University of Washington Introductory Physics Labs

For questions on this or any other Intro Physics Labs SOP contact

Introductory Labs Manager Scientific Instructional Technician

Jack Olsen by phone at: (206) 543 – 7094 Elana Voigt by phone at: (206) 543 - 8588
by e-mail at: olsenjr@uw.edu by email at: elanav@uw.edu

Standard Operating Procedures for Chemicals or Processes

#1 Process Soldering-
(if applicable)
Before soldering:

Wash hands, put on personal protective equipment. Eye protection is mandatory.

Gloves and tight fitting long sleeves are recommended.
Turn on additional light and ventilation fans. Ensure air is not being blown back at you
out of the exhaust fan.
There is no need to open a window if working in B140 since the air is completely
changed every 8 minutes.
Ensure the area is clean and check for any hazards on the work bench and
surrounding the work station especially flammable materials that are not needed for
the work process.

During soldering:

Use a 3rd hand device whenever possible to reduce the possibility of accidents.
Use alligator clips or other metal as a heat sink to keep your work piece from heating
up too much, reducing chance of burns or damage to the work piece.
If using Flux-Off or similar flux remover use only while wearing nitrile gloves and spray
only away from you.

After soldering:

Wipe down soldering station to remove lead and other contaminants

Dispose of lead and lead contaminated gloves and paper towels in hazardous waste
containers provided.
Remove PPE.
Wash hands.

#2 Chemicals Solder can have tin, lead, and some other heavy metals including (but not limited to)
cadmium, silver, copper, nickel, zinc, arsenic, beryllium, antimony, indium, and
bismuth. While soldering temperatures should generally be low enough that metals
should not become vapor, they could still be taken into the body a variety of ways
including through abrasions and cuts or ingestion. Always keep skin breaks covered,
and use gloves rated to above the soldering iron temperature. Never eat or drink at
the soldering station or without washing your hands. Wash your hands after soldering.

Solder may have rosin core with either organic or inorganic fluxes, or you may use a
separate flux of one of these types. Organic fluxes can include organic salts and
organic acids. Inorganic fluxes are corrosive and may contain zinc chloride, stannous
 chloride, hydrochloric acid, or phosphoric acid. Fluxes may be liquid or paste. Health
hazards include athsma and other breathing disorders as well as contact dermatitis.
NOTE: CONTACT DERMATITIS CAN DEVELOP AFTER EXPOSURE TO FLUX
EVEN IF THERE IS NO INITIAL REACTION, IE. YOU CAN BECOME ALLERGIC TO
FLUX OVER TIME. ALWAYS MINIMIZE SKIN CONTACT WITH FLUX AND ALWAYS
USE A VENTILATION FAN TO DISPERSE FLUX FUMES AWAY FROM YOURSELF
EVEN IF YOU HAVE NO REACTION TO IT.

Flux remover, used to clean parts after soldering, is a health hazard, flammable, and
can present a physical hazard. Handle with care, use gloves, spray away from
yourself, and use away from the hot soldering iron. See MSDS for more information,
available through myChem, see spill and accident section of this document for first aid
procedures.

The surface you are soldering may have coatings or finishes that will burn off at
soldering temperatures. These may be of all kinds and may present their own
hazards. Never breathe in fumes from soldering processes. For more information see
Addendum 1.

Burns may result from soldering either from contact with the iron, hot solder, or hot
components. Use care and never touch a piece that has just been in contact with the
soldering iron.

Electrical shock can happen either from the hot soldering iron coming into contact with
a plugged in power cord or from soldering too close to water. Always assess your
soldering station for potential electrical hazards.
#3 Personal Protective Eye protection glasses or goggles are absolutely required during all soldering
Equipment (PPE) operations. Standard eye glasses worn for sight correction do not count since they
provide less coverage than is needed.

Hair should be covered or pinned back. Metal such as rings should not be worn on the
hands. Long sleeves are advisable for splash protection.

Heat resistant gloves are available for use during soldering, however they are heavy
enough they may not be practical for continuous use. Our available gloves are from
Kut-Gard and are rated to up to 700 F or 371 C for continuous contact and can
provide splash protection at higher temperatures from small amounts of solder.
Beware if you exceed 371 C on the soldering iron the gloves may not provide
complete protection.

