Hazard Assessment Before Lab Work

OHS in Chemical Laboratories 28th Feb 2019 National Safety Council Telangana Chapter
Hazard Assessment Before Lab Work
Before beginning a hazard assessment, carefully define the scope of your

assessment and assemble your team to help get everyone organized and set
expectations. Understanding how to assess risk and select appropriate control
measures will help you establish protocols to maintain a safer working
environment.
Hazard assessment is an ongoing process with no definitive end point. Revisit

hazard assessment in your lab regularly. Discuss any accidents, injuries, and
near misses. Capitalize on opportunities for continual learning and hazard
review when new lab workers join your team, or when new or updated
equipment arrives.
KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A HAZARD AND A RISK
"Hazard" and "risk" are NOT the same.
Hazard
A hazard causes harm.
A hazard can be eliminated, but not reduced.
Risk
Risk is the probability that a hazard will cause harm.
Risk associated with a hazard can be reduced.
Scope
Scoping is a way to prepare for the hazard assessment, get organized, and
carefully think about everything from who's involved to what you will need.
Here are some things to think about when scoping in preparation for hazard
assessment in your lab:
What steps need to be performed to complete the experiment?

Who will be actively participating?
What type of equipment is needed?
Where will it be done?
What materials are needed to complete the experiment?
What is known about this experiment from literature or previous experience?
Collect Appropriate Background Information
The analysis team will need appropriate background information, including:
Equipment diagrams
A list describing common hazards associated with chemicals and gases
A list of the equipment’s chemical and gas compositions, operating pressures,
flow rates, run times, and other applicable parameters
Potential health and physical hazards of equipment (e.g., ionizing or
nonionizing radiation, high temperature, high voltage, or mechanical pinch
points)
Equipment safety features (e.g., interlocks)
Physical access to equipment, as necessary/possible
Safety Data Sheets can include a lot of this information.
Rules of Engagement
Any hazard assessment should begin with a team briefing to establish
guidelines, including:
Be inquisitive;
Learn and implement lessons from any incidents and near-misses;
Be open to discussion of potential event scenarios;
Value the expertise of others;
Call on others for help, as appropriate.
Assemble Team
Everyone should be involved in hazard assessment, regardless of experience

level or title in the lab.
Everyone is responsible for familiarizing themselves with appropriate controls

for the hazards discovered in the lab.
Everyone is responsible for participating in hazard analyses (checklists, Job

Hazard Analysis, and What-if Analysis) and the updating of the lab’s Standard
Operating Procedures. This is also a good time to review accidents, incidents,
and near misses and collectively brainstorm ways to prevent these events in the
future.
More experienced members of the team should lead risk assessment

activities and assign risk ratings to the materials and processes in your lab.
Learn about the roles and responsibilities of various people in the lab.
Working Alone in the Lab?
The National Research Council defines “alone” as being beyond visual or

audible range of another individual for more than a few minutes at a time.
The stakes are high. If a person is working alone when an accident occurs, his
or her ability to respond could be severely impaired, possibly resulting in injury,
death, and catastrophic facility damage.
PIs or lab managers should define rules for working alone in their lab. Here are
some policy statements on working alone to consider:
A telephone must be immediately available to the individual working alone.

Working alone with pyrophorics, air, and water reactives; high hazard materials;
high voltage or high power lasers; and machine tools is not allowed.
Recognizing the existence of hazards is central to completing a sufficient
analysis. Simply stated, a hazard is a potential for harm. If left uncontrolled, a
hazard could result in an injury, illness, loss of property, or damage to the
environment.
Commonly-identified hazards in research activities can be broken into three
categories:
Agent
Examples: Carcinogenic, teratogenic, corrosive, pyrophoric, toxic, mutagenic,

reproductive hazard, explosive, nonionizing radiation, biological
hazard/pathogenic, flammable, oxidizing, self-reactive or unstable, potentially
explosive, reducing, water reactive, sensitizing, peroxide forming, catalytic, or
chemical asphyxiate
Condition
Examples: High pressure, low pressure, electrical, uneven surfaces, pinch

points, suspended weight, hot surfaces, extreme cold, steam, noise, clutter,
magnetic fields, simple asphyxiant, oxygen-deficient spaces, ultraviolent
radiation, or laser light
Activity
Examples: Creation of secondary products, lifting, chemical mixing, long-term

use of dry boxes, repetitive pipetting, scale up, handling waste, transportation of
hazardous materials, handling glassware and other sharp objects, heating
chemicals, recrystallizations, extractions, or centrifuging
Common Hazards
Type Hazard or Description

