Tulane University - Office of Environmental Health & Safety (OEHS) Equipment Safety For Laboratory...

Tulane University - Office of Environmental Health & Safety (OEHS)

Equipment Safety

For Laboratory and Facility Employees

Tulane UniversityJune 2012


Objectives• To become aware of the need to inspect

equipment• To identify provisions of proper machine

safeguarding & hazards involving loose-fitting clothes, long hair, & jewelry

• To identify procedures for addressing potentially contaminated equipment

• To review basic Lockout/Tagout procedures


Safe Use of Equipment

• Regularly inspect equipment, including office machines such as copiers & printers.

• Use equipment according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.


Safe Use of Equipment• The easiest way to avoid injury is to use

properly guarded equipment and appropriate safety equipment.

• Avoid loose-fitting clothes and long hair that might become entangled in a power tool and remove rings, watches, neck chains and other jewelry.

• Avoid contact with moving parts of the machinery.

•


Machine Guarding

• Guards are normally installed by manufacturer as standard equipment, but not all commercial equipment meets OSHA requirements.

• If guards are not provided, they must be installed locally before placing machine in operation.


Machine Guarding

• Ensure guard is in place to prevent contact with moving parts and hazardous motions.

• Areas needing guarding include belts, rollers, gears, saw blades, etc. (The belt and pulley are not guarded in the photo.)


Machine Guarding

• Guards should:– Prevent contact with body parts, hair, clothing– Be securely in place– Create no new hazard or interference– Allow for safe lubrication and maintenance.


Machine Guarding

• Guards must be firmly secured to the machine.– They should not be easily removed or subject to

tampering

• Guards must be made of a durable material that can withstand conditions of normal use.


Machine Guarding• Guards must create no new hazards, such as

a jagged edge or unfinished surface that could cause injury.– Guard edges should be rolled or bolted to

eliminate sharp edges.

• Guards should not interfere with work.– A guard that hampers work or makes work

uncomfortable may be overridden or disregarded.


Machine Guarding

• Where possible, lubricate equipment without removing safeguards.– For example: a lubricating reservoir outside the

guard with a line to the lubrication point reduces the need for the worker to remove the guard or work in the hazardous area.


Potentially Contaminated Equipment

• Contaminants can be due to both usage or materials used in manufacturing equipment: – Biological agents, radioactive materials, toxic

chemicals

– Mercury switches, PCBs in transformers, Halon/Freon).

• Examples: – Refrigerators or microwave ovens used with hazardous

materials

– Fixed building equipment (plenums, ductwork & vacuum systems associated with lab hoods)



• Prior to repair, transport or disposal, such equipment must be certified as safe with a written, attached tag.

• Certification is the responsibility of OEHS staff.

• The Departmental Safety Representative (DSR) or supervisor must contact OEHS for certification as per policy.


Potentially Contaminated Equipment• Facilities Services will not move or dispose

of any equipment that may contain or be contaminated with hazardous materials unless it has been tagged by OEHS.

• This applies primarily to lab equipment such as refrigerators, freezers, centrifuges, ovens, incubators, lasers, biological safety cabinets, laminar flow workstations , chemical and radiological fume hoods, etc.


Potentially Contaminated Equipment• Supervisors/Principal Investigators (PIs) are

responsible for preparing potentially contaminated equipment so that it is in a safe condition prior to equipment transfer (moved, serviced, shipped, or disposed).

• This includes decontaminating equipment and surfaces and removing hazardous materials (chemicals, radioactive materials, biological materials, blood, sharps, etc.).


Potentially Contaminated Equipment• Once the equipment is decontaminated, the responsible

Supervisor/PI must complete an Equipment Transfer Certification form.

• OEHS personnel will inspect the equipment and if all contaminants have been adequately removed, a green sticker will be placed on it.

• The sticker will indicate that the piece of equipment has been inspected by OEHS and is approved for transfer.

•



• For more information on Tulane’s Equipment Transfer Policy, see http://tulane.edu/oehs/safety/equiomenttransferinfo.cfm


Lockout/Tagout

• Lockout/Tagout is used to prevent the release of hazardous energy, or unexpected equipment startup/energization, which can cause injury.

• The goal of Lockout/Tagout is the neutralization of all energy sources (mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, chemical, thermal) to obtain zero mechanical state.


Lockout/Tagout

• Always lock and/or use cautionary signage (tag) on equipment during maintenance or repair work.

• Example: Lockout & tag out electrical switches when working on electrical distribution panels, sub-panels, motor controls, fixed equipment, etc.


Lockout/Tagout

• Ensure power sources are disconnected & tagged out of service, then test to ensure power is off before beginning work.

• Wear proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and use proper safety equipment.

• Upon completion of repair work, test the system before putting in service, restore controls to normal operations, remove tags, and replace panel covers.


Lockout/Tagout

• For additional information see: – OEHS Policies & Procedures Manual, Section 24,

“Facilities Services” (The Manual is available at http://tulane.edu/oehs/upload/PPMFullWebA.pdf .)

– OSHA Standard for Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout) 29 CFR 1910.147


Review• Inspect equipment to ensure it is safe and

proper safeguarding is in place.• Safeguards prevent contact with moving

parts and must not be removed when the equipment is in use.

• If not installed by the manufacturer, safeguards must be installed locally before placing equipment in operation.

Review

• Avoid loose-fitting clothes and long hair that might become entangled in a power tool and remove rings, watches, neck chains and other jewelry.



Review

• Potentially contaminated equipment must be certified as safe with a written tag prior to repair, cleaning, transporting or disposal.

• Lockout/Tagout is used to prevent equipment energization or unexpected movement.


Review

• Lockout is neutralization of all energy sources to obtain zero mechanical state.

• Tagout is tagging of machinery receiving maintenance or repair work.

Tulane UniversityOffice of Environmental Health & Safety (OEHS)

http://tulane.edu/oehs Karen Douglas (Uptown), Environmental Health & Safety Specialist

(504) 865-5307 / [email protected] Welch (Downtown), Assistant Director

(504) 988-3996 / [email protected]

If unable to proceed to quiz, type the link below into your browserhttps://audubon.tulane.edu/ehs/enterssn.cfm?testnum=124

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