Chemical safety at IFA

How is chemistry safety organised?

Each laboratory that works with chemistry must have a laboratory manager responsible for the chemical safety. At the entrance to the room, you will find information about who the laboratory manager is. The laboratory manager must ensure:

That those who are to work with chemicals have received the correct instruction
That chemical are labelled and stored correctly
That the necessary personal protection equipment is available
That safety data sheets (SDS) are available for the all chemicals being used in the workspace
That a chemical risk assessment is available
Correct information has been provided regarding the disposal of used chemicals
That information is provided regarding first aid and firefighting measures and well as possible physical or chemical incidences

It is the responsibility of the Chemical Safety Committee to advise and approve compliance with the above.

AU Green Guide

AU has published a new guide to sustainable laboratories, which includes a series of initiatives to reduce CO2 emissions in AU’s labs. You are encouraged to read the recommendations in the guide and think about how a greener workday can be implemented in the lab.

The guide is divided into 4 different themes: chemicals, energy, gasses, and waste management. Read it here.

The guide was created by a broadly representative working group that included lab technicians, facilities staff and OSHA representatives and part of the AU climate action plan in 2022.

The guide has been reviewed and approved by the faculty leadership for Natural Sciences, Technical Sciences og Health. In case of questions about the recommendations in the guide, you are welcome to contact Morten Dam Rasmussen, who is responsible for work environment and head of the working group for CO₂-reduction in laboratories at AU.

What do I do if I need to get started in the laboratory?

We advise and help implement safety procedures for new or already used chemicals. Please contact us if you need help, advice or guidance. We find that it is often more time-consuming than you might think to initiate new procedures. We therefore encourage you to contact us in well in advance, preferably 3-4 weeks before you start.

What to do in practice:

Please write to us at kemisikkerhed@phys.au.dk. Tell us which chemicals you want to work with, please attach safety data sheets. Tell us which chemical mixtures you want to work with. How these mixtures are produced. Please provide as much information about the entire process as possible from the outset, in order make our work process easier and to help us to provide with quicker and more precise advice. You should also be aware of any waste chemicals that need to be disposed of afterwards. We will receive your case and will issue questions within two weeks. When all of the information is in position, we create your chemicals and chemical processes in our chemical database. Via a web interface, you can pull all the information necessary to maintain a high level of security. You will be able to find:

Safety data sheets
- Clarity about known risks
- Clarity about the types of personal protective equipment to be used
Chemical risk assessments
- Clarity about known risks
- Clarity about the types of personal protective equipment to be used
Labels for termination of enrolment
- Correct labelling of your own mixtures
Information about waste management
- Packaging and labelling.

Procurement of chemicals

Chemical Purchases – Understand the Risks Before You Buy

When purchasing chemicals, it is a requirement to familiarize yourself with the potential hazards associated with the chemical, its usage, storage, and disposal before making the purchase.
All chemicals are labeled with CLP pictograms, which indicate the hazards associated with the chemical. Each pictogram is further explained with hazard statements that provide specific information about the chemical’s dangers.

Heightened Awareness
Special attention should be given to “Serious Health Hazard,” “Oxidizing,” “Explosive,” “Flammable,” and “Acute Toxicity.”

Be aware that there may be specific regulations for the use, storage, and disposal of chemicals.
Furthermore, it is important to be aware of any potential hazards when using the chemical in combination with other substances. Information about this is typically found in the chemical’s safety data sheet (SDS), under section 10: Stability and Reactivity.

If in doubt, consult the safety organization: kemisikkerhed@phys.au.dk

CLP poster for download (English on page 2)

CLP-Poster.pdf

Chemical Labelling

Handling and labelling of hazardous chemicals

All hazardous chemicals, mixtures and materials purchased must be correctly labelled with CLP hazard labelling. The same applies to dilutions and mixtures made in the laboratory or workshop – these must also be correctly labelled.

CLP – Classification, Labelling and Packaging

CLP is a regulation defined in EU Regulation No. 1272 of 2008. This Regulation has harmonised the previous EU rules with the Global Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling (GHS) rules.

The GHS system makes it easy and understandable for carriers and users around the world to know what precautions to take when handling hazardous substances.

CLP Marking

CLP labelling looks like this:

The individual pictograms in the CLP marking each have their own meaning. It is therefore important as a user to know these.

You can find more information about the pictograms via this link:

https://www.ecoonline.com/da/blog/faremaerkning-og-farepiktogrammer (text in Danish).

A poster with pictograms and explanations can be downloaded here:

Link to CLP poster

Always check the safety data sheet

In addition to correct labelling of the chemicals, it is important to always check that the chemical is labelled in accordance with the associated safety data sheet.

Handling of old chemical labelling

If you as a user find hazardous chemicals labelled with old, orange coloured hazard labels such as these:

... This means that the chemical is not properly labelled and does not comply with the applicable regulations. In such cases, you should contact the laboratory manager, who will assess whether the chemical should be disposed of or replaced with a new purchased version.

Assessment of the continued use of the chemical

The following factors must be assessed before a decision is made to keep a chemical:

Is it possible to obtain a new chemical?
Is the cost of procuring a new chemical too high?
Is the packaging intact?
Is the packaging suitable for storing the fabric/material?
Are the current storage conditions appropriate?
What are the disposal options and what are the costs associated with these?

If necessary, contact the Chemical Safety Group for further guidance on disposal.

Note for plastic packaging:

Plastic packaging has a limited shelf life and is typically not recommended for use after 5 years from the date of manufacture. Chemicals that are to be retained but stored in older plastic packaging must be poured into a new and suitable container.

If the chemical is to be retained:

Ensure proper CLP labelling.

Obtain an updated safety data sheet and register it.

On the basis of the safety data sheet, it must be assessed whether the necessary safety measures for the storage and handling of chemicals can be complied with.

If you need help or further guidance, you can contact the Chemical Safety Group.

Chemical waste

There are strict requirements for the disposal of chemicals, both with regard to transport and, not least, packaging and labelling. It is therefore very important that you contact us before you begin the disposal of chemicals. We would like to make sure that packaging and labelling are correct from the outset, as this reduces our work and ensures that everything is done as the law prescribes. If you have chemical waste, please contact us and we will provide you with labels and correct packaging.

Protective Equipment

Types of protective equipment

To ensure a good, safe, and healthy working environment in the laboratory, it is in many cases required that protective equipment is used when working in the laboratory.

The protective equipment helps to increase the safety of the users and others present in the room.

It is important to point out that all users of the chemistry laboratories are obliged to use protective equipment when required by the safety data sheet and the Process WPA.

As a user of protective equipment, you must have received instruction in the use of these and be aware of any defects or deficiencies in the protective equipment.

At the chemistry laboratories, several different types of protective equipment are used. The common protective equipment used can be mentioned: lab coats, fume cupboards and local exhaust ventilation, safety glasses and gloves.

In specific cases it can be necessary to use other, more specialized protective equipment. In these cases, it must be approved by the chemical safety group.