General Lab Safety

Ece445

Dane SieversEdited and presented by Scott Carney

Safety in PracticeIn order to be safe, you must know the dangers present.

To know the dangers means you must learn about the equipment, chemicals, and technology you will be using.

Learning means you must study. To study means you must read.

Safety in Practice - LISTBefore beginning work on your chosen project, identify and list:Equipment needed

– Tools– Chemicals– Electrical components– Fabrication tools

Safety in Practice – COMPILEFrom this list find and compile the appropriate documentation.

– User manuals– Data sheets– MSDSs– Accepted SOPs (standard operating

procedures)Put these documents into a folder or binder for future reference. Label your folder/binder “SAFETY MANUAL”.

Pretty clever name, huh?

Safety in Practice – READA folder full of documents is of no value unless you read them.

SO READ THEM!

Safety in Practice – IDENTIFYAs you read through the documents, identify the hazards associated with use of the product.Create a brief ‘cheat sheet’ list of the hazards and put it in the front of your SAFETY MANUAL.

Safety in Practice – PLANFor each hazard found, prepare a plan to control the hazard.Control measures may include (but not limited to):

– Proper PPEs (personal protective equipment) required– Containment (fume hoods, fume extractors, respirators)– Proper safety guards/physical barriers– Other engineering controls needed to minimize hazards

Put this plan into the SAFETY MANUAL.

Safety in Practice – IMPLEMENTNow that you have a document covering the safety aspects of your project…

PUT IT TO USE!This exercise wasn’t designed to just take up your time. It was designed so that you, others around you, and the end user will survive your project without getting hurt!

Safety in Practice

… OH MY GLOB!

WHAT SHOULD I DO????

CALL911

Emergency!If something bad happens and you don’t know what to do,

Call

911E911 Frequently Asked Questions - https://www.cites.uiuc.edu/e911/faq.html

Q: In the past I’ve had to dial 9-911 while on campus to make an emergency phone call; is this still necessary?

A: No. The legacy Centrex system and UC Voice both support 9-911 or 911 for making emergency calls. It is recommended that you dial 911, which is the North American standard for emergency phone calls. Dialing 9-911 is an artifact of the old Centrex phone system that required you to dial a “9” to reach an outside line. Though it is unnecessary from a technological standpoint, 9-911 will be supported by both the Centrex and UC Voice systems because it was the campus standard for so many years.  

ResourcesIf you are unsure about something you are doing, don’t do it!Just ask…

– TA– Professor– Lab engineer– Electronics Shop– Safety Professionals on campus

• DRS (Division of Research Safety) – www.drs.illinois.edu• F&S Safety and Compliance - http://

www.fs.illinois.edu/services/safety-and-compliance

Safety – Electricity and PeopleDepartment Policy Highlights

– Undergraduate students must work at least in pairs in our labs.

– When full ac wall potential is in use, a faculty member or TA must be present. At least two people must be present.

– No food or drink at lab benches.

Safety – Electricity and PeopleIf a problem occurs or is suspected

– Shut off power– If an accident or emergency occurs, dial 911– Locate the trouble and fix before restoring

power– The Electronics Shop can help if necessary

• 1041-1046 EL• 333-2173

Safety – Electricity and PeoplePersonnel Safety Issues

– Shock hazards exist in the labs– Most common problems are from

• Spilled Drinks• Careless wiring

– Loose clothing, neckties, and jewelry are dangerous when working with rotating machinery

– Burns: it only takes a watt to make small parts hot

Safety – Electricity and PeopleEffects of electrical shock (60 Hz ac, 1s duration)

Extracted from http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/construction/electrical_incidents/eleccurrent.html Current Level Probable Effect

1 mA Perception level. Slight tingling sensation. Still dangerous under certain conditions.

5 mA Slight shock felt; not painful but disturbing. Average individual can let go. However, strong involuntary reactions to shocks in this range may lead to injuries.

6mA - 16mA Painful shock, begin to lose muscular control. Commonly referred to as the freezing current or "let-go" range.

17mA - 99mA Extreme pain, respiratory arrest, severe muscular contractions. Individual cannot let go. Death is possible.

100mA - 2000mA Ventricular fibrillation (uneven, uncoordinated pumping of the heart.) Muscular contraction and nerve damage begins to occur. Death is likely.

> 2,000mA Cardiac arrest, internal organ damage, and severe burns. Death is probable.

Safety – Electricity and PeopleSome good advice:

– Turn power off when modifying circuits• While working on a circuit use the ‘one-hand’ rule –

keep one hand in pocket or behind back to minimize risk of shock across the heart

– Keep a tight, neat setup• Safer than the “rat’s nest” technique• Easier to debug and usually works better!

– When in doubt, shut off the power– If it doesn’t work, it probably isn’t the

instrument…

Safety – Electricity and Instruments

Equipment damage is one of the biggest safety issues.

Potential Issues– Grounding

• Grounded probes (oscilloscopes)• Sources

– Ratings• Do instrument ratings match the signal?

Safety – ChemicalsElectrical engineers are not chemists – but they do use chemicals.

Chemicals commonly used include– Solder– Flux and flux remover– Solvents– PCB substrates

Safety – ChemicalsPersonal Protective Equipment

– Use appropriate PPEs when handling chemicals

PPEs may include:– Safety glasses/goggles (if potential for splashing liquids)– Appropriate gloves (compatible with chemical(s) used)– Respirators (for fumes/vapors)– Protective clothing (apron, lab coats, coveralls)

Your proactive responsibilities

• All 445 students are required to complete the General Lab Safety and Electrical Lab Safety training modules found here: http://www.drs.illinois.edu/

• A safety statement is required at DR.• A safety manual is required for projects

with extraordinary safety issues. Consult your TA.

Safety – Wrap UpWhen it comes to safety:

If you are unsure, don’t do it!