Safety Manual Chapter 2
General Considerations
1. To summon help in an emergency, dial the University Public Safety dispatcher at 5-COPS (5-2677) (24 hours a day). If for some reason you cannot reach Public Safety, call Salt Lake City Emergency Services at 9-911 (24 hours a day). If someone is injured, DO NOT ATTEMPT TO TRANSPORT THE INDIVIDUAL TO THE HOSPITAL. Too often, the assisting individual will over react, possibly causing further injury to the injured individual. All labs must have an Emergency Response Guide,
which lists emergency phone numbers and is posted next to the door. You are expected to look through this Guide and at least have a general knowledge of the available information.
2. Whenever anyone is involved in an incident that results in, or could have resulted in personal injury or property loss, a University of Utah Incident/Accident Report and a State of Utah Department of Administrative Services Division of Risk Management Form 122 must be filled out by the involved person's immediate supervisor. The first form is available from the main Physics office or the University Risk Manager, 408 Park Building, at 1-5590. Form 122 is available from the Physics Department receptionist, 201 JFB, or from the Workers' Compensation Office, Human Resources Department, 1-4788. The University of Utah Incident/Accident report is to be returned to the University Risk Manager and Form 122 is to be returned to the Department of Environmental Health and Safety. See Appendix A for examples and instructions.
3. All halls are to be kept clear of clutter including ladders, tables, packing boxes, etc. This is required to permit unobstructed evacuation routes and to allow access for emergency personnel.
4. All hall doors are to be kept closed to prevent the spread of a fire or chemical spill.
5. All labs are to be kept clear of unnecessary clutter. Fred Slock (the Physics Department Maintenance Specialist) can store empty boxes. The National Electric Code requires an unobstructed space 30 inches wide and 3 feet deep in front of all electrical panels.
6. All high pressure gas cylinders must be secured with a chain. Cylinders must not be moved unless the protective valve bonnet is in place. Cylinders not in use must also have the valve bonnet in place. Without the valve bonnet protecting the valve, an accident could knock off the valve stem, creating a lethal rocket that can easily penetrate a masonry wall. Always use a pressure-reducing regulator when withdrawing high pressure gases. Before installing the regulator, clean the cylinder fitting to remove dirt including bugs and spider webs. Do not allow any grease or other contaminant to come in contact with a gas regulator or cylinder. Specifically, grease and high pressure oxygen will explode. Always move gas cylinders with a gas cart.
7. Approximately three-fourths of the Physics Department ceiling tiles contain asbestos. If left alone, they present minimal health hazard. Because there can be asbestos in the ceiling air return plenum, all ceiling tiles are to be kept in place. Keeping the tiles in place also maximizes the efficiency of the building air circulating system. Because there is an asbestos hazard, no ceiling tiles are to be removed without first contacting Lynn Higgs at 1-7140 to determine if your specific room has asbestos ceiling tiles.
8. As per the Utah Clean Air Act and by University of Utah Presidential decree, the Physics Department is a smoke-free environment. This includes every room in every building.
9. Do not eat or drink anything in labs that have chemicals or radioactive materials. Airborne and loose toxins are readily consumed in this manner.
10. All belt driven devices, specifically including vacuum pumps, must have belt guards installed. Vacuum pumps must be vented into the building exhaust system or filtered.
11. All electrical equipment requiring electrical grounding must be properly grounded. Power cables with a ground conductor must be in good condition and not bypassed.
12. Horseplay ("practical jokes", playing tricks on other employees or students...) is a serious threat to safety. Horseplay cannot be tolerated in labs or around equipment.
13. Wear eye protection when handling chemicals, using glassware, in the machine shops, etc. Wear rubber gloves and a rubber apron when handling corrosives. Handle volatile corrosives only in a fume hood that is clearly labeled for volatile corrosive use, such as those in the Chem Room 119 JFB or Room 328 JFB. (Do not use organics in these two corrosive hoods.)
14. Bare feet, thongs, and sandals are not permitted in the shops and labs. The use of rollerblades, roller skates, skate boards, bicycles etc. is not allowed within any of the Physics facilities.
15. Serious burns should be treated by a visit to the University of Utah Hospital Burn Center. Minor burns can be soothed with the sap of aloe vera leaves, which is a marvelous burn treatment. Plants are located at the east end of the third floor of JFB as well as Carleton DeTar's office, 314 JFB. To use, break off a small piece of stem and smear the "sap" onto the burned area. Serious burns should be followed by a visit to the Burn Center at the University Hospital.
16. Never use tygon tubing for plumbing liquids under pressure. Always use a metal or reinforced plastic tubing that is compatible with the liquid. Tygon tubing is famous for failing, especially on weekends, thus flooding an entire lab or building.
17. Lab safety products can be purchased through Lab Safety Supply: 1-800-356-0783 (order phone), or 1-800-356-0722 (customer service), or Direct Safety Company, 1-800-528-7405 (or 1-602-968-7009).
18. Never run in the halls. One of our faculty members was in a hurry one day and, running down the hall, tripped and managed to put this marvelous little crease in his head.
19. Refer to the first four pages of the "University of Utah Campus Directory" (duplicated in Appendix B) for emergency phone numbers and procedures.
20. There is a wealth of health and safety information available to you on the Internet from the University of Utah Department of Environmental Health and Safety Web page. The Home Page address is: http://www.ehs.utah.edu/ Specific entries will be referenced throughout this document. If your position in the Department does not give you direct access to the Internet, you may access it on one of the terminals here in 210 JFB. Room access, a computer account and instructions on using these terminals is available from the Department Computer System Manager, currently Bradley Hawks (308 JFB, 585-5801, email:brad@mail.physics.utah.edu.) You can also access it from the University's home page: http://www.utah.edu. On that home page, click on "Campus Information", simply scroll down a few screens and click on "Environmental Health and Safety".
21. Remember that the first aid kits available in the stockroom, shops and various labs are "self administered". This means that you may use the contents only on yourself; to administer first aid to someone else requires that you be trained in and comply with the requirements for the blood-borne pathogen standard.
22. Know the location of emergency facilities:
- Eye washes are located in room 328 JFB, in the Departmental Chem room, 119 JFB, and in the hallway outside 331 JFB.
- Emergency showers are located between the rest rooms on the first and second floors of JFB, outside B 20, 119 (Chem room) and 328 JFB.
- Check now to memorize the location(s) of the fire extinguisher(s) nearest to your office, lab or other place you frequent.
23. In order to use a respirator, you must be trained in its proper use, cleaning and maintenance.
24. Use ladders only under the conditions for which they were designed. All modern ladders are labelled as to which steps may be safely used, general safe practices and the unadvisabilty of using aluminum ladders for electrical work. Read and follow these cautions. Needless to say, when your work requires elevating your body use a ladder, not a chair, stool or other unstable structure!
25. Employ ergonomic considerations in your work: when lifting heavy objects, lift with your legs while keeping your back straight; when using a keyboard, minimize the amount you must bend your wrists.
26. NEVER dispose of pyrophoric substances (spontaneously combustible in air) by throwing them into a trash can (which often contain organics). NEVER dispose of any hazardous material in a sink or trash can. The correct and legally required procedures are given in Chapter 4 of this manual.
27. Be particularly careful of high voltage if you are on a (metal!) ladder or other elevated location. The shock can cause you to fall.
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