EMPLOYEE SAFETY HANDBOOK orvallis nvironmental esearch aboratory * 200 S.W. 35th STREET C0RVALL1S, OR. 97330 \ PPO^° % FEBRUARY 1978 ------- TO ALL EMPLOYEES: The purpose of this manual is to set forth and explain basic safety policies and procedures for all CERL employees, and others using CERL facilities. Safety policies and procedures in this manual are the minimum standards; you are encouraged to maintain levels of safety above and beyond these standards in performing your job. More detailed guide- lines will be published in the near future to deal with specific safety procedures in Laboratory, Office, and Shop operations. It is management's responsibility to provide a safe and healthful working environment for all employees, by meeting or exceeding appli- cable safety regulations. This responsibility includes a continuing program to isolate or remove physical hazards, to provide personal protective equipment, to control and monitor hazardous substances and to keep safety equipment in top operating condition. However, management's greatest responsibility is to provide you with the training and infor- mation needed to perform your job in the safest practical manner. As an employee, you are responsible for complying with the safety training and information supplied in this manual; but equally important, you are asked to maintain a continuing interest in safety. Any ques- tions or suggestions involving safety should be initiated through your immediate supervisor, since he/she is responsible for insuring that you perform your job in accordance with established policies. Remember, you are the key to an effective accident prevention program. A. F. Bartsch Di rector ------- CONTENTS Page CERL Safety Organization 1 Accident Reporting 2 Reporting Hazardous Conditions 2 Personal Protective Equipment. . 3 Hazardous Areas 4 Building Evacuation 4 F1re Extinguishers 6 Extinguisher Use Guide 7 Materials Handling 6 Housekeeping 9 Chemicals 10 Electrical Safety. 12 Emergency Equipment. 13 Other Safety Policies 13 Government Vehicles 13 Bicycles . . 13 Guests. 13 Facilities Shops Eating, Drinking and Smoking. . . 14 Mow to Lift Safely ------- CERL SAFETY ORGANIZATION Safety Officials. Laboratory Designated Safety and Health Official—Oversees the coordina- tion and operation of all safety and health programs at CERL. Safety Officer—Carries out day-to-day responsibilities related to facility safety hazards including accident investigation and analysis, technical advice and consultation, planning and design of safety fea- tures, and employee awareness. Occupational Health Officer—Carries out day-to-day responsibilities related to health and medical monitoring programs, toxic materials handling, chemical control programs, and other operations which present health hazards to employees. Radiation Safety and Health Officer—Carries out day-to-day responsi- bilities related to training, monitoring and waste disposal programs to protect employees against radiation hazards. Safety Committee. The CERL Safety Committee is concerned with main- taining a safe workplace and instilling a con- tinuing interest in safety among all employees. This is your committee, and you are encouraged to discuss safety matters with any member. The committee has meetings, open to all interested persons, once a month. The meeting announcements and minutes are posted on the Safety Bulletin Board, across the hall from the Cafeteria. Nine members serve on the committee. Three are elected by CERL employees; three are appointed by the Lab Director, and three are ex-officio members, all serving three-year staggered terms. A list of current members is available from the Laboratory Operations and Support Staff Office. 1 ------- ACCIDENT REPORTING Any incident which results in one or more of the following is an accident and must be reported: 1. Personal injury. 2. Vehicle collision. 3. Fire. 4. Potential claim against the Government. 5. Potential cause of death or serious injury. 