Work and safety in the laboratory at BIO

Everyone that works in laboratories at BIO must complete an HSE learning plan (HSE-safety pass) and been given an introduction to the laboratory and training in use of personal safety equipment. Everyone must confirm the HSE safety pass in writing (with a signature), and thereby confirm that they will work in accordance with laboratory rules and regulation at BIO and UiB: Checking link (office.net), Work in the laboratory | The HSE-gateway | UiB .  You should have knowledge of the following points.

These rules also apply for guest researchers.

I tillegg skal du ha fått opplæring i følgende

• HMS-portalen
• Brannvern
• Bruk av kjemikalieregisteret, og kjennskap til hvor man finner sikkerhetsdatablader
• Regler knyttet til bruk av GMO
• Risikovurdering og gjennomføring av sikker jobb analyse (SJA) for arbeidsprosedyre.

Everyone should have been trained in the following:

• Knowledge of the HSE gateway on UiB’s site
• Fire protection and prevention training
• Knowledge of safe and correct use of personal protective equipment, i.e., gloves
• Use of chemical inventory, what Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) are and where to find them
• Know how to work with GMO
• Knowledge of how to perform a risk assessment and safe job analysis (SJA)

Students working alone

Bachelor students, Erasmus students, guest students, project students and trainees should not work alone in the lab or outside of normal working hours (Monday to Friday 8.00-16.00).

Together with their supervisor students should complete a risk analysis of the work routines/protocols they will use. Safe job analysis (SJA) is the most convenient tool for such risk assessment. An overview of protocols the student has been introduced to, and a description of the tasks the student can carry out must be made.

Master students and guest students at a Master’s level and above, may if necessary, work alone in the lab outside of normal working hours, including weekends as long as the completed risk assessment of the work tasks indicates that this is safe and justifiable.   Application for such out-of-hours work should be sent to the head of the department together with the appropriate risk assessment and the timepoints should be specified.

In the case of special tasks where the risk assessment indicates that supervision is necessary, this can be agreed with the supervisor or BIO emergency response team (Beredskapsvakten) for follow-up of the work. Usually this is done by reporting when you start the work and when the work is completed. BIO Emergency Response Team will only respond if the work is not registered as completed. BIO Beredskapsvakt can be contacted by phone 45 39 27 71.

BIO’s general laboratory rules are based on UIB’s safety rules for working in the laboratory.

1. To be able to work in the laboratories at BIO, you must follow the general rules for working in the laboratory. Remember that the lab responsible person (lab manager) has the opportunity to expel you from the lab if the rules are not followed.
2. At start-up, you will be given a guided tour of the laboratory, and you will also be given an HSE safety pass, a document that should be read and signed before you are allowed to work in the laboratory.
3. In addition, you must be familiar with where the following equipment is located and how to use it.
   1. Emergency shower and eye wash
   2. Fire extinguisher, fire hose and fire blanket
   3.  First aid kit
   4. Handling of chemical spills
4. You should know what to do in case of a fire alarm and remember the assembly point outside of the building by the propeller. Read the fire safety handbook for more information.

