Category: EHSO
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Laboratory Safety: Electrical Hazards
This is the first of a multi-part series on the hazards posed with electrical equipment. by: Nicole Campbell, Safety and Industrial Hygiene Specialist Background Laboratory workers may be exposed to electrical hazards including electric shock, electrocutions caused by short circuits and overloaded circuits and wiring. Most electrical-related incidents are caused by unsafe work practices or…
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What Can I Place into a Broken Glass Disposal Box?
A short article on the proper use of the broken glass disposal box. The purpose of the broken glass box (Image 2) is to safely store and dispose of any decontaminated/clean broken glassware and non-infectious slides. Sharps are disposed of in a sharps container (Image 3). UV lamps, microscope bulbs, and broken mercury thermometers…
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Working with Limited Chemical Storage Space: Corrosives
In this multi-part series, we will discuss common problems with storage of chemicals in Emory research labs, and some practical solutions. Background Through the lab safety self inspection process, we have encouraged lab personnel to use secondary containers for corrosives and we now find acids and bases are stored this way. However, follow up lab…
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Volunteers and Minors in the Lab
Summer is a great time for students to gain valuable laboratory or research experience through volunteering or internships. Working in a laboratory presents the risk of exposure to hazardous materials, which requires inexperienced lab personnel to receive training to help them identify the inherent hazards of experiments. EHSO has an established registration program to help…
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The Safety Issues of Hotplate Heating Controls
Background Spontaneous and unexpected heating of hotplates has been the cause of laboratory fires and explosions. In 2005, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory issued a safety advisory related to a Corning model PC 420 hot plate. In 2007, 2011, 2012, 2014 the University of California, University of Pennsylvania, MIT, and Oak Ridge National Lab issued similar…
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New Update: NIH Guidelines for working with AAV and rAAV vectors
NEW UPDATE: NIH Guidelines The “Guidelines for working with replication-incompetent Adeno-Associated (AAV), recombinant AdenoAssociated (rAAV), Lentivirus and Adeno viral vectors in lab and animal research” have been updated to reflect current NIH/OBA guidance. What was the change in the NIH Guide? Appendix B-1 assessed AAV and rAAV as Risk Group 1 (RG1) agents. RG1 agents are…
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Restricted Areas and Shared Laboratory Spaces
Restricted areas are areas to which access is limited by the Licensee to protect individuals from exposure to radiation and radioactive materials (RAM). Restricted areas in shared laboratories usually have designated radiation work areas. These areas are marked by “Caution Radioactive Materials” signs and with radioactive material labels and stickers as shown in the photo…