Basic Principles of Laboratory Safety and

Waste management

Presenter : Sonam Bansal

Head - Nestlé Quality Assurance Centre Moga
Nestlé India Limited
1
Contents of Training Module

Chapter Chapter Title

1 INTRODUCTION
2 ACCESS TO LABORATORY AND EMERGENCY EXITS
3 PERSONAL PROTECTIVE CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT
4 GOOD WORKING PRACTICES
5 MAINTENANCE OF LABORATORY EQUIPMENT
6 WORKING WITH HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES
7 STORAGE OF CHEMICALS
8 WORKING WITH FLAMMABLE SOLVENTS
9 GAS CYLINDERS
10 FIRE PRECAUTIONS
11 EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
12 FIRST AID
13 ACCIDENT FOLLOW-UP
14 SAFETY MANUAL
15 SAFETY TRAINING
16 MANAGEMENT OF LABORATORY SAFETY AND RESPONSIBILITIES
17 WASTE MANAGEMENT

p. 2
Why does laboratory safety matter ?

Safe working
protects:
• You
• Other lab workers
• Cleaning staff
• Visitors
• Your work

p. 3
2 - ACCESS TO LABORATORY AND
EMERGENCY EXITS

p. 4
Access to Laboratory Areas

Must be restricted to Each lab must have

authorized persons A plan of the laboratory
clearly designated
only. area must be available.
emergency exits.

p. 5
Emergency exits must:

Be clearly
Open
marked & Be designed
Be kept outwards,
well lit, Never be to only
clear at all i.e. in the
even during locked open from
times direction of
power the inside.
escape
failure.

p. 6
3 - PERSONAL PROTECTIVE CLOTHING AND
EQUIPMENT

p. 7
Safe dress within the laboratory area (PPE)
Laboratory
staff

Cleaning
staff

Visitors

Must all wear adequate personal protective

equipment (PPE) when:

- present in rooms where reagents, equipment &

samples are stored
- working in rooms where analytical work is done.

p. 8
Use appropriate eye, skin & hand protection

Closed shoes with good grip soles - no

open shoes, high heels, flip flops, etc

Laboratory coat, clean and in good

condition

Safety eye goggles

Suitable gloves appropriate for the task

Rubber or PVC aprons when handling

hazardous chemicals

• Laboratory coats used in the laboratory areas must not be worn to the
canteen.
p. 9 9
Use appropriate eye, skin & hand protection -2

Tie back long hair & restrain loose

clothing.

Jewelry must not be worn in the lab

•(unless for special cultural/religious
reasons, with permission of laboratory
manager/safety officer, and must not
provide any potential safety hazards e.g.
loose chains or necklaces, dangling ear
rings).

p. 10
Which Gloves to use for which task ?
Rating Category

Best

Useable

Not useable

Material Thin nitrile (0.1 Thick nitrile (0.15 Neoprene (0.13 PE laminated film
mm) mm) mm) (0.06 mm)

SCOPE

FOOD OK OK

BIOSAFETY OK OK (LABO P1, P2, P3)

RADIOACTIVITY OK

CHEMICALS OK OK

ACIDS OK OK

p. 11
For an Emergency !

Safety Showers

Eye-wash stations

Must be:
• Installed close to the laboratory area
• correctly maintained
• readily accessible for all staff

p. 12
4 - GOOD WORKING PRACTICES

p. 13 13
Introduction - BASICS

Safe handling of chemicals

& equipment.

Safe working practices in the

Microbiology lab, especially
if working with pathogens.

Information readily
available about hazardous
chemicals – Material Safety
Data Sheets (MSDA).

p. 14
Good Housekeeping

The lab must be kept neat, clean & free of materials that are not pertinent to
your work

Keep your workplace tidy.

Clear up waste.

Make sure everything is safe before you leave your

work area unattended.

A tidy laboratory avoids accidents for everyone.

Apply principles of 5S wherever possible.

p. 15
Rules about Smoking, Eating and Drinking.

Smoking is not allowed anywhere

in the laboratory building

Eating & drinking must be

restricted to designated areas,
never on a workbench.

Food & drink for consumption

must not be placed in refrigerators
intended for chemicals.

p. 16
Hygiene

Never suck pens or chew

pencils

Always wash your hands

before you leave and
especially before eating

17
Mouth Pipetting

X
Mouth Pipetting – is forbidden in
all laboratories, including
microbiology labs

Use a pipettor or safety bulb

p. 18
Glassware

Chipped, cracked
or broken
glassware may
be dangerous.

It must not be
used in the lab.