Masks are available for use during soldering and/or flux removal processes. They are
not mandatory but may mitigate inhalation of flux fumes or flux remover. They are
recommended for individuals with known respiratory problems such as athsma that
may be worsened by exposure to soldering fumes or individuals with sensitivity to flux
or flux remover components.

If you need some other type of PPE please contact the Introductory Labs Manager or
the Scientific Instructional Technician.
#4 Environmental / A fan should be used to blow fumes away from the operator in conjunction with a filter
Ventilation Controls to suck air away from the operator. The air in B140 and other rooms on the first floor
of the Physics and Astronomy Bar building is completely refreshed every 8 minutes
and is on a single pass through system, meaning that air is not recirculated at all. This
means build up risk over time of fumes is a low if a fan is used to disperse fumes into
the room away from the operator, particularly when combined with a desktop filter.
#5 Special Handling Flux and flux remover should be stored closed. Soldering iron should be stored off.
Procedures & Storage Entire work area should be wiped down after use and all equipment cleaned.
Requirements
#6 Spill and Accident Solder will quickly cool if spilled off the iron and should be scraped up and disposed of
Procedures in the hazard waste containers provided. Flux paste can be wiped up with a paper
towel. While most flux is not hazardous waste itself it may be contaminated with lead
solder or lead dust from the solder and should be disposed of as hazardous waste.

If flux remover is spilled, clean up procedure depends on the amount. Always wear
gloves when handling flux remover or cleaning it up. For trivial spills (less than a
single paper towel needed to wipe up spill) clean up with paper towel and dispose of
in hazardous waste bin. For larger spills (more than a single paper towel needed to
wipe up spill) use the spill kit and bag waste in hazardous waste bags in spill kit.

For exposure to flux, flux remover, or solder use the following first aid procedures, in
all cases get medical attention if necessary.:

Inhalation: Remove patient to fresh air. If not breathing, give artificial respiration. Give
oxygen as necessary, if qualified personnel are available. Get medical attention if
necessary.
Eye: Flush with large amounts of water for at least 15 minutes, lifting eyelids until no
evidence of the chemical remains. Get medical attention. Remove contact lenses, if
present and easy to do. Continue to rinse.
Skin: Wash skin with plenty of water for at least 15 minutes. Immediately remove and
wash contaminated clothing before use. If molten material contaminates the skin,
immediately begin decontamination with cold, running water. Minimum flushing is for
15 minutes. Get medical attention if necessary.
Oral: Do NOT induce vomiting without medical advice. Never give anything by mouth
to an unconscious person. Rinse mouth if victim is conscious. Get medical attention.

If the soldering iron is dropped, turn it off and remove any flammable materials from
around it if you can. If it appears undamaged pick it up by the handle and return it to
its holder.

For burns run cold water over burn and apply first aid as necessary. See medical
attention if required.
#7 Waste Disposal Lead and lead contaminated waste such as gloves, paper towels, etc must be
disposed of as hazardous waste. Never put contaminated items into the regular trash.
Use the waste containers provided, the Laboratory Manager or Scientific Instructional
Technician will manage disposal of waste containers through EH&S.

Waste containers should be kept sealed when not in use to avoid spills of
contaminated waste.

Contact Jack Olsen or Elana Voigt to Label with Hazardous Waste Label, accumulate
according to requirements, and send in Chemical Collection Request or Routine
Pickup request, both available online at
http://www.ehs.washington.edu/epowaste/chemwaste.shtm. Do not evaporate and
solder or related chemicals or pour down the drain.
#8 Special Precautions N/A
for Animal Use
(if applicable)

Particularly hazardous substance involved? X YES: Blocks #9 to #11 are Mandatory

(See Appendix H, Lab Safety Manual) NO: Blocks #9 to #11 are Optional.
#9 Approval Required Approval required by the Introductory Labs Manager or their designee. Training
requirements are:
 EH&S Electrical Safety, Basic Online
EH&S Fire Extinguisher Training Online
Safety orientation by Introductory Labs Manager or Scientific Instructional Technician
Read entire SOP including all addendums
#10 Decontamination Stations should be cleaned after use and all cleaning waste disposed of in Hazardous
Waste container. Large spills or other incident requiring additional decontamination
beyond standard requirements will be evaluated by Introductory Labs Manager or
Scientific Instructional Technician with the guidance of EH&S as needed.
#11 Designated Area Designated soldering stations in B140. Any other stations require approval of
Introductory Labs Manager or Scientific Instructional Technician.

