Subject - Faculty of Science, Technology and Engineering

Council has adopted the University Safety Policy regarding safety.
The University recognises its obligations to take all reasonable precautions to protect the safety of its employees, students and visitors while they are on campus Safety Officer

Responsibilities for safety

The University's Safety Officer is responsible for the initiation and co-ordination of safety programs relating to all official University activities. The Safety Office is located in Room 137 David Myers Building. All members of the University have direct access to the Safety Officer.

The department safety officer is Dr Ewen Silvester. He is located in room 4122, phone extension 9878. If you are unable to contact Ewen, then please speak with the Administration Officer, Ms Rachel Gorman room 4116, phone extension 9885 or the Laboratory Technician, Mr Nicholas May, phone extension 9618.

A laboratory and field store safety inspection will be conducted twice yearly at the beginning of each semester. Using the Lab Workplace Inspection Form or the Field Store Workplace Inspection Form , the inspection will be conducted and documented by the Head of Department, OH & S officer and departmental administrator. In addition to laboratory specific safety issues (chemicals, equipment, emergency spill kits, first aid kits) the inspection will cover work station, EXIT signs, floor condition, lights and general housekeeping.

Emergency procedures

To simplify emergency procedure the above extension number has been allocated to be used for all emergencies, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Only emergency calls are to be made on this extension.

When reporting an emergency, you should provide as much of the following information as possible:
* The nature of the emergency i.e. fire, flood, life failure, assault, accident.
* The type of assistance you think is required i.e. ambulance, fire brigade, tradesmen.
* The precise location of the trouble - building, level and room number
* Your name and the names of other persons involved.

Responsibility of first person at scene of emergency
This could be any person on campus. They would have initial responsibility for dealing with the emergency, having total control of the situation until a more appropriate authority arrives. It is the action of this person that will determine the extent of injury and damage which will result from any emergency.

Accident Reports

All accidents must be reported immediately through the OH& S representative Dr Ewen Silvester, room 4122, ext 9878, and potentially dangerous situations should be reported promptly to enable timely preventative measures to be taken. Incident reports should be handed to the Administration for forwarding directly to the Safety Officer. It is a statutory requirement that all incident reports be in the hands of the Safety Officer within twenty-four hours of the accident. Further clarification on the procedure can be found at the Occupational Health and Safety website.

Members of the department are required to familiarise themselves with the locations of fire-alarms, fire extinguishers, fire hoses and spill kits nearest to their work area. They should know the applications of the different types of extinguishers and should always be aware of the quickest escape routes from their work area. Note: Only dry chemical extinguisher in DEME work area.

Occupational Health & Safety Committee

The University Occupational Health & Safety Committee meets quarterly to discuss matters brought before it by its members and by the Safety Officer. Every area of the University is represented on the committee and anyone wishing to present a matter for discussion by this committee may do so, either through their representatives or through the Safety Officer. The Occupational Health & Safety Committee reports directly to Council.

The department is represented on the campus Occupational Health & Safety Committee by Dr Ewen Silvester. Please contact Ewen if you have any issue you would like dealt with, phone extension 9878.

Laboratory procedures

1. Responsible for following safe work practices consistent with the extent of your control or influence over working conditions and methods. 2. Required to co operate with management in achieving a safe and healthy workplace.
3. Required to take reasonable care for your own health and safety and of anyone else who may be affected by your actions
4. Encouraged to actively contribute to the continuous improvement of the University's health and safety policies and procedures

It is therefore mandatory that you know how to use all safety equipment provided in the laboratory.

The experimental procedures are designed to ensure your safety, and the safety of your co-workers. Procedures may include; correct handling of chemicals, protective equipment needed, safe equipment use, and correct waste storage.

OH&S methods are based on identifying hazards and risks.
Hazards:- A hazard is any situation with the potential to cause injury or illness. For example airborne fumes or dust or operating machinery.

Risk:- A risk is a likelihood that exposure to a hazard will result in injury or disease.