It must either be
repaired or
discarded.

p. 19
Sample Grinding

Use ear plugs if grinder / mill

exceeds specified noise levels

Wear dust masks if grinding

creates a lot of dust.

p. 20
Use fume hoods correctly

•Set sash at correct working height

•Check that fume hood delivers correct air

velocity (measured in m/s)

•Ensure fume hoods maintained correctly

(service contract with supplier)

p. 21
5 - MAINTENANCE OF LABORATORY EQUIPMENT

p. 22
Equipment used within laboratories must be:

•Correctly installed according to

manufacturers instructions

•Safe-to-operate

•Well maintained, according to a

regular maintenance schedule

p. 23
Maintenance
Results of a fire in a fume hood, caused by
faulty electrical cables

The electrical safety of all

equipment, including fume
hoods, must be checked
regularly according to a defined
schedule
All equipment working under
pressure or vacuum must be
regularly checked for any
defects (cracks in glass,
tubing,....) leaks etc.

p. 24
Documentation

For each piece of equipment

written instructions for its
operation and maintenance
must be readily available
A list of authorised and
qualified users must be
available for each major item
of equipment.

p. 25
6 - WORKING WITH HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES

p. 26
Handling Hazardous substances
Includes Carcinogens, Toxic, Corrosive Chemicals (as well as those may provoke fire or
explosions) and microbial cultures.

Special precautions
Minimize any
must be taken when
microbiological
Disposal of handling solvents, Minimize any Special precautions
hazards by good
hazardous acids, alkalis, toxic chemical hazards by must be taken when
working practices
chemicals according chemicals. Check good ventilation & handling cultures of
and use of laminar
to local regulations the warning using fume-hoods bacterial pathogens
flow /biosafety
symbols on the
cabinets
label.

p. 27
7 – STORAGE OF CHEMICALS

28
Correct Storage of Chemicals

Flammable
chemical Do not store
Solvents must Highly toxic & incompatible
carcinogenic storage area
be stored in chemicals
chemicals (e.g. should be kept
well-ventilated together.
cyanide) must cool, away
cabinets or
be kept under from sources Some
explosion
lock and key. of ignition, and examples are
proof-cabinets.
well- shown below:
ventilated.

Chemical Incompatible with

Acetic acid Nitric acid, perchloric acid, peroxides, permanganates
Ammonia Chlorine, iodine, bromine, hydrogen fluoride, calcium
hypochlorite
Solvents Hydrogen peroxide, Nitric acid, Oxidizing materials
Sulfuric acid Nitric acid

p. 29
Rules for Storage of Chemicals

Chemicals/solvents storage
cupboards must be used with
suitable chemicals hazard warning
labels on door.
• Only the smallest quantities
• Stored in their original containers
• Keep away from food & samples to be
analysed
• Chemicals past their expiry date must be
disposed of
• Maintain an up-to-date inventory of all
purchased reagents and chemicals

p. 30
8 – WORKING WITH FLAMMABLE SOLVENTS

p. 31
Flammable solvents

The vapours of
some volatile Designated
solvents, notably areas, with no
Hazards diethyl ether, Precautions
petroleum ether source of
form explosive ignition.
mixtures with air

Bunsen
Any source of A hot plate burners must
ignition may operating at > 130 Good
not be used
produce an °C is a source of ventilation.
explosion ignition when working
with solvents

p. 32
9 - GAS CYLINDERS

p. 33
Correct use of Gas Cylinders
Gas cylinders used in the lab are under high pressure
 Examples: air, nitrogen, helium, hydrogen, argon.

Cylinders should be
stored, wherever • Never use without formal training
possible, outside the • Minimise the number in a laboratory
laboratory building • Store externally wherever possible
under lock and key

Cylinders are heavy • Ensure that they are chained when in use
and can do serious
• Move only with a cylinder trolley
damage to you if
they fall • Wear appropriate boots.

Use regulators &

control equipment
suitable for the gas
concerned

p. 34
10 – FIRE PRECAUTIONS

p. 35
Fire precautions

Fire alarms must be installed & tested regularly.

Fire (smoke) detectors must be installed &

tested regularly.

The lab must be equipped with fire extinguishers

which are checked regularly (annually).

Fire blankets must be visible & available in areas

where inflammable solvents are handled.

Fire Drill – regular practice of fire drill.

p. 36
11 – EMERGENCY PROCEDURES

p. 37
Emergency Procedures must be set up for:

Various types of accidents

Spillage of hazardous substances

Fires

Emergency telephone numbers, in case of

accidents or fire, must be clearly visible.

p. 38
12 – FIRST AID

p. 39
First aid

At least 2 of the laboratory staff must

have received specific training in first
aid.

