Initial Laboratory Safety Training

(GPILS)

Updated 08/26/20 S. Houng

 Who We Are

Environmental Health and Safety (EHS)

We Enhance the Safety of our Community

through EDUCATION and SERVICE

www.umaryland.edu/ehs
714 W. Lombard St. Baltimore MD 21201
(410)706-7055 or 6-7055 from a campus phone
 EHS Programs
• Biosafety
• Chemical Safety
• Radiation Safety
• Fire Safety
• Hazardous Waste Removal
• Injury Reporting and Occupational Health
 Services and Resources
• Training (BBP, Lab Chemical Safety, Hazardous Waste, Radiation
Safety) as well as optional training (DOT infectious and biological
material shipping, reactive chemicals) - MyEHS
• Research Registration for Biosafety and Radiation safety –
review protocols for safety and health hazards and ensure that
you obtain the proper training – CICERO IBC and RSC
• Perform general and radiation safety audits – SHAREPOINT
• Provide hazardous waste removal including chemical,
radioactive, and special medical waste
• Administrate Injury reporting and Workers compensation in the
case of an incident
 Key EHS Contacts
Steven C. Deck, DM, MBA, ARM, CIH, CSP, CHMM, CBSP- Director
sdeck@umaryland.edu

Kenneth Brenneman, PhD- Radiation Safety Officer

kbrenneman@umaryland.edu

Matthew Fischer PhD, Assistant Director and Biosafety Officer

matthew.fischer@umaryland.edu ; 410-706-7845

Kevin Nichol, Manager, Operations

knichol@umaryland.edu

Simone Houng- Assistant Biosafety Officer

simone.houng@umaryland.edu
Training Topics Covered Today

Bloodborne Pathogens
Chemical Safety in the Laboratory
Hazardous Waste Management
Emergency Procedures

Note that annual refresher training on these topics is

required and can be accessed on the EHS website
 Bloodborne Pathogens
“Pathogenic microorganisms that are present in
human blood and can cause disease in humans.”
(as defined by Occupational Safety and Health Administration- OSHA)

Includes:
• Hepatitis B
• Hepatitis C
• HIV
• Many other viral and bacterial pathogens
 Other Potentially Infectious Material
(OPIM)
In additional to blood the standard covers:
• Human body fluids (cerebrospinal fluid, pleural fluid,
pericardial fluid, peritoneal fluid, synovial fluid, amniotic
fluid, saliva from dental, semen, and vaginal secretions)
• Any unfixed tissue or organ from a human
• Human cell or tissue cultures
 OSHA’s Bloodborne Pathogen
Standard
Mandates:
•Development of a written exposure control plan
•Implementation of engineering controls and safe work
practices
•Use of personal protective equipment
•Hepatitis B Vaccination –provisions or declination
•Post exposure evaluation and follow-up
•Information and training
•Record Keeping
 UMB BBP Exposure Control Plan
Available on the EHS website and covers:
•Exposure Determination
•Methods of Compliance
•Personal Protective Equipment
•Work Practice Controls
•Housekeeping
•Hepatitis B Vaccination Program
•Communication of Hazards
•Information and Training
•Recordkeeping
•Post-Exposure Evaluation and Follow-up
Jobs at the University with Potential
Exposure to Blood or OPIM

