DEAS/Physics Safety Committee
Wednesday, March 12, 2003
Noon-1:00PM
A. ESL and HEPL (John Dudek) - inspected by Louis Defeo, John Dudek, Bob Michniak on 1/22/03
- ESL 117 (Vlassak)
- bicycles in laboratory doorway
- sign labeled-“toxic chemicals, do not touch anything”- there should be a notice on the door and the toxic chemicals should be listed.
- ESL 118 (Vlassak) - should have a sign on the door for class 2 laser
- ESL 120 and 121 (Stanley)
- electrical cords on the floor
- in waste disposal area-one unlabeled plastic jug with a green liquid in it.
- Loading Dock (Stanley) - empty acetylene cylinder that was not chained to the wall. The cylinder size (3) was too small for the wall mount.
- ESL 205c (Weitz) - use of cardboard box as a table. Chemicals on cardboard box
- ESL 213 (Weitz)
- laser in use sign with light needed. There was a “Caution Laser in Use” sign but nothing indicating whether or not the laser was on or not. Double Check to see if needed or not.
- not sure if cardboard is the best method for enclosing the laser
- ESL 214 (Weitz) - electrical cords on the floor
- ESL 215 (Weitz) - a saturated KOH in ethanol bottle stored in the hood. Should be placed in a secondary container under or outside the hood
- ESL 216A (Weitz) - BNC cable on the floor
- ESL 302 (Mitchell) - secondary containment needed for chemicals stored under the hood
- ESL 323 (Martin) - Nitric acid bottles on the floor without any secondary containment
- ESL 326 (Martin) - should included compressed cylinders on the safety sheet (particular hazards) on the door
- HEPL Machine Shop: Okay
B. Lyman (Gary Zabow) - inspected on 1/17/03
- L130 (Silvera):
- Cluttered fume hood. Several containers not in secondary containment.
- Lecture bottle not tied down in hood
- Very old HF bottle in cupboard under hood with no warning signs. Bottle label badly peeling and was balanced on the edge of overfull 2nd containment.
- Emergency access sheet out of date (01/09/2002)
- L132 (Silvera):
- Hexane on desk, no 2nd containment.
- 2 small cylinders on shelf not secured
- Food sink is in lab (mugs etc). Should be separate
- L131 (Silvera):
- Acetone, methanol squirt bottles (do these need 2nd containment?) ANSWER: After some discussion during the February 2003 meeting, it was agreed that squirt-type bottles do not need a secondary container.
- L126 (Silvera):
- Ethyl alcohol squirt bottle (no 2nd containment? Necessary?) ANSWER: See above.
- Exposed hole in wall with exposed (presumably 110V) power cables dangling out into room
- L127, L128, L129 (Silvera): all fine
- L27 (Doyle):
- Acetone, methanol squirt bottles (2nd containment?) ANSWER: See above.
- Potentially dangerous high power laser beam close to ground across otherwise walkable path. Marking/warning tapes worn away. Path should be better demarcated / closed off.
- No emergency access sheet on door
- L31 (Doyle):
- Cluttered hood with old chemicals.
- Nitric acid under sink with no 2nd containment
- L20-L24 (Doyle):
- Interesting chair on wheels positioned right next to, and with back to, big hole /pit in ground….
- Argon tank and helium tank not secured
- Soda bottle and empty champagne bottle in lab
- Benzyl alcohol bottle on floor, no 2nd containment.
- Waste methyl, formic acid not in S.A.A.
- Apparently only one S.A.A and that is far away in another room across the corridor. Perhaps should have more than one SAA then?
- No emergency access sheets
- Horowitz Lab - All fine.
C. Jefferson Labs (Chris Slowe)
- Golovchenko Lab
- Jefferson 155 - Unsecured Oxygen bottle
- Jefferson 164
- Unmounted fire extinguisher
- MWRA Sticker on sink - used to be required, is this still (?) ANSWER: By regulation, only buildings with neutralization tanks require these stickers. However, Lenny feels that ALL sinks should have the MWRA stickers, since we do not want to overtax the MWRA system. Lance (from EH&S) will provide Lenny, Ed Jackson and Stuart McNeil with free stickers to distribute to anyone who needs them.
- Jefferson 166
- MWRA Sticker on sink (?) ANSWER: See above.
- Hood last inspected in ’99, needs update
- Chemical waste on counter, no secondary containment
- HF, but no antidote found, though an HF spill kit is available
- Gabrielse Lab
- Jefferson 165 - Chemical Storage room
- Lots of chemicals with no secondary containment (on shelves, counters)
- Bottle of antacid near sink (use?)
- Nitric acid solution too close to sink (could spill down drain)
- Cyanide solution, no cyanide antidote
- MWRA sticker near sink (?)
- Jefferson ??? - Laser lab (Gabrielse)
- Broken laser warning light
- Missing inspection tag on fire extinguisher
- Prentiss Lab
- Jefferson 154 – Chemical Storage room
- Chemicals on floor, no secondary containment
D. McKay, fl. 2-3 (John Budney) - John was not present at meeting.
3. Lab Inspection Follow-up Reports:
A. The Link Building - follow-up report presented by Lenny Solomon
- Anderson Lab:
- Main Lab Area -
- Exhaust hose across path at head level - After looking at the situation, it does not appear to be a hazard.
