of the DOL title. The letter (a) refers to the paragraph within section 120 within part 1910 of the DOL title.

Regulations and Enforcement Agencies

Federal and state governments, in addition to some county and municipal departments, update regulations for working environments in order to keep employees safe and healthy (Ehrmeyer & Laessig, 2007). The major source of employee safety and health regulations is the OSH Act. It was passed in 1970 to "ensure safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education and assistance" (OSHA, n.d.). The OSH Act is updated annually to reflect advances in technology and hazard response.

In the photo below, note the presence of heat-protective gloves and a lab coat as part of the PPE for this lab environment. The use of protective garments such as these is mandated by federal and local agencies.

Figure 2.1 Removal of Items from Autoclave

Source: Slotta, 2011. Copyright T. A. B. Slotta.

If you work with chemicals, there are a number of codes and regulations you could follow, including the  Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) , available through OSHA and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards. Developed at a 1992 United Nations (UN) conference, the GHS represents a comprehensive approach to defining the health, physical, and environmental hazards of chemicals and to communicating hazard and protective measure information. The NFPA codes and standards are "intended to minimize the possibility and effects of fire and other risks" (NFPA, 2011).

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is another organization that develops consensus standards and conformity assessment systems. The mission of ANSI is "to enhance both the global competitiveness of U.S. business and the U.S. quality of life by promoting and facilitating voluntary consensus standards and conformity assessment systems, and safeguarding their integrity" (ANSI, n.d.). Adherence to ANSI practices is voluntary.

The GHS and ANSI provide only guidance on the management of chemicals; the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the Department of Transportation (DOT), the EPA, and OSHA regulate and enforce adherence to the classification and labeling of chemicals. Some NFPA standards are mandatory, and some are guidelines.

Visit  this link  for more information on the GHS.

The definition of chemical hazard varies among the US regulatory agencies and among countries. While the different sets of laws and regulations pertaining to chemicals are similar, they vary enough to require the use of multiple labels for the same product.

Table 2.2 below shows some of the different regulatory approaches to gauging acute oral toxicity (LD50). This table illustrates the difficulty and high potential for confusion involved in complying with all US and international regulations. Although most regulations cover acute toxicity, the table shows that what is considered a hazard varies considerably; the same product may be considered hazardous at one level in one country or US regulatory system and not in another. For this reason, a single product may have different labels and safety data sheets (SDS).

Table 2.2 Acute Oral Toxicity (LD 50) Regulation Table

Acute Oral Toxicity (LD50) (mg/kg)
	High	Hazard	Low
Regulation or Standard		< 50	< 500	< 5000
ANSI/US/A 129.1	< 50	> 50 < 500	> 500 < 2000
	Highly toxic	Toxic	Harmful
OSHA/US/HCS	< 50	> 50 < 500
	Highly toxic	Toxic
EPA/US/FIFRA	0 ≤ 50	> 50 ≤ 500	> 500 < 5,000	> 5,000
	Toxicity category I	Tox. cat. II	Tox. cat. III	Tox. cat. IV
CPSC/US/FHSA	< 50	> 50 ≤ 500
	Highly toxic	Toxic
GHS	≤ 5	> 5 ≤ 50	> 50 ≤ 300	> 300 ≤ 2,000	> 2,000 ≤ 5,000
DOT/US	< 5	> 5 < 50	> 50 < 200 (solid)
			> 50 < 500 (liquid)
	Picking group 1	Picking group II	Picking group III
NFPA/US	≤ 5	> 5 ≤ 50	> 50 ≤ 500	> 500 ≤ 2,000	> 2,000
	Hazard category	Hazard category	Hazard category	Hazard category	Hazard category
	4	3	2	1
NPCA/US/HMIS	≤ 1	> 1 ≤ 50	> 50 ≤ 500	> 500 ≤ 5,000	> 5,000
	Toxicity rating	Toxicity rating	Toxicity rating	Toxicity rating	Toxicity rating
	4	3	2	1
EU	< 25	> 25 < 200	> 200 < 2,000
	Very toxic	Toxic	Harmful
WHMIS/Canada	≤ 50	> 50 ≤ 500
	Very toxic	Toxic
	WHMIS class D, division 1	WHMIS class D, division 1
	Subdivision A	Subdivision B

Source: Based on a table from OSHA, n.d.

