Departmental Health and Safety Policy Statement 2

Chemical & Biological Engineering.

Safety Handbook 2013–2014. CONTENTS DEPARTMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY STATEMENT 2

PERSONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY 3

SAFETY 3 SICKNESS AND/OR ABSENCE FROM THE UNIVERSITY 3 WHAT TO DO IN THE EVENT OF ACCIDENT OR SERIOUS ILLNESS 4 DEPARTMENTAL SAFETY COMMITTEE 5 DEPARTMENTAL SAFETY PROCEDURES 5 ETHICAL REVIEW 11

HARPUR HILL RESEARCH STATION BUXTON 14 KROTO BUILDING 15 GAS CYLINDER SAFETY 15 DEPARTMENTAL SAFETY REPRESENTATIVES 17 LOCAL RULES FOR MECHANICAL WORKSHOPS 18 PROTOCOL FOR THE DELIVERY OF SECOND-HAND EQUIPMENT 20 PROTOCOL FOR THE DELIVERY OF SAMPLES 22

GUIDANCE NOTES 26

EXPERIMENTAL ACTIVITY SAFETY FORM 26 GENERAL RISK ASSESSMENTS 26 COSHH ASSESSMENT FORMS 26 ELECTRICAL TESTING 28 OPERATIONAL PROCEDURE 28 PRESSURE TESTING 28 LASER REGISTRATION 28

GENERAL RISK ASSESSMENT 37

GUIDANCE NOTES 38

OPERATING PROCEDURES 40

EMERGENCY SHUT-DOWN PROCEDURE 41

Staff Handbook i GUIDANCE NOTES 44

WHAT YOU ARE SIGNING FOR? 44 EMERGENCY SHUT-DOWN PROCEDURE 44 START-UP/ NORMAL SHUT-DOWN PROCEDURE 44

Staff Handbook ii DEPARTMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY STATEMENT

The Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering has a strong commitment to health and safety and, as Head of Department, the well-being of everyone on its premises is my paramount concern. No work is so important that it will be allowed to proceed if it causes an unacceptable risk to the safety or long term health of staff, students or visitors to the Department. Whereas the ultimate responsibility for Health and Safety rests with the Head of Department, it is the legal responsibility of every member of the Department to work in a safe, tidy and considerate manner. Awareness of, and compliance with, the current legislation is explicitly required of everybody. Supervisors of research students have a particular responsibility to ensure the safe working of their students. As Head of Department, I am advised by the Safety Committee which is chaired by Professor Styring and comprises the following ex officio members: Departmental Safety Officer, Departmental Laser Supervisor and the Departmental Biological Safety Officer. Additional members include a member of technical staff, a member of secretarial staff and a member representative of each Research Group. The Safety Committee is responsible for recommending policy and for monitoring adherence to departmental and University Codes of Practice. It is also responsible for identifying future health and safety needs and requesting that adequate provision is made from the departmental grants. The Departmental Safety Officer, Departmental Laser Supervisor and the Departmental Biological Safety Officer are available for advice and to liaise with Safety Services. Anyone with any doubt that they fully understand the safety implications of their work is required to consult these members of staff. The Safety Committee meets three times a year, its meetings are minuted and these are available for inspection by members of the Department. This policy statement is reviewed annually during summer.

Professor Phillip Wright Head of Department

Staff Handbook 3 PERSONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY

SAFETY

This Health and Safety Code of Practice contains information which relates to safe working practices within the Department. It must be read in conjunction with the University Code of Practice, which gives details of the University’s requirements regarding working practices and the legislation relating to these working practices: All members of the Department, have a legal responsibility to follow the guidance and procedures in the Code and ensure that they work in a safe and responsible manner so that their working practices do not put themselves, other members of the Department, visitors or contractors at risk. It is the duty of all personnel, before undertaking any potentially dangerous task, to familiarise themselves with the relevant safety procedures relating to the task and the area where it is being undertaken. Matters concerning safety are monitored by the Safety Committee, which reports to the Head of Department, via Professor Styring and the Executive. The Safety Committee is responsible for advising Executive on COSHH, General Risk Assessments, Manual Handling, Display Screen Assessments, Portable Appliance Testing, Biotechnology, Radiation and Laser Hazards and all other safety-related matters. The Departmental Safety Officer (Mr Richard Stacey) is the first point of call for advice on safety matters. He also organises appropriate safety training within the Department, organises regular departmental safety inspections, initiates the procedures for risk assessments of the Department’s activities and ensures that any remedial action relating to these inspections and assessments is carried out.

Also worth reading is the Leading Health & Safety at Work for Universities and Colleges http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg417.pdf

SICKNESS AND/OR ABSENCE FROM THE UNIVERSITY

If you are absent from work or cannot attend lectures for any reason you must inform the Departmental Office on telephone number 0114 222 7500 or email [email protected]. You can leave a telephone message on this number as voicemail operates 24 hours per day. Staff will then note this in your file and inform your line manager. If you need to be away from term-time lectures for a short period of time, you need permission from the Head of Department. If you require a longer Leave of Absence from the University (for example a temporary withdrawal, as opposed to absence through illness etc), you need to fill in a Change of Status form. If you need any further explanation of these procedures, you can talk to your Supervisor or the Director of Student Support. Staff Handbook 4 WHAT TO DO IN THE EVENT OF ACCIDENT OR SERIOUS ILLNESS

All accidents or near misses should be reported to Safety Services using the online reporting system found http://www.shef.ac.uk/hs. Health & Safety Services MUST BE TELEPHONED IMMEDIATELY if an injured person requires Hospital treatment as a result of this incident (Tel 222 7466). IN ALL CASES the online form MUST be completed within 24 hours of the incident. The names, location, internal telephone numbers of members of staff who are qualified “First Aiders” and who undergo First Aid training every three years are:

Name Room Telephone Number Number Dr Rachel Elder G52 27574 Mr Mark Jones F67 27531 Mr Adrian Lumby CBE Yard 27641 Mr Mark McIntosh CBE Yard 27530 Mr Andy Patrick CBE Yard 27533 Mr Keith Penny F67 27531 Professor Peter Styring G57 27571 Mr Dave Wengraf D52 27586

For minor incidents, first aid boxes can be found at the following locations:-

A-Floor A3 A60 B-Floor B56 B65 B68b Workshop C-Floor Teaching Lab C60 D-Floor D73 D76a E-Floor E53 E54 E55 E57 E59 E62 F-Floor F65 G-Floor G21 G61

Staff Handbook 5 DEPARTMENTAL SAFETY COMMITTEE

TERMS OF REFERENCE The Departmental Safety Committee, chaired by either the Director of Research or the Head of Departments nominee, is responsible to the Head of Department through Executive for monitoring Departmental safety procedures and for ensuring that legislation relating to safety is applied within the Department. It is also responsible for identifying future health and safety needs and requesting that adequate provision is made within the departmental budget. Membership of the Committee is:- Professor Peter Styring - Chairman Mr R Stacey - Laboratory Superintendent, Departmental Safety Officer, , COSHH Assessment Representative Dr M Dickman - Departmental Biological Safety Officer Mr M McIntosh - Display Screen Assessor Mr K Penny - Departmental Laser Supervisor Mr M O’Meara - Site Technician (Harpur Hill Research Station) attends safety meetings when requested by the Safety Committee Mr S Richard - Workshop Supervisor Mr D Wengraf- Radiation Officer Dr M Zandi - Combustion and Incineration Group representative Dr K Pitt - Particle Products Group representative Dr J Lozano Parada Kroto Liaison Dr D Kuvshinov - Process Fluidics Group representative

DEPARTMENTAL SAFETY PROCEDURES

Working Hours The University's Health and Safety Code or Practise states in part: Anyone working out-of-hours must have the written permission of the Head of Department. Normal working hours in the Department are 08.00 hrs to 17.00 hrs, Monday to Friday, excluding days when the Department is closed. Members of the Department seeking to work out-of-hours may obtain permission using the procedure set out in the following Table. For those categories of members required to make an application, separate forms for experimental and non-experimental work can be found on the CBE wiki web site. In all cases permission will be granted only to those members of the Department who have completed the appropriate University out-of-hours online training.

