WSU Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) Program

The goal of the SPCC program is to help Washington State University maintain clean waterways and wetlands.  The program is part of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Water Act.  The ultimate goal of the program is to prevent oil discharges from taking place through safe work practices and the use of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP).  If a discharge does take place, together we control and contain the discharged oil to minimize environmental damage. After the oil discharge has been contained we cleanup the oil to acceptable EPA levels.

Part of the requirements of the program is oil handler personnel training and annual refreshers.  Every employee who potentially works on or with containers that can hold 42 gallons or more (moving drums, working with generators or electrical equipment, cooking oil, etc.) is subject to this training.  If you are a new employee who has not completed the initial training please contact Jason Sampson at 335-9564.  For those employees that have completed the initial training, this year’s annual refresher training may be completed online.  Please proceed through the training and then certify you have completed the training by clicking on the link provided at the bottom of the training page.  If you have any questions please contact EH&S at 335-3041.

PPE Hazard Assessment and Training

The personal protective equipment regulation requires that each employer assess the workplace to determine if hazards are present, or likely to be present, which necessitate the use of personal protective equipment. If such hazards are present, or are likely to be present, the employer must have each affected employee use the proper equipment to protect him/her from workplace hazards. Each employee must be trained how to make proper decisions about protective equipment to be used in the workplace. The protective equipment selected must fit the affected employee.

The employer is required to verify that the required workplace hazard assessment has been performed. For purposes of the laboratory safety program requirements, each PI or lab instructor is required to certify the proper assessment has been performed. Also, a certification that affected employees are properly trained must be prepared. Included on this certificate is information containing the name of each employee trained, the date(s) of training, and the subject of certification.

Blank certificates which comply with the personal protective equipment rule are provided with each “SOP” form, for convenience. For further information about the personal protective equipment rule and it’s certification requirements, please refer to the WSU Safety Policies and Procedures Manual Section 3.10.

For additional information on PPE, see the following Fact Sheets:

• Work Place Hazard Assessment: PPE
• Eye and Face Protection
• Foot and Leg Protection
• Hand Protection
• Latex Allergies
• Respiratory Protection

Laboratory Vacuum Pumps: Care and Use

training / factsheets

Mechanical vacuum pumps used in laboratories pose common hazards. These are the mechanical hazards associated with any moving parts and the chemical hazards of contaminating the pump oil with volatile substances and subsequently releasing them into the lab. A few guidelines will help in the safe use of these devices.

Vacuum System

Vacuum systems pose severe implosion hazards. Follow these guidelines and requirements to ensure system safety:

• Ensure that pumps have belt guards in place during operation.
• Ensure that service cords and switches are free from defects.
• Do not place pumps in an enclosed, unventilated cabinet.
• Do not operate pumps near containers of flammable chemicals.
• Do not use solvents which might damage the pump.
• Always close the valve between the vacuum vessel and the pump before shutting off the pump to avoid sucking vacuum oil into the system.
• Place a pan under pumps to catch oil drips.
• Check oil levels and change oil when necessary. Replace and properly dispose of vacuum pump oil that is contaminated with condensate. Used pump oil must be disposed as hazardous waste.
• Conduct all vacuum operations behind a table shield or in a fume hood and always wear safety glasses.
• Always use a trap on vacuum lines to prevent liquids from being drawn into the pump, house vacuum line, or water drain.

Traps

When using a vacuum source, it is important to place a trap between the experimental apparatus and the vacuum source. The vacuum trap:

• protects the pump and the piping from the potentially damaging effects of the material,
• protects people who must work on the vacuum lines or system, and
• prevents vapors and related odors from being emitted back into the laboratory or system exhaust.

When using a vacuum-filtration assembly, pay strict attention to the liquid levels in the trap bottle. Use a secondary trap bottle so that if liquid in the primary trap bottle reaches the inlet tubes, the liquid will be vacuumed into the secondary container instead of the pump. This will help reduce vapors in the atmosphere and expensive vacuum pump replacement costs.

