Faculty/School: Pharmacy Initial Issue Date: Oct 2016

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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: Pharmacy Initial Issue Date: Oct 2016 Risk Assessment Reference Number: Next Review Date: Oct 2017 Risk Assessment Name: Prepared by: Use of Cryogenics Description: This procedure is applied when working with cryogenics (including liquid nitrogen and dry ice) Dr. Alpesh Patel and Padmaja Dhanvate Responsible supervisor/s: Research supervisors, Laboratory managers Identify the activity and the location Activity or process: Identify who may be at risk This may include fellow workers, students, visitors, contractors and the public Persons at risk: Performing routine transfer or refilling of cryogens and snap freezing of samples. Location: Research and teaching labs at Faculty of Pharmacy Researcher, demonstrator, staff or student performing the procedure. Other researchers, demonstrators, staff or students in the same laboratory. Visitors or contractors entering the laboratory area Risk assessment team (Who was consulted?): Laboratory and Research Services Manager List of Legislation, Code of Practice, Australian Standards, Guidance Materials used to determine control measures Consult SDS of the specific chemical Work Health and Safety Act 2011 Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 AS/NZS :2006 Safety in Laboratories Part 2: Chemical Aspects AS/NZS :2006 Safety in Laboratories Part 10: Storage of chemicals AS The storage and handling of gases in cylinders Risk Assessment Methodology Assessing the risk is a brainstorming exercise, which is most effectively carried out in a team environment with the people 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 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 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

2 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). Page 2

3 Task or scenario Transferring cryogens from one vessel to another Flash freezing using cryogens Hazard/s Contact with skin or Eyes. Condensation of liquid oxygen in open containers Spills/evaporation of cryogens in enclosed spaces Use of inappropriate container (e.g. glass dewar, Eppendorf tubes, inappropriate sample container) Associated harm, e.g. what could go wrong? Severe burns, permanent tissue damage and loss of Eyesight Explosion or fire associated with enriched oxygen Suffocation Injury from projectile fragments if container or transfer line shatters Existing Risk Controls 1. Wear Appropriate PPE. 2. If an oxygen monitor is in alarm state, do not enter the room and notify room custodian. 3. Check that all work areas in which you will use the cryogenic agent are well-ventilated and not small enclosed spaces. Never travel in an elevator with cryogens. 4. Check that all containers and tools you are going to use are compatible with ultra-cold temperatures, and will not shatter or explode. Glass should be avoided. Metals or plastics are preferred. 5. When dispensing liquid N2 from a large cylinder into a smaller Dewar, ensure supply pipe is a few inches inside the vessel, not above it. Slowly turn the supply tap and adjust the speed of dispensing to prevent splashing. Turn the tap off immediately when it starts to splash over. Never leave your Dewar unattended and do not leave liquid N2 in containers exposed to the atmosphere for prolonged periods. 6. When collecting dry ice from another container use an appropriate scooping instrument or gently tip container to direct the dry ice into your own container. Don t pick up dry ice with bare hands burns will result. 7. If dispensing liquid nitrogen to another receptacle pour slowly and carefully to minimise splashing. 8. Do NOT create a gastight seal on any vessel containing either liquid nitrogen or dry ice. This can result in explosion and release of extremely cold vapours and/or liquid, and sharp fragments of the container. Current risk rating Use the Risk Matrix Additional Risk Controls? 1 Medium No N/A Residual risk rating Use the Risk Matrix 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.

4 Implementation of Additional Risk Controls Additional risk controls needed Resources Responsible person Date of implementation RiskWare Reference List emergency controls for how to deal with fires, spills or exposure to hazardous substances and/or emergency shutdown procedures From SWP for regulators - If a leak is suspected from any of the joints of the regulator or cylinder in the regulator and/or any of the joints including the cylinder head that cannot be stopped or if there is an uncontrolled release of gas or fire evacuate building immediately and contact security x If it is a small leak and you are able to contain the leak do so straight away to avoid the situation becoming worse. REVIEW Scheduled review date 1 year 2 years 3 years Are the control measures in place (YES/NO) Are the control measures effective in eliminating or minimizing the risk (YES/NO) Have the new control measures introduced any new hazards (YES/NO) Reviewed by: Actual Review date:

5 Risk Matrix Consequence People Injuries not requiring First Aid First Aid Medical treatment Hospital admission Death or permanent disability to one or more persons Insignificant Minor Moderate Major Severe Is expected to occur in most Almost Certain Medium High High Very High Very High Likelihood Will probably happen in most Could occur at some time Likely Possible Medium Medium High High Very High Low Medium High High Very High Not likely to occur in normal Unlikely Low Low Medium Medium High May occur only in exceptional Rare Low Low Medium Medium Medium Page 5