risk assessment for laboratory and … assessment for laboratory a… · web viewthere are three...

Contents: Page:

Introduction 2

Risk assessment for Laboratory Procedures 4

Approval and Sign-Off Sheet 6

Guidance Notes 7

Assessing the risk 9

May 2018

Geography, School of Natural Scienceswww.tcd.ie/geographyRISK ASSESSMENT FOR LABORATORY AND CHEMICALPROCEDURES

Discipline of Geography, School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2

INTRODUCTION

Risk Assessment for all procedures or methods that involve hazardous substances or equipment is a legal requirement. Under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 2005, Trinity College Dublin is obliged to ensure that risk assessments are carried out for any activity or procedure which may impact upon the safety, health or welfare of students, staff and visitors. Health and Safety Authority inspectors have the right to investigate how risk assessment is being managed and may ask to see existing risk assessment documentation. It is therefore essential that risk assessments for all hazardous procedures are carefully prepared, regularly updated and that their conclusions are adhered to by all involved.

There are three Geography Laboratories in the Museum Building. You may find in the course of your research that you will use one or all of these to carry out procedures or experimental work. In all three laboratories the rules with regard conduct and health and safety procedures must be observed. These are included in the Geography Laboratories Protocols (one for each specific lab) and the appropriate protocol must be read by anyone intending to use any of these laboratories before you begin your work. You will be asked to sign the document to confirm that you understand and will abide by the regulations set out in the protocol. A brief overview of each of these laboratories is given below as well as information on how to complete the risk assessment. In addition to laboratory procedures, if you intend to use hazardous chemicals while working in the field, you should also complete this form and submit it with your Fieldwork Risk Assessment.

The Geomorphology Laboratory is predominantly used for practical work in Physical Geography. This includes taught undergraduate classes and staff and postgraduate research. Senior Sophister students may find that they use this lab often during their dissertation project. The majority of the work carried out in this lab is Low Risk. However, there are some procedures that require the use of hazardous chemicals or equipment which will require risk assessment and any control measures arising from this should be strictly adhered to at all times.

The Palynology Laboratory is a more controlled environment and is predominantly used for analysis of palynomorphs. These are often procedures that would be regarded as Medium Risk. Procedures are strictly controlled, and tried and tested methods are used to ensure that the risk to welfare, health and safety is kept to an absolute minimum. It is therefore essential that you carry out a detailed and rigorous risk assessment before beginning any work of this nature to determine the appropriate control measures required for the procedure.

The Basement Laboratory houses our Particle Size Analysis (PSA) instrument; the Malvern Mastersizer 2000. This instrument does contain powerful lasers and operates at high voltage and safety advice with regards this is given in the lab protocol. That said, the majority of procedures carried out in this lab would be considered Low Risk. Full training in the use of this instrument will be given before you would be expected to use it.

Copies of the laboratory protocols are available on the Geography Homepage under ‘Local’, from Discipline Safety or Technical Officers or in the Freeman Library.

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Risk Assessment

Any procedures you intend to carry out in any of the above labs that involve the use of hazardous chemicals or equipment will require risk assessment before the work can begin. The Risk Assessment on pages 4–6 of this document should be completed by the person carrying out the procedure or the person who is leading the procedure if a group is involved. It is advised that you read through the Risk Assessment and the Guidance Notes on pages 7-10 before you begin. When complete, the assessment must be reviewed by a Safety Officer and must then be read and signed by your Supervisor/PI and the Head of Discipline.

The information provided should be brief and to the point but it should include an adequate amount of detail to properly assess the risk. The space allowed in each box is not an indication of how much should be written; for some sections a few words may be sufficient while others may require additional space. In the electronic (Microsoft Word) format the document is editable and the boxes are able to accommodate more information if this is required. For this reason, it is recommended that you complete the form in this format. For any new method, a Safety or Technical Officer should be consulted to discuss the method before beginning the risk assessment.

The accompanying Guidance Notes should provide assistance on how to correctly complete each section of the Risk Assessment. It is advised that you read these notes before beginning your assessment. If any further advice is needed, please contact a Safety or Technical Officer.

When you have assessed the risk it should be reviewed by the Discipline Safety Officer (email to: [email protected]) before being read and signed by your Supervisor/PI and Head of Discipline.

For this you can either;

Email to your Supervisor/PI and Head of Discipline for electronic signature approvalOr

Print the document for signing by your Supervisor and the Head of Discipline

It should then be emailed to the Discipline Safety Officer at [email protected] or returned in person to the Discipline Safety Officer. A copy of the Risk Assessment should be kept in the designated laboratory where the procedure will take place or a copy should be carried with you if the assessment is for fieldwork purposes. Any new person intending to use the method or procedure described in the Risk Assessment should read it beforehand and ensure that the method and all safety and control measures are understood before signing the attached Sign-Off sheet to confirm this. The Safety Officer should also be informed of any new person added to the Sign-Off Sheet in advance of work beginning.

A review of the risk assessment should be carried out if changes or adaptions to the method are made or at a maximum period of 12 months and every 12 months thereafter.