6. Property damage 7. Near-pisses that could have lead to the above results All accidents, as defined above, must be reported immediately after emergency medical help is given, to your supervisor and the Personnel Officer, so that required reporting procedures will be followed. If you are incapacitated and unable to report immediately, have someone do this for you. An accurate description of the extent and seriousness of the injuries and damages should be given, so that further action can be taken, if necessary. After reporting the accident immediately, your supervisor is responsible for investigation and preparation of the accident report forms, within, 48 hours of the accident. REPORTING HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS It is often difficult for a safety inspector to recognize all hazards in an area unfamiliar to him. In addition, unsafe conditions may be created between inspections that need to be corrected. For these reasons, you are asked to report any condition you believe to be unsafe. These conditions should be reported to your immediate supervisor, either in writing (preferably using EPA form 1440-6) or orally. Your supervisor must report his actions to you within five workdays. If you are dissatisfied with your supervisor's response, you may submit to the Lab Director a request for an inspection of the condition. If dissatis- fied with the Director's investigation, further appeal may be made following the procedures outlined in Chapter 4 of the EPA Occupational Safety and Health manual. Comments can also be made to Safety Committee members, either privately or at a Committee meeting. You are encouraged to communicate with your Safety Committee. 2 ------- PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT Pol icy. It is the policy of CERL to provide all personal protective equipment needed to perform job related ^free 01 charge) to all CERL employ- ees. You must use this equipment where it is neces- sary for protection against injury; if in doubt, use the equipment. Your supervisor is re- sponsible for supplying you with the proper protective equipment. Regulations and requirements, as well as pro- duct catalogues and advice about protective equipment can be obtained through the CERL Safety Officer. Usage. Safety Glasses--Safety glasses shall be worn in all eye-hazard areas. These areas are posted with a green and white sign stating that eye protection is required. Some areas may require face shields and safety glasses. You must wear safety glasses, as a minimum, in any situation that has the potential for eye damage, including the following. 1. Shop operations such as grinding, chipping, sawing and air blowing. 2. Lab operations involving potentially hazardous materials or processes. Contact lenses provide no eye protection, and, in fact, could increase the risk of eye injury by trapping a chemical between the eye and lens. Therefore, contact lenses will not be substituted for safety glasses, and should not be worn in labs. Lab Coats—Lab coats are provided to protect your skin and clothing from contamination. They should be worn by all persons doing lab work. To protect others, lab coats must not be worn in eating areas or away from CERL facilities, since contamination on the lab coat could spread through contact. Routine lab coat cleaning is provided; dirty coats should be left in the bin inside Room 142. If a lab coat is contaminated with toxic or dangerous materials, it must be decontaminated or safely disposed of. Your supervisor should be advised of any such incident. Hard Hats--Hard hats are to be worn in posted areas, as well as in any situation where overhead loads are being handled or where low ceilings present a head-striking hazard. Your good safety judgement is necessary here. Shoes--Safety shoes are to be worn by all Facilities Maintenance employ- ees. Other employees should use good judgement when working with heavy 3 ------- items that have the potential to crush toes. The wearing of open-toed shoes (sandals, etc.) is not allowed in lab, shop or storage areas (Annex Bldg.). Respiratory Equipment—Dust respirators, chemical respirators, and face masks are available through your supervisor. You should use these when working with potentially dangerous airborne material, such as paint fumes, dusty materials, insecticides and spray paints. Facial hair must be removed to assure a proper seal between the respirator and the face. HAZARDOUS AREAS A hazardous area is any location containing material or equipment that could expose a person to unusually unhealthy or unsafe conditions. Access to these areas must be controlled, to ensure that employees will not unknowingly be exposed to dangerous conditions. Standarlzed signs will be posted at all entrances to hazardous areas. No employee, unless specifically authorized, may enter a posted area. If your job requires you to enter a hazardous area, authorization must be sought from the person in charge of the area. If the area contains a radiation hazard, authorization is required from the Radiation Safety Officer. If you observe an emergency in a hazardous area, and human life is not threatened, you should make no attempt to enter the area. Call the persons responsible for the area as quickly as possible; their phone numbers will be posted by the entrance to the area. In case of a fire, the BUILDING EVACUATION Plan, described below, should be followed. BUILDING EVACUATION A complete building evacuation plan is available from the Facility Engineer's office. You should obtain a copy if you do not presently have your own. This plan includes emergency procedures as well as building escape routes. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with this plan, as drills will be held to practice the escape plan. The following 1s an excerpt from the plan. THE PROMPT AND ORDERLY EVACUATION OF ALL PERSONNEL FROM THE BUILDING IS THE FIRST, AND MOST IMPORTANT, ACTION TO BE TAKEN IN THE EVENT OF A FIRE OR OTHER EMERGENCY IN THE CERL BUILDINGS. A CERL building evacuation plan has been established to effect a safe and rapid exit of all individuals under emergency conditions. Zone Fire Marshals and Alternates are designated for the several zones of the CERL buildings to aid and assist in the orderly evacuation of the facility. All employees should know who their Zone Marshal is. Zone Marshals are listed in the Building Evacuation Plan. 4 |!E L ------- Fire Exit Plans showing safe exit routes, fire alarm boxes, and fire extinguisher locations are posted at conspicuous locations'in the corridors. It is the responsibility of each employee to become thoroughly acquainted with the evacuation plan, and to become familiar with the recommended exit route from his or her work station and with alarm box locations. Each individual should also become familiar with alternate routes of safe exit for use in the event that the primary path is blocked; remember, a RED door leads to an exitway. The following evacuation procedures are to be followed in the case of fire, or in general, for other emergencies that would require personnel to vacate the building. M EMPLOYEE DISCOVERING a FIRE SHOULD: A. Warn others-- 1. Tell co-workers in the area. 2. Pull fire alarm wall lever. 3. Call (or have someone call) the Fire Department 9-753-6611 and the Facility Engineer (4680) and give location and extent of fire. B. Evaluate the situation and decide if it can be readily con- trolled with a hand extinguisher; if it can, use the proper type extinguisher. Do not place yourself in danger-~if blaze appears not to be controllable with an extinguisher, or if in doubt, close the room and leave the building. Report thi situation and location of the fire to the firemen when they arrive. See the section on Fire Extinguishers (page 12) for proper use instructions. GENERAL BUILDING ALARM If building alarm bells ring all employees should: a. TURN OFF ALL GAS b. CONFINE HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS c. CLOSE ALL DOORS d. LEAVE BUILDING RAPIDLY, DO NOT RUN, BY DESIGNATED ROUTES AND EXITS. The building should be emptied in one minute or less. e. DO NOT USE ELEVATORS f. AS$I-MBlE~7N THE PARKING LOT SOUTH OF LABORATORY BUILDING g. CHECK WITH YOUR ZONE MARSHAL TO CONFIRM SAFE EVACUATION OF ALL PERSONNEL h. Remain clear of the building and immediately adjacent area until clearance to return is given. i. When safe conditions have been restored, clearance to re-enter the building will be given by word passed to the Zone Marshals from the Facility Engineer. 5 ------- FIRE EXTINGUISHERS Portable fire extin- guishers are intended for use on small fires in their early stages of combustion. They should not be used on large or extremely dangerous fires since they contain a limited amount of extin- guishing agents. You should become familiar with extin- guisher types and locations in your work area, including extinguisher operating instructions. Always call the Fire Dept. in the event of a fire, no matter how small the fire may seem. A general guide to extinguisher use is given on pages 7 and 8. Any extinguisher that has been used, has a broken seal or has low pressure must be reported to the Facilities office, so it may be replaced. MATERIAL HANDLING Safe Lifting Techniques. Lifting and carrying materials present many situations that could cause injury. Unsafe practices can lead to back strains, pulled muscles, crushed fingers and toes, trips and falls and other types of injuries. Safe lifting and carrying procedures are shown on page 15, "How to Lift Safely." You should use these techniques to avoid injuries. Hand trucks and carts are available on the loading dock. It is always advisable to use these items to avoid heavy lifting and carrying. Storage Areas. 1. Floor loading capacities must be followed. The limit for the second floor of the Annex and the Trailers is 100 pounds per square foot. 2. Ladders and stepstools should be used to reach elevated areas. Do not stand on chairs, desks, tables or shelves. 3. Do not throw or drop materials. You should have control of the materials at all times. 