Hazard Categories

The CFR contains regulations and compliance information on a broad spectrum of materials and work conditions. The OSHA regulations on working with hazardous materials are found within 29 CFR 1910.

In the lab, you may be exposed to different types of hazards. We define these below.

· Biological hazards: These are biological agents that may cause harm to humans. Biological hazards include toxins and allergens produced by microorganisms, fungi, plants, and animals. A biological hazard must display the biohazard symbol (figure 2.2), under the conditions set forth in 29 CFR 1910.146.

· Bloodborne pathogens: Within biological hazards, a secondary category of bloodborne pathogens is defined. These are pathogenic organisms present in human blood or blood products that may cause disease. Bloodborne pathogens are regulated under 29 CFR 1910.1030.

· Chemical hazards: These are hazards categorized as chemical, present dangers to human health and the environment. These compounds may be biologically dangerous, corrosive, flammable, or radioactive. Chemical hazard compounds are regulated under 29 CFR 1910.1450.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Recommendations for Occupational Safety and Health: Compendium of Policy Documents and Statements (HHS [NIOSH] publication no. 92-100) provides a listing of chemicals encountered in the workplace and outlines its  recommended exposure limits (RELs)  and  permissible exposure limits (PELs) . The NIOSH document is available online in a searchable form and as a  downloadable PDF . All chemicals in a lab setting usually display the NFPA warning diamond (see figure 2.3).

Figure 2.2 Biological and Chemical Hazard Symbols

 a

b.1     b.2     b.3    

(a) biohazard symbol from CFR; (b) symbols from GHS for (b.1) corrosive hazard; (b.2) acute toxicity hazard, and (b.3) health hazard

Source: UNECE, n.d.

· Radioactive hazards: These include ionizing (x-ray, alpha, beta, and gamma) and non-ionizing (electromagnetic, infrared, visual light, and microwave) forms of radiation. Of greatest concern is ionizing radiation, as this provides energy at a level high enough to disrupt electrons in atoms, and can damage DNA and cause cancer. Non-ionizing radiation contains less energy, but can cause changes in electron and atom arrangement.

In a 1973 agreement, the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) published guidelines for maintaining radiation doses as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA). Federal regulations require a formal ALARA program at institutes, and adequate training for those working with radioactive materials. Ionizing radiation in the workplace is regulated under 29 CFR 1910.1096. Violations of this regulation include improper storage or disposal of radioactive materials, failure to post required warning signs, and improper record management.

· Electrical hazards: Much of the equipment in a biology or chemistry lab requires electricity, and most facilities provide sufficient current in a safe and secure manner. However, equipment may suffer damage or be located improperly, presenting a hazard. Electrical hazards are regulated in 29 CFR 1910 for general, industrial, and agricultural purposes; and in 29 CFR 1910.302 and .331 for adherence to electrical safety standards.

· Fire or explosive hazards: Any class of chemicals defined by NIOSH as presenting an explosive or fire hazard should be handled with extreme care. Chemical safety labels (see figures 2.3 and 2.4) alert individuals to these hazards and should be on display at all times. In the lab, safety equipment should be available for the quick suppression of accidental ignition. A fire extinguisher, safety shower, and/or fire blanket should be readily available and functional.

Chemicals posing a fire or explosion risk include alcohols, sodium azide, and t-butyl lithium. Periodic checks of the integrity of equipment should be conducted, as outlined in 29 CFR 1910.157. The fatal incident at UCLA described above illustrates the importance of the safe handling of these hazards.

