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ABC of Safety in the Biological Sciences
ALARM
A signal device, audible or visual, for diverting the attention to a potential problem or danger usually in storage or processing. Alarms can be remote or local. In a biological sciences laboratory or laboratory storage area, especially for chemicals and solvents, alarms may be required for the detection of:
- smoke
- fire
- hazardous fumes
- equipment malfunction during processing
- a breakdown in refrigerators, low temperature storage facilities, blood bank refrigerators and freezers and autopsy room refrigerators.
Smoke or fire
Alarms should be fitted over the area of
greatest potential danger, such as chemical storage cabinets,
heating equipment, electrical equipment and any area of the
laboratory where a naked flame is required, e.g. bunsen burner.
Smoke and fire detection alarms can be remotely connected to the
nearest fire station.
Hazardous fumes
a) Lapel badge monitors.
The Occupational Health and Safety Products
Division of The Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
manufacture a range of lapel badge monitors for staff working in
close association with hazardous vapours. They also provide an
analysis service if your laboratory does not have the appropriate
gas chromatography equipment for developing the badges.
Specifically, there are badges to monitor mercury vapour, ethylene
oxide vapour, formaldehyde vapour and there is an organic vapour
monitor which can be used to detect over 135 organic vapours.
b) Personal air pollution sampler.
Used to monitor the air which a worker
breathes. The personal sampler draws in air by a small diaphragm
pump through a sampling head attached near the wearer's breathing
zone. It is designed to be worn for a full shift without impeding
the wearer with their work. Samplers are available from major
laboratory supply companies in most countries or by mail order from
Baird and Tatlock (see reference).
c) Toxic dust, gas and vapour kits.
Are available from the major laboratory supply
companies in most countries or by mail order from Baird and Tatlock
(see reference).
d) Toxic dust, gas and vapour sensor.
Can be installed where there is the potential
for a specific dust, gas or vapour hazard to develop. The alarm can
be remotely connected to the nearest fire station or to an area of
the institution which is manned for 24 hours each day such as a duty
orderly or telephone switchboard.
Equipment malfunction during processing
If equipment is left unattended for any
lengthy period of time, the alarm should be remotely connected to an
area that is occupied for 24 hours each day, such as a duty orderly
or telephone switchboard. The alarm can consist of a simple signal
device such as a bell or siren which is activated when a malfunction
or interruption occurs during a processing procedure. The equipment
can be connected to a printer or monitor which will give a
continuous picture of the status of the equipment and give an early
indication of a developing fault in equipment. Storage facilities,
such as blood bank freezers, are usually fitted with both an audible
alarm and a permanent monitoring system which continuously records
the status of the unit enabling failures to be pinpointed
accurately.
References
Baird and Tatlock (1983)
Laboratory Apparatus and Scientific
Instruments.
Eyre and Spottiswoode Ltd., Thanet Press,
Margate, England.
Fisher Chemical Co. (1988)
Fisher 208 Catalog.
Fisher Scientific International Springfield,
New Jersey, U.S.A.
Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
(1988)
Occupational Health and Safety Products
Division,
Monitor Analytical Service Building 230B,
P.O. Box 33125, St. Paul,
Minnesota 551333125, USA, or enquiries can be
made through local offices in many countries.
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