Consequence
Chemical Acute toxicity Acute toxicity refers to those adverse effects

(Health Hazard) occurring following oral or dermal
administration of a single dose of a substance,
or multiple doses given within 24 hours, or an
inhalation exposure of 4 hours
Chemical Aspiration hazard Aspiration means the entry of a liquid or solid

(Health Hazard) chemical directly through the oral or nasal
cavity, or indirectly from vomiting, into the
trachea and lower respiratory system.
Chemical Carcinogenity Carcinogen means a substance or a mixture of

(Health Hazard) substances which induce cancer or increase its
incidence. Substances and mixtures which
have induced benign and malignant tumors in
wellperformed experimental studies on
animals are considered also to be presumed or
suspected human carcinogens unless there is
strong evidence that the mechanism of tumor
formation is not relevant for humans.
Chemical Corrosive to metals A substance or a mixture that by chemical

(Physical Hazard) action will materially damage, or even
destroy, metals is termed ”corrosive to metal.”
Chemical Explosive An explosive chemical is a solid or liquid

(Physical Hazard) chemical which is in itself capable by
chemical reaction of producing gas at such a
temperature and pressure and at such a speed
as to cause damage to the surroundings.
Pyrotechnic chemicals are included even when
they do not evolve gases.
Chemical Flammable gas, liquid, Flammable gas means a gas having a

solid, or aerosol flammable range in air at 20 °C and a standard
(Physical Hazard) pressure of 101.3 kPa. Flammable liquid
means a liquid having a flash point of not
more than 93 °C. Flammable solids are solids
that are readily combustible, or may cause or
contribute to fire through friction. Readily
combustible solids are powdered,granular, or
pasty substances which are dangerous if they
can be easily ignited by brief contact with an

ignition source, such as a burning match, and
if the flame spreads rapidly.
Aerosols are any gas compressed, liquefied or
dissolved under pressure within a non-
refillable container made of metal, glass or
plastic, with or without a liquid, paste or
powder. The container is fitted with a release
device allowing the contents to be ejected as
solid or liquid particles in suspension in a gas,
as a foam, paste or powder or in a liquid or
gaseous state. Aerosols are classified as
flammable if they contain any component
classified as flammable according to the GHS
criteria for flammable liquids, flammable
gases, or flammable solids.
Chemical Gas under pressure

(Physical Hazard)
Chemical Germ cell mutagenicity A mutation is defined as a permanent change

(Health Hazard) in the amount or structure of the genetic
material in a cell. The term mutation applies
both to heritable genetic changes that may be
manifested at the phenotypic level and to the
underlying DNA modifications when known
(including, for example, specific base pair
changes and chromosomal translocations).
The term mutagenic and mutagen will be used
for agents giving rise to an increased
occurrence of mutations in populations of cells
and/or organisms.
Chemical Organic peroxides An organic peroxide is an organic liquid or

(Physical Hazard) solid which contains the bivalent -0-0-
structure and may be considered a derivative
of hydrogen peroxide, where one or both of
the hydrogen atoms have been replaced by
organic radicals.
Chemical Oxidizing gas, liquid, or Oxidizing gas means any gas which may,
solid generally by providing oxygen, cause or
(Physical Hazard) contribute to the combustion of other material
more than air does.
An oxidizing liquid or solid is a substance
which, while not necessarily combustible,
may, generally by yielding oxygen, cause or
contribute to the combustion of other material.
Chemical Pyrophoric liquid or A pyrophoric liquid is a liquid which, even in

solid small quantities, is liable to ignite within five
(Physical Hazard) minutes after coming into contact with air.
A pyrophoric solid is a solid which, even in
small quantities, is liable to ignite within five
minutes after coming into contact with air.
Chemical Reproductive toxicity Reproductive toxicity includes adverse effects