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mailto:[email protected]



Risk Assessment for Laboratory and Chemical Procedures

Date Assessed By

DESCRIBE THE ACTIVITY OR PROCEDURE

LOCATION(S) WHERE THE PROCEDURE WILL BE CARRIED OUT

WHO WILL BE AT RISK?

LIST THE SPECIFIC CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES OR EQUIPMENT INVOLVED

LIST THE HAZARD IDENTIFICATION FOR EACH SUBSTANCE OR PIECE OF EQUIPMENT

LIST THE ENGINEERING MEASURES AND PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT REQUIRED

IS SUPERVISION OR ADDITIONAL TRAINING REQUIRED?

4


ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

WITH REFERENCE TO THE DETAILS GIVEN ABOVE, HOW WOULD YOU RATE THE RISK ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ACTIVITY?

Low ☐ Medium ☐ High ☐

IS THERE A REQUIREMENT TO CARRY OUT HEALTH SURVEILLANCE?☐Yes☐No

If yes, give details;

EMERGENCY PLANS AND PROCEDURESa) Are plans in place to deal with spillages or emergencies?

☐Yes☐n/a


b) Has waste disposal been considered and established?☐Yes☐n/a


c) Reference any potential first aid emergencies that should be noted from this procedure;

TRANSPORTATION, STORAGE AND HANDLING OFF SITE (FIELDWORK ONLY)

5

REVIEW DATE


APPROVAL:

Please sign below. Select staff or student box as appropriate.

ASSESSED BY PRINT NAME SIGN DATE

STAFF ☐ STUDENT ☐

SUPERVISOR

HEAD OF DISCIPLINE

SIGN OFF SHEET

I have read the risk assessment and relevant safety data sheet(s) for the above task/procedure and understand the controls measures and health and safety requirements to ensure I work safely.

NAME SIGNATURE DATE

6


GUIDANCE NOTES

To assist with the preparation of your risk assessment you should obtain a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for each of the chemical substances to be used in the procedure. You should use the SDS supplied by the manufacturer and only use EU approved SDS’s. This will enable you to answer many of the questions by referring to the information contained in the SDS. In the notes below, the appropriate section of the SDS is given for reference; e.g. ‘Hazard Identification’ is under ‘Heading 2’ on a SDS and is referenced in these guidance notes as (SDS-2). You should read the SDS for each chemical substance in full before beginning your risk assessment. You should also familiarise yourself with any manufacturer’s instructions or health and safety advice with regards any equipment that will be used in your procedure. If these are not readily available, ask a Safety or Technical Officer to provide you with them. You may also be given or can request a demonstration of how to correctly operate the equipment before your work begins.

DATE - The date when the risk assessment was carried out.

ASSESSED BY - The person responsible for carrying out the risk assessment.

DESCRIBE THE ACTIVITY OR PROCEDURE Give a brief summary of the procedure. Include any relevant timescales, e.g. how long will it take? Are there different stages? How often will it be repeated?

LOCATION WHERE THE PROCEDURE WILL BE CARRIED OUT Give a location for the procedure; laboratory, classroom or location of field work etc. If in the Museum Building, state which laboratory, if elsewhere give details. For fieldwork; give details of location (give GPS coordinates where possible or detailed description) and environment; e.g. mountain, lake, quarry, field etc.

WHO WILL BE AT RISK?List those at risk. Include anyone who may be exposed to the procedure, e.g. employees, students, members of the public. If a large group is involved, e.g. class of students, provide a list of all participants. This can be included on a separate sheet if necessary.

LIST THE SPECIFIC CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES OR EQUIPMENT INVOLVEDList the substances to be used in full as they are identified on the manufacturers packaging or container or on the SDS (SDS-1). Also list any solutions or compounds that will be produced by the method. List any hazardous equipment that will be used.

LIST THE HAZARD IDENTIFICATION FOR EACH SUBSTANCE OR PIECE OF EQUIPMENTList the hazard identification for each chemical substance (SDS-2). Hazard identification for solutions or compounds produced by the method should also be listed. Obtain a SDS for these where possible. Additional research may be required. List any hazards associated with equipment that will be used.

LIST THE ENGINEERING MEASURES AND PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT REQUIRED?List the recommended protection measures (SDS-7 and SDS-8) and any others you may consider necessary.

IS SUPERVISION OR ANY ADDITIONAL TRAINING REQUIRED?State whether supervision is a requirement or if a ‘Buddy System’ will be in place. Lone working is not permitted where the use of hazardous chemicals or equipment is involved. Are there any specialist training requirements before work can begin? E.g. fire safety, handling of hazardous chemicals, laboratory safety course, use of equipment.

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATIONProvide any other information regarding hazards and potential risks that you think has not been covered by the previous sections.

WITH REFERENCE TO THE DETAILS GIVEN ABOVE, HOW WOULD YOU RATE THE RISK ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ACTIVITY?Use the risk assessment matrix on page 10 in conjunction with the details you have provided to assess the risk for this procedure and select the appropriate rating; Low, Medium or High.

