Chemcial Handling Standard Operating Procedures
Chemical Handling SOP’s are required for chemicals with particularly hazardous properties. Information about handling and disposal can be acquired from a number of sources, including Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) and Laboratory Chemical Safety Summaries (LCSS) and the NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards.
Chemical Handling SOP template - Contact the Chemical Safety Office or the Laboratory Safety Office for assistance.
Laboratory Chemical Safety Summaries (LCSS) and the NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards provide safety information on a number of chemicals found in many FSU laboratories. These can be accessed at:
http://www.hhmi.org/about/labsafe/lcss.html and http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgsyn-a.html
One of the most important safety choices that researchers make every day is glove selection. Many researchers use disposable latex, nitrile or vinyl gloves in laboratory work. Researchers should be aware that disposable gloves provide barrier protection against organisms and large molecules and particles, but provide limited chemical protection. To ascertain which glove material is most suitable for a particular chemical exposure, EH&S recommends that researchers check with the manufacturer or call the EH&S Chemical Safety Office for guidance.
Links to additional glove selection resources can be found in the Chemical Hygiene Plan (OP-G-1.4.1) Appendix 6.
Researchers should be aware that Florida Statute mandates chemical safety training for newly employed individuals to be given within 30 days of employment. EH&S provides general training for students and staff on chemical awareness and Right-to-Know, as well as on special safety topics. Additionally, PI's are responsible for training related to specific laboratory hazards and potential exposures. EH&S can provide guidance on training in special topics. Contact EH&S to schedule safety training in chemical use, radioactive materials use, biohazards, Right-to-Know, laboratory safety, or special topics.
A list of training topics and descriptions along with a calendar of scheduled classes is available at: www.safety.fsu.edu/training.html
Contact the Laboratory Safety Office for training specific to your lab group or related to a specific hazard.
Eating and Drinking in the Laboratory
It is the policy at the Florida State University that eating and drinking are not compatible with most laboratory activities and are prohibited from laboratory areas to avoid potential ingestion of chemicals or other hazardous materials. This policy is outlined in the following memo.
However, in recognition that some laboratory areas are used for nonhazardous processes and little or no hazardous materials, EH&S may approve food consumption and storage for areas that meet specific criterion as described in Approval of Food and Drink in Laboratory Spaces (OP-G-1.5.2.1).
PI's are responsible for maintaining laboratory security consistent with regulatory demands for storage of radiological, chemical, biological or controlled substances. Please contact the Laboratory Safety Office for guidance with lab security issues.
Researchers who are planning to conduct research that involves the use of any chemicals, radioactive materials, biohazardous materials or Select Agents must check box 22 on the Proposal Transmittal Form (OCG Form 1) that is submitted to Sponsored Research. Researchers who are planning to conduct research involving recombinant DNA must check box 19. EH&S will be notified and will collect information that is required by various regulating agencies.
The EH&S collection of information is completed AFTER the grant is submitted to the appropriate funding agency. However, if your funding agency requires any information, approval, or certifications with the submittal, EH&S will work with you to ensure that the necessary paperwork is completed in an efficient and timely manner for agency notification.
After EH&S is notified that box 22 or box 19 was checked on a Transmittal form, we will review our records to determine if any additional information is needed to ensure compliance. Typically, a records review will include a determination that staff and students have been properly trained; a check for current chemical inventories; and a review of any outstanding safety issues.
As always, if you have any questions please feel free to contact us at 644-8800.
Working in a research environment can expose one to risks associated with wide variety of potential hazards: chemicals, radioactive materials, human blood, potentially infectious blood and biological agents. However, one of the most common laboratory injuries results from cuts and needle sticks. That is why it is important for every one to review the departmental "Exposure Control Plan" in dealing with cuts and needle stick injuries. The Environmental Health & Safety Department (EH&S) has developed a generic Exposure Control Plan (OP-G-1.3.1.1) that each department can use and modify according to need. The Exposure Control Plan (OP-G-1.3.1.1) is available on line at http://www.safety.fsu.edu/expctrlplan.html.
