Lab Safety Manual - UCLA - Environment, Health & Safety

An annual refresher is required for the medical evaluation, respirator training, and fit testing. In
addition to the annual training refresher, a more frequent re-training, fit testing or medical evaluation
must be performed when any of the following occur:
Changes in the workplace or the type of respirator render previous training obsolete
Inadequacies in the employee‟s knowledge or use of the respirator indicate that the employee
has not retained the requisite understanding or skill
Any other situation arises in which reevaluation appears necessary to ensure safe respirator
use
Facial scarring, dental changes, cosmetic surgery, or an obvious change in body weight
An employee reports medical signs or symptoms related to their ability to use a respirator
Documentation of PPE issuance
All labs are required to document the issuance of appropriate PPE to their personnel. A PPE
issuance form may be filled out for each member of the lab using the template form in Appendix T.
Laboratory Safety Equipment
New personnel must be instructed in the location of fire extinguishers, safety showers, and
other safety equipment before they begin work in the laboratory. This training is considered
part of the laboratory specific training that all staff members must attend.
Fire Extinguishers
All laboratories working with combustible or flammable chemicals must be outfitted with
appropriate fire extinguishers. All extinguishers should be mounted on a wall in an area free of
clutter or stored in a fire extinguisher cabinet. Research personnel should be familiar with the
location, use and classification of the extinguishers in their laboratory.
Laboratory personnel are not required to extinguish fires that occur in their work areas and should
not attempt to do so unless:
It is a small fire (i.e., small trash can sized fire)
Appropriate training has been received
It is safe to do so
Any time a fire extinguisher is used, no matter for how brief a period, the
PI/Laboratory Supervisor, or most senior laboratory personnel present at the time
of the incident, must immediately report the incident to the EH&S Hotline at 310-
825-9797.
The EH&S website contains a Fire Safety in the Laboratory video, which provides
information on fire extinguisher use. Visit the EH&S Online Video page to view
this video, and other safety videos: http://map.ais.ucla.edu/go/1004476.
Safety Showers and Eyewash Stations
All laboratories using hazardous chemicals must have immediate access to safety
showers with eye wash stations. Access must be available in 10 seconds or less
for a potentially injured individual and access routes must be kept clear. Safety
Chemical Hygiene Plan 4-9 January 2013