Use of Laboratory Centrifuges

Transcription

1 Faculty of Biological Sciences FBS Version 1. Date: April 16 Review Due: April 17 Approval Code on Management Document: TBC

2 RISK ASSESSMENT DETAILS DEGREE OF RISK RISK RATING MATRIX Faculty/School/Service Faculty of Biological Sciences Team Risk Assessment Title Use of centrifuges Risk Assessment Log Reference Date 7.1 Name of Assessors Paul Drake Manager Responsible Brian Jackson Location Astbury 9.13 LIKELIHOOD (L) Inevitable 4 Highly Likely 3 Possible Unlikely 1 Remote Possibility LIKELIHOOD SEVERITY Details of Activity. Use of centrifuge; Changing rotors, balancing samples, visual inspection. Other assessments which might also be required, if needed: Manual Hling REF COSHH REF Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) REF Noise REF Other REF SEVERITY (S) Very High -Multiple Deaths 4 High - Death, serious injury, permanent disability 3 Moderate - RIDDOR over 3 days Slight - First Aid treatment 1 Nil - Very Minor PERSONS AT RISK PERSONS AT RISK Employees Clients Contractors Members of the public Work Experience students Other Persons REVIEW DATES RISK RATING SCORE ACTION 1-4 Broadly Acceptable - No action required - 9 Moderate - Reduce risks if reasonably practicable 1-1 High Risk - Priority Action to be undertaken 16 - Unacceptable -Action must be taken IMMEDIATELY FBS Version: 1. April 16 Date: April 16 Review Due: April 17 Approval Code on Management Document:TBC

3 HAZARD AND RELATED ACTIVITIES e.g. trip, falling objects, fire, explosion, noise, violence etc. PERSONS AT RISK e.g. Employees, Customers, Contractors, Members of the public Mechanism of Harm (What would need to happen for injury to result?) POSSIBLE OUTCOME (Risk of ) RISK RATING WITH CONTROLS IN PLACE (LxS) EXISTING CONTROLS e.g. Guards, Safe Systems of Work, Training, Instruction, Authorised Users, Competent Persons, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) FURTHER CONTROLS REQUIRED? (Give details) Small micro-centrifuges present very little hazard due to relatively low speed little inertia. Very small units (e.g. those used for spinning PCR tubes) may not incorporate an interlock. However, small size should not preclude reasonable care when using them. Electrical hazard Mechanical malfunction of equipment such as from material fatigue or corrosion Users; Staff Users; Staff Faulty wiring, wear tear; break down of insulation, spills into interior of centrifuge Component failure due to fatigue or corrosion of parts. Significantly; spindle, rotors buckets. Catastrophic failure likely. Faulty interlock allowing access to spinning rotor.. Electrocution. Electrical burns Electrical Shock Strike by ejected debris (solid pieces of centrifuge mechanism) Entrapment or drawing in by rotating parts or struck by rotating parts. 1 x 4 = 4 Check centrifuges have been PA tested in the last yrs. If unsure check with Facilities Manager. Wiring must be included in pre use visual check 1 x 4 = 4 Information, instruction training in use of centrifuges for inductees. Refer to Stard Operating procedure for centrifuge use. Pre use visual inspection of major components, internal casing interlock within SOP Large rotors subject to an individual annual inspection (separate to centrifuge inspection) Faults on interlocks reported immediately to Faculty equipment manager. Equipment with faulty interlocks must be taken out of service. FBS Version: 1. April 16 Date: April 16 Review Due: April 17 Approval Code on Management Document:TBC

4 Incorrect use of machine wrong rotor, unbalanced samples Users; Staff Unbalanced samples in rotor. Wrong rotor fitted to machine Rotor not seated correctly on spindle Rotor lid not secured flies off Vibration, possible catastrophic rotor failure or causing centrifuge to move, including falling from a bench. Rotor comes off spindle while spinning causing significant internal damage potential for external debris. Centrifuges should automatically switch off when an imbalance or other anomaly is detected. Damage can be caused by incompatible or wrong selection of rotor. Local user training in place to cover correct rotor selection fitting including fitting lid. Users watch first few minutes of run to detect problems turn machine off immediately to prevent issues escalating. NB. Modern centrifuges are equipped with numerous safety features including imbalance detection, interlocks internal armour. These should safeguard against any accidental failings but not against purposeful tampering Biological or chemical; spillage of hazardous biological or chemical material. Users; staff, students. Service engineers, contractors, cleaners Accidental release of biological or chemical substances by spillage Rotor lid flies around chamber causing damage potential for debris outside. Illness caused by contact with hazardous biological or chemical material. 1 x 4 = 4 Users instructed to check the condition of bottles tubes before use through SOP. Additionally, bottle or tubes not to be overfilled users must ensure O rings are in place on rotor cups. FBS Version: 1. April 16 Date: April 16 Review Due: April 17 Approval Code on Management Document:TBC

5 Production of aerosols. Low level contamination to rotor from tubes. Users aware of possible production of aerosols. Sealed rotor used if necessary containers opened in fume cupboard. Failure of containers Mechanical failure. Basic lab practice covers incidental contact with infectious material being used by others through contaminated rotors, surfaces etc Release of substances due to containment failure of centrifuge Users to be aware of appropriate decontamination procedure if required. Procedures for decontamination can be found in the Laboratory Procedures Manual Manual hling Staff (support staff involved in manual hling), students. Production of aerosols due to agitation of substances. Movement of benchtop centrifuges. Hling positioning of larger rotors Musculoskeletal injury. Trapped hs, cuts, abrasions. x 3 = 6 Larger centrifuges must be installed by manufacturers engineers. Any relocation must be referred to the Technical Services Team. Benchtop centrifuges should only be moved by staff familiar with manual hling procedures Manual hling of rotors to be assessed on an individual basis by users. Lab procedures covers basic ergonomic considerations Mechanical assistance when moving positioning large rotors? FBS Version: 1. April 16 Date: April 16 Review Due: April 17 Approval Code on Management Document:TBC

6 Do additional controls adequately lower high risk activities to an acceptable level? YES / NO If NO explain in comments box above SIGNATURE OF MANAGER "The risks identified in this assessment are controlled so far as is reasonably practicable" Signature: Date: 8/11/16 DATE OF REASSESSMENT (Every two years minimum) ARE THERE ANY CHANGES TO THE ACTIVITY SINCE THE LAST ASSESSMENT? SIGNATURE OF MANAGER LOCATION OF CURRENT SIGNED RISK ASSESSMENT FBS Version: 1. April 16 Date: April 16 Review Due: April 17 Approval Code on Management Document:TBC