Figure 2.3 Additional GHS Hazard Symbols

a	b
c	d

GHS symbols for (a) radioactive hazard; (b) explosive hazard; (c) caution; (d) fire hazard

Sources: UNECE, n.d.; EPA, 2011

In addition to the hazard symbols above, NFPA standard labels are used on substances ranging from dish soap to hydrochloric acid to provide an easy visual cue as to the risks involved in coming into contact with the substance. The diamond symbol (figure 2.4) contains information on the health risk, flammability risk, and reactivity of the substance, with a field for other risks or warnings.

The health risk, shown in blue, is factored according to severity of harm and duration of exposure needed for harm to occur. The flammability risk, shown in red, indicates the ignitability of the substance. The reactivity, shown in yellow, indicates the stability of the substance and the likelihood of explosion. In the white section of the label, special warnings are listed, such as for reactivity to water, oxidizing capability, radioactivity, and poisoning capability.

Figure 2.4 NFPA Chemical Hazard Label, with Breakdown of Sections

Health (Blue)	Flammability (Red)	Instability/Reactivity (Yellow)
	Poses no health hazard; necessitates no precautions; if a fire occurred, this substance would not be more dangerous than a normal combustible material example: water		Will not burn example: argon		Is typically stable, even in the event of fire exposure, and is not reactive with water example: helium
1	Could cause irritation upon exposure, with minor residual injury example: acetone	1	Must be heated before ignition can occur; flash point is over 93°C (200°F) example: mineral oil	1	Is typically stable, but can become unstable at elevated temperatures and pressures; may react to water, but not violently example: propylene
2	Could cause serious temporary incapacitation or residual injury upon intense or continued (but not chronic) exposure in the absence of prompt medical treatment example: ethyl ether	2	Must be moderately heated or exposed to relatively high ambient temperatures before ignition can occur; flash point is between 38°C (100°F) and 93°C (200°F) example: diesel fuel	2	Is typically unstable, and readily undergoes violent chemical change at elevated temperatures and pressures, though without detonating; may react violently or form explosive mixtures with water example: sodium
3	Could cause serious temporary or moderate residual injury upon brief exposure, even with prompt medical treatment example: chlorine gas	3	Can be ignited under almost all ambient temperature conditions; for liquids, flash point is below 23°C (73°F) and boiling point is at or above 38°C (100°F); or, for both liquids and solids, flash point is between 23°C (73°F) and 38°C (100°F) example: gasoline	3	Is capable of detonation or explosive reaction, but requires a strong initiating source, or heating under confinement, or contact with water; will detonate when severely shocked example: ammonium nitrate
4	Could cause death or major residual injury upon extremely brief exposure, even in the event of prompt medical treatment example: carbon monoxide	4	Will rapidly or completely vaporize at normal atmospheric pressure and temperature, or is readily dispersed through the air and burns readily; flash point is below 23°C (73°F) example: propane	4	Is readily capable of detonation or explosive decomposition at normal temperatures and pressures example: nitroglycerine

 

Special Warnings
	Water-reactive
Ox	Oxidizing
	Radioactive
	Poisonous

Sources: First table adapted from Wikipedia, 2011 and ScienceLab.com, 2005; symbols adapted from ScienceLab.com, 2005 and taken from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, n.d.

Chemical Hygiene Plan

A chemical hygiene plan (CHP) is a list of the health and safety hazards in the lab and the protocols and practices necessary to protect employees from those hazards. To be in compliance with  29 CFR 1910.1450  and  29 CFR 1910.1200 , the lab must prepare a CHP and have it readily accessible.

The lab manager or a chemical hygiene officer is responsible for periodically reviewing and revising the CHP as needed. In the case of a spill or accident, any lab member or official visitor in the lab should be able to access the CHP to guide appropriate actions and mitigate personal or environmental harm. CHP templates can be found at the  State of Wisconsin Department of Administration (DOA) website  and the  University of California Santa-Barbara Chemical Hygiene Plan website .