In general, the following procedure should be implemented when a cut or needle stick has occurred:
Alert co-workers.
If contamination of intact skin with blood or body fluid occurs, wash with plenty of soap and water. This would not be considered a significant exposure.
For needle sticks, mucous membrane or wound exposures that have punctured the skin:
Wash the area with plenty of soap and water.
For mouth exposure, use saline solution or rinse with plenty of water .
If you strongly feel that untested human blood, potentially infectious blood or biological agents have infected you, OBTAIN MEDICAL ATTENTION IMMEDIATELY.
Contact your supervisor, the University's Worker Compensation Office at 644-7684, and the Biological Safety Office at 644-5374 as soon as possible to file an injury report.
Hydrofluoric acid (HF) is an extremely corrosive acid used for many purposes including mineral digestion, surface cleaning, etching, and biological staining. HF's unique properties make it significantly more hazardous than many of the other acids used on campus. This article briefly discusses how to protect your self against the dangers of HF.
HEALTH HAZARDS: The health hazards of HF are dependent upon the type of exposure and the concentration.
Eye and Skin Exposure -- HF is corrosive and readily destroys tissue. Exposure of the eyes to HF may result in blindness or permanent eye damage. HF readily penetrates human skin, allowing it to destroy soft tissues and decalcify bone. Chemical burns from HF are typically very painful and slow to heal. Skin exposure to high concentrated HF (approximately 50% or greater) immediately results in serious and painful destruction of tissue. Not only can skin contact cause burns, but systemic fluoride poisoning may also result.
One of HF's most insidious properties is that skin contact at lower concentrations may not produce pain or burning sensations until hours after the exposure. Because of the ability of HF to produce delayed serious tissue damage without necessarily producing pain, all skin, eye, or tissue contact with HF should receive immediate first aid and medical evaluation even if the injury appears minor or no pain is felt.
Inhalation of HF Vapor -- Inhaling HF vapors can seriously damage the lungs. Delayed reactions up to and including fatal pulmonary edema (flooding of the lungs with body fluids) may not be apparent for hours after the initial exposure. Airborne concentrations of 10-15 ppm will irritate the eyes, skin, and respiratory tract. 30 ppm is considered "Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health" (IDLH) and may have irreversible health effects.
Chronic HF Exposure --Long-term or chronic exposure to HF may result in fluorosis, a syndrome characterized by weight loss, bone embrittlement, anemia, and general ill health.
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS FOR HF USE
Ventilation -- HF should be used with adequate ventilation to minimize inhalation of vapor. Concentrations greater than 5% should always be handled inside a properly functioning chemical fume hood. (Call EH&S if you use hydrofluoric acid outside of a chemical fume hood.)
Eye Protection -- Always use chemical goggles together with a face shield when handling concentrated HF. Due to HF's highly corrosive nature, safety glasses with side shields do not provide adequate eye protection.
Body Protection -- Wear a laboratory coat with a chemical splash apron made out of natural rubber, neoprene, or viton. Never wear shorts or open-toed shoes when handling HF or other corrosive chemicals.
Gloves -- Typically, medium or heavyweight viton, nitrile, or natural rubber gloves are worn when working with HF. A second pair of nitrile exam gloves should be worn under the gloves for protection against leaks. Always consult the manufacturer's glove selection guide when selecting a glove for HF. If you have any questions about selecting a glove to use for handling HF, contact the EH&S Chemical Safety staff at 644-7682.
Eyewash/Shower Combination -- Since HF is corrosive and rapidly damages tissue. EH&S recommends a combination eyewash/shower to be nearby and accessible. The combination eyewash/shower should be used to rinse the exposed area for 5 minutes, and then treatment of skin with calcium gluconate gel should be initiated.
