Centrifugation: High Speed Floor Centrifuges

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1 Use this form to assist you to complete risk assessments for hazardous activities and processes. Any serious or ongoing hazards should be reported via RiskWare to ensure that appropriate corrective actions are tracked and completed. Faculty/School: Risk Assessment Reference Number: Risk Assessment Name: School of Life and Environmental Sciences (SOLES) RA007.1 Initial Issue Date: Jun 2016 Next Review Date: Jun 2018 Centrifugation: High Speed Floor Centrifuges Prepared by: Rhiarn Hoban and Wen Li Responsible supervisor/s: Markus Hofer (Chair Safety committee) Identify the activity and the location Activity or process: Use of Centrifugation: High Speed Floor Centrifuges Identify who may be at risk This may include fellow workers, students, visitors, contractors and the public Persons at risk: Staff and students at SOLES that use these centrifuges. Location: Research labs at SOLES Risk assessment team (Who was consulted?): Safety Committee at SOLES List of Legislation, Code of Practice, Australian Standards, Guidance Materials used to determine control measures Refer to Safe Work Procedure SWP007.1 Risk Assessment Methodology Assessing the risk is a brainstorming exercise, which is most effectively carried out in a team environment with the people required to complete the activity or process. Most activities or processes are broken down into a variety of separate tasks. For each task, consider the hazards, the potential harm or negative outcomes and the conditions required for those negative outcomes to occur. Whenever assessing the health and safety risks associated with a task, always consider the following primary risk factors. The physical activities required to complete the task e.g. repetitive movement, high force, physical exertion, awkward posture The work environment e.g. lighting, work layout, traffic, thermal comfort, working in isolation The nature of the hazard itself e.g. working with chemicals, microorganisms, radiation, machinery, potentially violent clients The individual workers involved, e.g. level of training, skills, experience, health, age, physical capacity The information gathered from the risk assessment process must be used to develop a Safe Work Procedure (SWP).

2 Task or scenario Hazard/s Associated harm, e.g. what could go wrong? Existing Risk Controls Current risk rating Use the Risk Matrix Any additional controls are required? 1 Residual risk rating Use the Risk Matrix Rotor imbalance. centrifuge (explosion). injured. Always balance the centrifuge tubes (by weight, not just by eye), to 0.1 g and put the balanced tubes in opposing positions in the rotor. Rotor can fail due to excessive speed. centrifuge injured. Know the speed limits of the rotor and don t exceed these. Max speed varies from one rotor to another; large rotors cannot be spun as fast as small ones. Rotor can disengage from spindle. centrifuge injured Ensure that the rotor is firmly attached to the spindle and that the rotor lid is VERY TIGHT before starting the machine. This is done by screwing both rotor lid screws down tightly. Rotor can fail due to extensive wear and tear centrifuge injured Inspect rotors yearly by certified technicians, replace if damaged. Newer rotors generally have expiry or use-by dates so please take note of these dates, contact supplier if date has been reached. 1 Always consider whether or not it is possible to eliminated the hazard or hazardous task altogether. If this is not possible, refer to the hierarchy of risk controls.

3 Centrifuge tubes can break in rotor due to excessive wear and tear or inappropriate use, causing imbalance of rotor. Spill and creation of hazardous aerosols injured Ensure you use the correct tubes for the sample type, and do not use cracked or broken tubes. Phenol and chloroform will rapidly destroy polycarbonate tubes and must be used in polypropylene tubes. You should also only use tubes suited to the rotor. Please check with custodian of centrifuge for which tubes are to be used. Autoclaving of tubes also shortens their lifespan. Not waiting for centrifuge to reach speed reached before walking away centrifuge injured If anything is going to go wrong (e.g. an imbalance), it will usually occur in this initial period. You need to be there to take action if this occurs. 1 Always consider whether or not it is possible to eliminated the hazard or hazardous task altogether. If this is not possible, refer to the hierarchy of risk controls. Page 3

4 Implementation of Additional Risk Controls Additional controls needed Resources required Responsible person Date of implementation RiskWare Reference Safe Work Procedure (SWP) Train workers to complete process in accordance with SWP University and local WHS training DONE Time supervisor and workers Time WHS committee Supervisor Supervisor List emergency controls for how to deal with fires, spills or exposure to hazardous substances and/or emergency shutdown procedures Follow general emergency and spill procedures. If seriously injured call 000 for immediate emergency care. Contact your local first aid officer and notify campus security on General spill procedures: If safe to do so, control the source of release or contain the spill. Evacuate and secure the immediate area and determine if local and/or emergency services assistance is required. If the incident can be managed locally: Ensure that two trained staff are allocated to clean-up the spill using appropriate personal protective equipment. Absorb any free liquids, collect any solids and/or ventilate the area. Collect, label and dispose of spill residue as hazardous waste and decontaminate the affected area and equipment. Any injuries or incidents must be reported immediately to your supervisor. An incident report must be logged with RiskWare within 24 hours of every injury or near miss.