Methods to minimise risk:-
Elimination
Substitution
Isolation
Engineering controls
Administrative controls
Protective clothing

Hazardous Chemicals:- You must know the hazardous nature of any and all chemicals you use. It is your responsibility to ask! When purchasing chemicals it is your responsility to obtain a MSDS and enter the details on the database. You must then undertake a risk assessment prior to using any chemical deemed to be hazardous or dangerous. You must follow this procedure. Risk assessments are kept in the lab. Talk to your supervisor for advice on conducting a risk assessment.

Reporting Hazards:- If you notice anything at all that seems dangerous tell your supervisor, head of department or your OH&S rep straight away.

Safe handling practises must be followed, especially as applied to lifting heavy items. Some pieces of equipment have inherent hazardous such as glassware or high-voltage equipment.

General rules that apply in all laboratories must also be followed. There is no eating or drinking in the laboratory, and closed shoes must be worn at all times. Eye protection is to be used when needed. The fume hood must be employed when there is any chance of inhaling harmful substances.

The website for OH&S at La Trobe is:-
http://www.latrobe.edu.au/ohs/
You are to refer to this website to check University policies on OH&S. Examine the manual to see safe procedures for field work and animal handling and so on.
Some specific items are detailed below:-

1. Safety glasses & lab coats - must be worn in the research lab when using hazardous or dangerous substances. Spare lab coats will also be kept in a drawer in the administration area of the research lab for visitors or if you forget your lab coat.

2. The university encourages staff to undertake self assessments of office areas and workstations. If you have concerns please let Phil or the admin officer know so these can be addressed. Information on how to undertake a self assessment is located on the Universities OH & S website at http://www.latrobe.edu.au/ohs/workstation_ergonomics/ergonomics.htm

3. Four emergency spill kits have been placed in the laboratory (2 buckets with vermiculite, brush and broom and 2 absortion pillows). The pillows are bright pink, one placed on the corrosive cabinet in the flammable goods bunker, and one on the bench in the office area in the lab. Please make yourself aware of the location of these spill kits and the procedure for use.

4. OH&S information is available on a dedicated notice board in the laboratory.

5. One of the main areas of concern by Worksafe is the labeling of chemicals, storage areas and of samples containing preservatives. Rachel has labeled shelves and various areas appropriately. If you need to label any other areas then let Phil or Rachel know. Also basic laboratory practices such as always keeping the fume hood closed to ensure maximum exhaust of the area is an area they will be noting.

All solutions prepared as part of experimental work should be labelled to provide information about the identity of the chemical, its concentration, the owner and the date on which the chemical was prepared. If appropriate, solutions should be stored according to their dangerous goods class.

Finally good housekeeping makes for a safe working environment, so wash up as required and put things away.

The laboratory is for the use of staff, Honours students and postgraduate students only. Visitors and undergraduates are allowed access only under supervision of a staff member. The laboratory is a shared facility, so common courtesy is required. Keep all the workspaces clean, return items to their original location and ensure that you order any consumables you require. Do not assume that if it is in the lab it is available for your use! Someone else had something in mind when they ordered it.

Liquid nitrogen is used for the storage and transport of samples from the field, from one lab to another, and occasionally in procedures within the lab (such as grinding biological tissues).

If you are required to use liquid nitrogen, please be aware of the following: do not get it on your bare hands or use absorbent (cloth) gloves to protect yourself. It can and does burn and the wrong kind of gloves can make an injury worse by holding the liquid against your skin. Burns from liquid nitrogen should be treated like any other burn, by putting the burn under running water. The other thing to be aware of is that when the liquid turns into a gas, it can be lethal. This is because the nitrogen gas replaces oxygen in the atmosphere, and in enclosed spaces it is possible to run out of air, lose consciousness and die, without any warning. It has no odour and is invisible. Therefore it is not acceptable to put a liquid nitrogen tank in a car with you. It can only be transported in a truck with a storage tray separate from the passenger area. To summarise: 1) wear appropriate gloves and 2) transport it only in the back of a truck (University vehicle).