Name: Title:
Signature: Date:
Environmental Health and Safety, Box 354400 *to be filled in by PI or Supervisor
 Addendum 1
This is the “Safe Soldering Work Practices” published by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory EH&S 12/09/2010
copied from http://www2.lbl.gov/ehs/ih/pdf/safeSolderingFinal.pdf on 04/06/2016. It provides a more complete
overview of soldering hazards and was used as a source document for some background information in this Standard
Operating Procedure. The final heading of this document “Training” can be disregarded. The Introductory Labs
training guidelines in the main body of this document provide the relevant training information.

SAFE SOLDERING WORK PRACTICES

This guidance document is designed as a reference for safe soldering work practices at Lawrence Berkeley National
Laboratory (LBNL). Most soldering done at LBNL is electronic hand soldering, using a soldering iron or gun.
Soldering can also be done using a torch, for example, when connecting copper pipes in plumbing systems. In many
cases soldering is done only occasionally, and use of best work practices including good ventilation provides
adequate protection. It is important to request an assessment of the hazards if there are any health and safety
concerns.

Soldering is a group of joining processes that produce a joining of materials by using a filler metal (solder) with a
temperature not exceeding 840°F (450°C). The metals being joined are heated to the soldering temperature but they
do not themselves become liquid; only the solder becomes liquid. Because temperatures in soldering with a torch
may approach or exceed 840°F (450°C), these processes may also be termed “brazing,” but they are often described
as “hard soldering” or “silver soldering.” Both soldering and brazing are distinct from welding, where the materials
being joined are also made liquid to some extent, in the joining process.

In addition to the solder and the base metals, soldering operations may involve the use of fluxes, coatings, and
cleaning agents. Both electronic soldering and hard soldering present potential exposure issues via airborne, skin
contact, and hand to mouth routes, from both the products used or by-products of the soldering process. There are
physical hazards from heat, and in some cases from open flame. To ensure employee awareness of the hazards and
safe work practices when soldering, this summary, with suggested resources, has been prepared for use by workers
and supervisors of soldering operations.

POTENTIAL HAZARDS

Fumes from heated solder constituents: Lead and tin are the primary constituents of most solder currently used in
electronic soldering at LBNL. Solder composition may vary but is commonly 60-63% tin and 37-40% lead. Because of
the relatively low temperatures in electronic soldering, fumes from these metal constituents themselves are not
normally a concern. When solder contains a core of 1-3% flux, appropriate controls should be used. This issue is
addressed in the discussion of fumes from fluxes. Lead, tin, and other solder materials are discussed in more detail in
the section on solder constituents.

Fumes and decomposition products from heating of oil, paints, or coatings present on the surfaces heated during
soldering: Lead or volatiles from paint, or residue from solvents used in surface preparation, can produce toxic fumes,
gases, and vapors. This may occur even when the coating is on the back of an object being soldered, not directly on
the soldered surface. Oils, paints, and coatings should be removed from surfaces to be heated during soldering, to
prevent volatilization of these products. Teflon (PTFE, or polytetrafluoroethylene) materials, or surfaces coated with
Teflon materials, may evolve fumes when heated above 625°F (450°C). Teflon decomposition products consist of
large numbers of ultrafine particles and low concentrations of gas-phase compounds. Exposure to Teflon fumes can
cause an influenza-like syndrome (polymer fume fever) and severe toxic effects such as pulmonary edema,
pneumonitis, and death. Work with Teflon materials should always be done with local exhaust ventilation systems.

