Code of Good Laboratory Working Standards

Transcription

1 Cde f Gd Labratry Wrking Standards The fllwing cde f practice represents a minimum set f standards that wrkers need t apply when wrking with all hazardus substances t ensure expsure is either prevented r adequately cntrlled. Specific wrk activities may require mre detailed written assessment and assciated prcedures / prtcls in place fr handling specific high hazard substances t ensure safety Intrductin Everyne wrking in Bilgy labs will use hazardus substances (typically chemicals r bilgical agents) and culd ptentially be expsed t them. Sme f thse substances are ptentially very harmful but nly if the dse received is significant. Frtunately, because f the nature f wrk in ur department, nbdy shuld be expsed t harmful amunts f any hazardus substance. Attentin t persnal prtectin and hygiene cmbined with gd labratry technique shuld ensure that all wrk can be cnducted withut significant risk. General Labratry Wrking Standards Dress apprpriately in the lab (see persnal prtectin belw). All wrkers must be trained t wrk safely: D nt embark n a new r unfamiliar prcedure until yu have been fully trained. Ensure that yu understand ptential harmful effects f yur wrk activity and what precautins are necessary fr adequate cntrl. If yu are nt satisfied with the prvisin f safety equipment r training d nt start the wrk. If in dubt at any stage, stp wrk and ask fr advice Avid using hazardus substances if pssible, r substitute fr safer alternatives. Use the minimum amunts f all hazardus substances t minimise expsure. Minimise emissin, release and spread f hazardus substances by gd experimental design and the applicatin f gd wrking practices. Buy nly the minimum quantity f the chemical yu need, even if a chemical seems cheap. Buy plastic cated Winchester bttles (2.5 litres) f hazardus liquid chemical t minimise risk f breakage if drpped. Take all necessary precautins t prevent r cntrl expsure t hazardus substances that yu are expsed t during yur wrk. Cntrl measures must be prprtinate t the level f risk and MUST NOT increase the verall risk t health & safety. Wrk efficiently t reduce the duratin fr which yu are expsed. Apply gd husekeeping practices- keep yur bench and flr areas free f unnecessary clutter. Wrk in an rderly and rganised manner. Think f the safety f thers e.g. cleaning and maintenance staff- never leave chemicals r equipment in a dangerus cnditin, dispse f hazardus materials apprpriately.

2 Persnal Prtectin Standards Lab. Cats: Lab cats must be wrn (and fastened) in all wet labs handling liquid chemicals and in all bi-cntainment labs handling cell cultures and micrrganisms (levels 1 3). It is acceptable fr smene t enter a labratry withut wearing a lab. cat (e.g. t speak t a clleague r a visitr lking rund) prvided: they are nt engaged in any wrk activity it is nt a mandatry 'lcal rule' f the lab. fr everyne t wear a lab. cat e.g. in a high cntainment (CL3) bilgical labratry Lab cats shuld be changed and laundered regularly. Lab cats must nrmally be remved (alng with any ther prtective equipment e.g. glves) befre leaving the lab Safety Glasses: The use f safety glasses in Bilgy research labs is nt mandatry but based n the level f risk presented by individual wrk activities Unless specified in specific risk assessments and assciated prcedures / lcal lab rules, it is the respnsibility f the individual wrker t make a sensible risk based judgement n the need fr eye prtectin Safety glasses must be available fr all labratry wrkers Safety glasses shuld be wrn in the fllwing circumstances: fr all activities presenting a risk f eye splash injury, e.g. dispensing hazardus liquids, wrking with liquids under pressure (e.g. filtering liquids with syringe / cleaning clumns with alkali) when wrking with high pressure systems, r glassware perated under vacuum (e.g. remving items frm an autclave) Where practicable equipment presenting a risk f eye injury shuld be perated behind a prtective screen r, in a fume hd Althugh there is n specific plicy fr wearing cntact lenses in the lab., the general plicy n wearing eye prtectin where a splash risk injury is identified wuld still apply. In ther wrds, if there is a need t wear safety glasses yu will be prtected whether yu wear cntact lenses r nt. Cntact lens wearers can wear them in the lab. prvided wear eye prtectin is wrn when cnsidered necessary. Whilst it is thught that a chemical splash may present a greater risk t cntact lens wearers (e.g. expsure time t a chemical culd be increased), the ppsite can als be true (lenses culd prevent sme substances frm reaching the eye)- bth situatins have been dcumented. Prescriptin safety glasses will prvide sme splash prtectin, and adequate fr lw risk activities where splash injury culd ccur. Hwever, fr higher risk activities (e.g. dispensing strng acids) yu shuld wear 'verspecs' t imprve the level f prtectin.