4. Do not stack items so high that the stack becomes unstable. Normally, boxes should not be stacked over four high unsupported Be sure not to overload shelves with heavy items. 5. Wear gloves when handling sharp objects. Safety shoes should be worn when handling heavy objects. 6. Keep storage areas neat and organized. Materials piled haoharardlv dinTr"" i"'0Und "" the probabnitJ' of accidents and equipment I ------- Type Of Extinguisher Water Pressure EXTINGUISHER USE GUIDE Typical Appearance Type Of Fire A Use on ordinary combustables: Wood Paper Rags Regular Dry Chemical Use on burning liquids: Gasoline Oil Paint Solvents Use on electrical fires: Circuit Panels Hot Plates Wires Instructions For Use Hold upright, pull locking pin. Raise hose and squeeze lever. Direct the stream of water Into the base of the fire. Range is up to 40 feet. Pull locking pin and squeeze lever. Aim nozzle at base of fire and sweep agent side to side. Range is 12 to 20 feet. ------- Type Of Extinguisher Typical Appearance Carbon Dioxide Multi-Purpose Dry Chemical f Type Of Fire Instructions For Use Use on burning liquids: Gasoline on Paint Solvents @ Use on electronic equipment: Computers Control Panels Precision Equipment Pull locking pin and squeeze lever. Direct gas at base of fire. Continue discharge even after flames have gone out. Range is 4 to 6 feet. Use on all fires Ordinary Combustables Burning Liquids Electrical Equipment Pull locking pin and squeeze lever. Aim nozzle at base of fire and sweep agent side to side. Range is 12 to 20 feet. ------- 7. Do not store mater- ials in front of electrical panels, doorways, fire extin- guishers, or within 18 Inches of the celling. AISLES AND EXITWAYS MUST BE CLEAR AT ALL TIMES FOR EMERGENCY EXIT. HOUSEKEEPING Purpose. Many accidents are caused by dirty, cluttered, and disorga- nlzed work areas. Poor housekeeping leads to lower employee efficiency and questionable data, and greatly increases the risk of accidents and fires. For these reasons, it is most Important that you keep your work area clean and organized. General Rules. Spills—All spills, however minor, shall be cleaned up immediately. Care should be taken when cleaning up hazardous chemicals so that you and others are not contaminated. If a flammable 1s spilled, precautions should be taken to prevent It from starting a fire. Waste—Because so many different materials are disposed of at CERL, procedures must be followed to prevent contamination or injuries from the wastes. Paper and other burnable trash is a source of fuel for a fire. Trash and clutter in any area pre- sents a fire hazard and should be disposed of In trash cans. Broken glass, scrap sheet metal, used razor blades and other sharp objects should be disposed of carefully so that they do not pre- sent hazards to yourself or others. If your area has no broken glass container; you should take sharp objects out of the garbage bins behind the CERL Building. I ------- Chemicals should be disposed of only by knowledgeable persons. Many chemicals could react with each other in the drain system and cause an explosion. Flammables could start a fire if someone were smoking near a drain. Toxic chemicals could pollute water supplies. If you need to dispose of chemicals, consult your supervisor or CERL circular 1400.1 for safe procedures. Work Area. Because most of your time is spent in your work area, it is essential that it be kept clean and organized. Remember that the quality of your work is often judged on the appearance of your work area. These guide- lines should be followed: 1. Doorways, halls and aisles must not be blocked by any item at any time. These areas must be clear for emergency exit. 2. Boxes, shelves and bookcases should not be stacked so high that they become unstable. No stack should be closer than 18 inches from the ceiling, or from fire sprinkler heads. 3. Floors should be kept free of slipping or tripping hazards, such as paper, nails, wires, chemicals etc. If you drop something, pick it up! 4. Emergency equipment, such as fire extinguishers and eyewashes, must not be blocked by furniture, carts, or other items. Any safety item must be directly accessible to anyone in the area in case of an accident. 5. Room decorations should not constitute a hazard. As examples, flower pots should not be kept on top of filing cabinets or on narrow window sills where they could fall. Posters and wall decor- ations should not be near hot machines, ashtrays or gas burners. CHEMICALS General. The widespread use of chemicals at CERL requires that all employees be cautious whenever working with or around chemicals. The four most important safety precautions to take with chemi- cals are: 1. Know exactly what you are working with and what its hazards are. 2. Know what to do if some- thing goes wrong. When in doubt, consult your supervisor. 