(Health Hazard) on sexual function and fertility in adult males
and females, as well as adverse effects on
development of the offspring. Some
reproductive toxic effects cannot be clearly
assigned to either impairment of sexual
function and fertility or to developmental
toxicity. Nonetheless, chemicals with these
effects shall be classified as reproductive
toxicants.
Chemical Respiratory or skin Respiratory sensitizer means a chemical that

sensitization will lead to hypersensitivity of the airways
(Health Hazard) following inhalation of the chemical.
Skin sensitizer means a chemical that will lead
to an allergic response following skin contact.
Chemical Self-heating substance A self-heating substance is a solid or liquid,

(Physical Hazard) other than a pyrophoric substance, which, by
reaction with air and without energy supply, is
liable to self-heat. This endpoint differs from a
pyrophoric substance in that it will ignite only
when in large amounts (kilograms) and after
long periods of time (hours or days).
Chemical Self-reactive substance Self-reactive substances are thermally unstable

(Physical Hazard) liquids or solids liable to undergo a strongly
exothermic thermal decomposition even
without participation of oxygen (air).
Chemical Skin corrosion or Skin corrosion is the production of irreversible

irritation damage to the skin; namely, visible necrosis
(Health Hazard) through the epidermis and into the dermis,
following the application of a test substance
for up to 4 hours. Skin irritation is the
production of reversible damage to the skin
following the application of a test substance
for up to 4 hours.
Chemical Specific target organ Specific target organ toxicity - single exposure
toxicity (single or (STOTSE) means specific, nonlethal target
repeated exposure) organ toxicity arising from a single exposure
(Health Hazard) to a chemical.
Chemical Substances which, in Substances that, in contact with water, emit

contact with water emit flammable gases are solids or liquids which,
flammable gases by interaction with water, are liable to become
(Physical Hazard) spontaneously flammable or to give off
flammable gases in dangerous quantities.
Electrical Shock/Short Circuit Contact with exposed conductors or a device

that is incorrectly or inadvertently grounded,
such as when a metal ladder comes into
contact with power lines. 60Hz alternating
current (common house current) is very
dangerous because it can stop the heart.
Electrical Fire Use of electrical power that results in

electrical overheating or arcing to the point of
combustion or ignition of flammables, or
electrical component damage
Electrical Static/ESD The moving or rubbing of wool, nylon, other

synthetic fibers, and even flowing liquids can
generate static electricity. This creates an
excess or deficiency of electrons on the
surface of material that discharges (spark) to
the ground resulting in the ignition of
flammables or damage to electronics or the
body’s nervous system.
Electrical Loss of Power Safety-critical equipment failure as a result of

loss of power
Ergonomics Strain Damage of tissue due to overexertion (strains

and sprains) or repetitive motion.
Ergonomics Human Error A system design, procedure, or equipment that

is errorprovocative. (A switch goes up to turn
something off).
Excavation Collapse Soil collapse in a trench or excavation as a

result of improper or inadequate shoring. Soil
type is critical in determining the risk
associated with this hazard.
Fall Slip/Trip Conditions that result in falls (impacts) from

height or traditional walking surfaces (such as
slippery floors, poor housekeeping, uneven
walking surfaces, exposed ledges, etc.)
Fire/Heat Burn Temperatures that can cause burns to the skin

or damage to other organs. Fires require a heat
source, fuel, and oxygen.
Mechanical/Vi Chaffing/Fatigue Vibration that can cause damage to nerve

bration endings or material fatigue that can result in a
critical safetycritical failure
Mechanical Failure Equipment failure typically occurs when

devices exceed designed capacity or are
inadequately maintained.
Mechanical Caught-by/Caught-in Skin, muscle, or a body part exposed to

crushing, caughtbetween, cutting, tearing,
shearing items or equipment.
Noise Hearing Damage Noise levels (> 85 dBA 8 hr TWA) that result
in hearing damage or inability to communicate
safety-critical information.
Radiation Ionizing Alpha, Beta, Gamma, neutral particles, and X-

rays that cause injury (tissue damage) by
ionization of cellular components.
Radiation Non-ionizing Ultraviolet, visible light, infrared, and

microwaves that cause injury to tissue by
thermal or photochemical means.
Struck By Mass Acceleration Accelerated mass that strikes the body causing
injury or death. (Examples are falling objects
and projectiles.)
Struck Against Injury to a body part as a result of coming into

contact of a surface in which action was
initiated by the person. (An example is when a
screwdriver slips.)
Temperature Heat/Cold Temperatures that result in heat stress,

