2.1 ATTITUDE

Almost all laboratory chemicals pose some hazard and, as such, exposure to them by any route should be minimized. Exposure can be minimized by the development of good personal chemical hygiene habits.

• Maintain a "safety first" attitude.
• Avoid "horseplay". Employees involved in horseplay may be subject to disciplinary measures, including termination. See section 2.2, Disciplinary Policy.
• Recognize risks and respect chemicals.
• Assume that substances of unknown toxicity are toxic.
• Assume that a mixture of substances can be more toxic than its most toxic component.

The College of St. Benedict and St. John's University is responsible for providing a safe work environment. Therefore, disciplinary action must be taken in situations involving the violation of the safety policies and practices contained in this CHP. In general, the step-wise

procedure shown below will be followed for each policy/procedure violated. However, in situations involving gross violation and serious willful neglect, discretion may be used, resulting in potential direct termination.

First Verbal warning--documented (copies to employee, direct supervisor)

Second Written warning (copies to employee, direct supervisor, Student Employment Office for student employees or Human Resources Office and Dean for faculty and staff)

Third Student Employees and Staff Members--Termination (copies to employee, direct supervisor, Student Employment Office for student employees or Human Resources Office for staff)

OR

Faculty--Initiation of Dismissal Procedures according to the Joint CSB/SJU Handbook, section 2.13.6 (copies to employee, direct supervisor, Human Resources Office and Dean)

If any unattended (e.g., overnight) laboratory reactions, operations or manipulations are performed:

• Post Unattended Procedure form.
• Take all necessary precautions for chemical containment in the event of failure of a necessary utility service (e.g. water, electricity).
• Check that the Laboratory Identification Card on the laboratory door is current. Include the names of at least two individuals responsible for the safety of the reaction, operation or manipulation and the telephone numbers at which they can be reached after regular working hours in case an emergency situation arises. Laboratory Identification Cards are available in the Stockroom.

Unattended operations include mechanical equipment and instrumentation left in the ON or STANDBY mode, vacuum systems, distillation processes and any other operations which utilize running water.

2.4 "LONE WORKER" POLICY

Any employee, student employee or student researcher engaging in hazardous activities is required to have at least one other person (with CSB/SJU chemical safety training) present in the room who can call for help in case of an emergency.

Because of the impossibility of specifying the precise meaning of the word "hazardous," greater caution and prudence need to be exercised by employees/research supervisors when making a judgment about the relative safety risk of carrying out particular procedures outside of normal working hours.

Under all circumstances, student employees or student researchers doing non-hazardous lab work, whether during or outside of normal working hours, must clear the procedures with their supervisor or research advisor and carry the work out with their supervisor's/advisor's knowledge.

Students will be allowed after-hours access in the evenings and on the weekend, but only between the hours of seven am and ten pm.  The Department of Security will assist with providing access for students into the labs using the following procedure:

·        A pair of students will request a permission slip for evening work from their faculty advisor.  Both of the students and a faculty advisor must sign the slip.

·        The students will notify security when they wish access to the lab, but in some circumstances security might be significantly delayed in their arrival time.

·        On the arrival of security, students will present them with their work permission slip.

·        Students will call security to lock the appropriate labs and must not leave the labs until security arrives

All laboratory employees have the personal responsibility to become informed of the hazards of the chemicals they are working with before any work commences. The following is a list of items to consider:

• Read the informational and warning labels on all chemicals before using them.
• Understand the content of each chemical’s MSDS. A MSDS is provided by the company selling each chemical or product and contains data on the safe use of the product. For more information regarding MSDSs, please see Section 2.6.
• Ask for additional information from the Laboratory Coordinator or your direct supervisor whenever a question arises as to how to proceed with a reaction, manipulation or operation, or how to safely handle a particular chemical.

The Chemistry Department maintains a library of MSDSs for all chemicals listed in the departmental inventory.

When interpreting MSDSs please use care. It is important to keep in mind that the manufacturer who is providing the MSDSs tends to write in a conservative manner to provide full disclosure but yet to limit its own liability. The use of these chemicals in small quantities, as is usually the case in most college laboratories, must not be viewed as having the same exposure potential as that which exists in manufacturing or production level work.

The Employee Right-To-Know manuals for both campuses outline the procedures to be followed for requesting and obtaining MSDSs and for the development of MSDSs for research chemicals. Additionally, each manual contains a glossary of terms commonly found on MSDSs.