There are a couple of different types of tanks: dry shippers which have foam cores that stay cold for weeks once they are charged properly, and wet shippers which hold the liquid nitrogen as a liquid. Discuss with your supervisor which type of tank you should use. Charging up a dry shipper properly takes a couple of days. Sometime we leave it at BOC and let them do this, some of us prefer to bring a wet shipper back to the lab and do it ourselves.

We purchase our liquid nitrogen from BOC gases (12A Osburn St., Wodonga). You will need to take a liquid nitrogen tank with you and get the account number from your supervisor, or Rachel before you go.

DEME has a number of standard refrigerators and freezers, as well as a -80 C Freezer (very cold!). When you open the -80 C Freezer you will discover that the main chamber is protected by foam inserts, which keep the temperature in. Use the blue gloves provided when handling items that have been in the freezer. This is not like a normal freezer, the frost on the outside of a bag or box can burn.

Equipment which is automated and operating overnight or unattended must be clearly labelled with the user name and contact telephone number.

Deme has a moderately large collection of research chemicals, many of which are classified as Dangerous Goods (DGs). The different DG classes are segregated from each other due to potential incompatibilities. The DGs held by DEME, and their locations are as described in the following table.

The Class 3 & 8 bunker near the library, and the Class 6.1 cupboard in the research lab storage room, are always locked. Keys can be obtained from the key locker in the Administrator's office

Wear closed shoes at all times. Use goggles and lab coats when required and appropriate gloves for hot or cold items.

No chemicals down the sinks. Our policy is to use clearly labelled waste bottles which are disposed of professionally.

Ensure that all chemicals have a Material Safety Data Sheet in the MSDS folders.

Be sure you know how to use the equipment and don't alter settings without checking with others.

Lights stay off in the storeroom. Be aware of the darkroom warning lights. Do not disturb experiments in progress.

Laboratory danger areas: Steam releases in front of the autoclave, keep clear. High voltage in the electrophoresis area. Toxic chemicals in the darkroom.

First aid kit(s) are in the office area of the Research laboratory . Know how to use the safety shower and eyewash. Most staff have First Aid Training.

All questions regarding the laboratory are to be directed to the Mr Nicholas May, Laboratory Technician.

Personal Safety And Security

The safety of people using the campus is the primary interest of the Personal Security on Campus Committee.
Reports of assault or harassment on campus should be made to this committee through the Safety Officer.

Reports of vandalism, theft or suspicious behaviour in the car parks should also be made promptly to Security on ext 8222.

After hours work on campus
Staff and students working back after hours should work in pairs wherever possible or if this is not possible:
* ensure that there is someone else in the building, tell them where you will be working and leave together.
* notify someone at home where you will be working, your expected time of return and the telephone number to ring if you are late. At no stage should you change your program without telling that person.
* an after hours Security service is provided to escort staff and students to car parks, please ring ext 8222 to utilise this facility.

Protective clothing and equipment
University regulation 23.2 (1) states that:
1) Every member of the University shall wear laboratory coats and such other protective clothing or equipment as required by law or recommended by the National Health and Medical Research Council or the Australian Standards Association and in particular when handling:
* corrosive, toxic or harmful chemicals;
* live or dead animals;
* microbiological preparations including bacteria, fungi, viruses and body fluids;
* or such other material considered to be harmful to life or clothing.

2) Every member of the University shall wear closed shoes and may not be unshod or wear sandals or thongs when working in laboratories or in those areas where harmful chemicals are in use or there is risk of injury.

3) Members of the University working in workshops or laboratories or other areas of the University using tools or substances which can cause eye injuries shall at all times wear protective safety spectacles.