Extreme exhaustion, or metabolic slow down such as
hyperthermia/hypothermia.
Visibility Limited Lack of lighting or obstructed vision that

results in an error or other hazard.
Weather Phenomena Created by snow, rain, wind, and/or ice.
There are many ways to identify and evaluate safety hazards in a chemical
laboratory. No matter what method or combination of methods you choose, they
all help you achieve hazard identification, which will inform your risk
assessment and control measures selection.
Each of these methods helps you analyze potential hazards associated with
materials and equipment you're using, the facility you're working in, as well as
individual work habits and lab procedures. Select the method--or combination
of methods--that create the most robust analysis of the hazards in your particular
lab.
TO CONDUCT A THOROUGH ASSESSMENT YOU SHOULD:
IDENTIFY HAZARDS
Materials and equipment, your facility, and work habits and practices will
reveal potential hazards.
ANALYZE RISKS
Rank hazards by how likely they are to happen and how severe the outcomes
would be.
SELECT CONTROLS
Choose the best possible response to eliminate a hazard or lower its risk of
occurring.
Overview
Risk is the probability that a hazard will result in an adverse consequence.

Assessing risk of potential hazards helps to determine the proper mitigation
strategy and priorities. Risk ratings and scaling can show where additional
resources are required.
In our discussion, we'll focus on rating risks using probability of

occurrence and severity of consequencesscales.
Because risk identification and rating establish priorities, this assessment should
be incorporated early in the experimental process. A higher degree of user
training is required to consistently and accurately rate probability of occurrence
and severity of consequences among users and operations. It's recommended to
have a principal investigator or experienced lab workers lead risk assessments
and confirm accuracy of risk ratings.
Applying appropriate control measures to your highest risks should reduce the
probability of occurrence and severity of consequences.
Calculate Risks Using Probability of Occurrence and Severity of Consequences

Scaling
Many risk assessments use “probability of occurrence” and “severity of

consequences” scales to rate risks associated with laboratory experiments. They
are comprehensive assessment tools and provide greater differentiation of risks
based on actual laboratory operations.
Using this kind of scaling, laboratory hazard risk rating is calculated as follows:
Risk Rating (RR) = Probability of Occurrence (OV) x Severity of

Consequences Value (CV)
As the formula indicates, the higher the assessed probability of occurrence and
severity of consequences, the greater the risk rating will be.
Probability of Occurrence
Probability of occurrence explores the likelihood that an identified risk could

occur. Probability of occurrence uses a rating and value scale ranging from Not
Present (0) to Almost Certain to Certain (4).
Examples:
A laboratory is measuring the pH of ground water and handles hundreds of

samples daily. In this case, the likelihood that a container could spill and expose
an employee to ground water would be high.
A laboratory is conducting research on electroplating with cyanide baths and

only uses the bath monthly. The probability of an occurrence happening would
be low.
The following Probability of Occurrence with Standard Linear Scaling chart

includes a percent probability an issue will occur. Note: This chart is arbitrarily
scaled 1 to 4, with 4 being the highest probability.
Probability of Occurrence with Standard Linear Scaling
Severity of Consequences
Severity of consequences assigns a rating based on the impact of an identified

risk to safety, resources, work performance, property, and/or reputation. Each
rating is then assigned a value. (E.g., a "No Risk" may be assigned a value of 1;
a "High" rating may be assigned a value of 4.) The numerical values from the
severity of consequences will contribute to other types of risk rating tools, like
the hazard risk rating with standard linear scaling.
Examples:
The severity of consequence for a laboratory measuring the pH of ground water

samples would likely be No Risk (0) in the event of a “failure” that caused an
employee to be exposed to the ground water.
The severity of consequence for a laboratory conducting electroplating research

with cyanide baths would be High (4) in the event of a “failure” that caused an
employee to be exposed to cyanide.
This Severity of Consequences with Standard Linear Scaling chart assesses

impacts to personnel safety, resources, work performance, property damage,
and institutional reputation associated with each rating. Note: This chart is
arbitrarily scaled 1 to 4, with 4 being the highest severity.
Severity of Consequences, Standard Linear Scaling