All chemicals entering the department for any reason, whether purchased through department funds, research grants or donated, must be bar-coded by stockroom personnel before being used. Bar codes will only be added to containers received directly from the manufacturer; no secondary containers, solution bottles or laboratory samples will be bar-coded.

Since there are many different groups using the same chemicals, it is important to maintain the integrity and quality of these chemicals. Please keep the following in mind:

• Calculate the quantity of each chemical needed before starting any work and take only the amount needed.
• Do not transfer unused chemicals back into "stock" containers. Transfer them into clean, properly labeled containers for future use, or dispose of them properly. When transferring of chemicals is necessary, please be sure to consider the type of container to be used and choose only appropriate and compatible containers. Please see the Labeling section (2.7.4) and the Chemical By-Product and Waste Management section (Chapter 6) of this CHP for more information.
• Keep chemicals in original containers whenever possible in order to maintain the integrity of the information on the label.
• Do not remove or deface labels affixed to containers of chemicals.
• Make no assumptions about the identity of chemicals in unlabeled containers; set such containers safely aside and consult the Lab Coordinator as to the procedures for analysis and/or disposal.
• Promptly replace caps on opened containers of chemicals.

Emptied Containers:

When a chemical container is emptied, do the following:

• Record that the container is empty on the Chemical Inventory Consumption Log and note the future use of the empty container (reused or disposed of).
• Triple rinse the container and cap with 5% of the container's volume of water. These rinses should be poured down the drain with plenty of water.*
• Completely deface the chemical label and the bar code.
• Wash the container if it is to be saved for future use or recycle or dispose of the container as appropriate.

*If a container held an acutely toxic chemical, the container and cap should be triple rinsed with a solvent in which the chemical is soluble. These rinses should be 10 % of the container’s volume and need to be collected as hazardous waste.

The Chemistry department maintains a computerized, quantity-based inventory system,

with individual inventories for the stockroom, room 213, 237 and 238 as part of the system. In order for this system to function properly, all chemicals removed from bar coded containers must be recorded on Chemical Inventory Consumption Logs. These logs are available from the Stockroom Manager.

At a minimum, physical checks of all chemical inventories will be performed on an annual basis.

The Chemistry Department has developed the following comprehensive labeling system:

• Stock Chemicals:
• Bar code label
• Date of arrival into Department
• HMIS label

Stock Chemicals Delivered into Non-stock Containers:

• Chemical contents
• Hazard warning(s) [found on stock container and/or MSDS]
• Date of arrival into department (from stock container)
• Date of transfer
• Initials of employee making the transfer
• Grade of reagent (from stock container)
• HMIS label

Prepared solutions for immediate use in teaching labs:

• Chemical contents
• Hazard warning(s) [found on stock container and/or MSDS]

Prepared solutions for long-term use:

• Chemical contents, including concentration
• Hazard warning(s) [found on stock container and/or MSDS]
• Date of preparation
• Initials of preparing employee
• HMIS label

Teaching laboratory samples, intermediates and products:

• Information tracing compound back to notebook
• Date of preparation
• Course number and lab day
• Full name of student preparing compound

Research Intermediates and Products:

• Probable chemical structure
• Information tracing compound back to notebook
• Hazard warning(s)
• Date of preparation
• Initials of preparing employee

For mutual understanding and protection, the Chemistry Department has designated certain conditions under which prior approval or notification is required. The prior approval or

notification process involves filling out the appropriate form and submitting it to the Chairperson of the Chemistry Department Safety Committee before work commences. Prior approval is necessary for chemicals, which when stored and/or used in the laboratory, present hazards to the population of the building due to their toxicity, volatility or their explosive power. Notification is necessary for chemicals used in the laboratory which present toxicity hazards to individuals entering the area.

In student laboratory situations the Laboratory Coordinator is responsible for obtaining prior approval or notification; research Advisors are responsible in research settings. Appendix 4 lists the prior approval and notification chemicals, along with copies of the required forms.

If proposed laboratory activities involve materials such as  recombinant DNA or other biohazards which may require prior approval from internal or external sources, please see the EHSO.

To protect yourself from exposure to hazardous chemicals, observe good habits and technique and use the appropriate personal protective equipment.

Choose appropriate clothing and gloves for work with the materials at hand.

Glove Use

     The Chemistry department provides gloves for hand and arm protection for a variety of situations.  These include:  protection from exposure to chemicals, heat or cold, rough surfaces, and other situations that may arise.   Appendix 10 summarizes the chemical protection characteristics of some common glove materials.  Requests for specialty use gloves we do not already have available should be made to the stockroom so that they can be purchased.