Staff Handbook 6 Procedure

Category of Member Non-experimental Work Experimental Work Academic Staff Automatic1 Automatic1 (supervisory) Academic Staff Automatic1 Application (contract) Other Staff Application Application Postgraduate Application Application students Undergraduate Application Not normally available students 1 Requires completion of out-of-hours training every three years and fire training annually. Anyone working out of hours, with permission to do so, MUST sign in and out at the Hadfield Porters Lodge Note Staff and students working outside normal working hours in the Kroto Building or Garden Street must also sign at the designated points in this Building.

Fire and Emergency Procedures If the Ambulance Services, Fire Services or Police are required, telephone 4444 (University Emergency Control Centre). Staff there will alert the appropriate services, so it is essential to give clear and concise information regarding the site and the nature of the emergency. This number should also be used for other life-threatening emergencies. Details of emergency procedures are displayed prominently within the Department and all personnel should be familiar with them.

Fire Regulations and Evacuation Procedures If you discover a fire, telephone 4444 and report the exact location of the fire, whether there are any special hazards and whether there are any casualties and if so how many and their nature. Only if it is safe to do so should the fire be tackled with an appropriate portable extinguisher. Human safety must come first. If the fire is to be left, all doors should be closed to prevent its spread. The fire alarm is a continuously sounding bell or electric siren and on hearing this, you must vacate the building immediately by the nearest possible exit and assemble in St. George’s Churchyard. You must not congregate at the entrance to the building or on the pavements in Newcastle Street or Mappin Street as such action can jeopardise the effectiveness of the Emergency Services and put lives at risk. All users of the Department's buildings should: Staff Handbook 7 a) Familiarise themselves with the sound of the alarms b) Commit to memory the emergency procedures c) Know the location of the various escape routes - LIFTS MUST NOT BE USED IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY d) Ascertain the whereabouts of the telephone nearest to their work area to summon assistance e) Know the location of the nearest appropriate fire extinguisher To ensure that all personnel are familiar with the evacuation procedures, a full fire drill is held annually early in the first semester. The Fire Alarm is also tested every Monday around 14.00 in the Hadfield Building Special measures are taken during an evacuation to assist disabled personnel.

Maintenance of Fire Fighting Equipment

Fire fighting equipment such as fire extinguishers is maintained by contractors appointed & employed by the University of Sheffield. Should such equipment be used or appear to require attention, this should be raised with the Departmental Superintendent Mr Richard Stacey in the same way as other maintenance issues. Fire extinguishers etc should not be tampered with, or be used inappropriately.

Non-Smoking Policy The University operates a policy of no smoking on its premises. There are no exceptions in any academic department building. If you must smoke, do so well outside the building. Do not smoke next to an entrance to a building as you may set off the smoke detectors.

Food and Drink Food and drink must be consumed only in designated rooms, i.e. the Lounge on E- Floor and the St. George's Cafeteria. Hygiene regulations forbid food and drink from being taken into lecture theatres, computing suites or laboratories.

Safety Training All Staff and Postgraduate Research students are required to complete, annually, a online fire training course and if they wish to work out of hours, another online 'out-of- hours' training course every three years. Both website links are available from Safety Services website https://hs.shef.ac.uk/ Login is by your University username and password A record of the date when personnel attended these courses is kept by by Safety Services and accessed by the Departmental Safety Officer Mr Richard Stacey

Staff Handbook 8 Working Practices All members of the Department are required to work in a safe and responsible manner, to adhere to the departmental safety regulations in their place of work, to wear the relevant protective clothing and equipment deemed necessary by risk assessment. Members of the Department must be aware of safety legislation relating to any duties which they undertake and adhere to the departmental procedures which ensure compliance with this legislation. Specific safety legislation and departmental safety requirements are displayed as appropriate in laboratories and workshops. Protective clothing and equipment are available to all staff and students such as Protective shoes or boots should be worn when regularly handling heavy objects which could injure the feet. Suitable hearing protection, such as ear defenders or disposable ear plugs should be worn near sources of loud/prolonged noise, particularly if it is over 85dBA. Where the noise level is over 90dBA and in designated ear protection areas, the wearing of such equipment is mandatory. Other types of personal protective equipment, such as bump hats, chemical resistant clothing, are available to all for use in appropriate areas. Protective coats of an appropriate type should always be worn in laboratories. All are available on request from the Departmental Safety Officer.

Staff Handbook 9 Local Laboratory Rules All Staff and Students working in any A Floor laboratories, must sign in and out of the areas on the notice board outside near the B floor entrance. The Quarrel Lab areas normal working hours are weekdays between 8.30 am and 4.30pm any work in this area outside of the these hours must be arranged with members of the technical staff at least 24 hours beforehand. It is also advised that all combustion testing should normally be underway by 11.00 am at the latest.

Lift Malfunctions Users should report issues with the functioning of the lift to the Laboratory Superintendent Richard Stacey immediately. If the lift appears to have paused for a long period & the alarm is audible, report this via the lift Alarm system. If the lift malfunctions or the fire alarm sounds during a journey: Remain calm: if the fire alarm sounds, the lift will return to the ground floor using emergency back-up power, the doors will then open to enable you to exit the building as usual. Press the button for your desired destination once. If nothing happens, press the button with the yellow bell for 5 seconds & then release. This should then trigger a dialling sound & connect you directly via a dedicated line to the Emergency Control Room. Calmly, slowly & loudly state passengers name(s), location & situation. Security will send an operative immediately to get passengers out of the lift & will inform both Departments Reception & Estates that the lift requires an engineer.

Departmental Safety Inspections Departmental safety inspections are undertaken three times a year by members of the Safety Committee. A report on the safety inspection and any appropriate action, which must be taken resulting from the safety inspection, is made to the Safety Committee, and member of staff responsible for the work area through the Departmental Safety Officer who monitors the effective implementation of any remedial action which is required.

Risk Assessments Written risk assessment of all departmental working practices, functions and equipment must be undertaken annually. Each experimental rig must have a risk assessment form completed before commissioning is begun. This form must be renewed annually. The form should be displayed by the rig. Details of these risk assessments are reported to the Safety Committee which sets deadlines for the completion of any remedial action resulting from these assessments. Risk assessment forms are held by the Departmental Safety Officer within the Department and are available on request to any member of the Department.

Staff Handbook 10 Chemical Hazards All chemicals should be treated as dangerous unless there is evidence to the contrary. To comply with the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations, COSHH, a suitable and sufficient assessment of the proposed procedure must be undertaken before work commences. This assessment must be undertaken in conjunction with a properly trained member of staff in the Department.