If you are directly vacuuming large quantities of gases over a long period of time, contact Environmental Health & Safety for assistance in identifying appropriate filters for minimizing vapor release.

If a vacuum pump is required for lower pressures, the pump must be fitted with a cold trap to condense the volatiles. A cold trap is a condensing device to prevent moisture contamination in a vacuum line. When using a cold trap:

• Locate the cold trap between the system and vacuum pump.
• Ensure that the cold trap is of sufficient size and cold enough to condense vapors present in the system.
• Check frequently for blockages in the cold trap.
• Use isopropanol/dry ice or ethanol/dry ice instead of acetone/dry ice to create a cold trap. Isopropanol and ethanol are less expensive, less toxic, and less prone to foam.
• Use gloves when handling the dry ice.
• Do not use dry ice or liquefied gas refrigerant bath as a closed system. These can create uncontrolled and dangerously high pressures.
• Liquid nitrogen should only be used with sealed or evacuated equipment, and then only with extreme caution. If the system is opened while the cooling bath is still in contact with the trap, oxygen may condense from the atmosphere and react vigorously with any organic material present.
• Maintain a cold trap between a vacuum pump and the apparatus – do not use liquid nitrogen as trap coolant when pumping organic compounds (liquid oxygen may condense in the trap, leading to explosive oxidation).
• A disinfectant trap should be used in-line when a vacuum is used with hazardous biological materials.

Container Selection

• Do not apply a vacuum to a flatbottomed flask. Use only containers that can withstand vacuum operations – heavy-walled round-bottomed glassware or specifically-designed glassware (e.g., Erlenmeyer filtration flasks).
• Wrap exposed glass with tape to prevent flying glass if an implosion occurs.
• Carefully inspect vacuum glassware before and after each use. Dispose of any glass that is chipped, scratched, broken, or otherwise stressed.

Desiccators

It is important to use properly designed equipment for experiments carried out under reduced or elevated pressure.

• Vacuum desiccators should be enclosed in approved shielding device or protected with a framework of wire, nylon or other suitable material.
• Glass desiccators often have a slight vacuum due to contents cooling. When possible, use molded plastic desiccators with high tensile strength. For glass desiccators, use a perforated metal desiccator guard.
• Air admittance should be carried out gradually. When opening, make sure atmospheric pressure has been restored.
• Never carry an evacuated desiccator.

Getting Assistance

If you have questions regarding the safe use of vacuum pumps, contact your supervisor or EH&S.

Electrophoresis Power Supply Safety

training / factsheets

Many laboratories routinely use electrophoresis equipment without incident. However, the power supply runs at a voltage and amperage sufficient to deliver a potentially fatal electric shock. Therefore, it is essential to use electrophoresis power supplies safely.

Custodial Services

Custodians may perform services in laboratories which include floor sweeping, mopping and waxing. Custodians performing services in laboratories after-hours may encounter spilled or released hazardous chemicals, radioactive materials, or biohazardous materials. Custodial employees are never required to come into contact with such materials.

1. If a custodian observes what appears to be spilled or released hazardous material, the following should be done:
2. The custodian should immediately leave the area and contact his/her supervisor. Information about the release is provided to the custodial supervisor.
3. The custodian’s supervisor investigates the spill/release circumstance, and makes a decision concerning one of three courses of action:
4. If the spilled /released material appears not to be immediately dangerous or life-threatening, the custodial supervisor should contact the emergency contact (PI or lab supervisor) listed on the laboratory door. From information provided by the emergency contact, the custodial supervisor can make a decision about the continued work activity of the custodial employee in the area.

Custodians may perform services in laboratories which include floor sweeping, mopping and waxing. Custodians performing services in laboratories after-hours may encounter spilled or released hazardous chemicals, radioactive materials, or biohazardous materials. Custodial employees are never required to come into contact with such materials.