General laboratory rules

1. It’s forbidden to eat and drink in the laboratory. Food and drinks must not be stored in the laboratory.
2. Good hygiene is important in the laboratory, this means that you should not bring outerwear, bags/purses, mobile phones etc into the laboratory that are not cleand before taken out of a classified lab.
3. Always wear lab coat in the laboratory, dirty lab coats should be handed in for washing/cleaning. The laboratory coats should not be labelled with names.
4. Wear gloves if necessary. Familiarize yourself with the correct use of gloves and choose the right type of gloves according to the work task. See UiB’s glove guide for more information.
5. Safety goggles must be worn when working with concentrated acids, bases, and liquid nitrogen. Especially if there is any risk of splashing. Avoid contact lenses if possible.
6. Read the safety data sheet for the chemicals you are using. Safety data sheet can be found in the digital chemical register. Sett inn link til stoffkartoteket
7. Working with chemcials labelled with H340, H350, H350i and all H360 phrases requires registration in exposure register.
8.  You must be aware that we have zero tolerance for the discharge of chemicals into the sewerage system. Follow the procedures for collecting chemicals in the laboratory where you work.
9.  It is not allowed to have unlabeled chemicals in the laboratory. Therefore, label all solutions in bottles and tubes with the content, concentration, date and your name.
10. Conduct a risk assessment or Safe Job Analysis (SJA) - Do not start a new protocol if you do not know all possible hazards that may arise related to the method and instrumentation to be used. If in doubt, always ask a technician. If the risk assessment/SJA identifies hazards, there must be a written work instruction.
11. Never work alone if you have to carry out a work processes that pose a certain danger.
12. Certain instruments at BIO require that you have been trained by a responsible person before use. Never use an instrument alone before you have received the necessary training.
13. In case of pregnancy, contact your immediate supervisor for a risk assessment of the work. For more information, see UiB's work instruction for pregnant and breastfeeding and Work and safety in the laboratory at BIO | Department of Biological Sciences (BIO) | UiB
14. Gas cylinders must always be securely fastened to the wall with a chain or other secure device for gas cylinders.
15. Corridors, staircases, and emergency exists must always be tidy. No furniture, packaging or anything else that may impede free movement or pose fire hazard may be stored or placed.
16. Always work in the hood if you work with organic solvents, acids, bases, acrylamide, odorous chemicals, toxic chemicals etc.
17. Work that requires the use of fume hoods. Plan work according to when fume hoods are running at full capacity. See chapter V Building operations and maintenance
18. Familiarise yourself with the emergency numbers in Norway

• Fire: 110
• Police: 112
• Ambulance: 113

Remember to state the correct address:

• Bio-block (Bioblokken): High Technology Centre, Thormøhlensgate 55, 5008 Bergen
• A and B block (Biologen): Thormøhlensgate 53 A/B

Finally: contribute to a good working environment by greeting your colleagues with a smile and being helpful. If in doubt, always ask. There are no stupid questions.

Transport of

• chemical bottles must not be carried by the neck/cork. Heavier bottles must be carried in appropriate transport containers or suitable carrying baskets. A trolley should be used if necessary.
• large quantities of sample materials/preparations should be transported in suitable containers or in closed containers on a trolley.
• Biological liquid waste (GMO-cultures such as bacterial, cells or yeast) must be transported without risk of spillage. For larger quantities, use suitable containers for transport and preferably use a trolley.

In case of spillage of GMO

Handled the spillage according to BIO’s HSE-handbook Work involving laboratory animals, genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and biological risk factors at BIO | Department of Biological Sciences (BIO) | UiB

In the case of spillage of chemicals

Without endangering yourself or others, clean up all spillage.

First, consider your own safety.

Never start a clean-up if you are unfamiliar with the chemicals and how to manage the spillage.

Read the safety data sheet(s) for information on management of the spillage.

Put on appropriate protective gear before opening a window and handling the spillage.

Use appropriate protective gear and Pig Haz mat for absorbing the chemical spillage. Familiarise yourself with the nearest location of Emergency cabinet in your work environment and use it in case of large chemical spillage.

Separate instructions for handling hydrofluoric acid are available at BIO.

In case of spillage of flammable chemicals, shut off all propane burners immediately!

If necessary, initiate evacuation by releasing the manual fire alarm.

• Locate
• Notify your nearest leader (Head of Department), HSE-coordinator or technical staff. For necessary contact information, see the room information on the outside of all doors.
• Find the correct protective equipment before entering the room to open windows and handle the spill
• Isolate the area and close the door. Evacuate the area if necessary, upon activation of the fire alarm.

In the event of spillage of flammable chemicals, it is important that all the propane burners are closed off and any ignition sources such as electrical equipment are removed (unplug  electrical equipment).

• Ventilate the area by opening windows.
• Obtain necessary equipment from the Emergency response cabinet
• Choose appropriate personal protective equipment such as gas mask, gloves, and protective clothing such as lab coat or disposable overalls
• How to collect the spillage

• Place absorption mats over the spillage to absorb the liquid. Remove any glass fragments using a broom.
• Transfer all contaminated materials into a yellow waste container (problem waste) and place it in the fume hood for evaporation until next day.  Put the lid on the next day.
• Place the waste container in your nearest waste room.