Display Screen Assessment All personnel within the Department who use VDUs are assessed by a trained member of staff to determine whether they are a designated user of the equipment. Members of the Department who are judged to be designated users will be given advice and training to ensure that they adopt the correct working practices.

Laser Hazards All laser and laser systems, except low power class 1 lasers, must be registered with Safety Services. All personnel who are proposing to undertake any new tasks using laser equipment must seek advice from a properly trained member of staff in the Department.

Manual Handling Assessment All manual handling tasks, which offer some risk to those involved, should be assessed by a suitably competent person before undertaking the task and advice will be given regarding the correct procedures

Portable Appliance Testing All portable electrical equipment must be tested annually to ensure that it is operating safely. Equipment brought new within the Department should be tested before use by a qualified member of the Department's technical staff.

Radiation Hazards The use of radioactive materials, X-ray equipment and any other intentional or unintentional source of ionising radiation is regulated by the Radioactive Substances Act (1983) and associated Codes of Practice and Guidance Notes. Any member of the Department using radioactive materials/X-ray equipment in other Departments should inform Mr R V Stacey and Mr D Wengraf.

Contacts The following are useful contacts for advice regarding work with radioisotopes:

University Radiation Protection Advisor Trevor Moseley (Tel: Ext. 26190; email: [email protected]).

Biological Hazards The use of biological substances within the department is strictly controlled. Work cannot proceed without first completing the necessary Experimental Activity form, Risk and COSHH Assessment forms. All personnel undertaking experimental work must

Staff Handbook 11 seek advice from the Biological Safety Officer to ensure that they are fully aware of the correct working practices and procedures.

ETHICAL REVIEW

Ethics approval is now required for all research which involves human participants, and includes all their data or tissue, that is carried out by University staff or students, either within or outside of University premises, and/or by individuals who are not members of the University but who are carrying out the research on University premises.

The Department has an Ethics Review Panel, designed to act as a forum in which ethical issues can be raised and discussed and which reviews contentious research ethics applications.

The members are:

Prof David James Mr David Wengraf Mr Richard Stacey

The above should be contacted in the first instance.

The Use of Cryogenic Fluids While maintenance of the cryostat located in the ground near the lift is the responsibility of the Departments Technical Staff. Users are responsible for the correct use and timely maintenance of their own stores of cryogenic fluids, which should be available for viewing by CBE Management upon request. The following section represents a distillation of material on the Safety Services website which must be consulted in full by users before commencing work involving cryogenic liquids.

General Risks & Precautions: The cryogenic fluids most commonly used in biological research are Carbon Dioxide (solid dry ice) and liquid Nitrogen, both of which present the following hazards: Cold Burns occur when tissue is touched or splashed by cryogenic liquids due to careless handling and can cause worse damage than a scald with boiling water. Cold Burns can be avoided by taking basic precautions:

Wear suitable protective clothing; thick protective gloves, lab coats and goggles or a face shield.

Do not attempt to lift, carry or pour from too heavy a container. Use a trolley when necessary. Refer to manual handling guidelines on the Safety Services website.

When pouring into narrow necked openings such as cryostats or cold traps, use a funnel to reduce spillages and pour only small amounts slowly into the funnel.

Never drop objects into the liquid.

Staff Handbook 12 Although our communal cryostat is a low pressure Dewar with safety valves that minimise splashing, you must wear protective gloves and eye protection when handling the cold transfer hose and phase separator.

Use suitable materials for transfer; tubes and funnels (see Safety Services website, www.sheffield.ac.uk/safety).

Asphyxiation can be caused when cryogenic fluids are spilt or allowed to evaporate to atmosphere in small or enclosed spaces.

Users should use oxygen monitors in labs where cryogenic liquids are regularly used. Safety Services can advise on the selection of oxygen deficiency monitors. Never be tempted to store a Dewar in a cupboard or small room with inadequate ventilation. Remember, effectively 100% nitrogen asphyxiates without discomfort or pre-warning.

Ice blockages can occur if the top cap or gas vent valve of a cryogenic vessel is left open. Air sucked into the neck of a Dewar contains moisture that will freeze inside the neck.

The build up of such soft snow ice can block the neck creating a potential explosive as continued warming of liquid in the Dewar produces increased pressure.

Cryogenic vessels should not be left open to atmosphere. Small non-pressure, free-venting Dewars should be fitted with their proper loose fitting cap which minimises the ingress of air.

Clearing ice-blockages is a specialist job and should normally be tackled only by appropriately trained personnel. Special precautions should be taken to avoid accidents when the blockage is cleared and the pressure released. Nitrogen Dewars are more likely to be blocked with hard-packed snow that can often be broken through using a length of copper tube. Hard blockages may require the use of a heated copper tube to melt the ice.

Trapped Volumes are cold liquids trapped between two valves in a transfer tube system, the warming of which can create pressures sufficient to burst pipes. Lines carrying liquid gases are valved at both ends and must have a pressure relief device incorporated.

Spring-loaded valves are preferred and a relief valve plus a manual blow-down valve is better. A manual valve alone is not sufficient.

Transporting Cryogenic Fluids: Before moving cryogenic liquids a risk assessment must be undertaken. This should include plans to cover any emergency situation: small volumes of liquid evaporate into large volumes of gas and must be allowed to vent safely.

Large cryogenic liquid tanks must always be moved using the correct trolley. If you are in doubt or are untrained in cryogenic liquid procedures, ALWAYS seek the advice of a competent person.

Imagine cryogenic liquids carry risks of superheated water and take extreme care at all times. Staff Handbook 13 Never leave a Dewar open to the atmosphere.

Never accompany cryogenic liquid vessels in lifts.

ALWAYS wear at least the minimum recommended protection: gloves and face visor or safety glasses and use the correct siphon and fittings.

Always inspect the Dewar for blockages: high pressure will be indicated on the pressure gauge.

NEVER tackle ice plugs unless trained to do so. Users must ensure that at least one member of their staff knows how to deal with ice blocks. If sending samples on dry ice via the post: ensure that the package may vent build up of pressure, has the correct documentation and is correctly labelled.

Emergency procedure: As part of their initial risk assessments, users must have written emergency procedures for dealing with ice blockages and other potential risks before starting work with cryogenic fluids. They must also ensure that staff know these procedures: If you discover a Dewar with a suspected blockage and are trained to deal with it, do so immediately and then report the incident as a dangerous incident (see Section 7.1). If you have not been trained to deal with ice blockages: 1. Clear the lab of all personnel. 2. Inform your immediate supervisor or Safety Officer. 3. Call 4444 & inform the Emergency Control Centre.

The Disposal of Biological Material and Disposable Laboratory Equipment All biological material and disposable laboratory equipment, including plastic petri dishes, plastic pipette tips, disposable gloves and any other associated equipment (cling film, aluminium foil, cotton wool etc.) is disposed of by collection in a sealed Bio Bin. The Bio Bin is clearly labelled as a Biological Hazard, the laboratory where it was used, the date it was sealed, and once full the sealed Bio Bin is removed by Estates Services who are licensed to remove such waste materials and take responsibility throughout the University for ensuring that such waste is subjected to deep landfill, autoclaving or clinical incineration as required by the waste stream.

The Disposal of Liquid Waste Any liquid waste that may have been in contact with biological material is sterilised by the addition of 5% bleach. This not only sterilises the fluid, but also reduces any odours.In accordance with the University of Sheffield’s Department of Safety Services, this waste is then deposited down the sink with excess fresh water and finally 5% bleach in order to clean the sink and associated pipe work.