At least one trained first aider must

always be available on site

A readily accessible, well maintained,

first-aid cabinet must be available.

p. 40
13 – ACCIDENT REPORTING AND FOLLOW-UP

p. 41
Accident Reporting and follow-up

All accidents however minor or unimportant they

may seem, must be reported & recorded.

It may also be useful to report near misses.

Follow-up:
Follow-up must include a root cause analysis of the accident,
which will often allow weaknesses in training, procedure or
safety equipment to be recognized & corrected.

Even a small accident may point to the risk of a more serious

accidents that may have been overlooked.

p. 42
14 - SAFETY MANUAL

p. 43
All safety precautions and procedures must be collated in a Safety
Manual.
Documentation must include instructions on the following
points:
Training and training records

Safety Equipment

Storage conditions for

chemicals

Safe handling

Use and disposal of

chemicals

Disposal of materials used in

the microbiology laboratory

Emergency procedures
p. 44
15 - SAFETY TRAINING

p. 45
Scope of training
All laboratory staff must receive adequate safety training
which includes at least:

Use of
Health and personal
safety Specific protective
Actions to Correct use
legislation Evacuation hazards & equipment
take in the of fume
and Causes & Use of fire of building First aid risks (closed
event of hoods and
respons- Prevention exting- and arrange- associated shoes, lab
spillages in weighing/
ibilities of of fires, uishers emergency ments with their coats, eye
the biosafety
employees exits work goggles,
laboratory. cabinets
and activities. aprons,
company masks,
gloves …)

p. 46
Training records

• Safety training must be repeated annually.

• Records of training must be kept for each member of staff

p. 47
When in doubt – Ask !!

Do not carry out a new or unfamiliar

procedure until you have been fully
trained & understand the precautions
necessary for safe working

DO NOT GUESS OR ASSUME !

p. 48
16 - MANAGEMENT OF LABORATORY
SAFETY AND REPONSIBILITIES

p. 49
Responsibilities of Management

All personnel are

Laboratory head All personnel
familiar with the
comply with all
must ensure contents of the
specified
that: laboratory safety
precautions
manual

p. 50
Responsibilities of the employee.

To apply the
principles of To apply all
To study the
To accident PPE rules To attend To report
safety To maintain
cooperate prevention (wearing lab To maintain safety any health
manual and their
with other in their coats, equipment meeting problems to
all safety workplace
employees daily work safety in good and offer their
practices in safe
to prevent and use googles, condition constructive laboratory
governing condition
accidents proper closed suggestions manager.
their work
safety shoes, etc…)
devices

p. 51
17 – Waste management

p. 52 52
Waste management : Microbiological
•Microbiological waste must
be decontaminated before
disposal, (≥121°C for ≥20
min and in accordance with
the performance
studies/cycle validation) and
sent for incineration to local
authorized body (external
party)

53
Disposal of Waste Materials
Part of your risk assessment will be to determine how to
dispose of waste laboratory materials safely:

•Solvents and oils must be segregated into

the correct waste bottle or drum
•Chlorinated solvents separated from non-
chlorinated solvents

•Hazardous chemicals must not be disposed

of by pouring them down the sink or by
placing them in dust bins.
•Local regulation must be followed for
disposal of solvent / chemical waste e.g. sand
pit or with authorized vendor

p. 54
Disposal of Waste Materials
Part of your risk assessment will be to determine how to
dispose of waste laboratory materials safely:
• Metal Sharp waste (needles, bottle caps etc.) is stored in a
resistant box and disposed off as per local regulation

• Broken Glass collected in the waste bag meant

for broken glass.
• Empty reagent bottles collected in trolley

• Metal waste (Instrument small parts, SCM cups

etc.) are collected separately and disposed off
as per local regulation

p. 55
Examples of Bad Practices

p. 56
Did you identify the problems?

Many types of
chemicals,
solvents, acids,
bases, gas
cylinders, sprays,
toxic compounds
all stored
together

p. 57
What’s wrong here?

Incompatible
chemicals
stored
together
Have you identified them all?

Fume hood
sash too
high

Material
stacked in
front of fire
extinguisher

Glass
chemical
containers
stored on
floor
What’s wrong here?
Fume hood sash
too high

No eyewear

No lab
coat
Food not allowed
in the lab
Have you identified them all?

Possible cross contamination

of cell phone No eyewear

Open-toed shoes
Any Questions?

p. 62