The primary goal of risk rating is to differentiate between an institution's high-

risk activities and low-risk activities. Therefore, it may be necessary to weight
your consequences value scale to meet your institution's existing priorities and
protocols.
For example, using the standard linear scaling, an activity with a certain
probability (4) with no risk (1) would produce an overall risk rating of 4. An
activity with a rare probability value (1) with potentially lethal consequences (4)
would also result in a risk rating of 4. Since any activity with the potential of
being lethal would not be considered low risk, regardless of how low the
probability, the scale needs to be weighted to reflect the severity of potential
consequences.
The Weighted Consequence Value Scale demonstrates how you might assign
consequence values to achieve risk ratings more reflective of the impact of
moderate and high consequences.
Severity of Consequences, Weighted Value Scale
Consequence Impact to...

Value (CV)
Rating Value Personnel Resources Work Property Reputation

Safety Performance Damage
No Risk 1 No injuries No impact No delays Minor No impact
Minor 5 Minor Moderate Modest Moderate Potential

injuries impact delays damage
Moderate 10 Moderate Additional Significant Substantial Damaged

to life resources delays
impacting required
injuries
High 20 Life Institutional Major Severe Loss of

threatening resources operational confidence
injuries required disruptions
from
single
exposure
Let's look back to our previous example. Using this weighted scale, an activity
with a certain probability (4) with no risk (1) would still produce an overall risk
rating of 4. But, an activity with a rare probability value (1) with potentially
lethal consequences (20) would result in an overall risk rating of 20.
Every institution should determine the scaling and assignment of risk levels that
best suits its priorities and available resources.
Overview
Think of a control measure as an action aimed to eliminate a hazard completely.

If the hazard you've identified can't be eliminated, follow the hierarchy of
controlsto select the next-best control to mitigate the risk of an accident,
incident, injury, or near-miss in the laboratory.
Your risk assessment may reveal that you will need a temporary control
measure until you can put a better and more permanent control in place.
Selecting your controls is a key part of the process of identifying and evaluating
hazards in your lab. According to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health
and Safety Fact Sheet, controls are usually placed:
At the source (where the hazard comes from)

Along the path (where the hazard travels)
With/on the worker
There are several types of control measures that fall into three main categories
(in order of priority and effectiveness):
Elimination
Engineering
Administrative
Personal Protective Equipment
The Hierarchy of Controls
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) depicts the
hierarchy of controls as an inverted pyramid with the most effective types of
control measure (elimination) at the top and the least effective (personal
protective equipment) at the bottom.
Elimination and substitution
Elimination and substitution are considered the most effective control measures.
They are easiest to achieve for brand new processes. They can be more difficult
to implement for existing processes, because new and/or more expensive
equipment and materials may be required.
Elimination
Completely get rid of chemicals, materials, processes, and equipment that are
unnecessary to your specific experiment.
Check if your equipment is well-worn, check dates, and refer to manufacturer's

recommendations.
Substitution
Switch out processes, equipment, material, or other components, where

applicable.
Think about the amount of chemicals or potentially hazardous materials you are
using. Can you reduce the amount and still achieve the desired result?
Engineering Controls
Although elimination and substitution are separate controls in the hierarchy of

control measures, they are also considered engineering controls because they
are designed to remove the hazardous source before the worker makes contact.
Other forms of engineering controls include:
Isolation
Reduce or remove hazards by separation in time or space. (May be particularly
helpful in a shared lab space where different types of chemicals are being used.)
Enclosure
Place the material or process in a closed system.
Transportation
Move hazardous materials where fewer workers are present.
Guarding and shielding
Install guards to provide protection from moving parts or electrical connections.