The Disposal of Sharps Sharps are disposed by collection in a Cin Bin.The Cin Bin is sealed and sharps are inserted through a small opening in the top of the bin. Once full the Cin Bin is collected by Portering Services and taken for clinical incineration.

Staff Handbook 14 The Disposal of Non-Hazardous Waste Non-hazardous waste includes waste paper or other disposable material which has not been in contact with biological equipment or preparations. The material is deposited in a clearly labelled bin and this bin is emptied on a daily basis by the cleaner. The cleaner is aware that this is the only bin that should be emptied in the laboratory. Any broken glassware that has not come into contact with biological material is disposed of in the Broken Glass Bin which is clearly labelled and is only used as a repository for broken glass. Small fragments of broken glass may be placed in the Cin Bin.

The Cleaning of Laboratory Equipment Laboratory glassware is cleaned following contact with biological material by sterilisation in an autoclave. This is followed by soaking in a 5% solution of bleach, followed by washing in a detergent. The glassware is then cleaned in a dishwasher, soaked in a solution of non-ionic detergent, rinsed in distilled water and dried in an oven. This cleaning procedure has been found to remove all traces of microbiological material. All work benches, sinks and other flat surfaces are wiped and cleaned with a 5% solution of bleach on a regular basis. This is carried out as routine procedure both before and after carrying out any biological work. Equipment that has been used in the biotechnology laboratory is never removed from the laboratory.

Action Following a Biological or Chemical Spill The laboratory has visible notices regarding the appropriate course of action following a biological or chemical spillage. Adsorption granules are used for adsorbing excess spills. The surface which has been exposed to a biological spillage is always wiped with a 5% solution of bleach following removal of the spillage.

HARPUR HILL RESEARCH STATION Buxton

General Safety Procedures

Working Hours The site's normal working hours are from 8.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. weekdays.

Fire and Emergency Procedures If emergency services are required, telephone 999. The Health & Safety Laboratories’ Gate-house should also be informed on telephone 28003. Please remember to give clear and concise information regarding the site and nature of the emergency. The site's fire point and emergency assembly point is the car park.

Accidents All accidents or near misses requiring should be reported to Mr Mike O’Meara or Mr David Palmer, the site's appointed First Aiders, and also reported to Safety Services using the online reporting system found http://www.shef.ac.uk/hs.

Staff Handbook 15 Working Practices All members of staff and students visiting the site must sign in and then out before leaving the site. A sign-in book is kept in the workshop. Staff and students should inform technical staff of their whereabouts and movements around the site at all times. No experimental work is to be carried out unless there is adequate supervision. A minimum of two departmental staff members, including at least one technician, are required to be present on site.

Risk Assessments/Chemical Hazards COSHH and Risk Assessments must be completed before starting experimental procedures. COSHH and Risk Assessment forms are kept in the Workshop.

Rig Operating Procedures A document describing operating start-up, shut-down and all experimental procedures should be prepared before any experiment takes place. These must describe any necessary safety precautions and be approved by the academic supervisor of the work. Experiments can be conducted on approval of this document by the Departmental Safety Officer or his deputy.

Please also see HSE SiteHarpur Hill Research Site appendix on page 44

KROTO BUILDING

All postgraduate students who require office space in the Kroto Building should see Richard Stacey (D56A) on phone 27529. All staff or students who want to carry out experimental work or use equipment must liaise with Andy Patrick (27533) before commencing work and must fill in the appropriate Departmental safety forms.

Garden Street Laboratories

All postgraduate students who require office space in the Garden Street Building should see Richard Stacey (D56A) on phone 27529. All staff or students who want to carry out experimental work or use equipment must liaise with Andy Patrick (27533) before commencing work and must fill in the appropriate Departmental safety forms

GAS CYLINDER SAFETY

1. Staff handling Gas cylinders should attend a Gas Cylinder Management course (see Richard Stacey D56A 27529 for details)

Staff Handbook 16 2. Before obtaining a gas cylinder, it is essential that completed Risk Assessment and COSHH forms for the gas concerned and associated experiments are in place or on hand. 3. Gas cylinders are heavy and must only be transported with the use of a suitable cylinder trolley available from the technical staff in MECHANICAL WORKSHOP in Sheffield and from Mike O'Meara if you are working in Buxton. Do not attempt to manhandle cylinders physically. Use trolleys and the lift, not the stairs. 4. Cylinders must not be transported in the back of Departmental vehicles. 5. Cylinders must be secured upright in the working area by either a bench clamp, chains or cylinder stand. 6. A suitable pressure regulator must be chosen for the gas involved (cylinders must not be connected directly to the pipelines without a regulator). 7. Before fitting the pressure regulator, remove the plastic cover cap from the cylinder. Before fitting, check the threads on the cylinder and regulator are clear of any grit. 8. Once the regulator is fitted, check for leaks. If a leak is not easily fixed by further tightening, seek help and advice from a member of technical staff. 9. When the cylinder is empty, ensure that the cylinder valve is turned off. Remove the pressure regulator and transport the cylinder back to the cylinder store and store it in the empty cylinder rack (if you want a fresh replacement cylinder, order it in the usual way). If a cylinder has not been emptied and is not required for further work this too should be returned to the cylinder store but replaced in the full cylinder rack and marked with the appropriate volume of gas still in the bottle. 10. Decanting gas from one cylinder to another is strictly prohibited Note - Advice on COSHH, Risk Assessment from the Laboratory Superintendent Richard Stacey D56A 27529 and any further handling or gas gauge problems can be obtained from Adrian Lumby in the Technical Services Workshop telephone ext 27641 or other members of the technical staff. A regularly updated list of gas cylinders stored in each lab is kept at the Porters Lodge and also in the Kroto Building so that hazards can be identified to fire-fighters entering the building. A minimum of half yearly updates are required.

DEPARTMENTAL SAFETY REPRESENTATIVES

The following members of staff within the Department are responsible for ensuring that safety procedures are followed and that the legislation relating to them is applied. Advice and guidance relating to the safety procedures for which they are responsible can be obtained from them.

Staff Handbook 17 Title Name Departmental Safety Officer Mr R V Stacey Departmental Laser Supervisor Mr K Penny COSHH and Risk Assessments Mr R V Stacey M K Penny Mr D Wengraf Mr Mark Jones Manual Handling Assessments Mr A Lumby Mr M S O’Meara Mr S Richards Mr R V Stacey Mr A Patrick Mr S Blackbourn Portable Appliance Testing Mr H McFarlane Mr M McIntosh Mr U Younis Display Screen Equipment Assessment & Mr M McIntosh Training Biological Safety Officer Dr M Dickman Harpur Hill Research Station Technician Mr M S O’Meara

LOCAL RULES FOR MECHANICAL WORKSHOPS

Procedure for Workshop Requests Students are not allowed to use any workshop equipment without proper training and authorisation of the Workshop Supervisor. (Staff and students typically may be able to use hand tools and drills only but after authorisation by the Workshop Supervisor) Staff and students requesting work to be carried out by technical staff must complete a 'Technical Work Request Form'. However, before the request is accepted it is important that the originator can answer various questions about the work required. Things to consider before requesting work are to understand what the item is required to do and what the basic dimensions or minimum size should be. Other considerations are what operating parameters e.g. temperature, pressure, flow rates, the item or items will be expected to operate under or measure. Thought should also be given to both operational safety and future use of the equipment. The 'Technical Work Request Form'(available via muse) should then be completed, usually in consultation with a member of the technical staff. Full details should be given and include, in most cases, schematic drawings of the item required, name, phone number, email address, a signature from a budget holder, an account code and budget

Staff Handbook 18 or budget limit and an agreed realistic appraisal of the timescale by which the work is required. When the form has been agreed and completed it should be lodged with the Workshop Supervisor or the Electronics technician who will nominate a technician to undertake the work. A copy of the form will be passed to the Departmental Administration Manager who will treat it as authorisation from the budget holder for the technician to spend up to the indicated sum without further authorisation. The technician will be responsible for keeping an account of funds spent.

