Work Safe- Live to Graduate

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Work Safe- Live to Graduate

• Basic Lab Safety for Georgia Tech Students
• Deborah Wolfe-Lopez
• Chemical Safety Coordinator
• Georgia Tech EHS
• 404-385-2964

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A Few of the Basics

• Right to Know
• Signs and labels
• Safety Equipment
• PPE
• Health and Hygiene
• Housekeeping
• Working Alone

• Heating Equipment
• Chemical Hazards
• Transporting Chemicals
• Storing Chemicals
• Compressed Gases

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Georgia Right to Know LawPublic Employees
Hazardous Chemical Protection and Right to Know
Act of 1988

• Ensures that you will be kept informed about the
  hazards of chemicals to which you may become
  exposed as a result of your employment and that
  you will have access to MSDSs for these chemicals
• It also places the responsibility on your
  employer to see that you are properly trained

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Keep This Page

• To read the RTK law http//www.usg.edu/ehs/msds/r
  tklaw.phtml
• To get quick access to some great MSDS sites
• To take right to know training on line
• To take chemical safety training on line
• To take waste handling training on line
• To Access the Georgia Tech Lab Safety manual
  http//safety.gatec
  h.edu

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Things you should ask before you walk into a lab

• Check the emergency notification information on
  the door- is it up to date?
• Do you know how to get a list of all the
  chemicals in this room- not just the ones you are
  working with?
• Do you know how to get MSDSs for all the
  chemicals in this room- not just the ones you
  will be working with?
• Are you wearing eye protection?

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EHS Says

• You must be wearing eye protection to walk
  into a lab.
• Yes, this means visitors too.

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Question

• What is the best kind of eye protection?

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Answer

• The kind you will actually wear
• As long as it meets ANSI Z87.1-1989 and provides
  splash protection

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FAQ

• Can I wear contact lenses in the lab?
• Yes,
• If you wear approved safety glasses with side
  shields or goggles over them

• What about my regular glasses?
• You must wear safety glasses with side shields or
  goggles over them

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FAQ

• What about eye protection and lasers?
• This is dependent on the class of laser you are
  working with- contact EHS for an individual
  hazard assessment
• Some chemicals make goggles necessary- follow
  your advisors advice in these cases.

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Things you should do after you walk into a lab

• Locate emergency exits
• Locate fire extinguishers
• Locate emergency showers and eyewash stations

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When to Take a Shower

• If you are splashed with a chemical in an area of
  your body which cannot be put under a sink faucet
  and flooded immediately- you must use an
  emergency shower

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How to Take a Shower

• If your clothing is involved- remove it on the
  way to the shower-
• Yell for help
• Remain in the shower for 15 minutes
• Get someone to call the EHS office
• Do not re-don contaminated clothing

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Post Shower

• If you also got the chemical in your eyes, you
  must seek medical attention immediately afterwards

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How to Use an Eye Wash

• Yell for help
• Hold your eyelids open with your fingers as you
  rinse your eyes
• Have your helper watch a clock for you to make
  sure that you continue to rinse your eyes for a
  full 15 minutes

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Post Eyewash

• You must seek medical attention immediately
  afterwards

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The Lab Ensemble, Stylish and Life Saving

• No shorts unless covered with a lab coat
• No open toed shoes or open weave shoes
• No canvas shoes
• Lab coat (preferable) or apron mandatory when
  handling splash-able chemicals
• Gloves required when handling chemicals

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GlovesWhat You Dont Know Can Kill You

• MSDSs are vague about appropriate chemically
  resistant gloves
• Look at MSDS for S or Skin notation
• There is a good chance that a latex glove will
  not protect you from this chemical
• Speak to your advisor or contact EHS about
  appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

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Respirators

• Outside of the university, respirator use is
  regulated by an entire section of the OSHA code
• Inside the university, respirator use is
  regulated by EHS

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EH S Strives to make your workplace safe-
without resorting to respirators

• Properly using a respirator is an involved
  process that involves medical clearance, fit
  testing and training
• If you think you need a respirator call EHS
  for a job hazard assessment

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Thou Shalt Not Have Food or Beverage in the
Laboratory

• No eating, drinking, smoking applying cosmetics,
  lip balm, fussing with contact lenses or even
  popping a stick of gum in the laboratory

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Also

• After removing your gloves and before you leave
  the lab- wash your hands
• No food in laboratory refrigerators
• No washing food dishes in laboratory sinks

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Georgia Tech Environmental Health and Safety

• Department Front Office...4-4636
• Spills/Waste- Ed Pozniak...4-6224
  Bio-Hazard- Lee Zacarias..4-6119
• Physical Safety- Alton Chin-Shue..5-0263
• (Electrical Safety, Ergonomics,
  Lock-out-tag-out)
• Fire Marshal- Vic Rachael..4-2990
• Chem-Hazard- D. Wolfe-Lopez.5-2964
• (Also Noise, Laser Other Non-ionizing
  Radiation, Asbestos)
• http//www.safety.gatech.edu/