Health and Safety

in the Laboratory

This material was produced under grant number SH-17035-08-60-F-11 from the
Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor. These
materials do not necessarily reflect views or policies of the U.S. Department of
Labor, nor does mention of any trade names, commercial products, or
organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
 Objectives

After this session, you will know:

How to identify health and safety hazards

of school laboratory work
Health and safety measures your lab
should have in place
How best to protect yourself from
hazardous exposures
The requirements of OSHAs Laboratory
Standard

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 Laboratories in the News

Two dozen fire departments responded yesterday Detroits Miller Middle School
to Rocky Point High School after a science will be closed today and
teacher was burned when a chemical reaction in possibly Wednesday while
a science lab touched off a small explosion. The health and environmental
teacher, Anthony Nobre, 26, of Medford, suffered officials finish cleaning up a
burns over his arm, neck and face. He was taken small amount of mercury that
to University Hospital in Stony Brook, where he students spilled in a science
was listed in satisfactory condition, according to a class just before school was
spokeswoman. The blast erupted as Nobre put
crystallized sodium into a container holding a dismissed Monday. Students
small amount of water. The Brookhaven fire apparently were playing with
marshal was conducting an investigation and about an ounce of the toxic
recommended that the building be closed today. substance in a sealed vial
when it spilled, said a district
spokesman Stan Childress.
About 30 students and a
teacher were present, he said.
There is a possibility that
students may have tracked
through the mercury
because some beads of
the substance were
found in the hallway,
Childress said. 3
 Why All the Fuss?

Exposure to Hazardous Chemicals Can

Result in acute or chronic health effects

Acute occurring within hours or days of

exposure

Chronic occur after exposure over

many years

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Engineering: Removes or
Separates Hazard from
Person i.e.:
Local Ventilation (Fume Hoods)
Chemical Substitutions

Administrative:
Procedures that Limit
Contact with Hazard i.e.:
Job Rotation
School Staff Training
Good Housekeeping
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Personal Protective Equipment
(PPE)

PPE Should Be Considered Only

After Administrative and
Engineering Controls Have Been
Applied.

Minimum Recommended PPE:

Chemical Resistant Gloves, Splash Proof Goggles,
Lab Coat, Face Shield, and Rubber Apron when Necessary
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 PPE: Glove Selection
Should be based upon:

the chemical composition of the

substance you are working with

the properties of the glove material.

Find Out More about Glove Selection by

Reviewing Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)
or from Glove Supply Companies.

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OSHAs Laboratory Standard
Protects staff who use and handle
hazardous chemicals in laboratories

Requires your School to:

Determine staff exposure to any
substances regulated by the standard
Conduct initial training & additional
training if a new hazard is introduced
into the lab
Develop a Chemical Hygiene Plan

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 Training Requirements
Specific Work Practices
Chemical hygiene plan/lab manual
Location & availability of MSDSs
Labs are Specific lab safety work practices or SOPs
required Training whenever new hazards are used in the lab

to
Personal Protective Equipment
suppleme Instruction on appropriate PPE & how to use it
nt course Location & availability of PPE & maintenance of reusable
PPE
material
with site- Lab Equipment
Location & operation of eyewash &/or shower stations
specific Use of fume hoods, storage cabinets, refrigerators & other
informatio engineering controls

n&
Waste Handling and Spill Response
training Chemical waste handling & disposal procedures
including: Location & availability of spill kits & emergency checklists
Spill response procedures

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Chemical Hygiene Plan
Must Include:
Designation of a Chemical Hygiene Officer
Exposure control measures
Measures to ensure properly functioning
fume hoods & equipment
Staff training on hazard awareness &
measures available to protect themselves
Provisions for medical consultation &
examination
Respiratory protection program
Recordkeeping procedure
Hazard identification system

10
Safe Practice: Maintain a
Chemical Inventory!
Conduct a yearly inventory of chemicals and
update the file of material safety data sheets
(MSDS) to prevent the accumulation of orphaned
chemicals

Some of these chemicals become

unstable, react with the container, slowly
degrade or evaporate

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 You Have the
Right to Know!
OSHAs Hazard Communication
Standard requires that
ALL Containers Must be Labeled With:

Chemica
l Name
& Name &
Physical/ Address of
Health the
Hazards Manufactur
er &
Emergency
Contact
Numbers
100 Main St., Philadelphia, PA
1-800-555-1212