IS THERE A REQUIREMENT TO CARRY OUT HEALTH SURVEILLANCE? Health surveillance is required if the procedure is considered to be a potential risk to health where there is systematic repetition of the procedure by the same person or persons. In the case of a ‘one-off’ or short term procedure, health monitoring will generally not be required. If in doubt ask your Safety Officer for advice.

EMERGENCY PLANS AND PROCEDURES The information required to answer questions a, b and c can be found in the safety data sheet under headings;

a) SDS-6 Accidental Release Measures

b) SDS-13 Disposal Considerations

c) SDS-4 First Aid Measures

Provide brief details, as listed in the SDS, where required.

TRANSPORTATION, STORAGE AND HANDLING OFF SITE (FIELDWORK ONLY)If you will be using hazardous chemicals while away from TCD while on field work, provide details of how the substaces will be transported, stored and handled.

REVIEW DATEIf the procedure is to be repeated at any time the risk assessment should be reviewed in advance to ensure all the information is correct. If any changes are made to any part of the procedure, e.g. different chemicals, location or control measures, a new assessment will be required. If the procedure has not been repeated and there are no changes to report, the assessment should still be reviewed no later than twelve months after the original risk assessment has been completed and every twelve months thereafter to ensure all details are up to date.

APPROVALWhen you have assessed the risk it should be reviewed by the Safety Officer. After the review you should make any recommended changes. When approved you can either;

Email to your Supervisor and the Head of Discipline for electronic signature approval

Or

Print off pages 4 - 6 for signing by your Supervisor and the Head of Discipline Return the form electronically to [email protected] or in person to your Safety or Technical Officer.

SIGN-OFF SHEETAny new persons intending to carry out or participate in the procedure detailed in the assessment should read and understand the procedure and the recommendations of the assesment in full then sign and date the ‘Sign Off Sheet’ on page 6.

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ASSESSING THE RISK

DEFINITIONS

A Hazard is something that has potential to cause injury or damage

A Risk is the likelihood of someone being injured by a hazard and the severity or consequences of the injury.

When identifying hazards and assessing risk, you should base your assessment on what a well-informed person would consider reasonable; i.e. do not underestimate the likelihood or severity/consequences but do not consider events that would be regarded as extremely unlikely.

CONTROL MEASURESControl measures are actions that are taken to prevent or minimise the risk associated with a particular hazard. They can include; hazard elimination, substitution or isolation; engineering and administrative controls or personal protective equipment (PPE). More information on hazard and risk and control measures can be found at the Health and Safety Authority website

http://www.hsa.ie/eng/Topics/Hazards/

RISK ASSESSMENT MATRIXUsing the matrix on the following page, compare your assessment of the likelihood of an incident occurring against your assessment of the potential severity/consequences for each of the procedures you have identified as requiring risk assessment. If you consider that there is more than one specific hazard, deal with each one individually. The rating must be at an acceptable level before the procedure can commence. The four rating outcomes are as follows;

L (Low) – If this rating is achieved you can progress with the procedure, making sure that all the suggested control measures are adhered to and that caution is exercised throughout the procedure.

M (Medium) – This states that either; the likelihood of an event occurring is expected or the severity/consequences could be severe. However, to achieve this rating, the reciprocal category in both examples will be ‘Low’. In this respect, the risk is acceptable. You should however proceed with caution, all control measures should be strictly adhered to at all times and the procedure should be continually monitored. You should be prepared to abort the procedure at any time if you think the likelihood of an incident occurring increases.

M/H (Medium/High) – This states that the likelihood of an event occurring is possible and that the severity/consequences could be serious. Control measures should be re-assessed to lower the risk to the ‘Medium’ rating at the very least.

H (High) – The procedure cannot go ahead as the risk is unacceptable. A review of the procedure must be carried out in order to lower the risk. Identify where the problem lies and substitute substances or equipment with safer alternatives or eliminate them completely if possible. You should seek to reduce the rating to ‘Medium’ at the very least.

At all times and in all circumstances the welfare, health and safety of all persons coming into contact with the perceived hazard should be your priority. The category of risk you have selected is based on your expectations. If at any time the circumstances of the procedure differ from those expectations, increasing the risk, you should abort the procedure and reconsider your control measures. Your assessed risk should be considered an approximation of the possibility of an incident or event occurring and you should be continually assessing the potential risk while the procedure is being carried out.

9

http://www.hsa.ie/eng/Topics/Hazards/


Severity/Consequences should be rated as:

Yielding the Risk to be rated as:

10

Likelihood should be rated as:

High: The likelihood of an incident occurring is expected.

Medium: The likelihood of an incident occurring is possible.

Low: The likelihood of an incident occurring is rare and only expected in exceptional circumstances.

Low: Minor or no injury; requiring First Aid or doctors visit (not A&E); E.g. minor grazes or cuts, skin irritation, minor burns to hands

Medium: Serious or reversible injury requiring hospital treatment (A&E) or short hospital stay;E.g. cuts requiring stitches, burns, illness; e.g. nausea, vomiting, headache

High: Severe or irreversible injury requiring long term hospitalisation or treatment;E.g.; eye damage, asphyxia, acute illness, severe burns, fatality

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