Fumes from fluxes: Flux allows the solder to flow more smoothly. Soldering may involve the use of flux paste or
liquid, or the solder itself may have a rosin core. When this flux is heated it may be volatilized to a gaseous state.
While “fume” strictly speaking refers to volatilized solid material that has then condensed in the air, the term is loosely
used to include other airborne products including gases and vapors that may be produced in soldering. Because
soldering fume generally rises vertically, it is easy for it to enter the breathing zone of the operator, unless ventilation

Safe Soldering Work Practices rev 4.0 12/09/2010 1

is used. Even those who solder only occasionally should use fans or local exhaust ventilation to minimize their
exposure to soldering fume.
Rosin Fluxes- Contact with rosin-based solder flux, flux residues, and the fume itself can cause dermatitis. Wearing
long-sleeved clothing and gloves, while not required, can prevent skin contact.

When heated, rosin-based solder fluxes (including those in flux-core or rosin-core solder) form fumes containing a
range of resin acid particulates and other components as gases. A portion of the evolving fume during soldering may
come from the organic solvent used to dissolve the rosin. Aliphatic aldehydes, measured as formaldehyde, have
been selected as the best indicator of rosin pyrolysis products. Exposure to rosin-based solder flux fume can cause
irritation, lead to occupational asthma, and make existing asthmatic conditions worse. The Occupational Safety and
Health Administration (OSHA) does not currently have a limit for these rosin flux decomposition products, but the
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommends the rosin core flux pyroloysis products be
measured as formaldehyde and limited to 0.1 mg/m3 (for an 8-hour time-weighted average exposure). There are
established OSHA limits for formaldehyde only, and employee exposure should be kept below these limits (8-hour
permissible exposure level 0.75 ppm; Action Level 0.50 ppm).

The American Council of Government Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) notes the potential for rosin core solder
decomposition products to produce sensitization, and recommends that exposure be carefully controlled to levels as
low as possible. “Sensitization” refers to an immunologic mechanism whereby an individual initially has little or no
response to an agent. After becoming sensitized through exposure, the individual may experience intense responses,
even at low exposure levels. Because it is possible for sensitization to occur, all exposure to rosin pyrolysis products
should be kept as low as possible, whether or not there are any symptoms.

Even who do only occasional soldering should be aware of the early symptoms associated with respiratory effects of
rosin-core solder or rosin flux. These include watery and prickly eyes, runny or blocked nose, sore throat, coughing,
wheezing, or breathing difficulties. Symptoms may start soon after exposure, or be delayed for several hours, so their
link to the soldering activity may not be obvious. Any concern should be addressed to the supervisor, Division Safety
Coordinator, Division Liaison, or Industrial Hygiene representative for the Division.

Organic Water Soluble Fluxes- These intermediate fluxes contain organic salts as amine hydrohalides and organic
acids such a citric, lactic, benzoic, and glutamic. These organic acids may produce mild allergic irritation of the skin
and respiratory tract while contact with concentrated solutions can cause severe burns to the skin or eyes. Wearing
long-sleeved clothing and gloves can prevent dermal contact, and good work practices should be used to prevent
contact of the flux with the eyes.

Inorganic Water Soluble Fluxes- These strong fluxes are corrosive and contain zinc chloride, stannous chloride,
hydrochloric acid and phosphoric acid dissolved in water. Zinc chloride can cause irritation of the nose, throat, and
respiratory tract. Wearing long-sleeved clothing and gloves can prevent dermal contact, and good work practices
should be used to prevent contact of the flux with the eyes. Fans or local exhaust ventilation should be used to
minimize the exposure to soldering fluxes.

Gases and vapors from cleaning agents: Acids, alkalis, and organic solvents may be used to clean surfaces prior to
soldering and for removal of remaining unwanted solder of flux residues after soldering. Hazards should be assessed
on an individual basis for the solvents used in each operation.

Burns and fire: Burns can result from touching the hot objects associated with soldering, such as the soldering iron or
surfaces heated by the iron. Work practices should be used to prevent contact with hot objects. Burns and fire
hazards are both present when a torch is used for soldering. When using a torch, it is required to obtain a Hot Work
Permit for each job. Safety requirements for hard soldering or silver soldering, using a torch, are addressed in more
detail in Divisional Procedures or Job Hazard Analyses for this work.