Tissue paper used for cleaning up spillage should NOT be disposed as residual waste.

Put all contaminated items into the yellow waste container.

• Report the incidence as HSE non-conformities. Report HSE non-conformities | The HSE-gateway | UiB
• Make sure that the Emergency cabinet is refilled after use.

Protective gear

Necessary protective gear is located in the Emergency cabinet. Before handling the spillage, put on respiratory protection: EITHER full mask (insert filters before use) OR half mask and protective goggles. Wear shoe covers and chemical resistant barrier gloves and, if necessary, disposable overalls.

Content Emergency cabinet

• Full mask or half mask, remember to connect the filters to the mask before use
• Goggles
• Respiratory filters
• Shoe covers
• 2 overalls, disposable
• 2 chemical resistant barrier gloves, size 9
• 2 chemical resistant barrier gloves, size 7
• Chemical absorption mats
• Barricade tape, yellow/ black
• Warning signs
• pH paper strips
• Broom and dustpan

At BIO, we have different waste management systems depending on which building you work in.

Waste sorting possibilities

Typical consumer waste should be sorted as far as possible with the facilities we have at Marineholmen. The HSE portal provides detailed information about various waste fractions.

A & B-block, TM 53

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UiB

To use Miljøstasjonen Hall and the waste room behind VilVite, you need your own access key. Please contact the HSE coordinator or the reception at BIO if you need access.

Larger electrical items such as equipment can be delivered to the waste room in Datablokken.

BIO-blokken, TM55

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UiB

To gain access to the waste rooms in Datablokken and the BIO-blokken, you can use your regular key card. Access has been granted to all employees at BIO. Contact the nearest person responsible for the lab to obtain the code for the containers and the compactor in the parking lot.

Batteries

Single-use batteries must be put in red waste disposal boxes available in the waste rooms.  When disposing of 9V batteries, the battery poles should be covered by tape. Ordinary tape can be used.

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UiB

Re-chargeable batteries  such as lithium, Li-ion and NiMH should be collected in the lab and declared as hazardous waste ( waste no 7094). Contact you nearest lab responsible person for correct disposal of such batteries.

Special waste

All waste at BIO must be handled in accordance with UiB's guidelines for handling and delivery of hazardous waste, problem waste, radioactive waste and explosive waste. UiB and BIO practices a zero discharge to the draining system. Meaning, no hazardous or environmental harmful chemicals should be flushed into the sink. Laboratory waste should be handled as problematic waste and should not be thrown into regular bins for residual waste.

The HSE-gateway provides a detailed description of the handling of special waste.

At BIO, we have two waste rooms for special waste such as  problematic waste and hazardous waste. Each room has a waste coordinator who acts as the responsible person. Contact the waste coordinator for questions regarding correct handling of special waste.

Follow the rules that apply to the waste rooms.

A/B blokken: 1H02.1

Bioblokken: 122A2.  Use of the waste room in the BIO block requires that you sign the name and affiliation/research group on the problem waste boxes.

Problematic waste

General laboratory waste such as tubes, pipette tips, measuring pipettes, gloves, etc. must be discarded in yellow waste containers. This also applies to tubes and measuring pipettes that have only been used for water. This should not be sent for plastic recycling.

The yellow waste containers for problematic waste must not be overfilled. The container is full when the waste reaches the thin line indicating the maximum fill level. Ensure that the lid closes properly.  Remember to sign the name and affiliation/research group on the box before placing it in the waste room in the BIO-block. Boxes where waste is visible on the outside will not be collected by the waste operator. This is considered an HSE deviation, and the owner of the container will be tracked down.

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UiB

Hazardous waste

Hazardous waste is all chemical residues and solutions that cannot be handled together with other problematic waste.

It is particularly important to follow the description provided for the disposal of hazardous waste.