• A. If a custodian observes what appears to be spilled or released hazardous material, the following should be done:
  • The custodian should immediately leave the area and contact his/her supervisor. Information about the release is provided to the custodial supervisor.
  • The custodian’s supervisor investigates the spill/release circumstance, and makes a decision concerning one of three courses of action:

    If the spilled /released material appears not to be immediately dangerous or life-threatening, the custodial supervisor should contact the emergency contact (PI or lab supervisor) listed on the laboratory door. From information provided by the emergency contact, the custodial supervisor can make a decision about the continued work activity of the custodial employee in the area.

    If no emergency laboratory contact can be reached, and if there is any possibility that dangerous exposure to people may be possible or that university property may be damaged the custodial supervisor calls 911 and reports the information to the Fire/Police dispatcher. The custodial supervisor then places the following notice on all laboratory doors leading directly into the laboratory.

  

   When 911 is called by the custodial supervisor the Fire/Police dispatcher collects as much information as possible. Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) and/or WSU Fire Services responders are located and sent to the location. Whenever response personnel arrive at the suspected spill/release site, an evaluation is made about any potentially dangerous conditions.

  If EH&S responds to the spill and finds dangerous conditions, the door is posted with the danger notice or barricade-taped, as per SOP. EH&S then arranges for containment and/or cleanup of the spilled/released material. After the spill is properly managed, a notice is placed on the door indicating the room is released for normal work practices. The main office of Facilities Operations custodial services is contacted by telephone and informed of the release of work space.

  If EH&S responds to the spill and finds no dangerous conditions, a notice is placed on the door indicating the room is released for normal work practices (including laboratory, custodial, maintenance, etc.). The main office Facilities Operations custodial services is contacted by telephone and informed of the release of work space.

  If WSU Fire Services responds to the spill, the area is secured by Fire Services personnel until the arrival of EH&S spill/release evaluators.

  If satisfactory information provided by the laboratory emergency contact is received by the custodial supervisor, demonstrating that the spilled/released material is not dangerous or damaging, the custodial supervisor locks the laboratory door and leaves a message concerning the released material. Laboratory employees can manage the non-dangerous spilled material the following work day. Custodial employees are never required to clean up any spilled or released laboratory hazardous chemical material.

• B. Custodians may perform the removal of trash from the laboratory trash receptacles. If a custodian suspects the presence of improperly disposed waste material in the trash, he/she immediately informs the custodial supervisor. The custodial supervisor determines whether the trash may be safely removed. If the custodial supervisor suspects improper disposal practices, the trash is left in place, and the following notice is placed on the laboratory door. A copy of the notice is sent to Environmental Health & Safety the following work day. Laboratory personnel must properly dispose of the material the following work day.

  Notice of Improper Disposal Practices Washington State University Facilities Operations Custodial Services Division ATTENTION: LABORATORY PERSONNEL YOUR WASTE WAS NOT COLLECTED BY THE CUSTODIAN ON THIS ROUTE FOR THE FOLLOWING REASON(S): ____ Radiation sign appears on or in waste container. ____ “Sharps” present in regular waste container (e.g., needles), not in a Horizontal Entry Sharps Container. ____ Trash contains glass which is not double-boxed in cardboard boxes. ____ Biohazard symbol appears in or on container. ____ Blood or blood soaked items in regular waste, not in biohazard box. ____ Dead animals or animal parts in waste. ____ Unapproved animal bedding and waste in regular waste, not in biohazard box. ____ Unknown powder or loose liquid in waste container. ____ Empty chemical bottles not rinsed clean and uncapped for collection. Note: Triple rinse is only required on Environmental Hazardous Waste. Other: _____________________________________________________ Building and Room No. of Problem:___________________________________ Custodial Supervisor:____________________________________________ FOR PROPER WASTE DISPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS REFER TO THE WSU SAFETY POLICIES AND PROCEDURES MANUAL, REFER TO ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY (EH&S) WEBSITE AT www.ehs.wsu.edu, OR CONTACT EH&S AT 335-3041. Forward copy to Environmental Health and Safety, Zip 1172.