Laboratory Safety Manual
The activities conducted in a laboratory are often associated with risks that may affect human health and the environment. If you work or study at a laboratory, you must know and comply with the existing laws and regulations. A change in working methods or a new laboratory must always be assessed for risk, and protective measures must be implemented to prevent accidents and ill health.
Laboratory activities include the handling of chemical products and gases, such as flammable goods, biological agents and ionizing radiation sources. A laboratory also contains technical equipment, pressurized vessels, and machines that pose risks when they are handled. Laboratory work is governed by many national and international laws and regulations, such as the Swedish Work Environment Act, the Swedish Environmental Code and the EU regulations REACH and CLP. The laboratory activities at Örebro University (ORU) are notifiable, and in many cases specific permits are also required.
The Laboratory Safety Manual is a university-wide document containing a summary of the laws and regulations. Laws and government regulations and rules always take precedence, followed by the university’s regulations and local procedures. The content of the Laboratory Safety Manual is updated with respect to changes in regulations within a reasonable time after the changes have been implemented. The Laboratory Safety Coordinator ensures that the content of the laboratory safety manual is up-to-date. Revision and evaluation of the content is carried out as needed and at least once a year.
It is up to the staff and students to find out and comply with the rules applicable to planned activities. The manager is responsible for work environment management, and for ensuring that employees and students have adequate knowledge. If you have questions, please contact the laboratory safety coordinator.
If you work and study in a laboratory, you must be familiar with:
- The risks and safety aspects associated with your work activities, and any specific tasks that could entail risks
- Other risks present in your workplace and how you can avoid them
- Procedures for ensuring safety, such as keeping things tidy, decontamination and activity instructions
- What points you should consider before starting a new task
- Where personal protective equipment is located, when and how to use it, how to maintain it and what its limitations are
- The meaning of different labelling symbols
- Existence and storage of the documents required, such as risk assessments and safety data sheets
- Legislation and rules regarding the handling of existing risk sources
- Evacuation plan in accordance with the Swedish Work Environment Authority's provisions on workplace design and what to do if an alarm goes off
- Emergency plan in the event of accidents or incidents
- How to use fire extinguishing equipment and who can perform first aid and related procedures.
- Training
- Required permits and applications
- Protective equipment
- Biosafety
- Chemical safety
- Handling of food for research purposes
- Machine safety
- Radiation protection
- Laboratory waste
- Dangerous goods and transport of dangerous goods
- Flammable and explosive goods
- Gases and pressurised devices
- Handling and safety instructions
- Survey of the working environment
- Risk assessment
- Task allocation
- Solitary work
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding
- Incidents and accidents