Hazardous waste must be declared before it is placed in the correct waste room. The declaration form and instructions for finding the correct waste number are available on the HSE portal. When declaring several packages with the same waste number, an equal number of declaration forms must be printed out and the waste must be labeled. Hazardous waste must not be placed in waste rooms that are not adequately labeled. Remember that there are separate rules for how you should dispose of hazardous waste in the two waste rooms at BIO.

Declaration forms for hazardous waste must be glued to the lid of red waste cans. When delivering cans of hazardous waste, the declaration form must be folded in such a way that the necessary information is visible (form number, waste code, number of packages), as shown in the image below.

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UiB

For questions regarding correct handling of hazardous waste, please contact your lab responsible person or your local waste coordinator.

Radioactive waste

Contact the radiation protection coordinator at BIO for safe handling and delivery of radioactive waste. More information regarding radioactive waste can be found here Radioaktivt avfall | HMS-portalen | UiB.

Only use gloves when needed. Do not put them on before you start your work. Remember, gloves can become contaminated too! And do not forget, gloves do not make you resistant to all hazardous stuff, so they do not replace a good, safe work routine.

For more information regarding the correct use of gloves, see HSE-gateway.

Different types of gloves:

Thin nitrile gloves

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UiB

Use these if you want to protect the sample against stuff on your hands.

REMEMBER: if you touch your face/hair/phone/fridge/freezer/ doorknobs/etc., the gloves will become contaminated (they are not magic….)!

Nitrile gloves

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UiB

Use these if you want to protect yourself against hazardous chemicals.

Provides only splash-protection against solvents. Breakthrough time of e.g. methanol and chloroform is < 1 min, for formic and acetic acid it is < 10 min and for formaldehyde, ethidium bromide and acrylamide it is > 480 min.

Nitrile/neoprene gloves

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UiB

Use these if you want to protect yourself against hazardous chemicals for longer times/full contact. E.g., use these when assembling blots with methanol in the buffer (full contact).

IMPORTANT: quite expensive, only use when needed.

UiB has compiled a list of chemicals/solvents and different glove types that provide the best possible protection. If your are in doubt about whether you use the correct glove, check out the quick form for checking gloves.

All chemicals at the unit are registered in Chemical inventory (https://stoffkartotek.uib.no/) , in accordance with UiB's guidelines for the chemical inventory (NO only). The HSE-gateway provides training videos for the use of the Chemical inventory and a separate training video for employees with editing access. All employees and students affiliated with BIO have access to the Chemical inventory via FEIDE login.

The Chemical inventory gives you an overview of chemicals with associated safety data sheets that are found at BIO and where the chemicals are located. Even though the chemical inventory gives you access to what is available in the various groups, you should not take chemicals from other people's chemical cabinets without first asking for permission.

Working with chemicals requires that you have completed BIO's HSE safety pass. You should have received training in the laboratory to which you belong by a technician, and you are obliged to follow the rules for the safe use of chemicals.

Safety data sheets

There are certain hazards associated with the use of chemicals, so it is therefore necessary to familiarize yourself with the safety data sheet for the chemicals used in your research.

A safety data sheet provides information about the inherent properties of the substance. Reading the safety data sheet provides information about the health hazards associated with the use of the substance (hazard pictograms, H-phrases) and safe handling of the substance (P-phrases). In addition, it provides important information on first aid and fire-fighting measures, storage, choice of protective and safety measures, physical and chemical properties, stability/reactivity/incompatibility, toxicological and ecological information, and information on disposal of the substance after use.

Labeling - hazard pictograms

Chemicals can be both hazardous and non-hazardous. It is therefore important to be able to recognize the various hazard pictograms that indicate the hazards associated with a given chemical. Hazard pictograms describe the substance's inherent properties. On the chemical box itself, only the hazard pictogram will be visible, and in some cases H-phrases can also be applied (depending on the size of the chemical box), so it is therefore important that you always obtain more information from the safety data sheet before use.

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UiB

All employees and students who may be exposed to mutagenic, carcinogenic and reproductively harmful chemicals must register the use of such chemicals in the exposure register. This means that all use of chemicals labelled with the following H-phrases must be register in the exposure register.

