American Chemical Society The ACS International Center and ACS Division of Chemical Health & Safety presents: Going Beyond Borders: Lab Safety Around the Globe Thanks for joining, we ll be getting started soon! June 28, 2017 2:00-3:00 p.m. EST http://global.acs.org www.dchas.org 1
Welcome Christopher LaPrade ACS International Activities ACS International Center American Chemical Society 2
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Going Beyond Borders: Lab Safety Around the Globe Samuella Sigmann, CCHO Appalachian State University, Boone, NC Ralph Stuart, CIH, CCHO Chemical Hygiene Officer, Keene State College, Keene, NH June 28 th, 2017
Who We Are Sammye: Chemical Hygiene Officer (CHO) at Appalachian State Chemistry Department; incoming chair-elect of DCHAS; foreign experience in Kurdistan Ralph: CHO at Keene State; former CHO at Cornell University, where I was involved in lab safety training for the global audience visiting Cornell; chair of the ACS Safety Advisory Panel
Safety Within the ACS Vision
An International Lab Safety Question Reader comments: Please, please, please wear safety glasses in the lab! This should be a minimum requirement for all photos in C&EN. No glasses no photo. [T]here is no excuse for conducting laboratory work, or even being in a lab, without proper PPE. I m actually surprised to see such photos in C&E News without a suitable editorial comment. Cuban chemistry students, who have limited access to safety gear, work on an educational lab at the University of Havana.
C&EN s Editorial Response C&EN generally does require that people must wear eye protection at a minimum in photos and video. We probably refuse a few photos a month for that reason alone. We made exceptions for the Cuba story photos for several reasons. One was a sheer lack of resources at the high school and university levels. It wasn t that people were choosing not to wear eye protection, they simply didn t have it. Consequently, C&EN decided to show the labs as they were, noting the lack of safety gear explicitly in the body of the story and in a photo caption.
Other Observations about the Article Pipetter is a safety measure
The Added Complexity of International Lab Work Safe laboratory practices in international collaborations will be impacted by: Cultural Differences Language Operating Costs Infrastructure Security Concerns This is a two way street
Impact of Cultural Differences Perception of level of risk and resistance to changes in existing practices Response to authority For example, responses may indicate agreement without understanding Personal interactions: for example, men and women working together may lead to unexpected challenges Dress in lab Attire may need to be accommodated when addressing safety concerns
Language Vocabulary and syntax affect our ability to communicate hazard and understand risk Regulatory differences between host and native country may require new terminology and practices Nonverbal communication can create confusion, especially in emergency conditions http://theweek.com/articles/467838/9-little-translation-mistakes-that-caused-big-problems
Language Challenges In some cases, however, staff members may lack fluency in the local language and may require translations into their own native tongues. SDSs need to be provided in a language useful for the reader https://www.gltac.com/net/blog/four-key-legal-consequences-of-translation-errors-for-modern-businesses
Operating Costs & Infrastructure Insecure power grid Affects access to information Can affect ability of host countries to procure necessary safety equipment Inadequate ventilation Old or poorly engineered homemade equipment Old chemicals Consideration of the stability of the grid. If your reaction is dependent on cooling based on a power source this could be a safety issue The variance in voltage both different from US and variation from poor grid Stability affecting safe use Some become hazardous over time due to this factor Function some may deteriorate and result in unpredictable or unexpected reactions Missing GHS label information most countries have adopted this system
Facility and Equipment Challenges Equipment vented directly outside Older equipment Latex Gloves
Legacy Conditions Aged facilities, equipment and chemicals Dust on equipment
Security Concerns In the U.S., there are widely varying security requirements for international visitors to labs. Protection of research information and samples will need to be carefully negotiated within the host institution Security concerns related to dual use (i.e. both scientific and weaponizable) materials must be addressed in the context of local authorities Many countries exert more stringent controls over chemicals of high hazard Chained cart
Downloadable National Academy Publications Prudent Practices in the Laboratory (2011) Promoting Chemical Laboratory Safety and Security in Developing Countries (2010) Chemical Laboratory Safety and Security (2016): A Guide to Developing Standard Operating Procedures http://dels.nas.edu/global/bcst/chemical-management
Key Skills Identified by a Colleague at the University of Sonora, Mexico What 3 things you would rank as highest priority for an incoming international student to your research lab. What would you want them to make sure that they understood about laboratory safety? 1. Understanding the difference between hazard and risk 2. Identifying the different hazards during laboratory work 3. Recognizing how necessary risks can be controlled 4. The responsibility of the student to be part of the safety team in the laboratory
Moving Lab Safety into the 21 st Century Lab Safety involves both Technical and Cultural Skills 20 th Century in the U.S.: Selecting Controls Based on Rules, guided by Chemical Intuition 21 st Century in the U.S.: a Safety System based on documented Risk Assessment Culture Change through Safety Education Manage Hazards OSHA Controls
Lab Safety requires a System, not a Solution Managing chemical hazards in the lab involves coordinating 5 strategies organized into a resilient system: 1. Hazard Analysis and Reduction 2. Engineering Controls 3. Training and Oversight 4. Personal Protective Equipment 5. Emergency Planning and Environmental Protection
Educational Expectations for Chemistry Safety Knowledge: Chemical Sciences; ACS Safety Education Guidelines Technical Knowledge KSAs Research Chemist Graduate Student Undergraduate High School Lab Skills Safety Culture Skills: Math and Plumbing; SACL and Prudent Practices E D U C A T I O N Culture: Community safety awareness; Leadership and empowerment
Building a Risk-Based System Five questions that everyone in the lab should be able to answer: 1. What are the most important chemical (GHS) and process (physical) hazards associated with this work? 2. What ventilation is required for this work and why? 3. What Personal Protective Equipment is required for this work and why? 4. What emergencies should we be ready for? 5. What wastes will be generated and where will they go?