Fire
* Break the glass of the nearest fire alarm and press the button.
* Ring emergency 8222, advise the telephone operator nature and type of fire e.g. spreading rapidly, flammable liquid. location: room, floor, building.
* Send someone to the main fire panel in building 4 to await the arrival of the fire brigade and to guide them to the site of the fire.
* Shut all doors and windows BUT DO NOT LOCK.
* Evacuate building. Obey any evacuation directions from Floor Warden.
* Extinguish the fire, if you know how, by using the correct type of extinguisher.
* When fighting a fire be sure to stay between an unobstructed exit and the fire itself.

General emergency procedure on campus if you are first on the scene at an emergency:
Communicate: Dial 8222 give details
Contain: Isolate the emergency
Control: Render appropriate assistance

Safety Legislation
The University is covered by the Occupational Health & Safety Act 1985 which aims at cooperation between the employee and employer to provide a safe, healthy work environment. The Act places specific obligations upon the University and upon its members. These include accident reporting, the provision of specific items of safety equipment and the utilisation of this equipment by employees.

The University is required to comply with legislation concerning the procurement, manufacture, storage, handling, disposal and sale of various materials.

Poisons
The Poisons Act 1962 (No. 6889) and Poisons Regulation 1963 (No. 158) govern the handling of substances as specified in the eight Schedules to the Act. Under this Act the University and any of its departments wishing to use these substances must possess a Poisons Licence and comply with the regulations relating to storage and handling.

Radioactive substances
Members of the Department wishing to use radioactive isotopes in the course of their experimental work must:
* Obtain their supervisors approval (where applicable).
* Obtain the approval of the Department OH & S Officer, Dr Ewen Silvester before taking any steps to commence experimental work.
* Inform the Administrator before any radioactive material is acquired.
Radioactive materials may not be transferred between departments nor borrowed or loaned without the approval Departmental OH & S Officer. Refer to Health (Radiation Safety) Act 1983 & Health (Radiation Safety) Regulations 1984 (ref. Section 10.4).
The use of radioactive substances is strictly regulated by law and the instruction of the Department OH & S Officer or the University Radiation Officer must be sought regarding all phases of work with such substances. This includes acquisition, storage, application, precautions during use, monitoring of personnel, equipment and laboratory space and the final disposal of radioactive waste material.

Penalties for non-compliance with the regulations are severe and the user is, in all cases, held responsible for ascertaining and complying with the regulations.

Biohazards
Any person intending to experiment with cloned material, or to conduct experiments including recombinant DNA, must first obtain a licence to do so from the Supervisory Technical Committee on Recombinant DNA Studies. In some instances an additional licence may also be required from the Australian Academy of Science.
Departments concerned with such requirements should contact the Safety Officer for further information.

Students and staff must be aware of the hazards connected with the substances, equipment and techniques with which they are working and take the necessary precautions in their work. Protective clothing and equipment is available in the departmental and should be used where and when necessary. Mr Nicholas May, Laboratory Technician should be notified of any deficiencies in this area.

When heavy weights are to be moved the proper lifting technique must be used and assistance sought when necessary. Examples of heavy items include water caboys and gas bottles.

At the commencement of 1st and 2nd semester of each academic year Mr Nicholas May, Laboratory Technician holds a seminar outlining the proper practices for fire drills and laboratory safety. It is compulsory for all honours, postgraduate and new staff to attend. Following attendance at this seminar participants are required to sign a Health & Safety Introduction checklist.

Poisons
Poisons must be kept locked up when not in use and the volume held in any laboratory should be kept to the practicable working minimum. Users must be aware of, and comply with, the proper safety precautions before commencing work using poisons. Other occupants of laboratories in which poisons are used must be informed of their nature and of the appropriate precautions and antidote.

Cyanide users must consult with LTU Occupational Health & Safety for their policy on working with cyanide.

New Activities
All proposed experimental techniques, which are new to the Department, should be looked at carefully from a safety viewpoint by supervisors before they are adopted. The Administrator/Safety Officer should be notified of any proposed new Departmental activity prior to its introduction together with the proposed safety measures if any. Such safety measures are to be financed from the individual's research allocation as the Department has no central fund for this purpose. Experiments may not be carried out in the absence of the proper safety equipment or laboratory set-up.