In addition, work with ionizing radiation, mining, biological factors (infection risk groups 3 and 4), work with lead/lead compounds or asbestos must be registered in the exposure register. More information about the exposure register is available on the HSE-gateway.

Exposures are registered in the Chemical inventory. Select the substance you work with, describe the work process and the protective equipment used. Under describe the exposure, indicate whether this is a one-off incident or whether this is a substance that you work with regularly. For example, formaldehyde for fixation of tissue samples: 3 times/week, 5 minutes each time.

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UiB

When handling chemicals that pose a danger to life and health, there must be written work instructions for how chemicals should be handled and what safety measures should be in place. The work must be carried out in such a way that the risk of exposure is greatly reduced. We have a duty to replace hazardous chemicals to a chemical with lower risk (The substitution obligation).

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UiB

UiB has drawn up general work instructions for certain risk groups that must be followed.

In addition, specific work instructions are available for the following chemicals at UoB

• Corrosive chemicals (e.g. acids and bases)
• Solvents (e.g. chloroform, methanol, acetone, acetonitrile)
• CMRA chemicals
• Explosive and flammable (picric acid, perchloric acid)

In addition, specific work instructions are available for specific work tasks and for some chemicals

• Ethidium bromide
• Acrylamide
• Hydrofluoric acid
• Liquid nitrogen
• Cytostatics
• Use of ultrasound
• Use of UV-light
• Use of formaldehyde/formalin for fixing samples
• Isopropanol

Please note,  UIB also have a specific work instructions for pregnant and breastfeeding.

All pressurized gas poses a risk to human health and materials and must be handled in accordance with applicable regulations and BIO’s work instruction. See HSE-gateway for more information on safe gas handling. Please contact the gas responsible person if gas is required in the laboratory.

• Gas cylinders must ALWAYS be secured against falling and be fixed to the wall
• Only use approved equipment when connecting to gas
• Transportation of gas cylinders must be carried out with a bottle trolley and with a safety cap fitted
• Gas cylinders should not be transported in private vehicles to a research facility

Work instructions

• General work instruction for handling pressurized gas
• Work instruction for handling liquid nitrogen
• Work instruction for handling dry ice

Access to ethanol in the laboratory is regulated, and only a few people at BIO have the opportunity to order 100% ethanol. Each Faggruppe/research group has at least one authorized person who can hand out ethanol. Whoever needs ethanol must complete the form for requisitioning ethanol. The form must be numbered consecutively and placed in the ring binder in the storage room and the extradition must be recorded in the logbook. Only those who have access to withdraw alcohol can sign this protocol.

Contact the requisitioner for ethanol before the storage room in the A/B block (TM53) runs out.

For the Bioblokken (TM55), contact the person responsible for the alcohol.

Storage of alcohol

Ethanol is a flammable liquid and must be stored in a fireproof cabinet/drawer when not in use. Large quantities of alcohol should not be stored in the laboratories.

All work that poses a risk to life and health must be risk assessed and documented.

Risk assessment involves identifying/mapping hazards and undesirable events, analyzing and evaluating risk and identifying measures that can reduce the consequences if something goes wrong.

Comprehensive information about risk assessment and how it should be carried out and templates for risk assessment are available on the HSE-gateway.

Safe job analysis (SJA)

SJA is a simple risk assessment that is associated with a specific work process or activity. For example, a lab protocol.

It is recommended that those who are to carry out risk assessments in the workplace complete the e-learning course in risk assessment prepared by UiB. More information about the course and registration can be found on the HSE-gateway.

In connection with work with GMOs, it is a legal requirement to carry out a risk assessment in advance of the work. The same applies to work with ionizing radiation, pregnancy, work with particularly hazardous chemicals or work operations, work in the field or on research cruises.

Students and guest researchers

Students must have undergone a risk assessment prior to working in the lab. This applies to Erasmus students, Bachelor students, Master students, visiting students and guest researchers. In most cases, a Safe Job Analysis may be appropriate. Supervisors are responsible for ensuring that the risk analysis is carried out.