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Types of Labels

NFPA Diamonds and

HMIS Bars are Color
& Number Coded with
Hazard Information

DOT Symbols Are

Usually Found on
Shipping Cartons

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Material Safety Data Sheets
(MSDS)
An MSDS Must Be on File & Available for Each
Chemical in the Lab.
An MSDS lists:
Product Identity
Hazardous Ingredients
Physical Data
Fire & Explosion Hazard Data
Reactivity Data
Health Hazard Data
Precautions for Safe Handling & Use
Control Measures

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What Should the Ideal
Laboratory Look Like?
Practices Equipment &
Ventilation

15
 General Ventilation
Supply Air Diffusers & Room Air Exhausts
Should be
Located So As to Avoid Intake of
Contaminated Air
Windows Should be Operable

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 Local Ventilation
Fume Hoods Used For Operations that Give
Off:
Noxious Odors
Flammable or Poisonous Vapors

HOW DOES YOUR VENTILATION MEASURE

UP?

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 Safety Showers
and Eyewashes
Must Be Available in All Lab Areas
That Use or Store Chemicals Which
Are Corrosive or an Irritant to the
Eyes or Skin

Combination Eye Wash & Drench

Hose Units at the Sink are Now
Available

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Match the Extinguisher to the Risk!

Fire Extinguishers Must Be:

Clearly labeled to indicate the

types of fire they are designed to
extinguish.
Visibly inspected monthly and
maintained annually.

Class ABC Extinguishers Should Be

Located:
At the Laboratory Exit
Within 50 Feet of Any Point
in the Lab.
Class D Extinguishers Are Required
for Combustible Metals.

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Means of Egress/Exit

Two or more well- marked

& unobstructed
evacuation exits are
recommended in a lab.

20
 Its Shocking!

There should be no accessible live, exposed electrical

wiring.

Consideration should be given to

installing ground-fault circuit
interrupters on electrical circuits within
6 feet of water sources.

Electrical Safety in the High School

Lab
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 Chemical Storage
Safe Storage of Chemicals is a
Necessity in Every School Laboratory!

Minimizes Exposure to Students and Staff to Corrosive

and Toxic Chemicals
Lessens the Risk of Fire
Prevents the Mixing of Incompatibles & the Creation of
an Emergency Situation

22
 The Donts of Chemical
Storage!
Avoid storing any chemical above eye level

Dont store incompatible chemicals together

Dont store chemicals near sources of heat or sunlight

Dont store chemicals in the hoods or acids on

metal shelves

Avoid storing anything on the floor, especially

glass bottles

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Biology Storage

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 So, Youre in Charge!

How would you organize and store

chemicals in your perfect lab?

25
 Ideal Storage Area Set-
Up
NA, LI Acids
Base
Room Should Have: s
Eye Wash
Oxidizers
Safety Shower
Dry
Emergency Phone Chemical
Fire Extinguisher s
Spill
Materials Metal Flammables
Salts Cabinet
Nitrates 26
 Be Prepared for Small
Incidental Spills
Chemical Categories
Found in Most
Secondary Schools
Include:
Organic
Solvents
Proper Incidental Spill Control
Acids Equipment Includes:
Spill Control Materials Such As Spill
Control Pillows, Pads, Booms, etc.
Alkalis
Scoops, Brooms, Pails & Bags
(Bases)
Absorbent such as Diatomaceous Earth
Neutralizers for Acids & Alkalis
Mercury Mercury Spill Control Kit

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 Certain Spills Arent for
Quick Clean-up
As a science teacher or lab specialist, you should only
respond to incidental chemical releases, or small spills.

For large or especially hazardous spills:

Quickly assess whether there are any injured
persons and attend to any person who
may have been contaminated.
Follow the notification, evacuation
and emergency medical treatment
procedures for your school.
Evacuate the immediate area
until the hazardous release has
been characterized and
controlled.

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 Waste Chemical Disposal
Requires:

Proper storage same rules apply make

sure waste chemicals are compatible
Proper labeling tags should be placed on
bottles name of chemical
Pre-planning know what waste youre
creating prior to carrying out experiments;
minimize purchases
Record-keeping of all waste chemicals on
hand and those already picked up for disposal

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How to Assess Your
Classroom for Hazards
Using the Checklist
Working with Your Union

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