Standard Operating Procedure

LOCAL SAFETY OFFICER: Stefan Sellner
ROOM: McKay 312, 314, 318
P.I.: Peter S. Pershan

DATE: August 17, 2006

TYPE OF RESEARCH: Experimental condensed matter physics, physics of liquid surfaces and interfaces

PROTECTIVE CLOTHING THAT MUST BE USED FOR ALL WORK:

• Safety Glasses - Must be employed when working with any process that could throw off debris (e.g. drilling holes).
• Face Shields - Must be employed when working with highly corrosive acids (e.g. sulfuric acid).
• Rubber Boots - N/A
• Safety Goggles - Must be employed when working with any chemicals that could cause eye damage upon contact (e.g. acids). Must be worn when working with significant amounts of liquid nitrogen.
• Aprons - Lab safety coats must be worn when working with any corrosive chemicals (e.g strong acids and bases).
• Gloves - (Please specify type) Thick tan rubber gloves must be worn when handling corrosive chemicals. Minimum of disposable polyethylene gloves must be worn for handling any chemicals. Cryogenic gloves must be worn when working with liquid helium or significant amounts of liquid nitrogen. When working with chemicals or other materials that warrant the use of protective gloves (such as work with cryogens), proper glove selection is critical. At the Safety Committee web site (http://www-safety.deas.harvard.edu) under "Safety Committee Services" can be found a listing of glove type vs. chemical. If there is any question, see Lenny Solomon.
• Steel-toed Shoes - Should be worn when moving heavy objects.
• Respirators - N/A
• Laser Safety Goggles - N/A
• Other - N/A

GENERAL HOUSEKEEPING RULES:

1. Chemicals should be stored on lab benches and in fume hoods only when in active use. Otherwise, chemicals should be stored in the appropiate chemical cabinets under the fume hoods or in the appropriate safety cabinets in the closets. See below.
2. Follow the rules for the hazardous waste disposal (See below). Use the hazardous waste pick-up operation provided by Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S), 496-3322, for the disposal of hazardous wastes.
3. Avoid cluttering of lab spaces.
4. No food or drinks in the labs.

WASTE DISPOSAL RULES:

1. All chemical wastes must be properly labelled. Use the special labels provided by the EH&S.
2. As soon as a bottle of chemical wastes is full, fill out the date on the label and call the EH&S hazardous waste pick-up (6-3322) for the removal of the waste from the lab.
3. All uncontaminated broken glasses must be disposed in the broken glass box marked "sharps and broken glasses."
4. Contaminated broken glasses must be placed in an appropriate separate container, and should be disposed through hazardous waste pick-up (EH&S, 6-3322).
5. All used syringes and syringe needles must be disposed in the red container labelled "syringes and syringe needles."

FUME HOOD USE:

1. Fume hoods are located in Room 312 (one in the front room, another in the back room) and room 318.
2. Do not obstruct fume hoods or use them for passive storage.
3. All fume hoods are automatically inspected and certified by EH&S once per year. If you notice a fume hood with certification that is more than one year old, let the local safety officer know immediately; he will contact the EH&S to arrange for an inspection.

CHEMICAL STORAGE:

1. Under each fume hood are a flammable cabinet and a corrosive/acids cabinet. Chemicals and hazardous wastes can be stored in these cabinets. Secondary containments trays are required for both chemicals and chemical wastes.
2. There is a large flammable liquid cabinet in the closet right next to the entrance door to Room 314. Only fresh bottles of flammable liquids may be stored in this cabinet. No wastes are allowed in this cabinet.
3. There is a large corrosives/acids cabinet in the closet right next to the entrance door to Room 318. Only fresh bottles of corrosive/acid chemicals may be stored in this cabinet. No wastes are allowed in this cabinet.
4. Do not store acids and bases in the same secondary containment trays.

SPECIAL TRAINING REQUIRED:

1. All personel in this lab must take the initial (in-person) hazardous waste disposal training offered by the EH&S. The schedule for the Hazrdous Waste Classroom Training can be found at: http://www.uos.harvard.edu/ehs/training/ehs_class_sched.html
2. All personel in this lab must take the on-line hazardous waste refresher training every year. The Hazardous Waste Refresher Training can be taken at: http://www.uos.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/ehs/page_1.pl

CHEMICAL SPILL CLEAN-UP PROCEDURES:

1. Small spills should be cleaned up by those in the lab.
2. The spill kits are located in the shelf of Room 312 and under the fume hood in Room 318.
3. For large spills, clear the area of personnel and call the University Operations Center (5-5560).

OTHER RELEVANT COMMENTS:

1. Always ASK FIRST before attmpting to take any action that might be hazardous.
2. Procedures specific to the cryogenic work:
   • Avoid touching cold surfaces.
   • Liquid Nitrogen: cryogenic gloves and goggles required when working with significant amounts of liquid nitrogen.
   • Liquid helium: helium may displace breathing oxygen. In case of significant helium boil-off, ventilate the room. Use cryogenic gloves.
3. Procedures specific to UHV chamber:
   • Be careful with the high voltage cable leading to the UHV chamber.
   • Do not bring anything wet close to the high voltage cable.
4. Procedures specific to the glove box: No open flames are allowed near the gas cylinder (10% hydrogen, 90% Argon).
5. Useful information regarding the lab safety can be found at the following Web sites:
   • DEAS/Physics Safety Committee Web Page: http://www-safety.deas.harvard.edu/
   • Harvard Department of Environmental Health & Safety Web Page: http://www.uos.harvard.edu/ehs/
   • Materials Safety Data Sheet Web Page: http://www.uos.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/msds/msds_bl.pl