This document provides guidance on health and safety procedures for laboratory users in the Faculty of Social and Health Sciences at Unitec. It introduces the faculty technical team and their contact details. It outlines responsibilities for health and safety, emergency reporting procedures, incident reporting, personal protective equipment requirements, hazardous materials handling, waste disposal procedures, and other basic lab safety practices.

1. Science Laboratory
Health and Safety
Faculty of Social and Health
Sciences
(for all lab users)

2. Faculty Tech Team
Snr Technician/Team Leader – Nic Powell
114-3018 / x 7040 / npowell@unitec.ac.nz
Technician - Odette Rizk
114-3018 / x 8439 / orizk@unitec.ac.nz
Technician – Mary Yan
114-3018 / x 8465 / myan@unitec.ac.nz
Technician – Felicity Bowden
114-3018 / x 7058 / fbowden@unitec.ac.nz
Technician – Saleshni Nand
510-2025 / x 5007 or 5166 / snand@unitec.ac.nz
Technician – Jack Dench
182-1004 & 114-3018 / x 6099 / jdench@unitec.ac.nz

3. Why?
Labs have many more hazards than your
average classroom or office space so more
precautions are needed

4. Who is responsible?
EVERYONE is responsible for health and safety AND associated
reporting

5. Reporting
Emergency numbers and
procedures are on notice
boards in each lab and
their adjoining corridors.
BE FAMILIAR with these.

6. How to report
EMERGENCIES:
– SECURITY ext 7777
– 1-111
NON-EMERGENCIES:
– SPEAK TO or EMAIL your
Supervisor or a Technician
– CALL individual extensions

7. Incident/Accident Reporting
You must report any accident that
results in an injury, including near
misses to your Supervisor or a
Technician
Injury includes any adverse health
effect including eg trauma or
medical conditions
Any building or equipment damage
also needs reporting

8. What is an emergency?
Fire
Large or dangerous
chemical spills or odours
Medical emergency
Suspicious person

9. Emergency services need to know…
– Your name and contact details
– Exact location of emergency
– Description of emergency
– Extent of any injury
– Chemical name if spill has occurred

10. Emergency Evacuation
Evacuate immediately unless otherwise
instructed by Supervisor or other Staff
Shut off equipment if safe to do so

11. Don’t re-enter building until
instructed to do so by a Fire
Warden
Head to…

12. Fire Safety
Bags and coats can be a trip
hazard…
…store them in designated
lockers not under benches or
in walkways

13. Fire Safety
Know where your nearest exit is and
where fire extinguishing facilities are
and do not block access to them

14. Fire safety
• Don’t use equipment with damaged or altered
cords
• Report all faulty equipment to your Supervisor
or a Technician

15. Know your environment… where safety showers are or how to
Safety shower
Gas shut off
switch of the gas before you really need to…
Eye wash station
First aid kit
locations
SIGNS IN EACH ROOM SPECIFY WHERE ALL SAFETY EQUIPMENT IS

16. Signs
Signs provide important
information or warn you
of specific hazards in
areas, rooms or cabinets
TAKE NOTE OF THEM!

17. Pictograms
Flammable Hazard Corrosive Hazard Flammable liquids Oxidizing
substances
Know what you’re dealing with.
Pictogram keys are posted in the prep room.

18. Lab Zone Safety Rules
No
eating or
drinking
Tie back
long hair
and
confine
loose
clothing
Use
correct
PPE
Wash
hands
before
leaving
Dispose of waste in suitable containers
Clean up
any spills
No
pipetting
by mouth

19. Know the safety rules. They’re
posted in every lab.

20. More basic safety practices
Know how to use equipment
safely
Lab utensils, ovens, fridges, etc
should not be used for storage,
handling or consumption of non-lab
food and drinks

21. Personal Protective Equipment
Eye
protection
(prescription
glasses are not
enough) Gloves
Lab coats
Closed shoes

22. Lab coats
Put dirty lab
coats in laundry
bins provided
outside each lab

23. Footwear
• If you need to do something
that requires safety shoes, eg
lift heavy objects, speak with
a Technician

24. Ladders
• If you can’t reach it without
standing on something, use a
ladder.
• DON’T use a chair, box, bucket,
etc – it could topple over
• Ensure the base is flat and
secure

25. Chemical Hazards
• Physical hazards
– Flammable
– Reactive
– Compressed gas
• Health hazards eg
– Poisons
– Irritants
– Carcinogens
– Corrosives
Effects of drops of a highly corrosive chemical (oleylamine)

26. Exposure Routes
KNOW WHAT YOU ARE WORKING WITH

27. Fume Hood
• Biosafety cabinets are
not fume hoods
KNOW THE DIFFERENCE
• Position work well within
the hood
• Never put your head
inside the hood
• Never leave experiments
unattended Biosafety cabinet (left) and fume hood (right)

28. Waste Disposal
USE THE APPROPRIATE WASTE
CONTAINER
• Put discarded animal parts in
biohazard bags
• Seal used petri dishes and put in
biohazard bags
• DO NOT DISPOSE OF ANY CHEMICALS
IN THE SINK OR RUBBISH BINS – check
with a Technician
• Give spent batteries to a Technician
for disposal
• Inform a Technician of any spillages
• Contact a Technician to dispose of
mercury containing equipment
(Sphygmomanometers,
thermometers, barometers, etc)

29. Credits
• http://www.presentationmagazine.com/full-length-people-outline-1404.htm
• http://sjesci.wikispaces.com/file/view/safety_labkidsmistakes.jpg/129216353/safety_labkidsmistakes.jpg
• http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tJwzRr_D7iM/T2IvlXtNBXI/AAAAAAAAIpE/d7epvguFV8U/s1600/Emergency-
Call.jpg
• http://www.thecompliancecenter.com/store/us/SG-FIR7AL.html
• http://www.clipartlord.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/ambulance2.png
• http://www.sydneytestandtag.com.au/images/damaged-cord-220w.jpg
• http://www.saif.com/_files/SafetyHealthGuides/S918_SlipTripFall_book.pdf
• http://static.flickr.com/23/40328343_e4a94b838e_m.jpg
• http://nursetopia.net/2012/01/25/keep-calm-and-nurse/
• http://www.florianfiretraining.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/iStock_000005321153Medium1-
300x300.jpg
• http://web.princeton.edu/sites/ehs/assoted%20gloves.jpg
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_burn
• http://www.livescience.com/32826-how-do-chemicals-cause-burns.html
• http://learn.caim.yale.edu/chemsafe/exposure_spills_major.html
• http://www.mbio.ncsu.edu/mb452/safety/labSafety.jpeg
• http://static.seton.net.au/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/5e06319eda06f020e43594a9c230972d/
S6341.jpg