The CHP should include general directions for safe lab practices, covering exposure prevention, treatment of sharp objects and broken glass, chemical waste containment, and other health and safety measures. The CHP should also provide direction on record maintenance, such as with a logbook. Extra precautions are required with radioactive hazards in order to prevent incidental exposure.

Use Your Knowledge 2.1

The photograph below shows a portion of a bench top. What lab equipment on this bench top might protect health and safety? Scroll your mouse over the photo to see how well you answered this question. You should have identified three items.

Source: Slotta, 2011. Copyright T. A. B. Slotta.

Biosafety Levels and Clinical Laboratories

The biosafety guidelines you follow will depend on the microorganisms used in the laboratory, as transmission methods and associated risks vary. The HHS publishes the  Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories  (BMBL)  guide to ensure safety in work practices and procedures.

page 30-59  of the BMBL outlines the steps needed to protect personnel and the environment at four levels of containment: BSL-1, BSL-2, BSL-3, and BSL-4. Standard microbiological safety practices such as hand-washing, avoidance of eating and drinking in designated areas, and the safe disposal of sharps and broken glassware are followed at all four levels.

Biosafety Level 1 (BSL-1)

In the biosafety level 1 (BSL-1) work environment, any microorganisms present are not thought to cause disease in healthy humans. Microbiology classrooms, water-testing labs, and some research labs fit this category. BSL-1 labs require a closed-door environment with signs listing hazards and toxic chemicals. These labs contain hand-washing stations, chemical or hazard waste receptacles, broken glass waste receptacles, and signs prohibiting eating, drinking, and smoking in the lab.

Members of BSL-1 facilities typically wear lab coats and have undergone training in safe practices in working with microbiologics.

Use Your Knowledge 2.2

The photograph below shows the entryway to a lab. Can you identify all the safety elements in the entryway? Scroll your mouse over the photo to see how well you did. You should have identified seven elements. Click on the link below for a description of these elements and others in the immediate vicinity.

Source: Slotta, 2011. Copyright T. A. B. Slotta.

Explanation of safety elements

Biosafety Level 2 (BSL-2)

In a biosafety level 2 (BSL-2) facility, you may work with or be exposed to agents of moderate risk. The microbiologics are typically transmissible via ingestion, exposure to mucous membranes, or transdermal exposure. Work in a BSL-2 facility is usually conducted on the open bench, as in a BSL-1 area, but any work that could involve aerosols of infectious materials is conducted in a biological safety cabinet (BSC), a laminar flow hood equipped with a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter, by individuals wearing gloves, lab coats, and eye or face protection.

Wastes from the microbiologics are decontaminated via chemical treatment or steam autoclaving. Work surfaces are decontaminated routinely, and all spills and accidents are reported and recorded in an incident logbook. Most work with the infectious agent is conducted in a BSC (e.g., class II, type A). All personnel in the facility are aware of the hazards associated with the work and have received training for daily and emergency situations.

Biosafety Levels 3 and 4 (BSL-3 and BSL-4)

Biosafety level 3 (BSL-3) and biosafety level 4 (BSL-4) both concern work with infectious agents that can cause serious or potentially lethal diseases upon inhalation or exposure. The distinction between BSL-3 and BSL-4 lies in the biological agent involved and the severity of the disease. In BSL-3, the disease is not usually spread by casual contact. In BSL-4, the disease is often untreatable, and the agents are easily transmitted between individuals, from animal to human or from human to human in casual contact. BSL-3 labs work with agents such as the West Nile virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus, and tuberculosis bacteria. BSL-4 labs work with agents such as the viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF) that causes Ebola.

In BSL-3 and BSL-4 labs, PPE is necessary at all times, and facilities are isolated with double-door entry and a separate inward air supply to prevent the release of biological agents. In BSL-4, additional precautions are taken to protect investigators, in the form of multiple airlocks, showers, ultraviolet (UV) rooms, and hazardous materials (hazmat) suits with a self-contained oxygen supply.