Safe Soldering Work Practices rev 4.0 12/09/2010 2

Safe Soldering Work Practices rev 4.0 12/09/2010 3

SOLDER CONSTITUENTS – LEAD AND OTHER METALS

Lead and tin are constituents of solders in common use at LBNL. Other metals that can be found in solders include
cadmium, silver, copper, nickel, zinc, arsenic, beryllium, antimony, indium, and bismuth. If these are used, their
hazards should be assessed. Metal fumes may be a concern with all metal constituents, when temperatures exceed
those typical of electronic soldering.

RECOMMENDED LEAD WORK PRACTICES

The OSHA Lead Standard (CFR 1910.1025) addresses worker exposure to lead as an airborne contaminant. Based
on standard soldering iron temperatures of 620°F-700°F and the melting point of lead (621°F), with a vapor pressure
of 0.0 mm Hg and a boiling point of 3,164°F, it is unlikely that lead fume will be generated during electronic soldering,
unless the solder is heated to extreme temperatures. Even when there is no exposure to lead fumes, there is still a
need for safe work practices to prevent employee exposure to lead from other routes.

To prevent the ingestion of lead, hands should be washed with soap and water before breaks, before lunch, before
smoking, at the completion of soldering, and at the end of the workday. Work areas should be kept clean and wiped
with a damp paper towel to minimize the accumulation of lead dust in the work area. Food is not permitted in
laboratory work areas (See LBNL Chemical Hygiene and Safety Plan.)

LEAD FREE SOLDER

Lead’s ability to reduce the melting point of tin, increase its strength and improve its ductility, and provide excellent
thermal cycling fatigue resistance make the tin-lead alloy unique. While the soldering process based on tin-lead
solder does not present immediate airborne lead exposure problems, lead work practices and waste disposal are still
an issue. There are environmental and economic advantages to using lead-free solder.

European Union requirements for use of lead-free solder have had an impact on soldering practices, and use of lead-
free solder in electronic soldering is becoming more common. Lead-free solder may contain tin, copper, silver, and
sometimes bismuth, indium, zinc, antimony, and other metals in varying amounts. The lead-free replacements for
conventional Sn60/Pb40 solder have higher melting points, requiring re-engineering of most components and
materials used in electronic assemblies. While the metals used in lead-free solder do not typically present problems
at the temperatures found in electronic soldering, an assessment of hazards should be conducted by the EH&S
Industrial Hygiene Group when new products are first introduced and whenever process changes are made.

The Federal EPA Lead and Copper Rule required solder and flux used in plumbing systems to contain less than 0.2%
lead, starting in 1987. Lead in solder for use in drinking water systems has been replaced by copper, silver, or
antimony, with an increased proportion of tin. As with electronic soldering using tin-lead solder, typical products do
not present exposure issues, but hazards should be assessed by the EH&S Industrial Hygiene Group.

HAZARD ASSESSMENT

Since there can be several products in use during the soldering process, each operation should be evaluated.
However in all cases, work should be done in well-ventilated areas, and any signs or symptoms of irritation should be
immediately reported to your supervisor and to Health Services. Lead safe work practices should be followed. Any
change in process or materials should be evaluated by the EH&S Industrial Hygiene Group for potential hazards.

CONTROLS

Typical soldering work should be done in areas with good ventilation and fans positioned to pull air away from the
operator’s breathing zone. Where soldering is done frequently, local exhaust ventilation may be necessary. Controls
for each work process are addressed in the Job Hazards Analysis, including recommended ventilation and work
practices.

RECOMMENDED LEAD WORK PRACTICES

To prevent the ingestion of lead, hands should be washed with soap and water before breaks, lunch, prior to
smoking, at the completion of soldering and at the end of the workday. Work areas should be kept clean and wiped
with a damp paper towel to minimize the presence of lead dust in the work area. Food is not permitted in laboratory
work areas (See LBNL Chemical Hygiene and Safety Plan.)

TRAINING

Employees who perform soldering are required to take EHS 0243, Soldering Awareness. Employees who use a torch
for soldering are required to take EHS0241 Safety-Welding/Cutting/Brazing. Questions about soldering safety should
be addressed to <redacted>.