DEAS/Physics Safety Committee

Meeting Minutes

Wednesday, March 13, 2002
Noon-1:00PM

1. Video - none (projector was not working)

2. 2000/2001 Lab Inspection Reports - Team Chairs

A. Team # 2 (McKay 4-5) Steve Shepard:

• Rm. 431 (dark room): No problems
• Rm. 406: 10% H2 gas (flammable) with flexible/polypropelene hose. Is this ok?
• Rm. 417: No HF antidote. No goggles available.
• Rm. 418: Electrical power strip on floor, next to water chiller. Should raise it off floor in case of leaks/flooding.
• Rms. 501-509: LOTS of old chemicals (many duplicates) and gases. Should do an inventory to determine what is necessary.
• Rm. 513: EXCESS trash, pipets. Should be removed.
• Rm.502: No HF antidote.
• Rm.510: Ammonium Hyroxide, Hydrogen Peroxide, etc. in refrigerator should be separated and in secondary containers. Gas cylinder/regulator attached using Teflon tape. Gas suppliers recommend not doing this because the connection can untighten and result in a leak.
• Rm.512: MESSY/CLUTTERED hood. Should be cleaned.
• Mostly minor issues. Overall the two floors were very good safetywise

B. Team # 6 (ESL/HEPL) John Chervinsky:

• HEPL
  • General Comments: All of the labs looked very good.
  • Problems: 2 untied cylinders in experimental hall; they were located in the rack next to the large door leading to the outside.
• ESL 114: Laser (class 2) without a warning sign; Trip Hazard across door; Unused water line that needed to be capped.
• ESL 215-205c Trip hazard with a computer cable running across floor of hall between the two rooms; it would be better to put the cable up in the ceiling.
• ESL 214 - Class IV laser without appropriate eye protection available.
• ESL 213 - Class IIIB laser without safety goggles available.
• ESL 203 - Dark room without appropriate ventilation
• ESL 305 - Fire extinguisher out of date by five years.

C. Team # 7 (Link) Nan Shen

• Wofsy group:
  • antifreeze under sink without secondary container
  • unlabeled containers of liquid on shelf above sink
  • do chemicals in cabinets (metal & wood/glass) need secondary containers?
  • unlabeled containers in a postal box - NOT a good secondary container
• Anderson group:
  • Electrical Lab upstairs
    • plastic bags, boxes, & bottles on vent
    • unlabeled sponge-water bottles on soldering bench (they should be labeled so that no-one accidentally drinks out of them, as they are standard drink bottles!)
    • coffee cup on soldering bench - uncovered electronics panel on wall (possibly an old thermostat?)
    • no sign on fire extinguisher
  • Downstairs
    • lasers present, but no goggles near door
    • metal brackets in walkway (from a disassembled workstation)
    • 2 cylinders strapped to carts (we don't view this as a safety violation, just a note perhaps not to make this a permanent situation)
    • 2 bottles of acetone without secondary containment on workbench
    • caution tape tied AROUND fire extinguisher handle, rendering it ineffective
    • chemicals on top of emergency shutoff in lab (near sink)
    • room 126A - oil in an open unstable container on floor
    • unlabeled 'waste' container & stacked bottles in cabinet marked for non-waste use
    • room 125 - chemicals in fume hood too close to front
    • uncovered electrical panel on wall (another thermostat?)
  • Machine shop area
    • difficult to find and/or access emergency shutoff
    • only 1 pair goggles found