Table 2.3 synthesizes information on the BSLs from the BMBL (fifth edition).

Table 2.3 Biosafety Level Overview

BSL	Agents	Practices	Safety Equipment (Primary Barriers)	Facilities (Secondary Barriers)
1	Agents not known to consistently cause disease in healthy adults	Standard microbiological practices*	None required	Open-bench top sink required
2	Agents associated with human disease may be transmitted via percutaneous injury, ingestion, and mucous membrane exposure	BSL-1 practices plus limited access; biohazard warning signs; sharps precautions; biosafety manual that defines any needed waste decontamination or medical surveillance policies	Primary barriers: Class I or II BSCs or other physical containment devices, used for all manipulations of agents that could cause splashes or aerosols of infectious materials PPE: laboratory coat, gloves, face protection as needed	BSL-1 barriers, plus an autoclave
3	Indigenous or exotic agents with the potential for aerosol transmission; or agents that cause diseases that may have serious or lethal consequences	BSL-2 practices plus controlled access; decontamination of all waste; decontamination of lab clothing before laundering; baseline serum	Primary barriers: Class I or II BSCs or other physical containment devices used for all open manipulations of agents PPE: protective lab clothing, gloves, respiratory protection as needed	BSL-2 barriers plus physical separation from access corridors; self-closing, double-door access; the exhaustion of air, which is not re-circulated; negative airflow into laboratory
4	Dangerous/exotic agents that pose a high risk of infection with a life-threatening disease or related agents with unknown risk of transmission	BSL-3 practices plus clothing change before entering lab; shower upon exiting lab; decontamination of all material upon exit of facility	Primary barriers and PPE: all procedures conducted in Class III BSCs or Class I or II BSCs in combination with full-body, air-supplied, positive pressure personnel suit	BSL-3 barriers plus separate building or isolated zone; dedicated supply and exhaust, vacuum, and decontamination systems

Source: Information adapted from CDC, 2009

https://www.cdc.gov/cpr/infographics/00_docs/biosafety.pdf

* https://www.phe.gov/s3/BioriskManagement/biocontainment/Pages/BSL-Requirements.aspx

Clinical Laboratories

A clinical laboratory is defined as any facility that performs laboratory testing on specimens derived from humans for the purpose of providing information for the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of disease, or the impairment of or assessment of health. The Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment (CLIA) of 1998 sets quality standards for clinical testing (Ehrmeyer & Laessig, 2007). These standards help ensure the accuracy, reliability, and timeliness of patient results regardless of where the testing is performed.

As per CLIA, in labs that perform moderate- to high-complexity testing, personnel must meet certain qualifications, and procedures must be documented and verified through quality control, passing periodic inspection. Biological testing labs receive certification based on the complexity of the testing they support. These labs receive one of the following certifications or accreditations:

· certification of waiver

· provider-performed microscopy certificate

· permanent compliance certificate or permanent accreditation

A certificate of waiver is granted for simple laboratory procedures that have an insignificant risk of error. Waived tests can be found on this  FDA website . A certificate of provider-performed microscopy is required for moderately complex tests in which the primary instrument is a microscope. A permanent compliance certificate or accreditation is required for complex tasks, such as medical diagnostic testing, and necessitates proficiency testing of techniques and reporting of results.

Health and Safety (HS) Officers

The importance of lab safety cannot be stressed often enough. As a participant in research, you should be required to attend training in safe lab practices by your employer and to take recertification training periodically. Many organizations have an Environmental Health and Safety Office, a Regulatory Compliance Office, or an individual responsible for overseeing safety concerns at the workplace; however, each member of the lab is also responsible for ensuring a safe workplace for all.

The health and safety officer is charged with enforcing regulations in the organization. As lab manager, you will work with this individual to arrange for the specialized training of lab personnel and to report hazards in the lab. The health and safety officer may periodically visit the lab to make routine checks on the logging of wastes and the functioning of lab safety equipment.

