This document outlines general laboratory safety guidelines. It discusses why laboratory safety is important to protect workers, visitors, and the work. Laboratory hazards include fire, sharps, spills, pressure equipment, chemicals, and biological and radiation hazards. The key aspects of laboratory safety are to identify hazards, evaluate risks through assessments, and control risks following a hierarchy of controls. Control measures include elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls, and personal protective equipment. Proper hygiene, waste disposal, chemical storage, emergency procedures, and incident reporting are also covered.

1. General Laboratory
Safety
Corporate
HSSE

2. Why does it matter?
 Safe working protects:
 You
 Other lab workers
 Cleaners
 Visitors
 Your work

3. What does the law say?
 Factories Act – 1948 &
 Health Safety at Work Act 1974
 You must work safely
 You must not endanger others
 You must not misuse safety equipment
 Penalty – up to 2 year in prison &/or an unlimited fine
 The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regs 1999
 Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regs 2004
 You must perform RISK ASSESSMENTS

4. What are the general hazards in a laboratory?
 Fire
 Breakage of glassware
 Sharps
 Spillages
 Pressure equipment & gas cylinders
 Extremes of heat & cold
 Chemical hazards
 Biological hazards
 Radiation
And many more!

5. Safety in Laboratory - Three Step Process
Identify the Hazard
Anything that can cause potential damage,
Harm or adverse Health effects
Evaluate the Hazard
Perform comprehensive review, including documentation
Control the Hazard
Elimination, Substitution, Engineering work practices, Personal
Protective Equipments

6. Evaluate :
 Risk assessment can help to determine the probability of an adverse
event occurrence and the consequence of that event.
Performing a comprehensive review of a specific hazard, such as a
chemical material to be used.
Reviewing a hazardous activity or procedure to be performed.
Documenting the review into a written standard operating
procedures.
Re-evaluating the tasks when changes are made to current
procedures, materials use etc

7. Control the Hazard : Hierarchy of Controls

8. Control Measures (in order of preference)
1. Use a less risky substance
2. Use a safer form of that substance (eg solution instead of
powder)
3. Totally enclose the process (eg a glove-box)
4. Partially enclose the process (eg with a fume cupboard)
5. Ensure good general ventilation
6. Safe systems of work - SOPs
7. Reduce exposure times, increase distance, reduce
volumes
8. Personal protective equipment (as a last resort for
primary protection)

9. Control :
1. Elimination : can you eliminate the hazard ? Eliminating the hazard
means physically removing the hazard from the procedure or the work
area. It’s the most effective but very often not a viable option.
Substitute toxic chemical with non-toxic substance
Dispose off an old hazardous chemicals
Having workers to work at ground level rather than at heights
Remove an extension chord / cable across floor /road
Remove the hazardous chemical from the process.

10. Control :
2. Substitution : this replaces the hazard with an action or material that is less
hazardous.
 Replace the hazardous work practice or machine with an alternative
 Construction of POL tanks by jacking up method
Use of solvent based paints to water based paints (reduces Volatile Organic
Compounds – VOC)
Use electric motors instead of diesel pumps
Use automation
 substitute concentrated acid with dilute acids or highly toxic material with
less toxic material.

11. Control :
3. Engineering Controls : these are used to place a barrier between the user and
the hazard. Well designed engineering controls can provide highly effective
protection to the user.
The initial cost of an engineering control can be high than administrative
controls or PPE’s
Engineering controls often require maintenance (calibration of equipment,
fume hood maintenance)
Using mechanical lifting devices
Using local exhaust mechanisms in hazardous atmospheres

12. Control :
4. Administrative Controls : Work practices are also called “administrative
controls”. They include altering the way in which a procedure is done, monitored
or restricted.
Using proper labelling and signages
Using warning alarms
Conducting monthly inspections
 conducting trainings
Preparing an emergency plan
Restricting the length of time that a person is exposed to noise, or a
hazardous environment
Performing regular equipment maintenance
Creating a standard operating procedure.

13. Control :
5. Personal Protective Equipment :
these are the last line of Defense.
PPEs are generally used with some
form of Engineering control.
Use of aprons, helmets, ear
plugs and safety shoes
Use of fall arrestors, harnesses
when working at height
Use of SCBA sets in confined
spaces etc.
Please note that by use of PPEs ;
 The hazard is not eliminated or
changed.
 If the equipment is inadequate or
fails, the worker is not protected.
 No personal protective equipment is
fool-proof (for example, respirators
leak).
 Personal protective equipment is
often uncomfortable and can place
an additional physical burden on a
worker.
 Personal protective equipment can
actually create hazards. For
example, the use of respirators for
long periods of time can put a strain
on the heart and lungs.