D. Team # 8 (Maxwell/Dworkin) Tanya Zelevinsky

• Building/room=MD, 338 ( + student labs)
  • P.I.=Roger Brockett
  • Date of Inspection=1/29/02
  • Lead Inspector=Tanya Zelevinsky
  • Phone=495-9506
  • Eating, drinking, smoking=Yes
  • Protective clothing=Yes
  • Emergency access sheets=Yes
  • Egress=Yes
  • Appropriate egress=Yes
  • Shelving, cabinets anchored=Yes
  • Containers for sharps=Yes
  • Mouth pipeting prohibited=Yes
  • Equipment safety features well maintained=Yes
  • Vacuum pump outlets filtered/exhausted=Yes
  • Moving equipment guarded=Yes
  • General Safety Comments=The lab is clean and very passable. No excessive clutter.
  • MSDS's easily accessible=Yes
  • Chemical spill kits available=Yes
  • Eyewash/safety shower provided=Yes
  • Carcinogens/toxic chemicals handled=Yes
  • Containers labeled=Yes
  • Refrigerators clearly labeled=Yes
  • Incompatible chemicals separated=Yes
  • Flammables stored correctly=Yes
  • Flammable storage free of ignition sources=Yes
  • Gas cylinders used properly=Yes
  • Gas cylinders checked for hydrostatic test data=Yes
  • HF antidote handy=Yes
  • Chemical handling and storage comments=They don't use chemicals.
  • Fume hoods certified annually=Yes
  • Hazardous processes done under fume hood=Yes
  • Sufficient storage space=Yes
  • Sufficient unobstructed space for air movement=Yes
  • Fume hood comments=No fume hood.
  • Emergency shutoffs marked and accessible=Yes
  • Electrical cords not exposed to chemicals=Yes
  • Electric equipment not exposed to excessive temperatures=Yes
  • Electrical cords in good shape=Yes
  • Electrical equipment grounded or double insulated=Yes
  • No unfused multiple plug-ins=Yes
  • Necessary high voltage warning posted=Yes
  • Electrical safety comments=Good electrical safety.
  • Fire doors closed and unobstructed=Yes
  • Fire extinguishers ready and conspicuous=Yes
  • Extinguishers charged an inspected=Yes
  • Written fire emergency plan readily available=Yes
  • Aisles/exits unobstructed=Yes
  • Fire safety comments=
  • Work areas with radioactive materials properly labeled=Yes
  • Protective clothing=Yes
  • Proper dosimetry=Yes
  • Radioactive material apparatus properly labeled=Yes
  • Detection instruments available and calibrated=Yes
  • Adequate safety for all harmful radiation=Yes
  • Radiation safety comments=No radioactive materials in use.
  • Laser safety procedures followed=Yes
  • Warning signs posted=Yes
  • Laser safety comments=No lasers in the lab.
  • Additional comments=Everything looks good.

E. Team # 9 (A.R.T.) Lenny Solomon

• Install side railing on gantry that supports large sections of wood, etc. This currently is a fall hazard since the gantry is about 15 feet above floor level and no railing exists.
• Provide training for personnel in the use of overhead cranes, fork-lift truck, and the proper methods of lifting heavy objects.
• Install belt guard on drill press.
• Provide training for cleaning of blood-borne pathogens. Lenny will contact Sid Paula.
• Action: Lenny will investigate exact government regulations involving the use of personal protective equipment and provide them to Steve.

3. Follow-up Inspection Reports:

A. McKay 1-3:

1. Nan Shen (Mazur Lab):
   • Rm 328 - Stray laser light on wall; not a direct beam, probably not dangerous. The beam is indirect and therefore not really dangerous, but we put up a sign on the lab door to warn people about the light.
   • Rm 329A - Coffee cup near chemicals; cup has been removed
   • Rm 329A - Electric cord stretched across aisle; it was temporary, and we no longer need to use that instrument with the cord.
2. Parisa Fallahi (McKay 2nd floor): coffee machine in lab--there are no chemicals in that room, the room is also used as an office. The coffee machine is OK so long as there are no chemicals in the room.
3. Steve Shepard (McKay 2nd floor):
   • Hose coming from pump--the pump has been removed.
   • No HF antidote in cleanroom because there is no HF (not allowed)
   • plexiglass will be extended in front of the hood
   • gas cylinder removed
   • safety glasses are there
4. Pershan Lab (Kyle Alvine not present) - OK, there are no problems.
5. SEM Lab - no one present

B. Cruft/Pierce:

1. Hau Lab - this is a new space and is in transition. Many issues were due to this.
   • laser signs have been turned on
   • fire extinguishers installed
   • hoses on floor removed
   • signage has been posted
   • safety glasses are there
   • spill kit has been ordered
   • contact info has been posted on doors
2. Electrical Shop (Cruft)
   • Not yet finished moving in--needs cleaning
3. Wind Tunnel Room (Pierce)
   • Re: secondary containment issues--the containers are fine as is.
4. Machine Shop (Pierce)
   • Info sheet is OK
   • Will purchase kitty litter for oil spills
5. Pierce G7C - everything is OK
6. Pierce B12 - tank of unknown green fluid--fluid was tested and determined to be not hazardous waste, so it can be pumped out.
7. Small junk room - gradually being cleaned up
8. Pierce G7
   • Safety officer was not present to give report
• Fluid must be marked