• Health Care Workers

• Researchers
• Housekeepers
• Maintenance Staff
• Police Officers
 Hepatitis B Virus(HBV)
What is the Hepatitis B Virus? Symptoms might include:
•HBV is a disease of the liver •Yellow skin or yellowing of the
•CDC estimates that 1.2 million people in whites of your eyes (jaundice)
the United States are chronically infected •Tiredness
with HBV
•Loss of appetite
•Dry blood can contain HBV up to 7 days
•Nausea
•Symptoms occur on average 12 weeks after
exposure •Abdominal discomfort
•Symptoms occur in about 70% of patients •Dark urine
•Risk of infection after an injury from a •Clay-colored bowel movements
contaminated needle is from 6% to 30% •Joint pain
(unvaccinated)
•Vaccine is available
 HBV Vaccination
• Required to be offered to employees, students, or volunteers
reasonably anticipated to have contact with blood or OPIM in
performance of their duties at a UMB facility
• This includes assigned work, volunteer tasks, academic programs,
and practicum experiences
• To obtain the vaccine, contact UMaryland Immediate Care (UMIC)
at (667)214-1899
• To decline the vaccination, complete the Hepatitis B vaccine
declination form on the EHS website and give a copy to your
supervisor
• If you have previously obtained the vaccine or have any questions,
contact UMIC
 Hepatitis C Virus (HCV)
What is the Hepatitis C Virus? Symptoms might include:
•HCV is a disease of the liver , most common
blood disease in the United States •jaundice
•Leading indication for liver transplants in the •fatigue
United States •dark urine
•CDC estimates 3.2 million people in the •abdominal pain
United States are infected with HCV •loss of appetite
•Can survive outside the body up to 4 days •nausea

•Currently there is NO vaccine available

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
HIV is the virus that causes Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
(AIDS)

•HIV effects the immune system and decreases the body's ability to fight
infections and certain cancers
•1.1 million people in the United States live with HIV/AIDS
•HIV does not survive more then a few hours in dried blood
•Some people may be symptom free for several years, 1 in 5 may not be aware
that they are infected.
•Currently there is NO vaccine available

Warning signs include:

•Rapid weight loss • Diarrhea lasting more than a week
•Dry cough • Unusual spots on the tongue, mouth, or throat
•Recurring fever or profuse night sweats • Pneumonia
•Profound and unexplained fatigue • Blotches on the skin or inside the mouth, nose, or
•Swollen lymph glands eyelids
• Memory loss, depression, and other neurological
disorders
 How can I be infected at work?

• Contact between mucous membranes and infected

blood or body fluids (eyes, nose, or mouth)
• Contact between broken or damaged skin and
infected blood or body fluids
• Injury with a contaminated needle or sharp
 Always Use Universal Precautions

OSHA defines universal precautions as an

approach to infection control in which all human
blood and certain body fluids are treated as if
known to be infectious for bloodborne
pathogens
 Handling Sharps
• Always point sharps away from yourself and others
• Do NOT bend, break, shear off, or attempt to recap needles into the sheath
• Sharps must be disposed of in an appropriate sharps container
– Made of heavy duty plastic
– Able to be closed with a tight fitting, puncture resistant lid that does not allow sharps to
come out
– Upright and stable during use
– Leak resistant
– Properly labeled outside to warn of sharps/hazardous contents
• Do not overfill sharps container (no more than ~ ¾ full)
• If you have contaminated broken glass, do NOT use your hands to pick up,
use a broom and dustpan for disposal
• Request pickup of full container through EHS website
 Sharps with safety features
When possible, use devices with safety controls built in, such as syringes with
Luer lock fittings.

Retractable needle system

Luer-lock systems
If no alternative to recapping or removal of the needle is
possible, a one-handed technique or mechanical device must be
used and justified to the Institutional Biosafety Committee

One-handed
technique
 Engineering Control:
Biosafety Cabinets (BSC’s)

• Provides laminar/directed air flow, creating an air curtain behind the sash
• VERY IMPORTANT not to block airflow and to work behind the curtain (~6”
behind sash)
• Class II provides personnel, environmental, and product protection
• Must be certified annually or whenever moved
 Clean Air Bench (not appropriate)

• Directed airflow TOWARD the

user
• Provides only product
protection

DO NOT USE WITH

INFECTIOUS MATERIAL
 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Always wear appropriate PPE, which, at a minimum, includes:
• Gloves when hand contact is expected
• Protective clothing (laboratory coat) when the potential for
splattering body fluids exists
• Eye protection when the potential for splashes or sprays exist

General rules for using PPE:

• Make sure it fits properly
• Check for damage before use
• If damaged during use, remove and replace immediately
• Do not wear sandals or perforated shoes
• Remove PPE when leaving the laboratory
 Gloves
• Glove selection should be based on resistance to the materials you
are working with
• They are intended for incidental contact, not extended contact. If
extended contact with a hazardous material is anticipated, consider
thicker reusable, purpose-specific gloves
• Gloves frequently used in labs are disposable (thin, sold in boxes,
for single use). Some lab operations require use of thicker reusable
gloves (cryogenic, heat-resistant, cut-resistant, etc)
• Do NOT reuse thin single-use gloves. Do not blow on them to
reinflate, twirl around rapidly to reinflate, pull on the potentially
contaminated outside to reinflate, wash and dry to use again
• Dispose of all used disposable gloves in a biohazard box
 When not to wear your PPE
• In the lunchroom
• In the bathroom
• Using your office
computer
• Using your cellphone
• On the UM shuttle
 What about between lab spaces?

If you are moving materials or equipment between labs or

buildings,
•Where possible, use secondary containment like a bucket
•“one glove policy”- one glove on to hold the material, one
ungloved hand to open doors, push elevator buttons, etc.
•If you cannot hold the material in one hand, use a cart and/or
request help from a lab mate
 Work Practice Controls
• Wash your hands immediately after removing your gloves
• Do not eat, drink or apply cosmetics in the laboratory
• Follow University guidelines for disposing of biomedical waste
• Maintain the laboratory in a clean and orderly manner
• Promptly clean-up spills of biological material
• All procedures involving blood or OPIM must be performed in
a manner that minimizes spraying, splattering or generation of
aerosols
 Labeling and Waste
Equipment, containers, and waste must be properly
labeled; this includes
• Containers of regulated waste
• Refrigerators & freezers
• Containers used to store, transport or ship blood or
OPIM
• Centrifuges
•Any potentially contaminated waste should be
disposed of through the special medical waste
stream at UMB EHS; biohazard boxes and bags are
provided by request at 6-7055 or on the EHS website
•No chemical, radioactive, or liquid waste should be
placed in the biological waste disposal containers
 Decontamination
Anything that comes in contact with blood or OPIM must be
decontaminated or sterilized before next use or in the event of a
spill. Always wear appropriate PPE when cleaning up.

Use a 1:10 dilution of household bleach, let stand for at least 10

minutes, then clean off with water or 70% ethanol. An EPA-
approved disinfectant may also be used. (
https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/selected-epa-registered-disinfectants )
 What to do if you have an exposure
• Stop work immediately, inform others in your area
• If a splash or spill: Wash exposed area with soap and water for 15
minutes; irrigate mucous membranes with water for 15 minutes
• Seek medical care if needed.
During business hours, on or near campus
UMB Immediate Care (UMIC) 408 W. Lombard St., (667)214-1899, Open
M-F 7am to 5pm.
After hours, seek attention from the UMMC Emergency Room, your
personal physician, or a local hospital
• Report the incident to your supervisor/sponsor and EHS ASAP,
but do not delay medical treatment if needed
In an emergency, call 911 (campus phone campus police;
personal phone Baltimore police)
Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC)
Any work with any human materials (including human cell
lines)/recombinant DNA/viruses must be registered with the IBC.
All personnel working on these materials must also be listed.

Does my research need to be registered with the IBC? Contact

EHS at 6-7055, we’ll let you know!
How do I submit a protocol? Use the CICERO research
evaluation portal at https://cicero.umaryland.edu
Note for ANIMAL work: please be aware that the IACUC will not
approve your protocol until you have received IBC approval

Biosafety questions? Contact Matthew Fischer, Biosafety Officer,

at 410-706-7845
Questions about Bloodborne
Pathogens?
Chemical Safety in the Laboratory
OSHA Standard for Occupational Exposure to
Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories
Requires that the University provide:
• Written chemical hygiene plan
• Chemical exposures assessments
• Information and training on working with chemicals
• Medical consultation
• Proper labeling of chemical containers
• Access to information on chemical health hazards
• Designation of a chemical hygiene officer
• Recordkeeping
 UMB Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP)
The Standard requires employers to establish methods to detect the presence or
release of hazardous chemicals, to communicate physical and health hazards of
chemicals in the lab environment, identifies measures employees can use to protect
themselves.
These elements are summarized in the University CHP, available online, which includes:

• Safe work practices

• Labeling chemicals
• Personal hygiene • Chemical hazards
• Storing chemicals • Emergency and spill response
• Transporting chemicals procedures
• Reporting injuries or illnesses
• Compressed gas cylinders
• Medial consultation
• Leaving operations unattended • Personal Protective Equipment
• Laboratory safety equipment
 The GHS

As of March 2012, the U.S. adopted the UN’s Globally

Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals
(GHS). Subsequently, OSHA revised the Hazard Communication
Standard (HCS) to align with the majority of the elements of the
GHS.

The GHS is an internationally standardized approach to hazard

communication that provides a harmonized system of
classification and labeling and revised organization of safety data
sheets (SDSs).
 What does this mean to you?

Three main areas of standardization:

•Classification of hazards
•Labeling requirements
•Safety data sheets
 GHS Labeling
Chemicals will now be labeled using the following
elements when applicable:
•Pictograms (9) – graphic element encompassed by a red
diamond
•Signal Words – “Danger” or “Warning” to signify relative
severity of the hazard
•Hazard Statements – to describe the nature and degree of the
hazard
•Precautionary Statements - to describe recommended
measures to minimize or prevent adverse events
 Safety Data Sheets (SDS)
16 sections under GHS:
1.Identification
2.Hazard(s) identification
3.Composition/information on ingredients
4.First-aid measures
5.Fire-fighting measures
6.Accidental release measures
7.Handling and Storage
8.Exposure controls/personal protection
9.Physical and chemical properties
10.Stability and reactivity
11.Toxicological information
12.Ecological information
13.Disposal considerations
14.Transport information OSHA does not regulate sections 12-15
15.Regulatory information
16.Other information
 Routes of Body
Exposure for Chemicals

Inhalation
Ingestion

Absorption Injection
 Carcinogens
• Carcinogens can cause the disease we call cancer. Simply
stated, cancer is uncontrolled cell growth
• Examples include:
– Aflatoxin, benzene, benzidine, ethylene oxide, acrylamide,
acrylonitrile, 1,3-Butadiene and formaldehyde
• Always use a fume hood when working with carcinogens
 Corrosives
• Damage skin and eyes upon contact
• Damage your respiratory tract if inhaled
• Examples include:
– Hydrochloric acid and Sulfuric acid
– Sodium hydroxide and Ammonium hydroxide
• Store corrosives below eye level
• Use eye protection, wear protective gloves and a laboratory coat
• If airborne exposure is suspected, use a fume hood
• If splashed in your eyes or on your body, wash the effected area
with water for 15 minutes and seek medical attention
 Flammable Liquids
• Have flash points below 100oF
• Minimum temperature at which a liquid gives off vapor
in sufficient concentration to ignite if exposed to a
source of ignition
Examples:
• Hexane • Ethylene glycol
• Toluene • Ethers such as diethyl ether and
• Xylene tetrahydrofuran
• Benzene • Acetone
• Ethanol • Ethyl acetate and butyl acetate
• Isopropyl alcohol
 Handling flammable liquids
• Keep away from sources of ignition
• Refrigerators used to store flammables
must be explosion proof
• Cold rooms are not appropriate
storage locations for flammable liquids
• Should be stored in a flammable
storage cabinet
 Oxidizers