All work with radioactive sources poses a certain risk to life and health, and a written risk assessment must therefore always be carried out before starting new projects. Work with isotopes must be in accordance with the ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) principle, and the work must be within UiB's guidelines and in accordance with BIO's approved areas for work with radiation.

Contact your local radiation protection coordinator for advice on approved activity levels.

Requirements for training

According to UiB's guidelines for working with radioactive sources, the local radiation protection coordinator must always be informed of planned work. All users must fulfil a minimum requirement to complete an e-learning course in radiation protection and complete a radiation protection course as soon as possible.

• Employees, PhD students, guests and master students who use radiation sources for a short period of time must complete a day course in radiation protection.
• Those who work regularly with radiation sources must complete a three-day course and pass the test.
• Project managers must have completed and passed a 3-day radiation protection course.

Work routines before using radioactive sources

• A minimum requirement of a completed e-learning course in radiation protection must be presented to the local radiation protection coordinator to gain access to the isotope lab. In addition, you must have completed the HSE safety pass and have good knowledge of good laboratory practice.
• Contact the local radiation protection coordinator when purchasing isotopes. All isotopes at BIO must be registered in the chemical inventory system (Stoffkartoteket.uib.no)
• Prepare a written risk assessment for the work to be done using the tools available on the Radiation and radiation protection | The HSE-gateway | UiB
• There must also be a written protocol for the method in question. Consider how the work should be carried out to minimise exposure to radiation with regard to the following
  • Distance to the source
  • How long you can work with the source
  • Choice of shielding

During work

Employees and students who work with radioactive isotopes must register their use in the exposure register. The exposure register is available in the Chemical inventory system using the FEIDE login. Pregnant women should not work with radioactive isotopes.

• Work with isotopes should only take place in an authorised laboratory.
• Use the correct protective equipment
  • Laboratory coat, gloves and safety glasses
  • Shielding - Lead or Plexiglas. The choice of shielding depends on the type of radiation you work with.
• When there is a risk of contamination and splashes of radioactivity, work must be carried out behind an acrylic screen.
• The workplace must be covered with bench paper before work begins. Remember that the plastic side must face down.
• Laboratory equipment for working with radioactive substances must be labelled for this purpose and, as far as possible, only used for this purpose.
• If the isotope can turn into a gas or aerosols can be formed, work must be carried out in a fume hood.

After work

• The waste is collected securely during the experiment and treated at the end of the day according to the rules for radioactive waste. Use black waste containers labelled with a radioactive symbol. Only one nucleotide per waste container.
• After completion of work, the workplace must be cleaned, and all waste placed in a black waste container.
  • Pipette tips and disposable equipment.
  • For filtration and centrifugation, the filtrate and supernatants must be collected in separate containers (with a tight screw cap) and disposed in a black waste container at the end of the working day. The same applies to repeated washing step
• Continuously keep track of the amount of isotope in the waste container
• The waste container should be stored in the chemical cabinet, room 1H04.2 and clearly labelled with type of nucleotide.
• When the waste container is full, label the container with nucleotide, activity in MBq, weight, and date. For disposing of the waste at the end of the project, contact the local radiation protection coordinator.
• Used equipment must be washed and rinsed well before being returned to normal circulation. The first wash water must be treated as radioactive waste. Preferably use disposable equipments. The bench and fixed equipment must be washed with lukewarm water and ordinary detergent.
• Your hands should be washed thoroughly, several times with lukewarm water and soap.
• A contamination test (Wipe test or Geiger Müller test) must be performed regularly and after the work has been completed. The choice of contamination test depends on which isotope you are working with. The results of the test and an overview of the activity used must be placed in the binder in the isotope lab. 
• Samples placed in the scintillation counter must not be contaminated on the outside of the tubes.
• Samples must be removed from the counter as soon as possible after the counting is finished. Record in the logbook the date, protocol, nucleotide, group affiliation, and your signature.

Long-term storage of radioactive isotopes must be placed in the refrigerator/freezer in the isotop lab 1H04.2.