C. Lyman:

1. Silvera Lab
   • All issues have been addressed
   • Wash basin should be moved--still not resolved (should talk to Stuart McNeil)
   • Problem with laser lights not solved (Stuart McNeil should take care of this)
   • The need to tie down cylinders that are on a wheeled cart was questioned. Consensus was that they are OK as is.
   • Eye wash station is needed (Stuart McNeil will need to deal with this).
2. Doyle Lab
   • Stuff moved out of fume hood room
   • Gas cylinders have been secured
   • Lyman 27 - cylinders secured
   • Still need fire extinguisher
   • Safety glasses are present
   • Have pit cover
3. Horowitz Lab
   • Safety officer was not present
   • Still need fire extinguisher
   • Safety info on doors needed updating
   • There was ethylalcohol near a microwave

D. Jefferson:

1. Room 130 - safety officer not present to give report.
2. Prentiss Group
   • Fire extinguisher will be updated
   • Fume hood needs to be updated - this is done as a building-wide inspection. Stuart McNeil must deal with this.
3. Gabrielse Group (Tanya reported)
   • Fume hood dated 1999 in Jefferson 161
   • Cables on floor were removed
   • Solvent bottles empty
   • Mess has been cleaned up
4. Golovchenko Group
   • Fume hood is still out-of-date

4. On-line Laser Training - Rob Stanhope

We received the upgrade for Adobe Premiere and were able to export three streaming videos (Quicktime) in preparation for the laser safety training module. The quality of the videos, even after compression, is excellent! We will meet with Professor Mazur in the near future about posting the videos to the website. Suvendra Dutta estimated it will not be until the summer, before he can work on programming the database to monitor the module users.

5. EH&S Report

• Mike Labosky: Chris Centrella is updating the website to provide guidelines for filling out the hazardous waste tags.
• The MSDS has been switched to a new service from Canada.

6. Hazardous Waste Training Report - Rob Stanhope

• Rob read the names of a few people needing to complete their training updates.
• There were no violations found during the monthly SAA inspections.

7. Spring Safety Seminars - Lenny

Lenny announced that the upcoming Safety Seminars have been scheduled. A list of them can be found below. People interested in taking a training seminar may register at http://www-safety.deas.harvard.edu/services/seminars.html.

TBA	Radiation Safety **	TBA	TBA	Prof. Michael Aziz
April 2	Right-to-Know Law & Chemical Hygiene Plan *	12:00-1:00pm	Pierce 320	Lenny Solomon
April 5	Laser Safety **	2:30-3:30pm	Pierce 320	Prof. Eric Mazur
April 8	Iron Age Safety Shoe truck	11:00-1:00pm	Behind Pierce & Maxwell/Dworkin	Iron Age Shoes
April 8	Standard CPR - Pre-registration is required (no later than March 25th)!	9:00am-1:00pm	Pierce 100F	Red Cross
April 9	CPR Review - Preregistration is required (no later than March 25th)!	9:30am-11:30am	Pierce 100F	Red Cross
April 9	Compressed Gas Safety **	12:00-1:00pm	Pierce 320	Lenny Solomon
April 10	Hazardous Waste Training	2:00-3:00pm	Mallinckrodt Div. Rm.	Cate Thomas
May 7	Shipping of Hazardous Materials **	12:00-1:00pm	Pierce 320	Lenny Solomon
May 8	Hazardous Waste Training	2:00-3:00pm	Mallinckrodt Div. Rm.	Cate Thomas
May 15	Avoiding Repetitive Strain Injury **	12:00-1:00pm	Pierce 320	Lenny Solomon
May 21	Hazards in the Lab - Training For Custodial Staff *	1:00-2:00pm	Pierce 320	Lenny Solomon
May 23	Chemical Safety **	12:00-1:00pm	Pierce 320	Cate Thomas

8. Old Business - none

9. New Business

• Mary Walsh commented that people have been parking their bicycles near an exit door at Maxwell/Dworkin, thus blocking the exit. She would like a sign to be posted that states "no bike parking". Ed Jackson commented that he will simply remove the bikes.
• Ed Jackson -- roof boards will be ripped one week from today at McKay. They will have to retest fume hoods.
• Lenny mentioned that he has ordered some voice recognition software to address RSI issues in some people.
• Howard Herman-Haase reported that he has discovered a new funnel to be used when filling hazardous waste bottles. Call him for information on it.
• McKay 2nd Floor SAA (Marcus Group), Room 213 - The safety officer was told to move bottles to the main accumulation area! Is this a new policy?? Mike Labosky said he would ask about it.

Next Meeting: Wednesday, April 10th, 12:00 noon, Maxwell/Dworkin 119