Research Laboratory Safety / Edition 1

by Daniel Reid Kuespert

Overview

Research Laboratory Safety explains the most important prerequisite when working in a laboratory: Knowing the potential hazards of equipment and the chemical materials to be employed. Students learn how to assess and control risks in a research laboratory and to identify a possible danger. An approach on the hazard classes such as physical, chemical, biological and radiation hazards is given and exercises to each class prepare for exams.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783110444391
Publisher:	De Gruyter
Publication date:	10/24/2016
Series:	De Gruyter Textbook
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	298
Product dimensions:	6.69(w) x 9.45(h) x (d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Daniel R. Kuespert, Johns Hopkins University, MD, USA

Table of Contents

Part I Introductory Material

1 Introduction 3

1.1 Accidents in the research laboratory 3

1.1.1 Vladimir Likhonos: eating explosives 3

1.1.2 Karen Wetterhahn: a deadly droplet 4

1.1.3 Michele Dufault: hair is a hazard 4

1.1.4 Louis Slotin: A slipped screwdriver 6

1.1.5 Preston Brown: Ignoring safety protocols 7

1.1.6 Sheri Sangji: a spontaneous fire 9

1.2 Factors contributing to laboratory accidents 9

1.2.1 Reason's Swiss cheese model 9

1.2.2 Accident "causes" 11

1.2.3 Unsafe conditions versus unsafe behavior 11

1.3 Hazards in the laboratory 13

1.3.1 Types of hazards 13

1.3.2 Main risks in laboratories 14

2 Ethical responsibilities 15

2.1 Who requires protection? 15

2.2 Ethical responsibility to others in the lab 16

2.3 Penalties for ethical violations 18

3 Assessing and controlling risk 20

3.1 Distinguishing hazard from risk 20

3.2 Simple methods for estimating risk 20

3.3 A semiquantitative method for risk estimation in the laboratory 22

3.4 Risk assessment exercises 25

4 Hazard and risk controls 26

4.1 The hazard control process 26

4.1.1 Hazard identification 26

4.1.2 Risk screening 27

4.1.3 Hazard analysis 28

4.1.4 Hazard control 28

4.2 Classifying hazard controls 29

4.2.1 Functional classification of hazard controls 29

4.2.2 Traditional hierarchy of controls 30

4.2.3 Creativity in hazard control 31

4.3 Exercises: Hazard control 31

Part II Hazard classes and control methods

5 Hazard identification methods 35

5.1 Brainstorming, mind-mapping, and other creative methods 35

5.2 Checklists 36

5.3 Reference books 36

5.4 Regulations and standards 37

5.5 Real-life hazard identification 38

5.6 Exercises: Hazard identification 39

6 Physical hazards 40

6.1 Mechanical hazards 40

6.1.1 Pinch points 40

6.1.2 Guards and interlocks for mechanical hazards 40

6.1.3 Shear points 42

6.1.4 Run-in points 43

6.1.5 Wrap points 45

6.1.6 Clobbering 47

6.2 Sharps 48

6.2.1 What is a sharp? 49

6.2.2 Sharps handling 49

6.2.3 Sharps disposal 50

6.3 Heat 52

6.3.1 Common laboratory sources of heat 52

6.3.2 Heat-protective apparel 53

6.3.3 Using torches, burners, and other open flames in the lab 54

6.4 Cold (including cryogen safety) 55

6.4.1 Common laboratory sources of low temperatures 56

6.4.2 Safe procedures for maintenance of refrigerators and freezers 56

6.4.3 Cryogenic temperatures 57

6.5 Pressure and vacuum 63

6.5.1 Compressed gases 63

6.6 Electricity and magnetism 73

6.6.1 Electricity 74

6.6.2 Magnetism 78

6.7 General environmental hazards 80

6.7.1 Trips, slips, and-falls 80

6.7.2 Lighting 81

6.7.3 Noise 81

6.7.4 Security hazards 81

6.8 Case study: Chemistry experiment 82

6.9 Exercises: Physical hazards 84

7 Chemical hazards 86

7.1 Routes of exposure to chemical hazards 86

7.2 Chemical properties contributing to hazard 86

7.2.1 Reactivity 86

7.2.2 Volatility 87

7.3 The chemical fume hood 87

7.4 General hazard classifications and precautions 90

7.4.1 Experimental protocols for chemical handling 90

7.4.2 Flammables and oxidizers 91

7.4.3 Corrosives 100

7.4.4 Toxics 104

7.4.5 Physical hazards from chemicals 110

7.4.6 Reactive chemicals 110

7.5 Communicating chemical hazards 113

7.5.1 NFPA 704 "fire diamond" 113

7.5.2 Transportation labeling 114

7.5.3 The Globally Harmonized System 115

7.5.4 The Safety Data Sheet 116

7.6 Case studies 118