10 ------- 3. Be sure others that could be affected by an accident know what to do. 4. Be sure your supervisor knows of and approves of exactly what you are going to do before you do 1t. Chemical Storage. 1. All chemical containers must be labeled clearly and correctly as to their contents. 2. Flammable materials shall be kept in approved storage cabinets when not in use. Keep as little on hand as possible; large amounts should be stored in the Chemical Storage Buildings. 3. Keep storage areas organized and free of spills and waste materials. Properly dispose of unneeded or excessive Inventories. 4. Do not store chemicals In refrigerators designated for food only. Store flammables only in explosion-proof refrigerators. 5. Store reactive chemicals separately from reactants or flammables. Keep heat- reactive chemicals, such as solvents, away from heat sources (sunlight, radi- ators, hot plates, etc.). 6. Compressed gas cylinders must be chained or otherwise secured to keep from falling. They should be capped and marked as to their approximate contents, i.e. full, half-full, empty. Transportation. 1. Any toxic, flammable or corrosive chemical than a liter must be transported in a bottle carrier. Flammables can also be transported in safety cans. 2. Reactive chemicals should not be transported in the same container as a reactant. 3. Compressed gas cylinders should be moved only with a special cylinder cart. One is located on the loading dock. Other. Protective Equipment—Gloves, face masks and safety glasses shall be worn when using toxic or corrosive chemicals. Respirator masks should be worn when high vapor concentrations of solvents or paint are present. Lab coats should be worn to protect skin and clothing. Gas Cylinders—Regulators will always be used on compressed gas cylinders. If a cylinder or regulator leaks, report it immediately to your super- visor. Compressed gas is never to be used for blowing off clothes, bench tops, etc. Emergency Equipment—You should know the location of the nearest fire extinguisher, eye wash, and shower in your work area. Lab Guidelines—Many more requlations apply to lab use of chemicals. If you are Involved In lab operations, your supervisor will instruct you on proper lab techniques. AA TtTT" U1At a I IS in quantities greater 11 ------- ELECTRICAL SAFETY Grounding. Grounding of electrical appliances is necessary to protect you from serious electrical shock. All CERL-owned electrical equipment must be properly grounded, except Ay approved double-insulated power ^W ^ tools. Any equipment with broken ground plugs, frayed cords or missing grounds, should be reported to the Facilities Dept. Ground tests will be made by the Facilities Dept., on request, to check ground reliability on any equipment. £?£$tHcal Problems. Any electrical problems should be reported to the Facilities DeptTRepairs and alterations on electrical equipment will be made only by authorized Facilities Maintenance employees. General Electrical Safety Rules. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Always use grounded or double**insulated equipment. Avoid standing in wet areas when using electrical equipment. Do not use equipment or extension cards that have frayed, damaged, spliced or taped wires. Do not run wires under carpets, or over floors where people walk. Any cord in a traffic area should be covered by a rubber cord protector. Do not overload plugs by using multiplug adapters. Contact the Facilities Dept. if additional plugs are needed. Use non-sparking equipment in areas containing flammable or explo- sive materials. Employee Provided Electrical Equipment. Because of the fire hazards involved, employee-provided equipment must be limited to small, low power usage devices with U.L. approval. Such devices allowed are: 1. Radios 2. Clocks 3. Calculators 4. Desk lamps Heating devices are not allowed, including portable space heaters and hot plates. Approval for use of other employee-owned electrical equipment, including coffee pots, must be obtained from the Facility Engineer before it is used in the CERL facility. Battery Charging. All storage batteries, other than small Mi-Cad types, must be recharged in the Annex Recharging area. If you have a need to charge batteries contact Facilities for approval to use the charging area. u ------- EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT First-Aid Kits. Two large first-aid kits are located in the Lab Building; one on the first floor by the elevator, and