Personal protection and safety measures
Personal protective equipment (PPE) compromises equipment used by an employee during work, to protect against risks and dangers that may represent a threat or increased risk to health or security for the individual.
Examples of PPE used in the laboratory include gloves, goggles/face protection, respirators, hearing protection, lab coat and footwear.
Use of personal protective equipment
Use of PPE is based on risk assessment. When planning a project and experiments it must be natural that HMS safety considerations are to be taken into account, including use of personal protection equipment. PPE will be used when safety or health of an employee is not adequately safeguarded by only use of technical installations at the workplace, for example through the use of a fume cupboard or security bench (see point 2 in this chap). PEE should be considered if working methods/processes are altered.
It is the responsibility of a research group/unit to ensure that PPE is available and necessary training is given. On the other hand, it is the duty of the employee to use protective equipment, when performing procedures with an increased risk of causing harm or injury during work.
Protective gloves
Protective gloves come in many different varieties, and there are significant differences in material, construction, comfort and areas of use. The various materials differ in their ability to withstand different chemicals. There are no gloves that provide optimal protection for all types of work operations. Therefore, it is very important to choose the correct type of glove to achieve optimal protection. In some cases, it can be appropriate to combine different types of gloves to achieve optimal protection.
The choice of which type of glove to be used, is based on the following criteria:
- What type of exposure one is to be subjected to
- What sort of work is to be carried out
- What the glove should protect against
- How long the glove will be used
- The level of function one must have to perform the work
To facilitate the choice of protective gloves, a glove guide glove guide has been compiled that shows the breakthrough time for the most commonly used chemicals at UoB. Information about the different types of gloves, such as Barrier, Sol-Vex, Neotop and PVA can be found here.
At the UoB, we avoid gloves made of natural rubber (latex), as one may develop latex allergy. Vinyl gloves should be avoided, because they contain phthalates, which can be harmful to reproduction and additionally release chlorine when burned. For regular laboratory work, nitrile gloves are recommended.
Eye protection
Goggles shall be used if your work, or someone working in the immediate vicinity, involved larger amounts of liquid and there is a change for spills.
If a work with cytostatica is performed outside the fume hood or safety bench safety, goggles must be used.
Respiratory protection
There are many different types of respiratory protection equipment, the choice depending on what it is to protect against.
Respiratory protection equipment provides safety against for example:
- Dust and smoke
- Gases and vapours
- Aerosols
- Biological factors
Which type of equipment is required is to be found in the MSDS of the substance in question.
A basic face mask is not regarded as respiratory protection equipment, but can prevent droplet infection and to a lesser extent against splashes and larger particles.
There are two main types of respiratory protection: filtering and external air-supplied.
- Filtering respiratory protection equipment
- Can be used if a suitable filter is available and if the concentration of the polluting substance is not too high. Both half-masks and particle masks are the most common variants used at UoB. Whole masks with or without a hood are also in use. Particle masks are divided into three types - P1, P2 and P3, where P3 gives the highest protection. There is also filtering respirators fitted with a gas filter, and different filters protect against different types of gas. Air-supplied respiratory protective equipment
- Rarely used at UoB. This type of respiratory equipment consist of either a motor that produces vacuum such that air is sucked through the filter, or a compressed air tank that supplies fresh air.
Additional information in a folder from the Labour Inspection Department (Norwegian Only)
Hearing protection
Noise is sound that we perceive as particularly unpleasant or troublesome. Noise can damage hearing, but in addition lead to an increased level of stress, discomfort and pain, and even result in a high risk of developing heart disease, or disorders in the blood circulation.
Laboratory coat
During experimental work, wearing a laboratory coat is mandatory to protect your clothing and skin. To minimize contamination risks, always remove the lab coat before exiting the laboratory. Use coats made of cotton, since those made of synthetic material can generate static electricity and posing serious burns in the event of an accident.
Protection ventilation
Protective ventilation refers to specialized ventilation systems designed primarily for personal protection during work activities that pose a risk of exposure to harmful airborne substances.
Commn type of protective ventilations systems include:
- Spot ventilation
- Ventilation hood
- Ventilated cabinet
- Fume hood (cupboard)
- Ventilation bench
- Safety bench (class l,-II and-III)
For detailed descriptions of the most commonly used and relevant ventilation systems, please refer to the provided documentation. (link to a pdf-file)
Factors affecting ventilation efficiency
In addition to construction and geometry of the installations, several other factors influence the efficiency of ventilation:
- The installation's location in the room
- Ventilation capacity measured in terms of airflow
- The quality and quantity of air supply
- Degree of automation integrated into the system
- User interface and functionality
