General and Laboratory Safety Handbook An Overview of Safe Operating Procedures Contact: Dr. Urmila Basu revised: 13/5/2016 Table of Contents Our commitment to Safety ........................................................................................................................... 4 Emergency Numbers, Contacts and Location of Resources ......................................................................... 4 Important Contacts in AFNS .................................................................................................................. 4 Door Signs ............................................................................................................................................. 4 Building (‘infrastructure’) problems ..................................................................................................... 4 When the Fire Alarm Sounds ................................................................................................................ 5 Fire Alarm Pull Stations ......................................................................................................................... 5 Eye wash Stations / “Drench Hoses” (low pressure, high volume, hand-held) .................................... 5 Emergency Showers (“Overhead”) ....................................................................................................... 5 Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) ................................................................................................... 5 First Aid Kits and List of First Aiders ...................................................................................................... 5 Small Chemical Spill Clean-Up Kits. Bottles of Spill Clean-Up Mixture ................................................. 5 Telephones ............................................................................................................................................ 5 Safety Rules and Regulations ........................................................................................................................ 6 Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Responsibility .......................................................................... 6 The General Duty Clause ....................................................................................................................... 6 Hazard Assessment, Elimination and Control ....................................................................................... 6 University of Alberta Health and Safety Responsibilities Procedure (see UAPPOL) ............................. 7 Refusal of Unsafe Work ........................................................................................................................ 8 General Safety and Managing Laboratory Hazards ...................................................................................... 8 Ag/For Safety Inquiries ............................................................................................................................. 8 AFNS Safety Committee ............................................................................................................................ 8 Department Safety Information Seminar ............................................................................................. 9 Lab Inspections ..................................................................................................................................... 9 Safety of Facilities ................................................................................................................................. 9 First Aid ..................................................................................................................................................... 9 First Aiders ............................................................................................................................................ 9 First Aid Supplies ................................................................................................................................. 10 AED (automated external defibrillator) .............................................................................................. 10 Health Centre ...................................................................................................................................... 10 Reporting incidents ............................................................................................................................. 10 Training Courses Offered by EHS ............................................................................................................ 10 Working Alone ........................................................................................................................................ 11 Safewalk .............................................................................................................................................. 11 Unattended Experiments .................................................................................................................... 11 Working off the Campus ..................................................................................................................... 12 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) ..................................................................................................... 12 Working With Radioisotopes .................................................................................................................. 13 Radioisotopes ...................................................................................................................................... 13 Radioactive Material ........................................................................................................................... 13 Disposal of radioactive waste ............................................................................................................. 13 Radiation Safety Guidelines for Non-Users......................................................................................... 14 Radioisotope Spills .............................................................................................................................. 14 Decertification of the radioisotope laboratory area ........................................................................... 14 Fire Safety ............................................................................................................................................... 14 Responding to and Reporting a Fire ................................................................................................... 14 1 Should You Try To Control Or Put Out A Fire? .................................................................................... 15 Equipment Use and Maintenance .......................................................................................................... 15 Chemical Safety- Controlling Chemical hazards.......................................................................................... 16 Working with Chemicals ......................................................................................................................... 16 Plan Ahead .......................................................................................................................................... 16 Never Underestimate the Risks .......................................................................................................... 17 Minimize Exposure to Chemicals ........................................................................................................ 17 Be Prepared for Accidents .................................................................................................................. 19 Flammable and Combustible Liquids ...................................................................................................... 21 Fire/Explosion Hazards ........................................................................................................................ 21 Health Hazards .................................................................................................................................... 21 Handling and Use (Hazard Control) .................................................................................................... 22 Corrosives (Especially Acids and Bases) .................................................................................................. 22 Physical hazards .................................................................................................................................. 23 Health hazards .................................................................................................................................... 23 Handling and Use (Hazard Control) .................................................................................................... 23 Oxidizing Agents (Oxidizers).................................................................................................................... 24 Physical Hazards .................................................................................................................................. 24 Health Hazards .................................................................................................................................... 25 Handling and Use (Hazard Control) ...................................................................................................