Staff Handbook 19 Chemical and Biological Engineering.

Technical Work Request Form

Project Title

Names & Contacts Name: Budget Holder’s Account No.: Name:

Contact No.: Budget Holder’s Signature: Contact No.:

Project Details: Job description: Project Expense limit:

Date In: Note: Drawing must be provided on a separate sheet If Date Required: required

Technical staff section Technician’s Name: Date completed:

Notes:

Staff Handbook 20 PROTOCOL FOR THE DELIVERY OF SECOND-HAND EQUIPMENT

Any second-hand equipment loaned, donated to or purchased by members of the Department must be supplied with a guarantee from the supplier. This guarantee should state that the equipment has not been in contact with hazardous material prior to delivery to the Department or, if it has, that it has been cleaned by means appropriate to the hazard (biological, chemical, radioactive, irritant) so that no hazardous trace remains. Thought must also be given to any asbestos possibly contained inside the equipments insulation or gaskets. Any device which is to be or can be connected to the mains electricity supply must be electrically tested before use by a qualified University Electrical Compliance Tester. All interlocks, protection devices, controls, and all other safety-related features must be tested to ensure they work correctly. If the equipment has a pressure vessel, then the pressure vessel must be integrity tested prior to delivery and a certificate of such a test having been successfully completed should be included. If possible, an instruction manual should be supplied with all second-hand equipment. Where an item is on loan, any repairs or alterations for safety reasons should be agreed with the owner, who will normally be expected to pay for them. The arrangements for the return of the item should be agreed in advance. This is particularly important for large items. The date and time of delivery of large items must be negotiated in advance so that safe arrangements can be made for off-loading and installation. A Risk Assessment will be required for any particularly large or complex delivery. Similar arrangements must be made for the removal of items at the end of the research where loaned or not required. Appropriate COSHH and Rig Risk Assessment forms must be completed and submitted to the Departmental Safety Officer prior to use of the equipment.

Record of Second-Hand Equipment Delivered to the Name of Student: …………………………………………………….………...... Supervisor:………………………………………………………. …...... Location in Department:…………………………………..…………………...... Details of the second-hand equipment: ………………………………………...... ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………….. Supplier of Equipment:………………………………………………………………………….. Potential hazards identified: …………………...... ……………………………………………………………………………………………………. Electrical testing completed (where appropriate):……………………………...... Pressure testing completed (where appropriate): ……………………………...... Interlocks testing completed (where appropriate). …………………………...... Is the equipment clean and safe to use?………………………………………...... COSHH form completed:……………………………………………………...... Rig Risk Assessment completed:……………………………………………......

Signature of student: Date:

Signature of Supervisor: Date:

Staff Handbook 22 Once completed this form should be submitted to the Departmental Safety Officer

PROTOCOL FOR THE DELIVERY OF SAMPLES

Sample material is defined as that which does not originate from a recognised commercial source. This may include samples of waste materials, slurries, ash, effluent and other materials purchased by or donated to the Department. Any sample material donated to or purchased by members of staff in this Department must be clearly labelled and its contents identified for potential hazards prior to delivery. The sample material must be delivered in sealed packaging such that the contents cannot leak during transit. The quantity should be not much more than is required to carry out the work. Substances which are the subject of licensing or legal restrictions may require special arrangements, even if donated or supplied as samples for testing. These include ethanol, petroleum spirit, mercury, clinical waste, pharmaceuticals, certain poisons, some agricultural chemicals, compressed gases, radioactive materials. The Departmental Safety Officer must be consulted before any such material can be brought in. Special arrangements must be made for materials (even if not hazardous) which are in large quantities, dusty or have an offensive odour. The member of staff responsible for the sample material must ensure that somebody is available to receive the samples upon delivery and that adequate and appropriate storage facilities (for example, freezer, solvent cabinet, laboratory space) are available. Hazard sheets must be provided by the supplier with any sample material delivered to this Department. The exact method of disposal must be specified by the member of staff (taking appropriate advice) prior to delivery. Note that in many cases, the excess of materials sent for testing can be returned to the supplier.

Record of Sample Material Delivered to the Department

Name of Student:………………………………………………………………………………… Supervisor:……………………………………………………………………………………….. Location in Department:………………………………………………………………………… Details of the sample material:…………………………………………………………………. …………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………….. Potential hazards identified:……………………………………………………

Storage requirements:…………………………………………………………..

Disposal requirements:………………………………………………………….

COSHH form completed:……………………………………………………….

Signature of student:…………………………………………………………….

Signature of Supervisor:…………………………………………………………

*Once completed this form should be submitted to the Departmental Safety Officer

EXPERIMENTAL ACTIVITY SAFETY ASSESSMENT FORM NUMBER ……………….(Given when form complete)

NAME OF APPLICANT...... …………………………………………………………. TITLE OF EXPERIMENTAL ACTIVITY …………………………………………………………...... Details of experimental activity to be carried out: ...... Location of Activity in the Department ………………………… Have the Following Been Carried Out ? (Answer Yes, No or N/A)

General Risk General Risk Assessment Assessment Rating Low Medium or High COSHH Assessment Operational Procedure Electrical Testing Pressure Testing Laser User Biological Hazard Registration Involved? POTENTIAL HAZARDS IDENTIFIED …………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………… Will the procedure involve any out-of-hours working ? Yes / No ______Signature of Applicant Date: (Supervisor’s consent if required) Authorisation Supervisor Signature:...... Date……………..

By CBE Safety Officer ………………………………………….. Date:………….…

Staff Handbook 25 By CBE Director Of Research ……………………...... Date…………….. ALL EXPERIMENTAL ACTIVITY SAFETY ASSESSMENT FORMS ARE T0 BE REASSESSED ON AN ANNUAL BASIS AND UPDATED INBETWEEN TIMES. RE-ASSESSMENT DATE Supervisor Signature:…………………………………………….. Date……………..

Authorisation By CBE Safety Officer …………………………………………… Date:………….….

By CBE Director of Research (If required) ……………………………..……………. Date……………..

THIS EXPERIMENTAL ASSESSMENT FORM COVERS THE FOLLOWING CPE DEPARTMENTAL COSHH REFERENCE NUMBERS

COSHH REFERENCE NUMBER TITLE DATE LAST ASSESSED

Staff Handbook 26 GUIDANCE NOTES

EXPERIMENTAL ACTIVITY SAFETY FORM

An Experimental Activity Safety Assessment Form must be filled in and countersigned before any experimental work using rigs or apparatus is undertaken. The Applicant signs to illustrate that they have followed the departmental safety procedures and completed the necessary safety forms for their experimental activity. The Supervisor Signs to confirm that they have approved the activity to take place in the Department and are confident that the applicant and others named can carry out the work safely The Departmental Safety Officer signs to confirm that s/he concurs that all the necessary safety procedures and training (if required) have been followed, and that the activity in their opinion is safe to be carried out in the Department by the applicant and others named on the form. The Head of Research signs to grant authorisation. Once your academic supervisor has approved and signed the form. Hand the form to the Departmental Safety Officer Mr R V Stacey in D56A. He will obtain the signature of the Head of Research. It will be returned to your pigeon-hole or can be picked up from D56a.