Measures in the case of spills or accidents involving radioactive sources

• In the case of a spillage of radioactive material, try to prevent it from spreading. Map the spread with a monitor if possible. Decompose the spill by systematically working from the outside of the contaminated area towards the center. People in the vicinity of the spill site should be examined for radioactive contamination.
• If spills occur on people, it is important that contaminated clothing is quickly removed. Wash thoroughly with water (use an emergency shower if necessary).
• Contact a doctor if the radioactive source has entered the body.

Notification procedures

• The person who becomes aware of or has caused the accident must notify via the HSE non-conformities system, and at the same time notify the local radiation protection coordinator.
• The local radiation protection coordinator notifies the Directorate for Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety (DSA) in writing. This must be done within 3 working days.  The head of administration and HSE coordinator must also be informed.

Radioactive waste

Radioactive waste must be handled in accordance with UiB's guidelines and the recommendations given on the Radioactive waste | The HSE-gateway | UiB.

Anyone conducting experiments with radioactive sources is obliged to handle the waste correctly and in accordance with the internal rules that apply at BIO. The local radiation protection coordinator must be contacted when the waste container is ready for further declaration of the waste.

Radioactive waste must not be stored for more than one year at the institute.

Working with UV-Light

UV light is often used to disinfect workbenches such as LAF benches and incubators.  UV-light kills bacteria and microorganisms within 10 minutes. For most LAF benches, the UV light is automatically switched off after 10 minutes.  Not all LAF benches are the same, so be aware. Do not work in the LAF bench when the UV light is on. In rooms where the UV light has been on for a long time, there is a risk of ozone accumulation in the room. Such rooms should therefore be ventilated for about 30 minutes before the room is used.

• Exposure to UV-light can cause skin and eye damage. Protective equipment such as goggles, face shields, gloves and laboratory coats must be worn. Ensure that there is no gap between the glove and the lab coat. The wrist should be covered, and the lab coat should be buttoned up to avoid exposure of bare skin.
• All work with UV-light at BIO must follow UiB's work instructions for the use of UV-light.
• Instruments with open UV sources must be labelled with a danger sign.

Pregnant women should inform their supervisor as soon as possible during pregnancy so that any necessary arrangements can be made. The supervisor is often the first to be notified and they should therefore be aware that a risk assessment of the pregnant woman's work must be carried out. Procedure for risk assessment and safe job analysis (SJA) is available at the HSE-gateway.

In accordance with the Working Environment Act on a safe working environment and the UiB’s work instruction for pregnant and breastfeeding women a risk assessment of the employee's work must be carried out. A risk assessment should focus on known conditions that may entail risks during pregnancy such as working with dangerous chemicals, biological exposure, and exposure to ionizing radiation. When carrying out a risk assessment, the opinion of the pregnant woman must be considered. In addition, the safety delegate can assist in the risk assessment.  If needed an inspection can be carried out for the best possible arrangement of the workplace.

Pregnancy and chemicals

The pregnant woman should familiarise herself with the chemicals used in the laboratory and familiarise herself with the hazard statement associated with the various chemicals. All chemicals at BIO are registered in EcoOnline, and it is possible to draw up reports on which chemicals pose a risk potential for pregnant women.

Pregnant women should avoid working with chemicals that can be harmful to fetal development, but also chemicals that are carcinogenic, cytostatic or radioisotopes. Special care should be considered while handling toxic chemicals without any hazard statements towards pregnancy. In addition, pregnant women should avoid heavy lifting, this can especially occur in connection with research cruises and field work.

Hazard statements also apply to those who plan/want to have children.

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UiB

More information regarding pregnancy and chemicals is available on the HSE-gateway.

If a risk assessment shows that the pregnant woman may be exposed to health-hazardous chemicals in the work environment, then the pregnant woman must, by agreement with her immediate supervisor, be able to choose not to work in an environment with possible exposure. Further information is available on ArbeidstilstynetLinks to an external site..

Please contact your local HSE safety delegate if you need to talk things through with a third person.