LABORATORY SAFETY PLAN1 Lawrence University Appleton, WI 1Modified from Rutgers’s University Chemical Hygiene Guide via internet. Table of Contents I. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................... 5 II. STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES ............................................................................................. 5 A. EMERGENCY PROCEDURES ........................................................................................................................... 5 1. Priorities ............................................................................................................................................ 5 2. Injury First Aid ................................................................................................................................... 6 3. Fires and Explosions .......................................................................................................................... 8 4. Chemical Spills ................................................................................................................................... 9 5. Indentifying Hazardous Substances in Emergencies ......................................................................... 9 6. Reporting Accidents .......................................................................................................................... 9 7. Power Failures ................................................................................................................................... 9 B. GENERAL LABORATORY BEHAVIOR ............................................................................................................... 10 1. Safety Rules ..................................................................................................................................... 10 2. Additional Safety Rules for Students ............................................................................................... 11 3. Additional Safety Rules for Instructors and Supervisors ................................................................. 11 4. Rules for Custodial Workers ............................................................................................................ 12 5. Rules for Maintenance Workers ..................................................................................................... 12 C. SAFETY SYSTEMS ...................................................................................................................................... 13 1. Personal Protective Equipment ....................................................................................................... 13 a) Eye Protection ............................................................................................................................. 13 b) Respiratory Protection ................................................................................................................ 13 c) Skin and Body Protection ............................................................................................................ 13 d) Hearing Protection ...................................................................................................................... 14 2. Fire Protection (Fire Extinguishers) ................................................................................................. 14 3. Laboratory Equipment .................................................................................................................... 15 a) Fume Hoods ................................................................................................................................ 15 b) Glove Boxes ................................................................................................................................. 16 c) Eye Washes ................................................................................................................................. 17 d) Safety Showers ............................................................................................................................ 17 e) Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters ............................................................................................... 17 f) Spill Containment ........................................................................................................................ 17 D. PREPARING FOR LABORATORY WORK ........................................................................................................... 17 1. Chemicals ........................................................................................................................................ 18 2. Equipment ....................................................................................................................................... 18 3. Written Procedures ......................................................................................................................... 18 E. GENERAL LABORATORY EQUIPMENT SETUP ................................................................................................... 18 1. Preparing the Workspace ............................................................................................................... 18 2. Glassware ........................................................................................................................................ 19 3. Sharps .............................................................................................................................................. 20 4. Microbiological Techniques ............................................................................................................ 21 5. Electricity ......................................................................................................................................... 21 6. Vacuum Operations ........................................................................................................................ 22 a) Shielding ...................................................................................................................................... 22 b) Vacuum Desiccators .................................................................................................................... 22 c) Water Aspirators for Vacuum ..................................................................................................... 22 Page 2 of 43 d) Vacuum Pumps ........................................................................................................................... 22 e) Vacuum-Manifold and Schlenk Line Safety ................................................................................ 22 7. Pressure Operations ........................................................................................................................ 24 8. Heating ............................................................................................................................................ 24 a) Open Flame ................................................................................................................................. 24 b) Hot Plates .................................................................................................................................... 25 c) Open Flame ................................................................................................................................. 25 d) Sand Baths ................................................................................................................................... 25 e) Temperature Control .................................................................................................................. 25 9. Cooling ............................................................................................................................................ 26 a) Flowing Water ............................................................................................................................. 26 b) Cooling Baths .............................................................................................................................. 26 c) Cryogenics ................................................................................................................................... 26 10. Compressed Gases .......................................................................................................................... 27 a) Use .............................................................................................................................................. 27 b) Used Cylinders ............................................................................................................................ 28 c) Leaking Cylinders ........................................................................................................................ 28 d) Transportation ............................................................................................................................ 29 e) Storage ........................................................................................................................................ 29 11. Laser Safety ..................................................................................................................................... 29 F. HANDLING CHEMICALS .............................................................................................................................