Safety Handbook Department of Natural Sciences Northwest Missouri State University December 2016 Safety Handbook 2016 i Introduction In early 2009, University of California at Los Angeles graduate student Sheri Sangji was involved in a terrible lab accident. While handling a syringe of pyrophoric t-butyl lithium solution, she accidently removed the plunger from the syringe causing the compound to burst into flame and ignite her synthetic sweater. She was wearing nitrile gloves but no flame retardant lab coat. She suffered serious burns over 40% of her body and subsequently died of her injuries 18 days later. Her supervisor was Dr. Patrick Harran, a highly regarded chemist doing cutting edge cancer research. Subsequent investigation revealed that Ms. Sangji had missed her mandatory chemical safety training and that Dr. Harran’s laboratory had been cited only two weeks before the accident for numerous safety violations. The university settled the case with the state by creating a Center for Lab Safety, establishing comprehensive corrective safety measures, and endowing with half a million dollars a scholarship in Ms. Sangji’s name. As of 2014 Dr. Harran faces criminal prosecution for four felony counts of negligence that could result in 4-1/2 year prison sentence. (Christensen, Kim 2013, “UCLA Professor to Stand Trial in Death of Assistant in Lab Fire”, Los Angeles Times online http://articles.latimes.com/2013/apr/26/local/la-me-ucla-prof-20130427.) The purpose of this document is to provide faculty, staff, and students in the Department of Natural Sciences with the guidance, procedures, and techniques necessary to operate in a safe manner. Many of the department’s activities such as handling hazardous chemical and biological materials, and travel and research to off campus locations are inherently dangerous. Thus safety and composite risk management (CRM) are the responsibility of everyone in the department. The Department of Natural Sciences consists of the five disciplines of biology, chemistry, geology, physics, and nanoscale science. Given the diverse nature of department activities, a one-size-fits-all approach to safety will not work. Thus the department embraces customized safety plans for each discipline area tied together through the implementation of composite risk management (CRM). Composite risk management is the process of identifying and reducing risk through the implementation of appropriate risk mitigation procedures. Department faculty and staff create a CRM worksheet for each class, lab, or activity that poses a risk to health and safety. The CRM worksheet with instructions is provided in Appendix 1. The CRM process involves five steps for each subtask of a major activity: identify the hazards, assess the risk, develop controls to mitigate the risk, implement the controls, and supervise and evaluate. This is a never-ending circular process. This Safety Handbook consists of general safety information, guidance, procedures, and techniques followed by discipline specific chapters. Appendices provide guidance and tools applicable to all disciplines and departmental personnel. Leadership is a key component of any safety program. The Chair of Natural Sciences provides overall leadership by taking personal responsibility as the senior departmental safety officer. All departmental personnel are safety officers and must set the example by personally adhering to safety standards and procedures, teaching students about safety, and insisting on adherence to safety standards and procedures in every departmental activity—everyday. Northwest owes nothing less than safety excellence to our students, their families, and ourselves. Safety Handbook 2016 ii Important contact Information Personnel Phone number E-mail Mark Corson Natural Sciences, Chair Office: 660-562-1672 [email protected] Lisa Crater NS Office Manager Office: 660-562-1388 [email protected] Scott Walk, Health and Safety Manager Office: 660-562-1475 [email protected] Cell: 660-562-9595 Redempta Kegode Office: 660-562-1215 [email protected] Chemical Safety Manager Cell: 660-541-1375 Emergency Contact Phone Number University Police 660-562-1254 Fire and Ambulance 911 Safety Handbook 2016 iii Table of Contents Part A: General Safety ........................................................................................................................ 1 Responsibilities ....................................................................................................................................... 2 Department Chair ............................................................................................................................ 2 Faculty/Activity Supervisor .............................................................................................................. 2 Students/Laboratory Personnel ....................................................................................................... 3 Safety and Emergency Equipment ......................................................................................................... 3 Eyewash Stations and Safety Showers ............................................................................................. 3 Fire Extinguishers and Blankets ....................................................................................................... 4 First Aid Kits ..................................................................................................................................... 4 Chemical Spill Kits ............................................................................................................................ 5 Practices and Procedures ....................................................................................................................... 5 General Safety .................................................................................................................................. 5 Warning Signs and Labels ................................................................................................................ 5 Housekeeping .................................................................................................................................. 5 Part B: Biological Safety ..................................................................................................................... 6 Biohazards and Potentially Infectious Material ..................................................................................... 7 Definition ......................................................................................................................................... 7 Routes of Biohazard Exposure ......................................................................................................... 7 Biological Agent Risk Classification .................................................................................................. 8 Biosafety Levels ................................................................................................................................ 9 Practices and Procedures ....................................................................................................................... 9 Signage and Labeling ...................................................................................................................... 10 Infectious Agents ........................................................................................................................... 10 Standard Microbiological Techniques ..................................................................................... 10 Containment Equipment ......................................................................................................... 12 Laboratory Facilities ................................................................................................................ 12 Animals........................................................................................................................................... 13 Animals on Campus ................................................................................................................. 13 Animals in the Field ................................................................................................................. 13 Sharps............................................................................................................................................. 14 Ethidium Bromide .......................................................................................................................... 15 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) ............................................................................................ 15 Laboratory Clothing ................................................................................................................. 16 Gloves ...................................................................................................................................... 17 Face and Eye Protection .......................................................................................................... 17 Respiratory Protection ............................................................................................................ 18 Laboratory Equipment ................................................................................................................... 18 Biological Safety Cabinets ......................................................................................................