Reference no: EM133156372

Tick the boxes once you have covered all the relevant points.

• Does the student understand why the risk assessment process must be undertaken?

• Is the student aware that no work with either chemicals or lab equipment can be undertaken if it has not been considered on their risk assessment?

• Is the student aware that any changes to the method that this risk assessment refers to will result in this risk assessment being reviewed and amended as necessary?

• Have the risks associated with all chemicals that are to be used in this work been considered and discussed?

• Have only the hazardous chemicals been included on this risk assessment?
• Have areas of work that require specialist training been identified and training with the appropriate person arranged? e.g. use of the cryostat, use of floor standing centrifuges.

• Is the student aware of the consequences of non-compliance and the systems that are in place for reporting any concerns / non- compliances?

The following points must be considered before completing the subsequent sections of this form
• Substitution or elimination of any of the hazardous substances where possible (e.g. use of sybr safe instead of
Ethidium bromide)
• Changing any of the experimental process to remove the operation resulting in risk to exposure.

• Reducing the quantities of hazardous substances that are ordered, stored, used and produced as waste. Security.

1. Identification of those at risk
In most cases, all boxes will be ticked, particularly if work is being carried out in teaching laboratories. Who else may be at risk?

2. Legislative control
DSEAR - Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmosphere Regulations.
The laboratories and plant rooms (700N and 820 Owen) have been assessed under the DSEAR guidelines. This ensures the safe storage and use of substances that are flammable or potentially explosive (e.g Acetylene, Hydrogen, Methane and Propene cylinders and highly flammable substances.)
These cylinders must not be placed into laboratories for use.

3. Information, instruction and training/supervision
Describe the information, instruction and training requirements for those working with the hazardous substances, microorganisms, cells and equipment outlined in this assessment. If training is required, it must be complete prior to the work commencing.

Based on the competency of the individuals undertaking this work, please outline what level of supervision is required for the overall activity by clicking on the appropriate box. Consider all workers individually. Refer to the guidelines at the end of this form for definitions.

4. Hazardous substances (Chemicals)
Please refer to the guidelines at the end of this form before completing this table. (Add additional rows as necessary to this table).

4. Hazardous substances (Chemicals) continued

5. Microorganisms.
The Advisory Committee for Dangerous Pathogens (ACDP) categorises biological agents into four hazard groups. The laboratories within the department of Biosciences and Chemistry are only authorised to support work up to and including Hazard group 2 organisms. For further information please see the guidance notes at the end of this document.

6. Cell lines, Tissues and body fluids - Ethical approval must be obtained for patient/participant samples of tissues, blood, hair sweat etc. Please see section 9.

7. Personal Protective Equipment - This is in addition to lab coats which must be worn at all times.

8. Physical and Equipment hazards

9. Additional risks.
Does the work require materials to be obtained by non-standard procurement routes? For example, patient samples donated from hospitals, purchase of animal tissue from the abattoir.

Does the work involve out of hours or lone working? UG and MSc students are not allowed to work out of hours.

Does the work require ethical approval (e.g. involves the use of human tissue, or human participants)

10. Risk Evaluation of the Overall Process. Select the most hazardous Chemical/Biohazard or activity to use as the basis for determining the Risk Index (Be aware that certain combinations of hazardous substances may have synergistic/antagonistic hazardous effects and should be considered when completing this section.)

Section 2. Legislative control - DSEAR.
The Dangerous substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 (DSEAR) require employers to control the risks to safety from fire and explosions. Dangerous substances are any hazardous substances used or present at work that could, if not properly controlled, cause harm to people as a result of a fire or explosion. They can be found in nearly all workplaces and include such things as solvents, paints, varnishes, flammable gases, such as liquid petroleum gas (LPG), dusts from machining and sanding operations and dusts from foodstuffs.
DSEAR assessments have been carried out for all of the laboratories on level 7 and 8 and plant rooms 700N and 820 Owen.

If a substance or preparation is classified (ie. labelled as such) as explosive, oxidising, extremely flammable, highly flammable or flammable then it is a dangerous substance.

Examples include; Petrol, acetylene gas, diethyl ether and other flammable solvents, acids and ammonia solution.
• Items must be stored correctly with consideration given to incompatibility of chemicals. For example,; flammable
substances such as petrol, ethanol and acetic acid should not be stored next to strong oxidisers such as nitric acid.
• Flammable substances must be stored in a vented flammables cabinet.
• Nitric acid must be stored in a vented Oxidisers cabinet.
• Large volumes of dangerous substances (>2.5L) must be given to the technical team for storage in the outside chemical store.