Section 2. Basic Lab Safety

Your lab should have readily available a manual or list of general safety guidelines. Some institutes require that these be posted prominently in each research station. Additional signs should be posted in areas where hazardous materials such as radioactive or flammable substances are housed or used.

You can find common lab safety signs and symbols at the Occupational Safety and Health Administration Hazard Communication Standard Pictogram  https://www.osha.gov/Publications/HazComm_QuickCard_Pictogram.html .

In the box below, see some guidelines that promote good laboratory practice (GLP):

Sample List of GLP Behaviors

Each member of the lab should

· know all applicable health and safety regulations

· promptly notify the Environmental Health and Safety Office or management if any environmental controls, such as the fume hood; or safety equipment, such as emergency showers; are nonfunctional

· maintain and update others on location of chemical and hazardous material inventory and SDS

· be properly outfitted with PPE, such as lab coats, gloves, and eye protection

· wear only appropriate attire—for example, no loose clothing (ties or loose sleeves) or open-toed shoes

· keep long hair tied back

· consume foods or beverages or use tobacco products only outside the working lab area

· inform non-laboratory personnel (e.g., facility maintenance, contractors) of lab-related hazards

· keep work areas uncluttered and dispose of wastes in proper containers

· promptly report accidents and unsafe working conditions to the PI or safety officer

· participate in periodic self-inspections of the lab and maintain records of inspections as required

· participate in relevant safety training and follow oral and written safety rules, regulations, and standard operating procedures (SOPs)

Safety Guidelines for Working with Hazards in the Lab

Attention and care must be taken when one is working with hazardous materials. As you reviewed the regulations above, you saw over and over that PPE and safety precautions are necessary in the lab. It is not uncommon, however, for individuals to become too comfortable in their work and to relax their adherence to safety guidelines or compliance.

Remember: you can never grow complacent about lab safety; your life depends on strict adherence to lab safety guidelines.

In the box below, see some resources that can help you stay safe in the lab:

Training Resources for Working in the Lab Setting

· Basic chemistry safety rules

· Princeton University Laboratory Safety Manual

· UCLA Biosafety Manual

· UCLA Hazardous Waste Guidelines

· UCLA Chemical Hygiene Plan

· UCLA Laboratory Inspection Checklist

· UCLA general lab safety sites  select the specialty on this webpage

Department of Biological Chemistry site Biological Safety links

 

Use Your Knowledge 2.3

Can you determine whether lab safety violations are present in a given lab scenario? Click on the link to test your ability to detect hazardous situations and noncompliance.

Detection Activity Use Your Knowledge 2.3- Please go to My Tools -> Self Assessments -> to complete this self assessment.

What is the SDS?

The safety data sheet (SDS) is a document that provides information on a substance's physical properties, PPE recommendations, toxicity, health risks, first aid treatment, reactivity, storage, and disposal. Suppliers typically provide SDS when they ship chemicals, sometimes in abbreviated form, with access to the full version online.

Several standard formats are used (see the link below). SDS should be stored in a common location in the lab or as a file in a shared computer. The safety sheets provide information not only for lab personnel, but for anyone who could come into contact with chemicals in the lab (e.g., facilities staff, contractors). During an emergency such as an accidental spill, the SDS should be referenced for the proper procedures for the cleaning and disposal of the agent, as well as for the treatment of the individuals affected.

SDS forms and FAQs can be found at the  SDSonline website .

Use Your Knowledge 2.4

Complete the following steps. Use the results in the activity below to learn more about SDS.

1. Go to the  Sigma-Aldrich website . You may want to expand your window for better viewing.

2. Conduct a search for product number E7023 using the “SDS Search” field in the middle of the page.

Source: Sigma-Aldrich, n.d.

3. Scroll through the search results, looking at the information provided. A segment of the screen is shown below.