- Multiple trip hazards - There are no trip hazards.
- Hazardous waste accumulation area in sink in fume hood - This sink is rarely used and the SAA can be removed.
- All Calcium Gluconate (HF Antidote) expired - All have been replaced with new HF antidotes.
- Power strip suspended over sink in fume hood - The power strip has been removed.
- Leaky and old chemicals in corrosives cabinet - The cabinet has been cleaned-up and EH&S will remove the chemicals.
- Spill kit blocked by clutter - The clutter has been removed.
- Fire extinguisher outdated (March 2002) - The fire extinguisher has been re-serviced.
- Hazardous waste accumulation cabinet locked??? - This is actually a Main Accumulation Area and, therefore, it must remain locked according to regulation.
- Dowstairs -
- Fire extinguisher outdated (March 2002) - The fire extinguisher has been re-serviced.
- Oily rag storage- is this a fire hazard? - The rags are placed in a 55 gal drum with kitty-litter. Lance from EH&S checked it out and said it was in compliance with safety regulations.
B. McKay basement and 1st floor
- Basement clean room - Steve Shepard reported that most of the issues had to do with clutter. The clean room has been cleaned-up.
- Room 122 - Jeff Miller reported the following:
- Emergency access sheet - it is posted.
- Fire extinguishers were not obvious - They are in the hallway nearby.
- Satellite accumulation area??? There was a satellite accumulation area sign on a pump closet door in the outside hall. - The SAA is indeed there.
C. McKay Floors 4-5 - follow-up report presented by Andrea Del Vecchio
All cylinders have been tightened and secured. All emergency access info on doors has been updated. Solvents contained within squirt bottles do not need secondary containers, which addresses some of the safety concerns. More laser goggles will be purchased.
- Rm. 406 /Aziz - fire extg. needed - a fire extinguisher is not needed in this room.
- Rm. 410/ Aziz - cart blocking access to eyewash/sink - this has been moved.
- Rm. 418/ Pershan - unlabeled bottles near sink - these are squirt bottles (see above).
- Rm. 417-415/ Aziz, Spaepen
- unlabeled squirt bottles on top of flam. cabinet - these have been labeled
- trichloroethylene on counter - this has been put away
- polishing room, lots of unmarked chemicals - this has been cleaned-up
- Rm. 421/ Spaepen - yellow chemical under sink, no label - Andrea is still trying to determine what this liquid is.
- Rm. 424/ Aziz
- Kr tank unsecured on window ledge - This tank has a firm base and is very secure on the window ledge. The alternative location is the floor which presents a significant spill hazard. The tank is best left where it is.
- water bottles in lab - Andrea reported that the room is very large with very few chemicals in it. The chemicals are located at the opposite end of the room and present no danger to the water bottle. Lenny responded by saying it is difficult to prevent everyone in a lab from eating or drinking in lab areas; however, eating and drinking should not happen there at all.
- Rm. 510/ Aziz
- laser needs warning light - they need to get the light fixed.
- flight path exposed - this is not an issue.
- HF needs 2nd container, not same as other acid - this has been taken care of.
- Rm. 502 / Aziz
- fire extg out of date - this needs to be serviced. Ed Jackson will take care of it.
- trichloroethylene on counter - this has been removed.
- no laser warning light or sign - the laser warning light is there.
- Rm. 516 / Paul
- sharps not disposed of properly - sharps container is there now.
- cord on floor, trip hazard - this does not exist anymore.
D. Cruft/Pierce - due to time constraints, this follow-up report was postponed until the April meeting.
Lenny announced that the upcoming Safety Seminars have been scheduled and the dates are posted on our website. People interested in taking a training seminar may register at http://www-safety.deas.harvard.edu/services/seminars.html.
A schedule for CPR and First Aid training will be announced in the next few weeks.
5. EH&S report - Cathy Thomas
Over Pressurization Incident - Cathy Thomas reported on an accident that recently occurred here involving both Aqua Regia (75% HCL and 25% HNO3) and Piranha Solution (3:1 H2SO4 and H2O2). Both are used to clean glassware. Aqua Regia is a strong oxidizing agent and will over-pressurize if allowed to come in contact with organic compounds. A post-doc poured 500ml into a glass container in a fume hood. The container blew up and destroyed another nearby glass-container of hydrochloric acid. Glass shattered everywhere and splashed acid on the person. He should have rinsed off in an emergency shower; however, he ran to the next lab and rinsed his face in the lab. sink, then went home to shower.
Discussion:
Rob read two names of people who need retraining.
Anna Galea brought our attention to a recurring problem of unlocked doors in the basement area of Pierce Hall. She said that even though she and others have made sure that doors are locked at night, she often discovers that these same doors have later been unlocked and left unlocked over weekends and in the morning hours. She is concerned that construction workers have been opening these doors and then not locking them when they leave. Ed Jackson said he thinks it could be people we have contracted with to do construction work--they often need access to electrical closets, etc. in Pierce. Anna said it would be helpful if "authorized" strangers/visitors in the building were requires to wear ID tags. Many people at the meeting agreed with the ID tag suggestion. Others suggested using "key cards" on door locks.
The Iron Age Safety Shoe truck will be visiting Harvard on April 15th at 11:00am to 2:00pm and will be parked behind Pierce and Maxwell/Dworkin. People can purchase new safety shoes at that time.
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