GENERAL RISK ASSESSMENTS

General Risk Assessment forms are legal documents. A General Risk Assessment must be carried out for all activities before they are carried out. The form requires countersigning by your supervisor or equivalent Completed forms should be copied and given to the Departmental Safety Officer, personnel involved, and a neatly written/typed copy displayed near the rig or stored in the laboratory. NOTE Any procedure rated with a HIGH risk rating in any category must not continue without professional advice and specific authorisation by the Head Of Department.

Staff Handbook 27 COSHH ASSESSMENT FORMS

A COSHH assessment form should be completed before ordering or bringing in any chemical or chemicals into the Department. The Department currently uses 2 types of COSHH Assessment: Form A and Form B. COSHH Form A is designed for use largely for undergraduate experiments and for non-hazardous routine procedures of quotable methods. If in any doubt, it is recommended that you carry out a FULL major assessment using COSHH Form B.

The results of the assessment should include at least details of:

 The nature, hazard and extent of potential exposure  Any workers who may be particularly at risk, including the possible risk to pregnant women  Whether substitution by a less hazardous substance is reasonably practicable  The control measures to be applied  Operating procedures to ensure minimum exposure  Procedures for maintenance and emergencies  Use of personal protective equipment  Monitoring procedures (if appropriate)  Health surveillance (if appropriate)  Arrangements for information and training

The completed forms with any available hazard information attached should be countersigned by your supervisor or another suitable member of academic staff. Note: COSHH Form B also requires authorisation by the Departmental Safety Officer and should already be countersigned as above before submitting. What are you signing? COSHH forms are legal documents The Assessor signature confirms that they have identified all the potential chemical hazards involved in the process or procedure and reduced them to acceptable levels for the task to be considered safe enough to be carried out within the Department. The Supervisor signature confirms that they agree with that all the potential risks have been identified and systems are in place for safe operation. The supervisor must also be satisfied that the use of the chemical or chemicals is essential, that the proposed scale of the work is justified, that adequate facilities exist for use, storage and disposal, and that the investigator and other named individuals are competent to work with the chemicals and that therefore the procedure or process is safe to be carried out in within the Department. The Departmental Safety Officer to grant authorisation once all required signatures are in place. The form and attachments should be photocopied with copies going to following:  Departmental Safety Officer: original and one copy.

Staff Handbook 28  All personnel involved in the procedure including supervisor: one copy each.  Another copy should be kept in the Laboratory where the procedure is to be carried out. Completed forms should be reviewed annually and either rewritten/amended accordingly if procedures have changed or the original copy counter-signed and dated if unchanged and the procedure is still in use.

ELECTRICAL TESTING

All portable electrical equipment used within the Department must be tested to ensure that it is operating safely. The testing is valid for a minimum of 12 months. The user of electrical equipment has a responsibility to ensure the integrity of the cable and its plug head before any appliance is used and that its test date has not been exceeded.

OPERATIONAL PROCEDURE

Required for rigs or experimental equipment to ensure safe start-up, operation and shut-down in normal operation of the experimental equipment and an emergency shut-down procedure.

PRESSURE TESTING

The use of high pressure equipment requires specialised knowledge and expertise. Special insurance considerations apply and procedures must be followed for the regular formal expert examination of pressure vessels are required by law. No pressure vessel without a current Safety Certificate may be used!

LASER REGISTRATION

All lasers and laser systems, except low-power Class 1 lasers, must be registered with Safety Services. All personnel using Class 3A lasers and above must be registered with Safety Services.

Copies of all registration forms are available from Mr Richard Stacey and on the CBE wiki website.

Staff Handbook 29 Chemical & Biological Engineering.

Lab Access Validation Form

Student name: Ucard number: University contact email: Project: Responsible supervisor(s): Location: Project start/end dates (estimated):

Please ensure that the following health & safety and training procedures have been completed and signed off by the appropriate responsible member of staff prior to commencing any experimental work.

Validation Procedures Officer Signature Experimental Activity Safety Assessment1

General Risk Assessment1 COSHH (Form A or B, as appropriate)1 Lab Introduction2 Instrument training2 (if applicable) Waste management system training Use of Genetically modified Material (if applicable)

Staff Handbook 30 1 To be signed off by the departmental Health & Safety Officer. 2 To be signed off by staff/lab manager conducting your training. I confirm that I have read and understood the relevant Heath & Safety information applicable to my research project including the “University of Sheffield H&S Guide” and CBE’s PGR/PGT student hand book.

Student Signature: ______

Verified by CBE Safety Officer: ______

You will not be authorised to access any CBE laboratory

facilities, commence experimental work or receive

laboratory keys until this form is completed and submitted

to the CBE Safety Officer.

*NB: there is a £10 returnable deposit charge for lab keys*

Equipment Authorised for use

Equipment Alone/supervised by COSHH no. Authorised (academic supervisor)

Staff Handbook 31 Staff Handbook 32 Guidance Notes

Working hours Doors open at 8.30 am and close at 5.30pm, and local lab rules will apply in certain areas. Avoid working alone if at all possible- certainly you shouldn’t carry out anything hazardous. MSc students are not permitted in the building out of normal hours.

Security. Keep valuables with you and keep the lab door shut (this is a personal security and fire reg.). Lock up laptops.

Fire alarm leave by the nearest exit, assemble on the pedestrian area between St George’s church and the Computer Science department.

Fire training If you have not attended a fire lecture, you must do so. If you have attended, you can update your knowledge and do the assessment yearly on the web. Lecture dates and online training is available at http://www.shef.ac.uk/firetraining/welcome.do

Emergency phone- 4444. This is staffed 24/7, and should be called in any emergency requiring fire, police or ambulance.

Safety Rules. No eating and drinking in the lab No food, drink, coats or bags in the lab Always wear lab coats whenever you are in the lab (buttoned up!). Read the GLP (Good Lab Practice) guidelines. Treat all chemicals as a potential/unknown hazard. Lab coats/gloves should not be worn in all office/office areas Gloves should not be worn in the corridor, or to open doors, answer the ‘phone etc. Transluminators can easily cause burns (UV light). Wear a face mask, keep the cover over the light, and make sure your gloves and cuffs meet! Liquid nitrogen read and sign the COSHH forms, use gloves, masks and no open shoes. Safety handbooks are available on MUSE. Cryo-gloves for the -80. Training is available from Safety Services at http://www.shef.ac.uk/safety/

Equipment/training You may only use the equipment listed on page 1 of this form – if you find you need another piece of equipment after completing this, make sure it’s updated.

Staff Handbook 33 Equipment to be listed would be: Gel tank & Transilluminator, RTPCR, PCR, Benchtop Centrifuge, High capacity centrifuge, Vacuum concentrator, Infors incubator, Sanyo incubator, Tecan, FTIR, Sonicator, Zetapals, Spectrophotometer, Ion Chromatograph, Liquid chromatograph, Gas chromatograph, Mass spectrometer, AKTA, Kuhner, Nephelostar, Flouroskan, Flow cytometer, Vi-cell, Flow hood, gas analyser, workshop machine tools

Read and Sign all relevant COSHH forms before you start work. If there is no COSHH form for the technique you wish to use, you must perform a risk assessment and create one before you start.