Shielding provides protection from potential explosions
Ventilation
Use fume hoods, fans, air ducts and air filters.
Administrative Controls
While engineering controls seek to eliminate hazards, administrative controls

aim to minimize a lab worker's exposure. Administrative controls are the
existing safety rules and protocols put in place for workers in the lab to follow.
Following are examples of administrative controls:
Standard Operating Procedures and checklists;

Training;
Conducting a Job Hazard Analysis prior to the start of an experiment;
Limiting the time a person works with a certain material;
Mandating that no one should work in the lab alone.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Even though the hierarchy of control measures indicates PPE is the least
effective of control measure, it should absolutely be used, in case other control
measures fail. The success of PPE depends in part on whether or not lab
workers actually use it.
Eye goggles, hearing protection, and protective clothing (e.g., lab coats and
gloves) are the most recognizable and most used PPE in the lab.
PPE is always essential, and especially critical in the following circumstances:
When engineering controls are not feasible or they do not totally eliminate a
hazard;
As a temporary control while engineering controls are being developed;
In emergency situations.
Hazard Identification Factors to Assess, Questions to Consider, and Control
Tips
There are a number of individual factors to consider when identifying

hazards. The most common hazards encountered in research activities can be
classified into three groups: agents, conditions and activities. The following
factors are not representative of all hazards, but many of these can get you
started in identifying hazards in your laboratory:
Materials
Equipment
Facility and Conditions
Human Factors
Regulatory Concerns
Materials
Gas is a widely used material in the laboratory and has a variety of potential
hazards associated with it. For this reason, it's used as an example to represent
materials in general.
Gas under pressure and subject to sudden release is highly flammable and
potentially explosive. Flammability and explosion may be increased by
presence of oxidizers. Characteristics of specific gas must be considered.
Questions to ask:
Is gas a mixture and concentration appropriate for use?

Has the cylinder been maintained and stored as required by National Fire
Protection Association code and manufacturer’s recommendations?
Has a safe amount been acquired (minimum amount required for experiment)?
Controls:
Reduce: Use the smallest amount of gas required and use a nonflammable
mixture, if possible.
Substitute: Use a less hazardous gas (or process), if possible. The use of
lecture-size or small volume cylinders enables storage in a fume hood.
Isolate: Carbon monoxide, for example must be stored in a continual flow

exhaust cabinet. Nontoxic flammable gases may, under certain conditions, be
used on the open bench, but are preferably used in the fume hood or gas cabinet.
Order carbon monoxide with a flow restrictor in the cylinder valve where low
flow rates will be used.
TIP:
Gas requires storage in a gas cabinet due to toxic properties.
Equipment
Make sure your equipment is in good and safe working condition. Don't forget
less obvious--but potentially hazardous items--like tubing, connections,
electrical outlets, and power strips.
Questions to ask:
Is the equipment explosion proof?

Can the equipment be placed in a fume hood?
Does use of the equipment in the fume hood block exhaust of flow? Is the
equipment suitable for gas?
Has the equipment been maintained?
Is the equipment failure testable?
Are shutoff mechanisms available at the point-of-use?
Has the cylinder been secured?
Have proper tubing and connections been installed and tested?
Controls:
Minimize amount of tubing and number or connections, ensuring that tubing

cannot be pinched or kinked;
Make sure there is a shut off valve at the point-of-use and a second shutoff if the
gas is remote from the equipment.
Have a “kill switch” available in the laboratory, if appropriate.
Ensure there is no potential source of ignition. Outlets and power strips must be
external to the fume hood.
If flames are used, make sure there is a mechanism for emergency shutoff.
TIP:
Reference manufacturer recommendations in your SOP. They can help

laboratory workers learn the correct operation of the equipment, identify
warning signs of trouble, and execute an emergency shutdown.
Processes
Processes allow you to think about each step of your experiment. When
processes are outlined clearly in an SOP, the information can be useful to
anyone working in the lab regardless of experience level.
Questions to ask:
Is the process under pressure or vacuum?
Does the process require heating?
Does the process volume increase potential for a leak, or could it result in a
higher potential for injury or damage?
Can the process be tested using a smaller volume of gas?
Controls:
Write it down! Include typical processes in the SOP and explain potential
associated hazards. This can be used as a reference for people who are
inexperienced or new to the lab.
Perform a dry run of the experiment and record hazards as you identify them
from start to finish. This can help you eliminate unecessary hazards or become
aware of new hazards that arise.
Create easy-to-read checklists that everyone in the lab will understand to remind
people of important steps and to encourage safe behavior, everytime.
TIP
Job Hazard Analysis and checklists help you focus your assessment on process.
Facility and Conditions
Look at your lab. Are there unnecessary materials or objects that might impede
access to the equipment? Consider the impact of the lighting in the building on
safety. Have you considered your emergency response?
Questions to ask:
Are remote shutoff mechanisms required?