the other on the second floor, in the northeast stairwell landing. These kits contain bandages, tape, splints, disinfectants, and other supplies, available in your work area. Emergency Showers. Water deluge showers are located in the halls of the Lab Building and in the hall of the new Greenhouse. The showers are for use on persons whose clothes are burning, or who have had hazardous chemicals spilled on them. Eye-wash fountains are located in various labs, for the purpose of flushing splashed chemicals out of eyes. You should know where the shower and eye- wash nearest to your work area is located. OTHER SAFETY POLICIES Government Vehicles. To drive a Government vehicle, you must have a valid Government and state driver's license. It is expected that you will obey all traffic safety rules and drive defensively. Seat belts shall be worn by the driver and all passengers in Government vehicles. Any accident involving a Government Vehicle must be reported in accordance with the instructions in the vehicle's Log Book. Bicycles. If you ride a bike to work, you are asked to park it in a rack. Racks are located behind the Lab, by Trailer One and on the north side of the Greenhouse. Safety regulations require that no bicycles block any exit or walkway, or be brought into the buildings. Bikes found in these areas repeatedly may be impounded by the Facilities Dept. If this happens to your bike, see the Facility Engineer. Guests. In laboratory and shop areas, guests must be escorted by an authorized employee. With the exception of guided tours, children under 16 will not be allowed in lab or shop areas. Children and other guests may accompany you into non-lab or non- shop areas of the facility; however, children must be supervised and not allowed to roam around the facility. Smaller kits may be AUTOMATIC SHOWER CVS FOUNTAIN 13 ------- After-hours guest$ must have written authorization from the Lab Director or the Facility Engineer. You assume responsibility for the safety of your guests at the facility. They must conform to facility safety procedures, including the wearing of equipment, e.g. safety glasses, where required. Facilities Shop. Because much of the equipment used in this shop is dangerous, only authorized persons are allowed to use the equipment. If you need any shop work done, contact the Facilities Dept. Eating, Drinking and Smoking. 1. Labs. NO EATING. DRINKING. OR SMOKING WILL BE ALLOWED IN ANY LAB AREA. Also, no food or drinks will be stored in lab areas7~7nduding lab refrigerators. Lab ice must not be used for human consumption, nor will ice from food storage refrigerators be used for lab pur- poses. 2* Office and Shop Areas. You may eat and drink in these areas, contingent on the area supervisor's approval. You should clean up any spilled food or drink as soon as possible. Non-smoking areas will be posted. 14 ------- "he factors that contribute to safe ifting are... % M M ¦ MM T § M C T O1 VI C C # 1A The following safe practices should be MM Ca If Ir M L Mm M O/l M C L m observed in order to avoid injury. 1. Approach the load and size it up (weight, size and shape.) Consider your physcial ability to handle the load. 2. Place the feet close to the object to be lifted 8 to 12 inches apart for good balance. 3. Bend the knees to the degree that is comfortable | and get a good handhold. Then using both leg and back muscles. . . 4. Lift the load straight up—smoothly and even- ly. Pushing with your legs, keep load close to your body. 5. Lift the object into carrying position, mak- ing no turning or twist- ing movements until the lift is completed. 6. Turn your body with changes of foot position after looking over your path of travel making sure it is clear. 7. Setting the load down, is just as important as pick- ing it up. Using leg and back muscles, comfortably lower load by bending your knees. When load is securely positioned, release your grip. Over-reaching and stretching to reach overhead objects may result in strains or falls. Use a ladder instead of chairs, boxes, etc. Q" Avoid strain by storing heavy ob- jects at least 12 inches above the floor When lifting and carrying with another person-teamwork is important. The load should be equally distributed Movements must be coordinated so you both start and finish the lift action at the same time and perform turning movements together. When two persons car ry a long object, it should be held at the same level by both and on the same side of the body. Stack material in such manner as to permit full view while carrying m Avoid awkward positions or twisting movements while lifting. r Fa TefeMKdtlt NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ------- |