• Oxidizers are chemicals that support

combustion
• Oxidizers should never be stored with
flammable liquids
• Examples include
– Oxygen, chlorine, peroxides, nitric acid,
perchlorates, and permanganates
 Cryogens
• Cryogens are chemicals that have temperatures
below NEGATIVE 100oF. Examples include helium and
nitrogen
• Can cause severe damage to your skin or eyes
• Wear gloves designed for working with cryogens and
a face shield
 Peroxide-Forming Chemicals
• Can be an explosive hazard
• Examples include:
– Diethyl Ether
– Tetrahydrofuran
• Should be dated upon receipt and opening, stored away from light,
heat, and contact with atmospheric oxygen
• Should be disposed of within 6 months of opening or by the expiry
date, whichever comes first

If you use peroxide-forming chemicals in your lab, please

take EHS training on Working with Reactive Chemicals
 Formaldehyde
• Formaldehyde is covered by the OSHA Formaldehyde
Standard 29 CFR 1910.1048
• Additional information can be found on the
OSHA Formaldehyde Fact Sheet
• Individuals using formaldehyde and/or its derivatives
(paraformaldehyde, formalin) must contact EHS for
additional training
 Chemical Storage and Incompatible
Chemicals
• Chemicals should not be stored based on alphabetical
order
• Examples of incompatible material:
– Acids and bases
– Oxidizers and flammable liquids
– Acids with bleach, cyanides, nitrites, and sulfides
• See EHS website for resources to help with Chemical
Segregation
 Compressed Gas Cylinder Safety
• Cylinders are both physical hazards as well as hazards due to their
contents
• Secure them to wall or vertical clamp
• Use a cylinder cart with a chain restraint in place to move
• Valve protection caps should be installed on cylinders at all times
when not in use
• NEVER stick anything into the cylinder cap holes in an attempt to
loosen the cap
• Use an adjustable strap wrench to remove stuck caps
• If the cap is still difficult to remove, attach a tag or label to the
cylinder identifying the problem and return the cylinder to the
supplier
• Report a leaking cylinder
• CO2 and N2 are oxygen displacers- do not use in confined spaces,
ensure adequate ventilation
• N2 is a cryogen
• O2 is an oxidizer (will make other material more likely to explode or
react)
 Engineering Control: Fume hoods
• Used for chemical work
• Do not store material in a fumehood
• Tested annually by EHS
– If fume hood fails testing, remove all
materials from the hood, discontinue use,
and post a sign indicating that hood may not
be used
• If the fume hood alarm sounds or
lacks adequate air flow, contact
Facilities Management for repair
Keep Fume Hoods and Biosafety
Cabinets Clear Of Storage and
Unnecessary Material
 Door Signage System
Check and make sure doors into your lab are appropriately
signed, with emergency contact information, and appropriate
hazard symbols

New or updated door signs may be requested for free at MyEHS

 Labeling Chemical Containers
• Anytime you transfer a chemical into a separate container, the
new container must be labeled with the full name and
percentage of all components and any hazard information
associated
• Ensure that labels on chemicals are not removed or become
illegible
 General Good Practices when
Working with Chemicals
• Read and understand the University CHP
• Learn about chemical hazards associated with your research
by looking up the SDS
• Post and follow any warning signs
• Use proper PPE – gloves, eye protection, lab coat
• Assume that any unfamiliar chemical is hazardous
• Consider that a mixture of chemicals is at least as hazardous
as its most hazardous element
• Do not use any unlabeled substances
 Where to find more information

• The EHS website and Chemwatch SDS system

• Your supervisor
• Your fellow labmates
• Call EHS! We’re happy to help x6-7055
 Keep Areas Around
Safety Equipment Clear
 Eye Wash Stations

