Laboratory Safety

All work with biological agents or material in the University must be carried out in accordance with the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (as amended). This includes both work with biological agents such as hazardous bacteria, viruses or fungi which may cause infection, allergy, toxicity or otherwise create a hazard to human health, or working with materials which may contain such material, for example human or animal blood, tissue or biofluids and cell cultures.

All activities involving biological agents or material must be risk assessed, and where appropriate approved by the Biological Hazards and Genetically Modified Organisms Sub-Committee.  Further information is available in the biological policy arrangements, guidance and templates.

Supporting Documents

Biological Policy Arrangements - Part 2 - HSA10126

Biological Risk Assessment Form

There is an array of chemicals and materials at the University, some are perfectly safe, others could cause harm to you, an unborn child or harm the environment. Before carrying out any experiment at the University, you must always undertake a COSHH Assessment. 

To ensure that hazardous substances do not cause harm to health, or the environment, consideration must be given to the safe, responsible, sustainable and economical use of substances throughout their lifecycle – from procurement, storage, use, transport and through to disposal.

When working with substances hazardous to health, consider whether the substance can be substituted for a substance with a lower risk, particularly if the substance is a known carcinogen, mutagen, sensitiser or toxic by reproduction. If not, all of the following principles of control are to be applied to reduce the risk (principles may overlap in their application):

• Design and operate processes and activities to minimise emission, release and spread of substances hazardous to health and the environment.
• Take into account all relevant routes of exposure – inhalation, skin and ingestion – when developing control measures.
• Control the exposure by choosing measures that are proportionate to the health risk.
• Chose the most effective and reliable control options that minimise the escape and spread of substances hazardous to health.
• Where adequate control of exposure cannot be achieved by other means provide, in conjunction with other control measures, suitable personal protective equipment.
• Check and review regularly all elements of control measures for their continuing effectiveness.
• Where required, inform and train others on the hazards and risks from substances with which they work, including the use of control measures developed to minimise the risks.
• Ensure the introduction of measures to control exposure does not increase the overall risk to health and safety.

Where there is a risk of exposure above recommended levels, those exposed must be subject to health surveillance.  More information on health surveillance can be found on the HSE website, and advice can be sought from Occupational Health:

Call: 01792 295538

Email: Click here to email the Occupational Health team

The material safety data sheet (MSDs) gives generic information on the substance.  However, there must be an assessment of how the substance is used and stored which will determine the controls for specific use.  All MSDs must be kept on Quartzy as an attachment with hyperlink.  This will enable you to access the MSDs from outside the laboratory if required. 

The main sections that set out the health risks and emergency situations associated with the substance can be found in:

• Section 2 and 16 for information about the dangers;
• Section 4-8 for information on emergencies, storage and handling.

If any substance shows a workplace exposure limit (section 8), please seek advice from your H&S Lead/Advisor or the Health & Safety Team.

All containers of chemicals must be labelled with the correct name and indicate clearly the hazard classification associated with the chemical.  Label each chemical bottle with the unique reference label.  The labels can be acquired from your College’s chemical store. For more information on labelling refer to the Quartzy procedure. 

There are specific arrangements in place for the disposal of chemical waste at the Bay campus and Singleton campus.  Collections typically take place on a monthly basis.  Any unwanted and useable (not expired) chemical can be redistributed to another laboratory in your College as required through Quartzy. Simply click on ‘Edit’ and check the last box on the page called ‘Waste’.

Please contact our Waste and Recycling Officer to discuss your chemical and hazardous waste disposal requirements.

If you have any queries in relation to hazardous substances speak to you H&S Lead/ Advisor.  Alternatively contact the Health & Safety Team/Sustainability Team for advice and support. 

Compressed gas cylinders are a convenient way to transport and store gases under pressure. A number of different gases are used in laboratories across the University for a variety of scientific purposes. However, hazards are not just from the gas itself but also because of how the gas is stored - under pressure. Compressed gas cylinders may pose a particular hazard during a fire, and the Emergency Services often require information as to the location of gas cylinders within a building in order to protect themselves and others.

The H&S Lead/ Advisor in your College/ PSU will provide advice and guidance on compressed gas systems, and will be your primary contact. However, day to day management of compressed gases may be passed to a competent member of the team.  

No work is to be undertaken with compressed gas which may expose employees, students or visitors to risks from the use, handling and storage of compressed gases, unless the risks have been managed via a risk assessment process.  Only persons that have completed the online gas safety training are authorised to use, change or move a compressed gas cylinder.  Practical training in handling cylinders is provided within your College/ PSU. For more information contact your H&S Lead/ Advisor.