Is an emergency power source required and effective?
Is a flammable gas detector or alarm required or advisable? Is a toxic gas alarm
required or advisable?
Are lighting and other work conditions adequate? Is there a risk of static
buildup due to low humidity?
Are emergency response measures in place (fire extinguishers, safety shower,
automatic fire alarms, and fire suppression)?
Will emergency responders be able to locate and access the lab? Have
emergency responders been advised of the experiment and materials present?
Controls:
Perform a dry run of your experiment in the laboratory.

Have a fire extinguisher readily available.
Know how and when to use the fire extinguisher and make sure coworkers are
available to assist, if necessary.
TIP
Sharing a lab? Here are some special considerations:

Does your experiment pose a risk to other facility operations?
Does the experiment location impede egress or emergency response actions for
others?
Human Factors
Assessing the safety knowledge level all of the people who work in the lab
(regardless of lab experience and tenure) is important to maintaining safety and
key in the prevention of accidents, incidents and injury. Are your colleagues
encouraged to report incidents without fear? Are laboratory workers confident
in their ability to respond during an emergency and communicate with
coworkers and emergency personnel?
Assessing human factors can give you a glimpse of the overall safety culture in
your lab.
The assessment of human factors shouldn't instill fear. It should be an

opportunity to teach new and inexperienced lab workers while serving as a
safety refresher for experienced lab workers and finding new and better ways to
protect each other.
Protecting each other
Assessing human factors isn't about incompetence or blame, instead it addresses

the reality that people can make mistakes, forget steps, or can be distracted due
to illness, fatigue or stress.
These assessments may also reveal challenges for staff with disabilities that can
lead to solutions that improve their work environment and allows them perform
their tasks more safely.
Control
Administrative controls like training, and the distribution of clear

documentation like checklists and SOPs are considered to be among the most
effective control measures against human error.
Questions to ask when assessing human factors
Can the experiment be monitored at all times or automatically shut down?

Does the laboratory worker recognize warning signs of equipment failure,
tubing failure or other factors that could lead to an accident?
Is the laboratory worker trained for emergency response? Is the laboratory
worker working with a trained coworker?
Is there an internal transport procedure (cylinder secured, and so forth)?
PPE is a simple defense against common accidents involving splashes and

spills, but is one of the safety precautions often forgotten or ignored. Encourage
your team to always wear PPE.
Control
Personal Protective Equipment is a control measure. In the hierarchy of control

measures, it is recommended that PPE be used after all other types of control
measures have been exhausted to either completely eliminate a hazard or
minimize risk.
Questions to ask when assessing personal protective equipment
Is the laboratory worker wearing flame resistant clothing and lab coat?
Is the laboratory worker wearing impact resistant eye protection?
Is the laboratory worker wearing proper PPE when transporting or setting up the
cylinder?
Regulatory Concerns
There are several rules and regulations involved with the proper and safe
operation of any laboratory. Including any issues around regulatory concerns in
your Standard Operating Procedure will be helpful to anyone working in the lab
get familiar with specific codes, rules and requirements. Even if you aren’t
familiar with every rule in the book or code, consider some of these questions,
when assessing regulatory concerns in your lab.
What If-Analysis
A What-if Analysis is structured brainstorming to identify potential failures and

their associated risks. It involves the generation of a complete list of "what-if"
questions; assessing answers to those questions along with probability of

occurence and consequences; and developing recommendations based on that
assessment.
Job Hazard Analysis (JHA)
A JHA identifies the hazard(s) associated with a particular job or task. A task or
job must first be defined by a description statement (i.e., what is being done and
why). Identify the steps/tasks; then identify potential hazards per step/task using
accident and near-miss history, literature search, and organizational safety/EHS
entities. (Includes physical hazards, such as moving parts and potential slips.)
Checklists
Checklists are a structured process to assess hazards and quantify risk. This is
the most commonly-used, recognizable method used by researchers and safety
professionals. It involves developing concise procedures and checklist items, as
well as supplying allowable responses.
Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)
An SOP is a comprehensive, structured approach to identify failure points of

both individual hazards and combinations of hazards. Identify hazards and
create process steps; evaluate the hazards and steps individually; and repeat
evaluation for combinations of hazards and steps. Develop SOPs based on
process results.
Control Banding
Control banding assesses and manages chemical risks in the research laboratory
by focusing on a limited number of specific control measures. The assignment
of these control measures is based on a group--or “band”--of the hazards present
and their associated potential exposures.