Check weekly to ensure clear water flow

 Safety Showers

Keep area under safety showers clear of all material

 Electrical Panels

Electrical Panels must be kept free from obstructions

• Sufficient access and working space shall be provided
and maintained about all electric equipment to permit
ready and safe operation and maintenance of such
equipment.
Questions about Chemicals Safety
in the Laboratory?
 Hazardous Waste Management
Program
Who is required to receive this training?
If you…
• Decide which wastes are hazardous wastes
• Add or remove hazardous waste to or from accumulation
containers
• Respond to spills, fires, explosions involving hazardous
waste
• Conduct tasks involving occupational exposure to
hazardous waste
 What does this training entail?
• What is hazardous waste?
• How do I accumulate hazardous waste?
• How do I get rid of hazardous waste?
• Waste Minimization/Pollution Prevention
• How do I respond to emergencies involving
hazardous waste?
• Special Medical Waste (SMW) Disposal
 What is Hazardous Waste?
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA),
regulated by the US Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA)
•defines hazardous waste as any waste that exhibits at least one
of four hazardous characteristics or appears on one of the four
hazardous wastes lists
•Generally applied to “solid wastes”, which has a very broad
definition, so consider most chemical waste generated in your
lab to fall under this regulation
 Four Characteristics and Four Lists
Characteristics: Lists:
• ignitable •P and U list: Hazardous waste from
• corrosive pure or commercial grade chemical
• reactive products; P is “acute” hazardous
waste – generated in labs
• toxic
•F and K list: Hazardous waste from
manufacturing or industrial
processes, where K generated from
specific processes and F from non-
specific – not generated in labs
 Characteristic: Ignitable
• A liquid that has a flash point of less than 60 oC (140oF),
• Non-liquids capable of causing fire through friction,
absorption or moisture, or spontaneously changes and
when ignited burns so vigorously and persistently that
it creates a hazard,
• An ignitable compressed gas, or
• An oxidizer

Note that some aqueous solutions (at least 50% water by

weight) that have less than 24% alcohol content lose
their ignitability designation by EPA standards so do not
need to be sent to EHS
 Examples of Ignitable Wastes
• Organic solvents (i.e. xylene, methanol or ethanol
greater than 24%, hexane)
• Paint thinner
• Activated carbon
• Ether
• Silver Nitrate
• Ammonium Persulfate
 Characteristic: Corrosive

• Aqueous or liquid wastes with a pH

less than or equal to 2 or greater
than or equal to 12.5; or

• Liquid that corrodes steel at a rate

greater that 6.35 mm per year at
55oC
 Examples of Corrosive Wastes
• Hydrochloric acid
• Acetic Acid
• Sodium Hydroxide
• Ammonium Hydroxide
• Battery Acids
 Characteristic: Reactive

Materials that, under normal conditions,

are:
•Unstable and readily undergo violent
change;
•React violently with water;
•May give off toxic gases; or
•May be capable of detonation or
explosion
 Examples of Reactive Wastes
• Butyl Lithium
• Lithium Aluminum Hydride
• Potassium Cyanide
• Nitrophenylhydrazine
• Sodium metal
• A cyanide or sulfide bearing waste
which when exposed to pH
conditions between 2 and 12.5 can
generate toxic gases, vapors or
fumes
 Characteristic: Toxic
• One of 41 chemicals in a
concentration equal to or
greater than the respective
value listed in 40 CFR 261.24

• 8 metals (As, Ba, Cd, Cr, Hg,

Pb, Se, Ag)

• 33 herbicides, pesticides,
other organics
 Examples of Toxic Wastes
• Paint wastes containing lead, chromium or
silver
• Mercury waste from dental amalgams
• Silver waste from x-ray processing equipment
• Chloroform
 P & U Listed Wastes
Many of the chemicals used in University research labs may fall under the
P or U-listed waste categories, as discarded Commercial Chemical Products