Section 3. Information, instruction and training/supervision.

If training has been outlined as a control measure, then it is essential that formal training is carried out and recorded. Records may take the form of local records kept with the person directing the research or they may be more formal with training being provided by a University department such as Health and Safety Services.

The level of supervision required must be outlined.
• Direct supervision - Worker is closely supervised at all times by an experienced person.
• Indirect local supervision - Worker is supervised by someone who is located within the same room/floor and who has usually supplied written or verbal instructions to the worker.
• Remote supervision - Worker is supervised at a distance with limited contact with the supervisor.
• No supervision required - Worker is not required to be supervised at all due to either having a lot of experience or the work having little or no risk.

Section 4. Hazardous substances (Chemicals).
Details of the chemical as supplied (including concentration where appropriate) and the working solutions are required. Please outline the size of the original container of the substance as it was supplied by the manufacturer, consideration needs to be given as to the course of action if this container was accidentally spilt or released.

Identifying Hazards
• Hazard information can be found on Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) which are available on manufacturers' websites.

• Manufacturers' catalogues (and websites) also provide hazard information in the form of Risk and Safety Phrases. Risk and Safety Statements, also known as R/S statements, R/S numbers, R/S phrases, and R/S sentences, is a system of hazard codes and phrases for labeling dangerous chemicals and compounds.
• In 2015, the risk and safety statements were replaced by hazard statements and precautionary statements.
Classification, labelling and packaging of chemicals is now harmonised by the introduction of the UN globally harmonised system of classification and labelling of chemicals.

Section 4. Hazardous substances - Disposal routes.
• The disposal information on MSDSs is usually aimed at industrial applications with large scale usage. The tick box list consists of only those disposal routes that are available within the Department of Biosciences. Please tick the appropriate box for each item using the table below as a guide.

Section 5. Microorganisms.
• The Advisory Committee for Dangerous Pathogens (ACDP) categorises biological agents into four hazard groups. Please see your supervisor or the technical staff if you are unsure which hazard group the microorganisms you're working with belong to.

Section 6. Cell lines, tissues and body fluids.
• As for working with microorganisms, the laboratories within Biosciences can accommodate work at containment level 2.
• Work with cell lines, tissues and body fluids must be carried out in biological safety cabinets.
• Consideration needs to be given as to whether cell lines carry any infectious agents, or could produce agents that may stimulate allergic reactions in humans. These details must be outlined in the hazards column. Cell lines containing BBVs (Blood borne viruses) cannot be used.
• For commercially produce cell lines, please also refer to the information provided by the supplier.

Section 7. Personal protective equipment.
This section is a tick box as the options presented are only those that are available within the bioscience laboratories. Please do not state that breathing apparatus should be worn as this is not available and alternative control measures must be adopted. E.g. use in a fume hood.

Section 8 - Physical and Equipment hazards.
• Consider electrocution risks from equipment, risk of injury from broken glassware, microscope slides, scalpels and risks associated with specific instrumentation e.g. severe cuts from cryostat usage or burns from steamers and microwaved items.
• The hazards associated with sharps are included as standard on each risk assessment form.
• Transportation of equipment needs to be considered as some equipment may need to be moved, manual handling training may be required.
• Control measures may include training for use of equipment ,manual handling training and risk assessment as well as
measures outlining use of PPE or removal of the electricity source for example.
• Training for some pieces of equipment must be formalised and documented i.e. the Cryostat and the floor standing

Section 9 - Additional risks

• Procurement using non-standard routes must be approved by the necessary budget holders. Staff and students should not use personal money to purchase items and then seek reimbursement, as there are university procurement cards held by members of staff that can be used to purchase goods from high street or online suppliers. Items must not be bought by individuals directly from websites, all purchases must go through the technical staff. Individuals must not bring in items 'from home' for use in the laboratories. Items needed from the 'high street' must be purchased by the technical staff.

Section 10 - Risk Evaluation

• Use the chemical, biological or physical hazard that will give the highest the risk index.
• Choose the level of likelihood and the level of severity and determine the final risk outcome.

Attachment:- Research and project.rar