3 Ftwear: Sensible clsed shes must be wrn in all lab areas t prperly prtect the ft frm chemical splashes and sharp bjects. Open-ted shes and sandals are nt cnsidered suitable ftwear fr lab areas and must nt be wrn. This is a matter f sensible risk management and gd labratry practice. The feet are vulnerable t injury in number f ways in labratries which can ccur suddenly withut warning, e.g. frm heavy bjects (including reagent bttles) r sharp bjects such as glass slides, scissrs r frceps, being drpped. Additinal risks t be cnsidered include; spillage f ht r crygenic liquids r crrsive chemicals, manual handling f equipment and injury frm a prtrusin at ft level. Prtective glves: Ear prtectin Apprpriate glves shuld always be wrn when handling hazardus substances, very ht, very cld, sharp r therwise dangerus bjects. Dispsable glves shuld be wrn when cnsidered necessary: t prtect wrkers against sme bilgical r chemical hazards t prtect samples frm cntaminatin e.g. tissue culture wrk Dispsable glves must nt be used if their use increases the verall risk f harm arising e.g. glves shuld NOT be wrn when wrking in clse prximity t a naked flame (e.g. using a Bunsen burner when applying aseptic technique fr micrbial wrk) as their use increases the chance f burn injuries if the glve melts unnecessary, excessive wearing f dispsable glves fr lw risk activities can lead t skin irritatin and ptentially cause allergy e.g. t latex Nitrile glves are recmmended fr general splash prtectin. Fr high risk expsure activities (beynd splash prtectin ) specific glve types and thicknesses will need t be cnsidered as part f a specific risk assessment. Dispsable glves shuld nt be wrn in cmmunal areas. They shuld be remved befre leaving lab areas, aviding causing cncern t the casual bystander (real r nt) that glves are spreading cntaminatin arund the Department. The use f glves shuld nt be required when transprting materials frm ne lab area t anther- any hazardus materials shuld be adequately cntained (duble cntainment required), presenting n risk t yu r thers. If glves are cnsidered necessary, nly ne glve shuld be used (the ther, 'clean' unglved hand, is used t pen drs n rute between labs.). It is the respnsibility f individual grups t make sure that new wrkers are made aware that this practice shuld be fllwed as part f lcal inductin training given t wrkers, and t mnitr cmpliance. Ear prtectin is available and shuld be wrn when using nisy equipment e.g. snicatrs

4 Face Masks / Respiratry Prtectin Tight fitting face masks ( Face Fitting Piece 3 (FFP3) standard) are available frm Stres fr use when respiratry prtectin frm dusts is required. If respiratry prtectin is cnsidered necessary, ask advice frm the Safety Advisr r Bilgy Stres as t the mst apprpriate fr yur use. Inhalatin Expsure Cntrl Standards Apply engineering cntrls (ventilated cabinets e.g. fume cupbard / micrbial safety cabinet) at surce where practicable (see belw), supplemented with persnal prtective clthing / equipment where necessary Medium / high chemical expsure ptential: avid inhalatin f hazardus dusts, aersls, gases and vapurs by wrking in a fume cupbard r ther lcal exhaust ventilatin (vlatile chemicals). Lw chemical expsure ptential: peratins invlving an inhalatin risk can nly be carried ut n the pen bench where expsure ptential is lw e.g. shrt-term peratins with sme vlatile substances that prduce nuisance smells nly. Any activity likely t generate aersls presenting a risk f expsure t infectius agents must be cnducted in a micrbial safety cabinet. Avid shaking stck cntainers f chemicals (e.g. t remve lumps)- these can rupture, especially if ld, leading t chemical expsure. Ingestin Expsure Cntrl Standards Avid ingestin f hazardus substances by muth by ensuring that yu: Apply gd hygiene practices by washing hands befre leaving the lab and whenever yu suspect yur hands have becme cntaminated with any hazardus substance D nt pipette by muth D nt eat r drink in the lab D nt lick labels, chew pencils, chew yur nails, etc. D nt stre fd r drink fr human cnsumptin in the labratry r in refrigeratrs used fr labratry purpses Absrptin Expsure Cntrl Standards Skin: Wear a lab cat (required fr all wet labs handling liquid chemicals and bi-cntainment labs 1-3) Wear sensible clsed shes Prtect cuts / grazes with waterprf adhesive dressings / plasters