All users are to follow the Standard Operating Procedures for the changing of gas cylinders outlined in the policy arrangements. It also includes detail on selecting a regulator and the replacement programme (every 5 years).  All gases procured and kept on campus must be entered into the Quartzy database. Input information under a relevant database category e.g. Bay Campus gases or Singleton Campus gases.

To find out if your inert gas supply has the potential to deplete the oxygen in the room to less than 19.5% (which will then require an oxygen monitor) please use the  Oxygen Depletion Calculator.

All new installations must be in accordance with the policy arrangements.  For any supply greater than 0.5 Bar PSU, the supplier/installer must provide a written scheme of examination as part of the project handover operation and maintenance (O&M) information manual.

For new projects and installations the project co-ordinator will be responsible for ensuring a written scheme is in place (where applicable) and notifying E&FM of any compressed gas installations that will require future testing under the PSSR 2000.

For existing installations the Head of College is to carry out a review of the compressed gas installations to determine if a written scheme is required and if an inspection/ testing is required.

All toxic and flammable gases shall be point of use from within a 30 minute rated fire cabinet. Inert gases and oxygen are not required to be stored in cabinets.

If you require further clarification contact Estates & Facilities Management on: 5240

Oxygen Depletion Calculator

Liquid Nitrogen is a colourless, odourless liquid similar in appearance to water and is used in biological sample preservation, vacuum pump systems, cooling samples in electron microscopes, cryostats for low temperature research and superconducting magnet systems.  If not handled properly it can cause serious injuries and even death so it is imperative guidance is followed.

Training is available on the safe use of cryogenics.  To access the training please email the Health and Safety team.

Policy

Cryogenic Liquids Policy Arrangements

Supporting Documents

Oxygen Depletion Calculator

Cryogenics - Bilingual Safety Signs

All work with genetically modified organisms at the University must be carried out in accordance with the Genetically Modified Organisms (Contained Use) Regulations 2014.

The GM policy arrangements outlines the University policy and procedures for working with Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) including the requirement for all activities involving GMOs as part of University activities to be risk assessed using the University  ‌and all activities classified into one of six activity classes based on the risk to human health and the environment.

Risk assessments are reviewed and approved by the Biological Hazards and Genetically Modified Organisms Sub-committee who act as the University Genetic Modification Safety Committee and provides advice on risk assessments relating to genetic modification activities. 

 All University staff, students and visitors who work on University Class 2 or 3 GMOs must register with the Health & Safety Team.

Workers on higher risk projects (Class 2 or 3 projects with organisms identified as hazardous to human health) must also complete the Occupational Health medical questionnaire. This must be sent to the University Occupational Health Service and workers must not start working with GM materials until a letter of fitness to work has been received.

For additional information on working with biological hazards please see the Biological section.

Policy

Working with Genetically Modified Organisms - Policy Arrangements

Supporting Documents

GM Project Risk Assessment Form

Working with lasers at the University is very diverse and is at the forefront of research activities.

All lasers are potentially hazardous, however, the degree of the hazard is related to the laser’s characteristics and use.

Colleges that undertake laser work with Class 3B/ 4 lasers, will have a Laser Protection Supervisor (LPS). The LPS supervises the general day-to-day control of use of lasers and the laser safety standards within the College. The LPS also monitors and advises the College on compliance.

The Laser Safety Officer (LSO) advises on the use of lasers and performs executive duties to ensure that the University procedures relating to laser safety are followed and are compliant with legislative requirements. The LSO reports to the Health & Safety Team.  Contact your College LPS for further information on laser safety procedures.

All members of staff and students wishing to work with lasers - with the exception of undergraduates participating only in supervised teaching/ demonstration activities - must be registered as Laser Workers. The register of Laser Workers is compiled by the LPS.  All Laser Workers are required to sign a declaration that they have read the local rules. Registration must always be completed before work with lasers commences.

Laser Workers should not leave laser experiment running unattended unless a risk assessment has established that it is safe to do so. Laser Workers have responsibilities for their own safety and others who may be affected by their work. All Laser Workers are required to attend training as required.

If you have any queries or would like additional advice on laser safety procedures contact the Health and Safety Team.

Workers who intend to use Class 3B/ Class 4 lasers must have a general eye examination before commencing work.  The purpose of the examination is to screen out those workers who, through an existing serious defect in eyesight, may be more sensitive to or more affected if an adverse event occurred with the laser. The examination can be arranged with Occupational Health.

PPE is equipment that will protect the user against health or safety risks at work. It can include items such as safety helmets, gloves, eye protection, high-visibility clothing, safety footwear and safety harnesses. It also includes respiratory protective equipment (RPE).