Calcium Gluconate Gel -- Calcium gluconate gel is a topical antidote for HF skin exposure. Calcium gluconate works by combining with HF to form insoluble calcium fluoride, thus preventing the extraction of calcium from tissues and bones and the resulting burns. EH&S recommends that lab workers research the limitations of calcium gluconate before purchasing. EH&S further recommends that immediate medical evaluation be sought after an HF exposure, even when calcium gluconate is used to ameliorate injury. Calcium Gluconate is commercially available. Call Chemical Safety for information.
Safe Work Practices -- Avoid working alone when you're using HF. Do not eat, smoke, or drink where HF is handled, since the chemical can be swallowed. Wash hands thoroughly after handling HF.
EH&S CAN HELP
EH&S is available to help train staff members on the hazards of HF, its proper storage, handling, and cleanup procedures. EH&S can also evaluate HF use in your workspace for safety. If assistance is needed, or if you have any questions about HF, please call EH&S at 644-7682.
Some researchers are using old Sorvall or Beckman centrifuges. Why not? They still work!
Unfortunately, many of the old centrifuge rotors have not been replaced or inspected. With use and chemical exposure, rotor material degrades and weakens. Each rotor should be inspected by a manufacturer's representative, who will certify it for continued use, sometimes with restrictions on maximum g-force permitted, or condemn it if it is no longer safe for use. It is essential that laboratory workers use only rotors that have passed these inspections.
In addition to laboratory accidents resulting from disintegrating rotors, accidents may also occur from improper centrifuge maintenance or improper use. While more recently purchased centrifuges are equipped with braking mechanisms and locking lids, many of the older models are not. Users should be made aware of the hazards associated with opening the centrifuge top while the rotor is still spinning or the dangers of unbalanced loading. Users should also restrict use of centrifuge models that do not have safety features to low speed spins and prohibit use of these centrifuges when centrifuging toxic, radioactive or infectious materials.
It is essential that laboratory workers know the limits of the centrifuge tubes and bottles they are using. Centrifuge tubes and bottles must not be used at a higher g-force than is rated by the manufacturer. Most vendors list the permitted g-force in their catalogs as part of the product description. Reusable centrifuge tubes and bottles should be checked for stress cracks before use, and must be made from materials compatible with the chemicals they will contain.
Lastly, laboratory accidents may result from machine failure. Researchers should be aware of a Safety Warning for a discontinued line of Savant centrifuges, the HSC10 series, produced from 1983-1993. Contact Savant at 1-800-327-2643 for information.
All researchers should now be aware that Florida State University and other research institutions all have been asked to take certain actions related to security. Among these is the recent survey directed by the CDC and the USDA to compile data from research and clinical laboratories for possession of dangerous agents that could be used as terrorist weapons.
EVERY researcher should have filled out the Florida State University Select Agents Registration Form, from which information was compiled by EH&S onto official CDC/USDA survey registration forms and submitted for the entire FSU community. All researchers, regardless of agents they may have in possession, should have filled out FSU's select agent registration form and submitted it to EH&S. If any researcher has not submitted the form to EH&S or if dangerous agents have been acquired since the original submission, a new submission may be made by downloading the FSU's Select Agent Registration Form (EHS Form 7-1) and faxing it to EH&S at 644-2754.
In order to secure information from all possible sources, the CDC/USDA also sent the survey registration forms directly to many individual PI's and even to some graduate students, whose names were collected from grant submissions and other materials. These individuals, however, are instructed to send any official forms to EH&S, the Biological Safety Office, for inclusion in the institutional submission or addendum.
In addition, any researcher who is contacted directly by the CDC or the USDA regarding possession of select agents or any dangerous agents should also notify the Biological Safety Officer, at 644-5374 that they have been contacted.
As might be expected, interest in the issue of laboratory security has generated concern in a number of areas. Since the deadline for the CDC/USDA Select Agents survey registration, EH&S has learned that the University will most likely be asked to separately register the possession of poliovirus and agricultural pathogens. Further, particular uses of certain agents that were at first designated "exempt" from registration now may be no longer exempt. Because of this evolving view regarding the danger of certain agents, it would be best to contact EH&S to advise us of any possession of any quantity of dangerous substances or hazardous materials, regardless of use.