Electrical Safety
Electrical equipment belonging to the Department or being used in the Department shall be used only as supplied by the manufacturer or as modified, constructed or checked by a licenced electrician. The Electrician must check electrical experimental equipment built or modified by any member of the Department before power is applied to it.
Equipment shall not be operated without the correct safety covers being installed over live conductors. Safety standards shall not be relaxed simply because equipment is experimental.
Faulty electrical equipment must not be tampered with, but should be reported promptly to the Administrator. It should be labelled 'Faulty - do not switch on' and disconnected from the power mains.
In the event of a fire starting within electrical equipment, the equipment should be switched off and disconnected if possible
before attempting to fight the fire. Use dry chemcial or Co2 extinguishes for electrical fire.
Users of any equipment within the Department must familiarise themselves with the correct operating procedures before attempting to operate it.
Electrical equipment which is left operating after hours must be labelled 'Please leave switched on' and should carry the name of the user, and instructions as to the procedure to follow in the event of an emergency. At least two emergency telephone numbers should be included to enable Central Security to contact the user if necessary.
Persons working on electrical equipment must read and comply with Australian Standard 2243 'Safety in Laboratories' part seven - 'Electrical Aspects'.

Visual Display
All users of VDU's must familiarise themselves with the proper procedures necessary for the safe long term use of these units. Both the Administrator and Safety Officer can provide advice and appropriate literature which must be read before using a VDU.
Vital factors in the avoidance of long term health problems include the proper layout of the equipment, and the adoption by the user of the correct working position and posture in relation to the equipment. This requires the use of special, ergonomically designed chairs and the careful use of all of their adjustments. The illumination levels within the room and of the work are important, as is the correct adjustment of the screen brightness and the frequency of rest breaks.

First Aiders
There are several trained First Aiders in the department: Dr Ewen Silvester ext 9878, Dr Susan Lawler ext 9874, Mr Martin Fussell ext 9876, Dr Catherine Meathrel ext 9875 and Mr Nicholas May ext 9618.

The role of the first aiders is to assist the injured/sick person/people and organise medical assistance where necessary.

Emergency Equipment

First Aid Kits are located in the following areas of the Department.
* Both vehicles
* Teaching laboratories
* Research laboratory
* Field store
* 2 x field kits in office area of research laboratory
The Department Occupational Health and Safety representative, Dr Ewen Silvester is responsible for maintaining these kits and checks them frequently. Users should, however, notify Ewen, Rachel Bahrij or Nick May of any shortages or impending shortages.

Fire fighting Equipment
Fire hoses, extinguishers and fire blankets are provided at various locations within the department. It is vital that all members of the department know the whereabouts and applications of the fire fighting equipment closest to their area. Fire extinguishers must also be taken on all bush and aquatic field trips. Both Departmental vehicles are fitted with fire extingusihers.