Question 1: What are the Chemical and Process Hazards? The GHS Pictograms, Signal Words and Hazard Statements identify chemical hazards associated with your work. Look especially for the DANGER signal word to identify high hazard chemicals these are chemicals that require special planning.
Question 2: What Ventilation Do I Need? How much ventilation you need will depend on the fire and toxicity hazards associated with the demonstration or experiment. Lab ventilation means that there is no air recirculated. The amount of room ventilation can vary: 1. No Lab Ventilation Required (0-3 air changes/hour) 2. General Lab Ventilation with appropriate volatile chemical storage (6 or more air changes/hour) 3. Local Ventilation or Fume Hood (>40 ACH, used for gasses) 4. Outdoor Settings (variable air changes, dependent on wind speed and direction)
Question 3: What PPE Do I Need? Selecting Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) requires balancing three factors: 1. The hazards of the chemicals used 2. The scenario of concern (e.g. spill, incidental contact, contamination control) 3. The ergonomics of the PPE for the person using it: fit, dexterity, fatigue
Question 4: What Emergencies Should I Plan For? Develop Emergency Plans for: Fires Medical emergencies Hazmat spills To account for cultural challenges All plans should be coordinated with local response agencies.
Question 5: What Will I Do With Wastes? It is important to check with the host institution before the work is done to know what waste streams they are prepared to accept Consider These Wastes: Chemicals Biological materials Contaminated lab materials Broken glassware General trash & recycling
ACS Resources Cultural Guidelines and Recommendations for the Teaching of High School Chemistry, 2012 High School Technical Guidelines for Chemical Laboratory Safety in Secondary Schools, 2016 Laboratory Safety Guidelines, ACS Committee on Professional Training, 2015 Undergraduate teaching labs Safety in Academic Chemistry Laboratories (SACL), 8 th edition, 2017 A Guide to Implementing a Safety Culture in our Universities from the APLU, 2016 ACS journals policy, 2016 Research lab work Mentored research labs Guidelines for Chemical Laboratory Safety in Academic Institutions, 2016 Identifying and Evaluating Hazards in Research Laboratories, 2016
A Chemical Safety Data Resource National Library of Medicine s Pubchem Laboratory Chemical Safety Summaries (2015) Safety information on 103,000 chemicals Includes SDS-style information as well as specific reaction information between chemicals All of this safety data can be downloaded and stored locally
A Laboratory Safety Culture Resource Safe Science: Promoting a Culture of Safety in Academic Chemical Research http://dels.nas.edu/report/safe-science-promoting-culture/18706 Download for free and have a local copy
Chemical Safety References Audience Technical Resources Cultural Resources High school and undergraduate teaching labs Mentored research labs (REU, CURE, similar programs) Supervised research (graduate school) Research leadership Guidelines for Chemical Laboratory Safety in Secondary Schools, ACS 2016 Safety in Academic Chemistry Laboratories (SACL), 8 th edition ACS 2017 Guidelines for Chemical Lab Safety in Academia, ACS 2016 Prudent Practices in the Laboratory National Academies Press 2011 Hazard Assessment in Research Laboratories ACS, 2016 Guidelines and Recommendations for the Teaching of High School Chemistry, ACS 2012 Creating Safety Cultures in Academic Institutions ACS, 2013 A Guide to Implementing a Safety Culture in our Universities APLU, 2016 Safe Science National Academies Press, 2014 Safety Guidelines for the Chemistry Professional ACS DCHAS / CCS, 2017
The Take Home Messages Worldwide, laboratories share similar safety challenges. However, cultural considerations mean that it is possible that unfamiliar safety systems are in use when lab workers move between countries. These challenges are recognized in the US as well and new technical and cultural resources are available from the ACS to empower lab workers to address them. Communicating safety expectations must be consciously managed at home and abroad and all workers should participate in safety practices as part of the international lab experience. All lab workers have a responsibility to ask for answers to at least the 5 key lab safety questions regardless of where they work
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