University Induction website- http://www.shef.ac.uk/safety/induction/induction.html

Lab kit; Lab coats Use Howie style coats (button across neck and elasticated cuffs) when available. Take them home to clean them, you should do so every month. Safety glasses should be worn in the lab. Bench space there’s not enough space for everyone, so use space that’s available. Sample boxes should be fully labelled (species, date, name) clearly visible from the outside. Show all samples/primers as appropriate to Dave Wengraf/supervisor before leaving and write up a complete guide – we may not be able to understand your notation. Long-term storage of samples must be agreed (limited freezer space).

Labelling. Label all containers, including those that are in use or being prepared. Anything unlabelled must be treated as hazardous, put it in the fumehood and seek help, do not sniff it!

Lab responsibilities/duties. Clean up after yourselves and put things away after use, join in with the regular lab tidy, or it will be noted!

Stocks/Solutions/Chemicals. Some solutions are communal - if you use the last bit make up more. If any of the chemicals are low please tell someone so they can order a replacement. Don’t assume that someone else will do it.

For most applications you will need to make up your own solutions. To keep any possible contamination events localised don’t take other people’s solutions (at least without asking) and only ever pour the stock out (never pipette out of a stock solution).

Glassware. Rinse all glassware after use and re-use as much as possible (e.g. for TBE), if it needs washing ‘properly’ dishwashers are available in labs 5 and 9. Re-use glassware, don’t just order new bottles!

Staff Handbook 34 Equipment Malfunction. If you discover lab equipment that doesn’t work, tell Dave Wengraf (ext 27586). Do not assume that someone else has reported it.

Waste disposal. Waste training is available online (https://www.waste.shef.ac.uk/), and is a requirement for anyone doing lab work. In brief:  General waste, mostly packaging: black bin bags.  Offensive waste, including non-GM, non-infectious and low-level hazardous waste, including gloves: yellow/black stripe bin bags.  GM waste, high-level hazardous waste: Yellow boxes.  Infectious waste: orange boxes.  Bacteria and Animal samples should be dealt with appropriately (i.e. bleached for at least 20 minutes and placed in the appropriate bin.  Sharps should be disposed of in the hard sharps bins provided. Do not resheath sharps.  Solvent waste should be stored as chlorinated or non-chlorinated. See Keith Penny.

Tidiness. A tidy lab is a safe lab, tidy up after yourself and put things away, have some consideration for others!

Accidents any accidents must be reported to Dave Wengraf as soon as possible. Richard Stacey (ext 27529) must be informed.

Before you leave; Tidy up loose ends. If you leave a mess we won’t like you or let you come back! Burn data onto CDs. Liaise with your supervisor what should and shouldn’t be left and where to keep it. Don’t leave anything on hard drives it will get thrown out! Clear out fridge/freezer. Show whereabouts of all samples to supervisor/postdocs

If you’re unsure of any procedures or protocols, ask your supervisor or a member of the technical staff responsible for the area you’re working in.

Staff Handbook 35 Chemical & Biological Engineering

COSHH FORM A January 2011

This assessment form is ONLY for routine/standard procedures. It is recommended for most undergraduate experiments and non-hazardous routine procedures. In case of any doubt, a full major assessment must be performed. It will normally be completed by a member of academic staff or senior technical staff.

COSHH Ref No. Laboratory No. Risk Rating (H= High, M= Medium, L= Low) Location

Personnel Involved:

Approved Equipment Involved if any

Brief Description of Procedure: r e

p Substances (Including quantities) HAZARDS IDENTIFIED a

p Precautions to be taken:

E G N A R O n o d e t n i r p e b t s I/We have read and fully understand the hazard data information regarding the above u substances and will comply with all the relevant safety requirements for this procedure. m y p

o Name of Assessor: *Countersigned by: C l a

n Status of Assessor: Status: i g i r

O Date: Date:

Signed: Signed: *Should be countersigned by a member of staff if the assessor is a student. The contents of this assessment must be converted in a suitable format to anyone involved in the procedure. In the case of a student practical experiment, it must form part of the experimental procedure sheet.

Staff Handbook 37 Chemical & Biological Engineering.

COSHH FORM B January 2011

MAJOR ASSESSMENT OF HEALTH RISK ASSOCIATED WITH PROPOSED EXPERIMENTS

COSHH Ref. No. Laboratory No. Risk Rating (H= High, M= Medium, L= Low) Location

Title of Experiment/Procedure: Personnel involved: (incl. status)

Substances (including quantities): Hazards identified: r e p a p

N Information sources: I P n o

d Is there a less hazardous substance? e t If so, why not use it? n i r p Control Measures to be adopted: e b t s u

m Required checks and their frequency, on the adequacy and maintenance of control

y measures during the course of the experiment: p o C l a n Is this procedure authorised to be done outside normal working hours: i g i r Is this procedure authorised to be left unattended: Normal hours Y / N Out-of-hours Y / N O Disposal procedures during and at end of experiment: Estimated cost of disposal £

Name of Assessor: Name of Counter signatory: Departmental Safety Officer Status of Assessor:

Date: Date: Date:

Signed: Signed: Signed: Emergency Procedures If any of the substances or procedure identified overleaf is likely to pose a special hazard in an emergency, then identify below the action to be taken:

Spillage/uncontrolled release:

If personnel are affected (fume, contamination etc.) treatment to be adopted:

1. A copy of this assessment must be sent to Safety Services if a hazard exists which could have implications for the Emergency Services.

2. If any person or department is referred to in this assessment (e.g. Building Services, Safety Services, another member of staff) they MUST be sent a copy.

Anyone other than the assessor involved in a project to which this assessment relates should sign the statement below:

I have read this document and understand it and have approval to use the equipment listed.

Equipment to be used: Name of equipment:

Signed ……………………………… Date ………………………………

……………………………… ………………………………

Techniques/Procedure used in experiment:

Staff Handbook 39 GENERAL RISK ASSESSMENT

TASK OR ACTIVITY:

LOCATION: Expected duration of work

PERSONS AT RISK Staff ( ) Postgraduates ( ) Undergraduates ( ) Other ( ) List Persons: Maximum number Staff/Students/Others at risk Control Measure & HAZARD Final Risk Risk of Injury & Details Procedures IDENTIFIED What Could Go Wrong! Rating To Reduce Risk of Injury

Biological

Chemical

Electrical

Explosion

Compressed Gas Laser, UV, or Radiation

Mechanical

Physical

Pressure

Slip, Trip & Falls Other please

Activity description:

Staff Handbook 40 Required personal protection equipment identified:

Could the procedure be made any safer? Yes/No If Yes, how ?

Any special accident requirements Yes/No If Yes, what ?

Further comments

Signed

Name of Supervisor......

Counter-signed by Supervisor......

Date......

GUIDANCE NOTES

General Risk Assessment A General Risk Assessment MUST be undertaken on all operations or processes, which may be hazardous to staff/students or other visitors to the Department. Generic risk assessments for common activities, tasks or processes are acceptable. Copies of these should be available in each location ideally displayed on or near experimental apparatus.

Final Risk Rating To be assessed after safety procedures if required for the procedure any are in place High = Extremely probable that injury Medium = Injury may occur will occur Low = slight risk of injury

Staff Handbook 41 O = No risk of injury or only in extreme/ unforeseen circumstances

Risk and details Use this column to identify the risks involved.

