7.1CHAPTER7:CHEMICALHAZARDSRevised:09/18/03LABORATORYSAFETYSafePersonalLaboratoryHabits1.Eyeprotectionmustbewornatalltimes.2.Food/drinkisnotallowedinlaboratorieswherechemicalsareused/stored.3.Nosmokinginthelaboratory.4.Labcoatsmustbewornwhilehandlingcorrosive,toxic,orflammablematerials.Glovesmustbewornwhennecessary,especiallywhenhandlingcorrosives,toxicanddangerouslyreactivematerials.5.Donotworkalone.6.Donotmouthpipet.7.Ifyouseeacolleaguedoingsomethingdangerous,pointitouttohimorher.8.Knowwheresafetyequipment(eyewash,showerandextinguisher)islocated.9.AlwaysreadMSDSbeforehandlingnewchemicals.10.Knowhowtocleanupspillsofcommonchemicalsandspecificchemicalsyousee.Befamiliarwiththelocationsandcontentsofspillcarts(SeeChapter11)andhowtouseit.11.Alwayswashyourhandsafterhandlingchemicalsandbeforeeating.12.Shortskirts,shorts,andopenshoesmustnotbeworn.13.Labcoatsmustnotbewornoutsidelaboratoriesandinpublicareas.14.Avoidwearingawalkmanorotherportablemusicdeviceswhileworkinginthelab.7.2CHAPTER7:CHEMICALHAZARDSRevised:09/18/03PERSONALPROTECTIVEEQUIPMENT1.EyeProtectionAdequateeyeprotectionisrequiredforallindividualsinthelaboratory.Donotremoveyoureyeprotectionuntilyouhavephysicallyleftthelabroom.Thefollowingtypesofeyeprotectionareacceptable.•Protectiveglassesandfaceshieldsthatcovercorrectiveprescriptionlensesarecommerciallyavailableand/orfromChemistryStores.•Normalprescriptioneyeglasses,eitherwithorwithoutsafetysideshieldsaslongastheglassesareshatterproofandcoveralargeenoughareasurroundingyoureye(thisusuallymeansthattheframesmustbeaminimumof2inches(5cm)fromtoptobottomaswellasfromsidetoside).NOTE:checksizerestrictionswithyoursupervisor/instructor.UsesafetyglasseswithsideshieldsthathavebeenapprovedbytheCSA.•Whereexposuretotoxicorirritatingfumescouldbeaproblem,thebestformofeyeprotectionissafetygoggles.Safetygogglesthatwillformatightsealtoyourface.•Contactlensescanbeahazardandsometimesshouldnotbeworninthelab.Thereforecontactlenseswearershavethreeoptionsinthelabs:a)removethecontactlensbeforeenteringthelabandwearsafetyglassesorsafetygoggles.b)replacethecontactlenswithprescriptionglassesc)wearthecontactlensintothelabunderapairofsafetygogglesbutyoumustinformyoursupervisor/instructoraboutit.•Afull-faceshieldishighlyrecommendedwhenthereisariskofexplosionorsplashing,orwithcombustionandhightemperaturereactions.2.GlovesDependingontheproceduretobecarriedout,differenttypesofglovesmustbeavailableinthelaboratory.Theglovesshould“fit”thechemical.Asbestosglovesshouldnotbeused.Ifanyarefound,theyshouldbereplaced.•Glovesaremadefromavarietyofmaterialswhichvaryintheirimpermeabilityandwear-resistance.•DisposableglovesaremadeofPVC,latex,nitrile,andcombinationsoftheaforementioned.Theseglovesareforgeneraluseandhavelowabrasionresistance.•Moreresistant,impermeable,reusableglovesaremadefrombutylrubber,nitrile,orneoprene.•Rubber:goodchemicalresistance,lowabrasionresistance;•Neoprene:almostimpermeabletoregularsolvents,fairlyabrasionresistant;•Nitrile:highlyresistant,maximumprotectionfromliquids.7.3CHAPTER7:CHEMICALHAZARDSRevised:09/18/03•Multicompositeglovesareavailableforspecialworkinvolvinghighorlowtemperaturesorspecialprocedures.•Formoreinformationonglovesresistanceseetheglovechart.~mouser/General/labzone/130AL/ndex/ndex2.html3.LabapronsorlabcoatsThestrengthandimpermeabilityofapronsdependsonthematerialsused.Thesematerialsarealsousedforgloves,andtheircharacteristicsaredescribedin2.•Apronsshouldbefire-resistant,chemical-resistant,andeasilywashed.•Flammablefabricsshouldbeavoided.Labcoatsshouldbemadeofstrongfabricandmustbeabletoberemovedquicklyincaseofaccident.Theymustbelongenoughtoprotectthelegs.Labcoatsexposedtoharmfulchemicalsshouldnotbeworninpublicareas.4.Footwear•Substantialshoesmustbewornandshouldcovertheentirefoot.•Open-toedshoesandsandalsmustnotbeworninthelaboratory.•Safetyshoesorfootguardsmayberequiredundercertaincircumstances(e.g.,whenmovingcompressedgascylinders–footguardsareavailableincylinderstoragearea).•Whencleaningupfloorspillswearplasticfootcoversavailableonallspillcarts.5.RespiratorsRespiratorsusedattheUniversityofBritishColumbiamustprovideeffectiveprotectionagainstairbornecontaminantswhichmaybepresent.Useofrespiratorsshouldbeconsideredtocontrolexposureonlyafterengineeringandadministrativecontrolshavebeenconsidered.Thesetypesofcontrolsincludeventilation(e.g.fumehoods),enclosingtheprocess,substitutionoflesshazardousproducts,reschedulingofworkprocedures,etc.Usersareresponsiblefor:1.ObtainingpropercertificationforrespiratorusebyH.S.&E.2.Usingtherespiratorinaccordancewithtraininginstructions3.Beingproperlyfit-testedforarespirator4.Cleaning,disinfecting,andstoringtherespirator5.Reportinganyrespiratormalfunctiontotheirsupervisor7.4CHAPTER7:CHEMICALHAZARDSRevised:09/18/03Thefollowingcartridgesareavailableforusewithhalf-maskandfull-facerespirators.Selecttheappropriatecartridgeaccordingtothechartbelow.ConsultwithH.S.&E.forsituationsnotlisted.Alwaysensurethatthecartridgesusedareappropriateforthetypesofhazardousvapourpresent.Car