5 REVIEW Scheduled review date 1 year 2 years 3 years Are control measures in place (YES/NO) Are controls eliminating or minimizing the risk (YES/NO) Are there any new problems with the risk (YES/NO) Reviewed by: Actual Review date: yes minimising no Risk Matrix. Page 5

6 SAFE WORK PROCEDURE Use this form to document Safe Work Procedures for hazardous activities and processes. The information in your Safe Work Procedure (SWP) should be supported by a risk assessment. Faculty/School: School of Life and Environmental Sciences (SOLES) Initial Issue Date: Jun 2017 Next Review Date: Jun 2018 SWP Reference Number: SWP007 Version:1 Version Issue Date: Jun 2017 SWP Title: Centrifugation: High-speed floor centrifuges Prepared by: Rhiarn Hoban and Wen Li Responsible supervisor/s: Markus Hofer (Chair Safety Committee) List the Hazards and risk controls as per risk assessment Associated risk assessment reference: Hazards Risk controls RA007 Rotor imbalance/ failure. Broken centrifuge tubes PPE (safety glasses, lab coat and gloves) Personal Training Inspect the machine regularly Use the correct tubes for the sample type Wait until the centrifuge gets up to full speed before walking away. List resources required including personal protective clothing, chemicals and equipment needed 1. Safety glasses (face shield if appropriate) 2. Lab coat or gown 3. Gloves 4. Fully enclosed shoes (preferably leather) with non-slip soles List step by step instructions or order for undertaking the task 1. Users must be trained by the equipment custodian. 2. Book use of instrument if booking system exists 3. Know the location of spill kits, eyewashes, safety showers before starting work 4. Prepare suspensions to be centrifuged in appropriate tubes. The maximum volume level in each tube should not exceed 75% of the tube capacity. 5. Make sure that each pair of tubes is balanced by weighing them. Ensure that lids are correctly fitted. 6. Switch the centrifuge ON. Open the chamber door. Make sure you push the door all the way back. Injury can occur if the door falls closed on parts of your body we have seen this before in our school! 7. Place tubes into the correct rotor. If your rotor doesn t appear to attach correctly, DON T FORCE IT! Seek assistance from the equipment custodian. 8. Install the rotor by placing the rotor base onto the drive spindle. ALWAYS CHECK that it is securely fitted and centrally located onto the spindle. 9. Place the rotor cover on to the rotor base and lock the cover into place. LOCK THESE KNOBS AS TIGHT AS YOU CAN by hand, but don t use other tools this would over-tighten them. 10. Check that the rotor is firmly attached by attempting to lift it off the spindle. You should not be able to do this. If you can, open up the rotor, and restart from 5 above.

7 SAFE WORK PROCEDURE 11. Close the chamber door, and use the display to program in all parameters including SPEED, TIME and TEMPERATURE. 12. Close the lid gently when ready to begin centrifuging, and hit the Start button to begin the run. Note that the machine and rotor can also be pre-cooled by doing a short run for 10 minutes at 4 degrees. 13. Once the run has ended, the machine will beep, but the door will remain closed. Open the door, remove your rotor and samples. If you need to do another run with the same rotor and samples, re-tighten the rotor locking screws. 14. Switch off the machine but leave the lid open. Clean out the rotor with 80% ethanol if there have been any leaks. Do not use bleach this will corrode the rotor. Leave the rotor upside down back in the correct storage location to drain out any residual ethanol. List emergency shutdown procedures List Emergency procedures for how to deal with fires, spills or exposure to hazardous substances Emergency Statement If seriously injured call 000 for immediate emergency care. Contact your local first aid officer and notify campus security on Spill Statement 1. Depending on the nature of the spill, clean up as described in SWPs for Biohazard Spills, Flammables, Corrosives, or Toxic Substances. 2. If a breakage and /or spillage occurs, clean rotors and centrifuge chamber immediately with 80% ethanol. The rubber sealing will deteriorate if spills are not attended to promptly. 3. Depending on the nature of the materials used, dispose of wastes as described in SWPs for Biohazard Spills, or Chemical Wastes. 4. Any large spills of hazardous materials (>1L) or incidents resulting in injury must be reported to your supervisor immediately and via the online incident report form within 24 h. Near misses (dangerous situations not leading to an incident) should also be reported. List Clean up and waste disposal requirements List references used in the development of this SWP, e.g. codes of practice Risk assessment for centrifugation (RA017). RA/SWP004: Biohazard Spills RA/SWP013: Working with Flammables RA/SWP009: Working with Corrosives RA/SWP034: Disposal of Toxic Substances RA/SWP008: Disposal of Chemical Waste RA/SWP039: Disposal of Biohazard Waste List competency required qualifications, certificates, licensing, training - e.g. course or instruction: Compulsory training by the equipment custodian. Work Health and Safety Induction Chemical Safety Staff approved to assess competence for this SWP Laboratory Supervisor / Manager Equipment custodian Page 2

8 SAFE WORK PROCEDURE SWP Sign off sheet SWP name and version: In signing this section the assessor agrees that the following persons are competent in following this SWP. Name Signature Date Competent Name Assessor/Authoriser of Assessor/Authoriser signature Page 3