7.6.1 Chemistry experiment 118

7.6.2 Biology experiment 121

7.7 Exercises: Chemical hazards 124

8 Biological hazards 125

8.1 Lab-acquired infections 125

8.2 Assessment of biological infection risk 126

8.2.1 Agent hazards 126

8.2.2 Laboratory procedure hazards 128

8.3 Biosafety levels 129

8.3.1 Biosafety level 1 (BSL-1) 129

8.3.2 Biosafety level 2 (BSL-2) 130

8.3.3 Biosafety level 3 (BSL-3) 130

8.3.4 Biosafety level 4 (BSL-4) 132

8.4 Biological laboratory work practices 134

8.4.1 General laboratory practices 134

8.4.2 Personal protection 135

8.4.3 Pipetting, syringing, and other sample-transfer methods 135

8.4.4 Equipment use 136

8.4.5 Storage, inventory, and labeling 136

8.5 The biological safety cabinet 137

8.5.1 A BSC is not a chemical fume hood 139

8.5.2 The "laminar flow hood" or "clean air hood" is not a BSC 139

8.5.3 Using a BSC 141

8.6 Case studies 143

8.6.1 Biology experiment 143

8.6.2 Civil/environmental engineering experiment 145

8.7 Exercises: biological hazards 146

9 Raditation hazards 148

9.1 Ionizing radiation 148

9.1.1 Types of ionizing radiation 148

9.1.2 Sources of hazard from ionizing radiation 148

9.1.3 Control of ionizing radiation 151

9.2 Non-ionizing radiation 153

9.2.1 Ultraviolet radiation 153

9.2.2 Infrared radiation 154

9.2.3 Radiofrequency(RF) radiation 155

9.2.4 Laser light sources 156

9.3 Case studies 162

9.3.1 Chemical engineering experiment 162

9.3.2 Medical experiment 164

9.3.3 Exercises: radiation hazards 166

Part III Hazard analysis techniques

10 The checklist technique 171

10.1 Strengths, weaknesses, and suitability 171

10.2 Sources of checklists 171

10.3 Example checklist: Quick laboratory inspection 172

10.4 Evaluating recommendations from hazard analyses 175

10.5 Exercises: laboratory inspection 175

11 The Job Hazard Analysis technique (JHA) 176

11.1 Strengths, weaknesses, and suitability 176

11.2 Technique 176

11.3 Example JHA 178

11.4 Exercises: Job Hazard Analysis 178

12 The What-If? Technique 180

12.1 Strengths and weaknesses 180

12.2 Suitability 180

12.3 What-If? Technique 181

12.3.1 Scoping 181

12.3.2 Team assembly 183

12.3.3 What-If? 183

12.3.4 Causes 185

12.3.5 Consequences 185

12.3.6 Controls 186

12.3.7 Current risk 186

12.3.8 Recommendations 187

12.3.9 Revised risk 188

12.4 Example What-If? Study: Multi-axis press 188

12.4.1 Nodes 191

12.4.2 Team assembly 191

12.4.3 What-if #1: What if a hydraulic actuator fails? 191

12.4.4 What-if #2: What if a hydraulic line fails? 192

12.4.5 What-if #3: What if the hydraulic pump develops a leak? 193

12.5 Exercise: What-if? Technique 195

Part IV Practical applications of hazard control

13 Controlling hazards in a laboratory procedures using JHA 199

13.1 Reproducing a procedure from the literature 199

13.2 Exercises: Using procedures taken from a research paper 201

14 Evaluating risks in an experimental apparatus using What-if? Technique 202

14.1 Case study: What-if? technique 202

14.2 What-If? technique study on an experimental apparatus 206

15 Designing an experiment form scratch 207

15.1 Hazard controls are ex post facto solutions 207

15.2 The only set factor in an experiment is the objective 207

15.3 Inherently safer design principles 208

15.3.1 The history of ISD 208

15.3.2 ISD design principles 209

15.4 Case studies in laboratory ISD 210

15.4.1 Lab ISD case study: Impact testing of steel 210

15.4.2 Lab ISD case study: The "Rainbow Experiment" 211

15.5 Exercise: Inherently safer design of a hazardous experiment 212

Part V Appendices

16 Laboratory safety checklists (abbreviated) 215

17 Checklist reviews for common laboratory operation 223

17.1 Delivering gas from a compressed gas cylinder 223

17.2 Flame-seating a glass tube with an oxyacetylene torch 226

17.3 Using a biological safety cabinet 228

18 Writing experimental protocols and Standard operating procedures 230

18.1 Types of "SOP" 230

18.2 General advice on writing protocols 230

18.3 Writing protocols for hazardous materials handling 232

18.4 Writing protocols for experimental procedures 239

18.5 Writing protocols for use of hazardous equipment 242

19 Annotated bibliography of laboratory safety references 247

Reference 250

Index 257