14. Engineered Controls
The primary method of controlling
chemical exposure!

15. Fume Hoods
When to use
• When the MSDS/SDS says to
• When working with
extremely volatile chemicals
• High probability of chemical
vapors

16. Be Aware of Your
Surroundings

17. •GHS
Compliant
Labelling

18. Globally Harmonized System
(GHS)
LABELS
National Fire Protection Association
(NFPA)

19. Common Signal Words on Labels
 Danger – Can cause immediate serious injury or death
 Warning – Can cause potentially serious injury or death
 Caution – Can cause potentially moderate injury
Special Symbols Used on Labels
 Helps you recognize kind of hazard a chemical could present if you are not
careful
 Toxicity
 Corrosivity (acids and bases)
 Ignitability (flammable solvents and certain solids)
 Reactivity (sodium and various water-reactive reagents)

20. Personal
Protective
Equipment
(PPE)

21. Eye
Protection

22. Gloves
Consult the SDS

23. Clothing

24. When Chemical
Exposure Occurs
Seconds Count!

25. Waste
Disposal

26. Reporting Near
Miss Incidents
And
recommendations
to improve safety
and health
conditions.

27. Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)
Provides more detailed information about a chemical, including
 Composition, information on ingredients (Section 2)
 Hazards identification (Section 3)
 First aid measures (Section 4)
 Accidental Release measures (Section 6)
 Handling and Storage (Section 7)
 Exposure controls, personal protection (Section 8)
 Stability and reactivity (Section 10)
 Toxicological information (Section 11)

28. Laboratory hygiene
 Never eat, drink or smoke in a
laboratory
 Never apply cosmetics
 Never touch your face, mouth or
eyes
 Never suck pens or chew pencils
 Always wash your hands before you
leave and especially before eating

29. Gas cylinders
 Never use without formal training
 Minimise the number in a laboratory
 Store externally whenever possible
 Cylinders are heavy and can do serious damage
to you if they fall
 Ensure that they are chained when in use
 Move only with a cylinder trolley
 Use regulators & control equipment suitable
for the gas concerned
 Consider the consequences if your cylinder
leaks

30. Electrical Equipment
Always do a visual check on
electrical equipment before
use, looking for obvious wear
or defects
NEVER use defective
equipment

31. General Tidiness
 Keep your workplace tidy
 Clear up waste, deal with washing
up and put things away as you
finish with them
 Make sure everything is safe before
you leave things unattended
 A tidy laboratory avoids accidents
to everyone
X

32. First Aid
All laboratory workers should
undergo simple first aid training
• For ALL chemical splashes, wash with plenty
of water for 10 minutes
• Control bleeding with direct pressure,
avoiding any foreign bodies such as glass
Report all accidents to your
supervisor or departmental safety
officer

33. Do not
 Use damaged glassware
 Store chemicals near heat, sunlight, or other substances with
which they might react
 Store materials on floors or other places where people could
trip over them
 Leave equipment unattended when its operating (unless it is
designed to do so or you have an SOP)
 Put custodians and fellow workers in danger

34. If Overexposed to a Hazardous Substance
 Get medical help immediately!
 Inform your lab supervisor
 Check MSDS for first-aid instructions.
 Some general guidelines are
 Eyes: Flush with water for 15 minutes
 Ingestion: Follow label and MSDS instructions
 Skin Contact: Stand under emergency shower and remove
contaminated clothing immediately
 Inhalation: Get to fresh air and get prompt medical attention
Other Emergency Procedures
 Fire: call Emergency Contact Number, activate building fire alarm;
safely use fire extinguisher on small fires

35. Emergencies can happen, so
• Avoid working alone in the lab
• Know where emergency phone numbers are posted
• Review MSDS
• Know where to go and what to do in an emergency
• Know the location of the closest safety showers, eyewashes,
and fire extinguishers

36.  List out all the chemicals and products which were being analyzed / used in the lab
& Tabulate all the hazards associated with laboratory activities and display (by
Developing a CHP)
 Display atleast one individual idea / case study every month pertaining to Laboratory
emergencies encountered in their work life so far and reward them for best reporting
 Conduct atleast one hygiene audit every month and rate the section
 Set an example by recording all Near-miss cases and analyze for eliminating the
associated hazards
 Ensure that Chemical storage and handling guidelines are in tact with regulations.
 Display 12 Life Saving Rules and start recording LSR Violations.
ACTION PLAN

37. When in doubt – ASK!!!
THANK YOU
CORPORATE HSSE