Examples include:
• Osmium Tetroxide (P)
• Cyanide salts (P)
• Sodium Azide (P)
• Phenol (P)
• Nitrophenol (U)
• Acrylamide (U)
• Lead Acetate (U)
• Tetrahydrofuran (U)
 Waste Mixtures
The EPA also regulates waste mixtures, which are
defined as:
•A mixture of a non hazardous solid waste and one
or more listed hazardous wastes
•A mixture of a non hazardous solid waste and one
or more characteristic hazardous wastes, unless the
mixture does not exhibit any of the hazardous waste
characteristics
 Hazardous Waste Accumulation
Requirements
Hazardous Waste may be accumulated at the site of generation
until either…
•55 gallons of hazardous waste are accumulated; or
•1 quart (~1L) of acutely hazardous waste (P-listed) are
accumulated
 Hazardous Waste Accumulation
Requirements
• All waste generated in the laboratories must be under the control of the operator of the process generating the
waste.
• Waste containers must be at or near the process generating the waste.
• Incompatible wastes cannot be placed into the same container if the placement could lead to a hazardous chemical
reaction
• Containers holding hazardous waste must be kept closed except when it is necessary to add or remove waste.
• Containers must be managed to avoid releases
• Do not completely fill containers
• Keep ignitable and reactive wastes away from ignition sources
• Use secondary containment as required
 Hazardous Waste Labeling
Any container used to contain or accumulate hazardous waste
MUST be labeled with:
•The words “Hazardous Waste”
•The date waste was initially added to the container
•All chemical constituents and their concentrations (% by weight,
add up to 100%)
•no abbreviations, chemical formulas, or trade names
•written in English
Examples of correctly labeled
Hazardous Waste
 Containers to hold Hazardous Waste
Commercial containers may be reused to hold hazardous waste
if:
•The container is in good condition;
•Waste placed into a container is compatible with the container;
•The original label has been completely obscured or removed; AND
•The original container did not contain a P-listed waste

EHS can also provide hazardous waste

containers (plastic only)- call 6-7055 or
request on the chemical waste removal
online form
 How to Dispose of Waste
Submit a request for hazardous waste removal from
EHS at
http://www.umaryland.edu/ehs/

Waste will be removed within three working days

 Special Instructions for Removal
• Make sure to include both building name and room
number on your request form
• Do not place hazardous waste in areas accessible to
the general public, in the general trash or an area
where it may be mistaken for trash
• Segregate hazardous waste from chemicals in use, in
a safe but conspicuous location
 Special note: Unknown Waste
Without an accurate description, chemicals can not be
disposed of in a safe manner.
•Analysis of unknowns can cost several hundred dollars.
•EHS does reserve the right to institute a charge-back
program for the charges associated with the analysis.
To prevent costly analysis, always make sure all
containers in your lab are appropriately labeled
Special note: Ethidium Bromide (EtBr)
While EtBr is not regulated by the EPA, the
University does handle disposal as though it is
regulated
•Turn contaminated aqueous solutions into EHS for
disposal
•For contaminated solid gels, they can be disposed of in
the red biohazard bags, to be collected by EHS
 Special note: Broken Glass
• EHS does not provide broken glass boxes;
they can be purchased from multiple
vendors
• Do NOT use Biohazard boxes for broken
glassware
• Do not dispose of special medical waste or
biohazards in broken glass boxes as they
enter the regular waste stream
 Special note: Empty chemical bottles
In general, empty chemical containers that are not
broken may be disposed of through regular
housekeeping streams, provided:
•They are completely empty
•All labels have been obscured and can no longer be read
•They do not contain any potential biohazards
•They never contained an acutely toxic chemical (P-list)
University Policy on Waste Minimization
The reduction to the extent feasible, of hazardous wastes generated prior to
treatment, storage, and disposal, through any source reduction or recycling
activity that results in
•reduction of the total volume of hazardous waste, or
•reduction of the toxicity of the hazardous waste.

What this means to you?

•Consider if your research activity can be performed without generation of
hazardous waste
•Only purchase what you need for your work for a reasonable amount of time
University Policy on Pollution Prevention
Relates to the use of raw materials, processes, or practices that reduce
or eliminate the creation of pollutants or wastes at the source,
including practices that reduce the use of hazardous and non-
hazardous materials, energy, water, or other resources as well as those
that protect natural resources through conservation or more efficient
use.

What this means to you?