Hazard Assessment Before Lab Work

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Hazard Assessment Before Lab Work

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OHS in Chemical Laboratories 28th Feb 2019 National Safety Council Telangana Chapter

Hazard Assessment Before Lab Work

Before beginning a hazard assessment, carefully define the scope of your

Hazard assessment is an ongoing process with no definitive end point. Revisit

KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A HAZARD AND A RISK

"Hazard" and "risk" are NOT the same.

What steps need to be performed to complete the experiment?

Collect Appropriate Background Information

The analysis team will need appropriate background information, including:

Everyone should be involved in hazard assessment, regardless of experience

Everyone is responsible for familiarizing themselves with appropriate controls

Everyone is responsible for participating in hazard analyses (checklists, Job

More experienced members of the team should lead risk assessment

Working Alone in the Lab?

The National Research Council defines “alone” as being beyond visual or

A telephone must be immediately available to the individual working alone.

Examples: Carcinogenic, teratogenic, corrosive, pyrophoric, toxic, mutagenic,

Examples: High pressure, low pressure, electrical, uneven surfaces, pinch

Examples: Creation of secondary products, lifting, chemical mixing, long-term

Type Hazard or Description

Chemical Acute toxicity Acute toxicity refers to those adverse effects

Chemical Aspiration hazard Aspiration means the entry of a liquid or solid

Chemical Carcinogenity Carcinogen means a substance or a mixture of

Chemical Corrosive to metals A substance or a mixture that by chemical

Chemical Explosive An explosive chemical is a solid or liquid

Chemical Flammable gas, liquid, Flammable gas means a gas having a

can be easily ignited by brief contact with an

Chemical Gas under pressure

Chemical Germ cell mutagenicity A mutation is defined as a permanent change

Chemical Organic peroxides An organic peroxide is an organic liquid or

Chemical Pyrophoric liquid or A pyrophoric liquid is a liquid which, even in

Chemical Reproductive toxicity Reproductive toxicity includes adverse effects

Chemical Respiratory or skin Respiratory sensitizer means a chemical that

Chemical Self-heating substance A self-heating substance is a solid or liquid,

Chemical Self-reactive substance Self-reactive substances are thermally unstable

Chemical Skin corrosion or Skin corrosion is the production of irreversible

Chemical Substances which, in Substances that, in contact with water, emit

Electrical Shock/Short Circuit Contact with exposed conductors or a device

Electrical Fire Use of electrical power that results in

Electrical Static/ESD The moving or rubbing of wool, nylon, other

Electrical Loss of Power Safety-critical equipment failure as a result of

Ergonomics Strain Damage of tissue due to overexertion (strains

Ergonomics Human Error A system design, procedure, or equipment that

Excavation Collapse Soil collapse in a trench or excavation as a

Fall Slip/Trip Conditions that result in falls (impacts) from

Fire/Heat Burn Temperatures that can cause burns to the skin

Mechanical/Vi Chaffing/Fatigue Vibration that can cause damage to nerve

Mechanical Failure Equipment failure typically occurs when

Mechanical Caught-by/Caught-in Skin, muscle, or a body part exposed to

Radiation Ionizing Alpha, Beta, Gamma, neutral particles, and X-

Radiation Non-ionizing Ultraviolet, visible light, infrared, and

Struck Against Injury to a body part as a result of coming into

Temperature Heat/Cold Temperatures that result in heat stress,

Visibility Limited Lack of lighting or obstructed vision that

Weather Phenomena Created by snow, rain, wind, and/or ice.

TO CONDUCT A THOROUGH ASSESSMENT YOU SHOULD:

Risk is the probability that a hazard will result in an adverse consequence.

In our discussion, we'll focus on rating risks using probability of

Calculate Risks Using Probability of Occurrence and Severity of Consequences

Many risk assessments use “probability of occurrence” and “severity of

Risk Rating (RR) = Probability of Occurrence (OV) x Severity of

Probability of occurrence explores the likelihood that an identified risk could

A laboratory is measuring the pH of ground water and handles hundreds of