     Latex gloves will not be routinely provided because of problems with latex allergies and a campus goal to be latex-free.  If a latex glove is essential for a particular procedure, arrangements should be made through the appropriate faculty advisor for the course or project.  Most of the gloves available routinely in the Chemistry department are nitrile.  Nitrile is resistant to many chemicals, holds up well, and is available in a variety of thicknesses.

Glove use for research, projects, and special tasks

     Safety training will cover the use and location of specific gloves as part of their orientation to the facilities.

Glove types which may be required and are available include:

·          Heavy-duty nitrile gloves for long-term and/or harsh chemical exposure (such as working with the base bath),

·          Light-weight disposable nitrile gloves for protection from short-term chemical exposure and/or exposure to mild chemical hazards (such as routine lab work with chemicals),

·          Cloth-insulated gloves for picking up hot items (such as removing items from the autoclave or oven),

·          Rubber hand protectors for picking up hot items (such as removing items from an oven),

·          Cotton gloves for certain research applications and instrument use (such as working in the dry box),

·          Leather gloves for handling rough items or hot or cold items (such as broken glass or liquid nitrogen).

     Students taking department courses will be provided with appropriate gloves for use when lab work requires handling hazardous chemicals.  Depending on the activity, gloves may be needed for the entire length of the lab, or only for specific portions of the lab.  The lab coordinator of a course will determine when gloves are required for the lab work. 

General Rules for Glove Use

·          Choose gloves appropriate for the task and exposure to hazards. 

·          Before use, inspect gloves for tears and punctures.  Discard damaged gloves.

·          After use, decontaminate reusable gloves to remove any chemical residue.  The most direct method to do this is to wash the gloves thoroughly with soap and water before removing them.  Hang gloves so that they can dry before the next use.

·          Discard disposable gloves by pulling them off to an inside-out position and place them in the trash or hazardous waste, depending on the materials that may be on them.

·          When wearing gloves, touch only those materials and equipment necessary to perform the work.  Remember that contaminated gloves contaminate any surface they touch.  Do not leave a lab wearing contaminated gloves.

·          Wash gloves before writing in laboratory notebooks.   

General Laboratory Clothing

Because of the possibility of unusual laboratory hazards it is recommended that student and employee:

• Always wear sturdy shoes while in a laboratory; never wear sandals or perforated shoes.
• Wear a laboratory coat, smock or apron when working with hazardous chemicals.
• Do not wear clothing which exposes large areas of the skin’s surface (e.g., jogging shorts or mini-skirts, bare midriff). Additionally, avoid wearing clothing made of synthetic materials (e.g. polyester, etc.).
• Do not wear oversized/excessively loose clothing. The excess material can contribute to spills or can become entangled in mechanical apparatus.

Routinely use a fume hood when working with flammable chemicals or with volatile or dust-producing toxic chemicals having a TLV (Threshold Limit Value) or PEL (Permissible Exposure Limit) less than 50 ppm or 100 mg/m3 (see Chemical Lists # 8 & 23). Because some chemical odor thresholds are above dangerous levels, use a fume hood when working with chemicals which have odor recognition thresholds greater than or nearly equal to their TLVs. Common chemicals exhibiting this property include ammonia, carbon tetrachloride, ethylenediamine, formamide, hydrogen sulfide and methylene chloride.

• Close the hood sash completely whenever you are not working in the hood.
• Confirm that the hood is functioning properly. An exhaust face velocity of about 100 linear feet per minute (LFPM) offers the best removal of fumes in the hood. Significantly greater or lesser velocity can cause conditions in which fumes escape or eddy into the worker's face.
• Ensure that a piece of tissue or tape is attached to the bottom of the fume hood sash as a guide to confirm air flow.
• Perform all work in the fume hood within the designated work zone, located six inches from the front and back of the hood.
• Because potentially explosive perchlorates can form within the ductwork of most fume hoods, perform work involving hot or boiling perchloric acid in a perchloric fume hood. Use it solely for this process.
• For optimum air flow, raise any bulky equipment up off the floor of the hood using rubber stoppers or non-combustible braces so that air can flow under instead of around the equipment.
• Avoid placing your head within the fume hood.
• Because items stored in the hood can block the vents, do not use fume hoods as storage sites. If hazardous substances must be stored in a hood for a short period of time, move these materials to the red-numbered hood in the laboratory.
• Report malfunctioning fume hoods to the CSB Physical Plant (5982). Routine fume hood monitoring in the Ardolf Science Center will be the responsibility of the CSB Physical Plant.
• If a situation arises in which you question whether or not the present engineering controls (i.e. fume hood) will be able to contain the hazardous vapors or dusts generated during a reaction, please consult the Environmental Health and Safety Officer.
• Halt all work which results in the contamination of the laboratory's general air supply until proper modifications are made and approved by the EHSO.