•Consider if your research activity can be performed without the use of
materials that may pollute or cause waste streams to the environment
•Use your resources efficiently and make sure you dispose of materials
appropriately to reduce impact on the environment
 Chemical Spill Response
For small spills:
•Notify others in your area of the spill
•Leave the room and close the door to control
access
•Wear appropriate PPE (eye protection, lab coat,
gloves, respirator if needed)
•Control the source of the spill
•Control the spread of the spill
•Absorb any free standing liquid that has spread
behind or under equipment
If anyone is injured
•Dispose of any spill debris and clean up material as
hazardous waste CALL 911
•Restock spill response supplies
 Special Medical Waste Disposal
Special Medical Waste (SMW) is defined as :
•Cultures and stocks of infectious agents and associated biologicals, or
•Human pathological waste including tissues, organs and body parts and
body fluids and specimens of body fluids and their containers
•Human blood and blood products including items saturated and/or
dripping with human blood and their containers (intravenous bags)
•Sharps that have been used in animal or patient care or treatment and
broken or unbroken glassware that were in contact with infectious agents
(slides and cover slips)
 Special Medical Waste Disposal
• Sharps must be placed into a puncture
resistant sharps container
• Laboratory materials, blood soiled
articles, Petri plates, and other dry
stock/culture materials- place into a pre-
lined SMW disposal box (burn box)
• Whole blood or blood components can
be disposed down the sanitary sewer
• Animal carcasses must be double
bagged and frozen
 How to Dispose of Special Medical Waste
• The large grey carts are generally removed from your area on
a set schedule
• If the cart has not been picked up or is full, please call EHS at
6-7055
• Burn boxes and sharps containers- submit a request for
special medical waste removal from EHS at
http://www.umaryland.edu/ehs/

Specify your building and room number, ensure the containers

are fully sealed and it is clear which container is to be
removed. Waste will be removed within three working days
Questions about Hazardous Waste
Management?
What to do in an Emergency
 Fire Evacuation Plan
You should:
•Know the location of exits, fire alarms,
and your building’s muster station
•Identify your floor’s emergency warden
•Be familiar with your building’s
Evacuation Plan

What to do in case of FIRE:

Remove Alarm Contain Evacuate
•Activate a manual pull station
•Call 911 (Campus police)
•Evacuate the building in an orderly
manner, as directed by your fire warden
•Do not re-enter the building until
directed to do so by emergency personnel
Safe Evacuation Practices

• Walk, don’t run

• Stay in single file in stairways

• Obey Fire Wardens

• Don’t Panic
Don’t Use Elevators
 Campus Emergency
Notification System
In the event of a campus emergency, information will be posted
at https://www.umaryland.edu/emergency/alerts/ and on the
emergency information phone line at 410-706-8622

Sign up for text message alerts for up-to-date campus

emergency information.
 Lab Security
• Laboratory doors should be closed to maintain negative
pressure in the labs, especially when the lab is unoccupied
• If no one is in the lab and/or it is after hours, laboratory doors
should be closed and locked
• If you see something, say something. Behavior or
circumstances that may warrant a call to campus police:
– Someone unfamiliar in your lab space or floor with no legitimate cause
– A suspicious and unattended package
– Anyone forcibly entering a space, or tampering with property
– Suspicious or noxious odors
 “Homework” after this course
• Know how to find information on the EHS website:
– How to access SDSs
– How to report an injury
– Read the University Chemical Hygiene Plan
• Know your lab:
– Look around- where are your chemicals stored? Do you work with any particularly
hazardous materials? What are the procedures for disposing of biological and hazardous
chemical waste? Where is your PPE and how do you replace it or get it cleaned? Where is
the emergency equipment and first aid kit?
• Ask your PI:
– Whether you need additional training on Radiation Safety, Reactive Chemicals, DOT infectious and
biological materials shipping
– Are you doing any work with human materials? Recombinant DNA? Radiation? Animals? Have you
been registered with the appropriate committees?
• If you expect to work with any bloodborne pathogens and have not or don’t know if
you have received the HBV vaccine, contact UMIC to obtain or fill out a declination
form
 Thanks!

If you have any questions after the course or

need more information

www.umaryland.edu/ehs
(410)706-7055