5 Use dispsable glves where necessary (especially fr chemicals that can be absrbed thrugh the intact skin) D nt tuch face when handling hazardus substances Mucus Membranes (e.g. eye) Wear eye prtectin t avid splash injuries t the eye (essential when handling substances presenting a risk f serius eye injury e.g. crrsives) D nt tuch face when handling hazardus substances Avid shaking stck cntainers f chemicals (e.g. t remve lumps)- these can rupture, especially if ld, leading t chemical expsure Direct Inculatin Standards Avid the use f sharps where pssible Apply safe handling practices when using sharps (e.g. needles / scalpels / use f glass Pasteur pipettes (see belw))- d nt use them until yu have received apprpriate training Never try t frce a glass pipette r glass tube int a pipette filler r ther rifice: push the filler gently nt the glass tube (nt the ther way rund), hlding the pipette as clse as pssible t the end yu are fitting. Wear glves r use a clth t further prtect yur hands in the event f breakage if necessary. Ask fr assistance if yu are unsure. Safely dispse f all sharps in sharps bins t avid risk f sharps injury t thers Spillage & Emergency Standards Buy plastic cated Winchester bttles (2.5 litres) f hazardus liquid chemical t minimise risk f breakage if drpped. Be prepared fr dealing with accidental spillages (small r large). If required, all labs have a chemical spill kit (with a prcedure fr dealing with spillages). If a spillage ccurs, keep calm and take any apprpriate remedial actin, fllwing instructins n the spillage kit as a guide if necessary. Where a spillage invlves persnal cntaminatin: Wash immediately with cpius amunts f water Use the emergency shwer r pull ut shwer hse if necessary Shut fr assistance if required Reprt the accident n the apprpriate frm Breathing apparatus is available fr trained staff t enter areas where nxius fumes are present. Strage Standards

6 Stre chemicals in crrectly-labelled cntainers with the apprpriate hazard warnings clearly identified. Stre chemicals as advised by the supplier. If in dubt, stre in a cl, dark place. D nt stre chemicals in bright sunlight r abve eye-level wherever pssible. Stre hazardus vlatile chemicals in a fire-prf cabinet r if nn-flammable, r if in very small amunts, in a fume cupbard. Flammable slvents with flashpints belw 32 (e.g. acetne, isamyl alchl, butanls, ethanl, diethyl ether, petrleum ether, prpanls) must nt be stred in bttles f mre than 500 ml unless in a fire-prf cabinet. All flammables shuld be put away in the fire-prf cabinet at the end f the wrking day wherever pssible. At intervals check yur chemical stcks. Lk ut fr unwanted chemicals, cntainers with decaying r peeling labels, signs f deteriratin, etc. Dispse f unwanted chemicals prperly. Transprt Standards Transprt 'Winchesters' (2.5 litre bttles f chemicals) using a bttle carrier r high sided trlley. This is essential fr strng acids and alkalis. Bilgy Stres staff are authrised t refuse release f Winchester bttles f chemicals t anyne wh des nt have an apprpriate means f safely transprting them back t their lab. Never carry chemical bttles by the neck- supprt with bth hands, ne being beneath the bttle. All cntainers f chemicals shuld be sealed when carrying in cmmunal (nn-lab) areas. High hazard chemicals shuld be duble cntained t prevent spillage in the event the primary cntainer leaks. Dispsal Standards The fllwing summarising sme f the key dispsal practices in labs. Details f lab dispsal practices are lcated n the Waste Dispsal sectin f the safety web pages. All dilute water, sluble waste shuld be flushed dwn the sink with cpius amunts f cld water. All flammable and halgenated slvents shuld be cllected in labelled, plastic cated Winchester (2.5 litre) bttles fr dispsal via Bilgy Stres. Organic waste shuld be kept t a minimum (if pssible try t substitute water miscible slvents) and stred prperly in apprpriate bttles fr dispsal via Bilgy Stres. Put uncntaminated brken glass int the red bin prvided. All samples / materials cntaining hazardus cncentratins f chemicals t dispsed f in yellw bins / bags. All bi-hazardus materials (liquid r slid) t be inactivated using validated methds (e.g. apprpriate disinfectant / autclave treatment)

7 All sharp bjects (needles, glass Pasteur pipettes, scalpel blades, etc.) must be placed in special sharps bxes, btainable frm Stres. Think abut the safety f thers! Never put such bjects in ther waste cntainers as serius injuries t technicians / cleaning staff can result. Standards fr Use f Persnal Music Players / Headphnes The use f persnal music players can reduce awareness f an individual's surrundings, and can easily becme cntaminated with hazardus materials when used in a lab. A sensible and pragmatic apprach is applied t their use in lab. areas: Persnal music players MUST NOT be used: in high cntainment (Cntainment Level 3) bilgical research facilities whilst handling 'pen surce' radiactive materials fr any ther activity where their use is cnsidered, as part f the risk assessment fr a wrk activity, t be inapprpriate Users MUST ensure that they can still hear the emergency evacuatin alarms It is als left t the discretin f Grup Leaders whether r nt they want their wrkers using persnal music players (r ther surces f music) under any circumstances in labs.