Control measures & detail Measures taken to reduce the overall risk of injury by the hazard or hazards identified.

Emergency Procedures

The procedures for dealing with all foreseeable emergencies should be determined before a procedure commences. Spillages must be cleared up immediately by a safe procedure with priority being given to splashes to the body. Data sheets on the substances being used should be readily available to accompany a casualty to hospital if required. Sufficient quantities of a suitable material for soaking up spillages must be available on site to deal with any foreseeable accidents.

Ancillary Staff and Visitors to the Department Cleaners and others unfamiliar with scientific procedures whose work takes them into specialist areas may come into contact with dangerous substances. Laboratory staff must ensure that the laboratory is safe for cleaners to enter in accordance with a pre- arranged timetable. Cleaners are instructed not to deal with spillages unless informed by a competent person that it is safe to do so. Children under 16 must not be allowed into laboratories unless specific permission has been obtained from the Head of Department and a risk assessment has been performed (e.g. for a supervised school visit). Even then, they must be kept under the immediate and direct supervision of a member of staff. A useful book on Good Laboratory Practice relating to chemical work is published by the IChemE: Safety in Chemical Engineering Research and Development. (H) High (M) Medium (L) Low (O) No Risk

Staff Handbook 42 OPERATING PROCEDURES

RESEARCH TITLE……………………………………………………………………………... SUPERVISOR………………………………………………………………………………… … OPERATORS………………………………………………………………………………… …. COULD THE APPARATUS BE LEFT RUNNING UNATTENDED? YES/NO HOW MANY PERSONNEL ARE REQUIRED FOR NORMAL START-UP AND SHUT-DOWN?… ……………………………………………………………………………………… EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS……………………………………………………………

Staff Handbook 43 EMERGENCY SHUT-DOWN PROCEDURE

APPROVED BY SUPERVISOR …………………………………………………………………………………......

AUTHORISATION OF DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH …………………………………………………………......

DEPARTMENTAL SAFETY OFFICER ………………………………………………………………………………......

POSITION ……………………………………………………………………………......

DATE………………………………......

Staff Handbook 44 START-UP PROCEDURE

Staff Handbook 45 NORMAL OPERATIONAL SHUT-DOWN PROCEDURE

Staff Handbook 46 GUIDANCE NOTES

This form is to be completed for any experimental rig/apparatus set- up, which could pose a substantial hazard in unusual circumstances.

WHAT YOU ARE SIGNING FOR?

 The Applicant signature is to confirm the procedure written is a true description of the procedure and the procedure described is safe

 The Supervisor signature is required to ensure that the supervisor is familiar with the design set-up, and then the safe running of the rig should be ensured if the start-up and shut-down procedures are followed.

 The Head of Research/Safety Officer signature on the form confirms that in their opinion the operating procedures are safe for work to be carried out within the Department.

EMERGENCY SHUT-DOWN PROCEDURE

 Should include the minimum number of clear and concise instructions to make the experimental rig/apparatus or set-up safe.  A person who may be unfamiliar with the equipment involved should be able to follow the procedure.  Completed emergency shut-down instructions should be displayed on or around the area of work!

START-UP/ NORMAL SHUT-DOWN PROCEDURE

A complete set of detailed instructions including diagram numbered valves and or switches to ensure a safe start-up and shut-down of the procedure.

Staff Handbook 47 Harpur Hill Research Site appendix

HSL Buxton - Site Rules Access

Vehicles enter the site via two barriers.

 The first barrier is at the entry/exit roundabout and the second is located next to the Security Gatehouse. Users should present their access card to both barrier card readers and should not tailgate other vehicles. If the barrier is already in the raised position, users should still present their access card to the readers. HSL will not be held responsible if the barrier lowers down on to the vehicle of a user who has not presented their card to the readers.

 You must also display your car park user permit in your vehicle at all times. Vehicle permits can be obtained from EEMU.

 Staff should be ready to show their pass to security guards on request.

 Passengers who are not staff, including children of any age who are accompanying staff, must sign in or be signed in at the Gatehouse before entering the site (children in this context are people under 16 years of age).

Staff Handbook 48  Vehicles may be searched before being allowed access to the site.

 Visitors must check in at the Gatehouse before entering the site.

 Those entering the site by routes other than the main approach road must alert the Gatehouse staff to their arrival on site and show their pass.

Health Safety and Environment

 Appropriate health, safety and environmental risk assessments must be undertaken in advance for all work activities that entail such risks.

 The site has three particular risks:

- Energetic tests are frequently carried out. Red flags fly at all entrances to the site on days when such tests are occurring. Imminent tests are signalled by a siren and sentries enforce the exclusion zone. Instructions given by sentries must be obeyed.

- As the site was previously used for munitions testing, there is a risk of unexploded devices being present. Extra caution should be taken when undertaking any activity that might disturb buried/hidden explosive devices.

- The site sits above an important aquifer and the drainage from the site goes to local water courses, so it is extremely important that no releases of pollutants to ground or water are allowed to happen.

 Hi-visibility clothing must be worn at all times when outdoors on the wider estate beyond the ring road.  All accidents and near misses must be reported.

 The emergency phone number is ‘8888’ and is manned 24 hours a day.

Driving on site

The ring road is one way, clockwise.  The speed limit is 20 mph in all areas.

 The traffic lights on the embankment must be obeyed, other than drivers going to the Fire Section from the eastern side of the embankment.

 Drivers should exercise extra caution on the embankment, which is also a public right of way liable to pedestrian and cycle traffic, including children.

Children

 Staff may occasionally bring their children to site for short periods when they are not working, e.g. to visit work colleagues after having a new baby, or in exceptional circumstances to pick something up from work. It is not acceptable for any member of staff to bring a child with them while they are working as the building is not designed to be safe for children, and it is not possible to work and look after children.

Staff Handbook 49 Smoking at work  Smoking, including the use of electronic cigarettes is prohibited throughout the HSL site and it`s workplaces.

 The only permitted smoking area is within the smoking shelter located on the eastern side of the building adjacent to the engineering block and the Street.

 For the purposes of this policy the workplace means buildings, car parks, grounds etc. leased or owned by HSL, and includes private and official cars parked in the car parks.  For further guidance on smoking please see HSE`s Smoking Policy on the Intranet

Security

 Security passes must be worn so that both lanyard and pass are clearly visible at all times.  Visitors and contractors who have not been security cleared must be escorted by their Host at all times in (see HS-OP-46, Control of Visitors and HS-OP-10, Control of Contractors): - the main building other than in the public areas. - the wider site beyond the ring road.

Dogs  No dogs, except guide dogs, are allowed in any HSL building. Dogs must be kept on a leash.

Document Revision Details Revision Date Revision Details Review Date 0 15.11.11 Document Issued (Issue 1) 15.11.12 1 22.11.12 No Change 22.11.13 2 20.12.12 Para 1 on access to site 20.12.12 3 08.03.13 Change to Para on Smoking brought in- 08.03.14 line with HSE Policy. 4 20.03.13 Change regarding lanyard and pass to 20.03.14 be clearly visible 5 22.08.13 Add in rules for bringing children on to 22.08.14 site

Staff Handbook 50 HSE Site Guidelines For Visiting Buxton

Staff Handbook 51 Staff Handbook 52 Staff Handbook 53