Making the workplace safe includes providing instructions, procedures, training and supervision to encourage people to work safely and responsibly.  Even where engineering controls and safe systems of work have been applied, some hazards might remain. These include injuries to:

• The lungs, e.g. from breathing in contaminated air
• The head and feet, e.g. from falling materials
• The eyes, e.g. from flying particles or splashes of corrosive liquids
• The skin, e.g. from contact with corrosive materials
• The body, e.g. from extremes of heat or cold

PPE is needed in these cases to reduce the risk.

Policy

Personal Protective Equipment - Gloves - Policy Arrangements

Ionising radiation has many uses in industry, such as energy production, manufacturing, medicine and research and produces many benefits to society. However, it is important that the risks of ionising radiation are managed sensibly to protect workers and the public.

Ionising radiation used includes: x-rays, gamma rays, radiation from radioactive sources and sources of naturally occurring radiation such as, radon gas.

Ionising Radiation protection at Swansea University is concerned with satisfying three interconnected objectives;

• protection of the environment, and therefore protection of the public at large;
• protection of persons working with radioactive substances;
• protection of the patient (or volunteer) being exposed to radioactivity for therapeutic, diagnostic or research purposes.

Contact our Health and Safety team for more information.

Work activites may result in harmful substances contaminating the air in the form of dust, mist, gas or fume. For example:

• cutting material e.g stone, concrete or wood
• using liquid containing volatile solvents
• handling a dusty powder

RPE is designed to protect the wearer from these hazards when they cannot be controlled by other means.  Selection of respiratory protective equipment should form part of the risk assessment for the activity or substance.  RPE should be worn:

• When you might still breathe in contaminated air, despite other controls you have in place e.g. extraction systems;
• When there is short-term or infrequent exposure and using other controls is impractical;
• Whilst you are putting other controls in place;
• When you need to provide RPE for safe exit in an emergency (e.g. air-supplied escape hoods);
• When you need to provide RPE for emergency work or when there is a temporary failure of controls;
• When emergency rescue by trained personnel is necessary.

Any user of RPE which relies on a tight-seal to the face to provide protection requires face fit testing to ensure a proper fit.  For further advice on face fits testing contact your H&S Lead/ Advisor or email the Health & Safety Team.

Supporting Documents

Information Sheet - Respiratory Protection Equipment (RPE) Face Fit Testing

Information Sheet - Qualitative Face Fit Testing

We offers a range of qualifications for health care and allied services professionals, undertaking studies and clinical trials involving human participation and providing Wellbeing services. 

We are committed to upholding the regulations in all activities involving sharps in our laboratories and health-care related facilities.

The definition of ‘Sharps’ relates to needles, syringes, edged instruments, broken glassware, trocars, phials, scalpels, scalpel blades, razors, scissors, lancets, bone fragments or any other item which may cause laceration or puncture wounds and are contaminated in use by blood, body fluids or other harmful biological hazards or chemicals.

Sharps instruments in the health care setting represent a specific risk due to the possibility of contamination with blood or other biological material where there is the potential of transmitting infectious agents such as hepatitis B or Human immunodeficiency viruses.  Similarly within laboratories sharps can be a way of introducing hazardous microorganisms, cell lines or chemicals into the body.

Support staff who may enter teaching and research areas, such as cleaners, porters, maintenance staff, or waste operatives may also be exposed to injuries from sharps which have been disposed of in-correctly by the primary user.

The policy arrangements are intended to provide guidance on the safe use of sharps and should be read in combination with other relevant health and safety policy arrangements, including policy arrangements on phlebotomy, immunisation and biological hazards, and the risk assessment for that particular activity.

Policy

Sharps in Laboratories, Healthcare and Allied Practices Policy Arrangements

Supporting Documents

Sharps Audit Checklist

Under review

For information relating to Ionising Radiation/Unsealed Radiation, please contact the team.

We recognise the need to ensure the health, safety and welfare of young persons (defined as anyone under 18 years of age) and children (someone below the minimum compulsory school leaving age of 16) engaging in activities organised by the University such as outreach activities, work placements or as foundation or undergraduate students.

The policy arrangements outline the additional consideration that needs to be given when young people are participating in activities within scientific (wet) laboratories, workshops or events held in other premises involving the use of chemical, biological, radiological or other hazards.

Young people engaging in these activities may be at increased risk due to: 

• Psychological factors - inexperience, maturity and lack of awareness of existing or potential risks.
• Physiological factors - physical capabilities and physiological development, greater risk from certain hazards as well as the suitability of uniform / personal protective equipment fit.

Supporting Documents

Young People in Scientific Labs and Related Activities - Police Arrangements