Safe Waste Disposal

Waste materials must be disposed of safely and in accordance with EPA regulations. If uncertain as to the correct method of disposal, advice should be sought from supervisors, OH & S Officer or Mr Nicholas May, Laboratory Technician.
Most waste materials can be divided into the following categories and disposed of as described below.
* Harmless dry waste like food and paper scraps can simply be left in rubbish bins and waste paper recycle bins for disposal by the cleaning staff. Particulate materials such as sand or galeolaria tubes should be wrapped.
* Hard dangerous waste such as broken glass, hypodermic needles, scalpel blades etc. must be deposited in the hard waste containers provided, glass in the glass bins in the research and teaching laboratories and other sharps in the sharps container. On no account may these items be placed in normal rubbish bins.
* Dilute aqueous waste may be poured down laboratory sinks. Strong acids and alkalis should be greatly diluted and neutralised before disposal in this fashion. Dilution should be carried out slowly and by adding the substance to water not the other way around. Do not pour solvents down sinks.
* Solvent waste (non radioactive) should be accumulated in bottles for collection by Dr Ewen Silvester or Mr Nicholas May for Envirochem pickup. It should be collected in separate containers as follows:
* Water soluble solvents e.g. alcohol
* Chlorinated hydrocarbons e.g. Carbon tetrachloride.
* Highly flammable solvents e.g. ethers
* Acetone
* Mixed classes; e.g. Methanol/Chloroform solvent system.
* All bottles should be appropriately labelled and a note should be made on them whenever benzene is present.
* Biological waste such as animal remains must be incinerated according to the following procedure:
* The material, as dry as possible, must be labelled, securely wrapped in small parcels and taped up.
* The parcel which must be labelled should be deposited in the Medi-waste yellow bin in the -20'C room. Ensure that there is a plastic liner in the bin.
* Do not dispose of sand or other noncombustible material by this route.
* Radioactive waste must be disposed of according to the instructions given by the Department Radiation Officer. In his absence the advice of the University Radiation Officer should be sought through the Safety Officer.
More information regarding safe disposal of waste is available through Hazardous Waste Disposal/Removal Procedures at Occupational Health and Safety web site.

Safety On Field Trips

Staff and students are not recommended to be working alone in the field, and are not permitted to work alone in remote areas and on hazardous tasks e.g. around waterways or in boats. Remote fieldwork includes sites where obtaining assistance would be difficult due to lack of mobile phone coverage and there is limited chance of encounter with other parties.

All people undertaking fieldwork should ensure that they have some form of communication to allow contact with the department or emergency services. Work in remote locations may require the use of a satellite phone. There is a Satellite Phone and GPS available for use in remote fieldwork sites to assist in communication. If the Department Sat Phone is not available these can be hired from Reconnect, High Street, Wodonga.

Staff and students prior to leaving the campus to carry out fieldwork must:
* Complete a field trip safety form. This form requires your supervisors approval prior to leaving.
* Complete a Field work Risk Assessment form.

Staff or students wishing to work alone in the field must complete a ‘Working alone call in' form that is attached to the field trip safety form. In the event of a person missing a call in, the DEME contact will initiate the following sequence.

• Check accommodation, venues or other field contacts, land owners, parks, staff who may have knowledge of their position

• Notify Police, and consult. Supply Police with information e.g. trip plan information, personal information and vehicle information.

• In consultation with services, initiate a search with local team if site knowledge is sufficient

Staff and students wishing to utilise volunteers must complete a' Volunteer form'. The form is available from http://www.latrobe.edu.au/insurance/Volunteer.html and must be completed and given to the Administrator at least three days before departure to enable an insurance policy to be taken out in lieu of worker's compensation insurance. Fact sheets are also available on that site regarding any volunteer work.
Field First Aid Kits may be borrowed from the research laboratory and must to be carried on any field trips.
Anti-tetanus injections are recommended.
Fire Extinguishers, available in both University vehicles, should be taken on all trips.
Scuba Diving on official University field trips is strictly controlled.
Mobile phones in both vehicles must be turned on for all field trips. The department has a spare mobile phone which can be taken into the field when not using the vehicles.

Safe operating procedures are yet to be developed for the use of the DEME boat or trailer. Anybody needing to use the boat must consult with Nick May prior to use.

A laboratory safety inspection will be conducted twice yearly at the beginning of each semester. The inspection will be conducted and documented by the Head of Deparment, OH & S officer and departmental administrator. In addition to laboratory specific safety issues (chemicals, equipment, emergency spill kits, first aid kits) the inspection will cover work station, EXIT signs, floor condition, lights and general house keeping.

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Content Approved by: Head of Department
Page maintained by: Administrative Officer
Last Updated: October 20, 2011

Science, Technology and Engineering

School of Life Sciences

Department of Environmental Management & Ecology

Procedure manual

2. SAFETY

University safety policy

Responsibilities for safety