2.11.2 Dust Masks and Respirators

Dust masks and respirators are air purifying devices that are used to remove contaminants from the air. Dust masks provide a mechanical barrier to large dust particles, but offer no protection against any type of chemical mist or vapor. Dust   masks have only one strap. Respirators, on the other hand, offer protection against   small dust particles and a wide range of hazardous chemical vapors and gases through chemical reaction with or absorption onto a filter medium. Respirators have at least two straps.

It is the policy of the Chemistry Department that no laboratory work requiring the use of respirators will be carried out in the Ardolf Science Center.

2.13.1 Syringe Use General Information

• Syringes are used for a wide variety of purposes in the Chemistry department, from introducing a sample onto a GC column to removing chemicals from a septum bottle. While syringes are a very useful tool, they can also be a dangerous instrument of chemical exposure and physical injury. Syringes must be handled with utmost care and attention! The following should be considered whenever working with syringes:
• Syringes must only be re-capped through the use of the "one-hand" method. Set the cap on a flat surface and use one hand to slide the needle into the cap.
• Whenever possible, chemical-transfer syringes must be capped or corked .
• Chemical-transfer syringes should be stored unassembled with the needle capped.
• The plunger of a syringe should never be forced, instead replace the faulty syringe.
• Cold liquids may expand in the barrel of a syringe, forcing the plunger out. To prevent this, gently hold onto the plunger.

To ensure that appropriate actions are taken, any syringe prick or needle stick injury must be documented, either through the use of the departmental Accident Report Form   form available from Campus Security.

2.13.2 Syringe/Sharps Disposal

Any sharp object, whether it is a needle from a disposal syringe, a sharp wire or a piece of broken glassware, needs to be disposed of in a manner which will ensure safe handling of the waste. Further, additional precautions must be taken with objects which are contaminated with potentially infectious materials and/or acutely toxic chemicals. Please follow the guidelines below in these situations:

Type of Sharp Disposal Method

Any needle or other sharp piece of metal -- Red sharps container

Any type of syringe -- Red sharps container

Any sharp object contaminated with a potentially infectious material  -- Red sharps container

Any sharp object contaminated with an acutely toxic chemical -- Wide-mouth plastic container or bucket available with the spill clean-up supplies in room 109. *

* Label the container with contents and consult the Environmental Health and Safety Officer for disposal.

GC syringes should be returned to the stockroom for possible re-conditioning.

Although these "medium -power" lasers usually present a serious potential for eye injury resulting from intrabeam viewing, they generally do not represent a diffuse reflection hazard, a skin hazard for momentary exposure, or a fire hazard. Therefore, control measures are concentrated on eliminating the possibility of intrabeam viewing by:

1. Never aiming a laser at a person's eye.
2. Using proper safety eyewear if there is a chance that the beam or a hazardous specular reflection will expose the eyes.
3. Permitting only experienced personnel to operate the laser and not leaving an operable laser unattended if there is a chance that an unauthorized user may attempt to operate the laser. A key switch should be used if untrained persons may gain access to the laser. A warning light or buzzer may be used to indicate when the laser is operating.
4. Enclosing as much of the beam's path as practicable.
5. Avoid placement of the unprotected eye along or near the beam axis as attempted in some alignment procedures. This is because the chance of hazardous specular reflections is greatest in this area.
6. Terminating the primary and secondary beams if possible at the end of their useful paths.
7. Using beam shutters and laser output filters to reduce the beam power to less hazardous levels when the full output power is not required.
8. Assuring that any spectators are not potentially exposed to hazardous conditions.
9. Attempting to keep laser beam paths above or below eye level for either sitting or standing position.
10. Attempting to operate the laser only in a well-controlled area. For example, within a closed room with covered or filtered windows and controlled access.
11. Not permitting tracking of non-target vehicles or 4 aircraft if the laser is used outdoors.
12. Labeling lasers with appropriate Class 3 danger statements and placarding hazardous areas with danger signs if personnel can be exposed
13. Mounting the laser on a firm support to assure that the beam travels along the intended path.
14. Assuring that individuals do not look directly into a laser beam with optical instruments unless an adequate protective filter is present within the optical train.
15. Eliminating unnecessary specular (mirror-like) surfaces from the vicinity of the laser beam path, or avoid aiming at such surfaces.