RANSLEY FERNANDES ADMIN NO. 40202
UNIT 4: LABORATORY TECHNIQUES AND THEIR APPLICATION
Learning aim A: Understand the importance of health and safety in scientific
organisations
INTRODUCTION
Techniques which are used in testing products and manufacturing will always have hazards
with the associated risks. It is essential to know and understand the applicable health and
safety legislation in order to make sure that we reduce the risks of getting injury or accident
to yourself and others around you. Therefore, it is crucial to know how to stop or prevent
the accident and injury by understanding the importance of health and safety because
health and safety is importance whether in workplace or in school laboratory while carrying
out experiment.
HEALTH AND SAFETY ORGANISATIONS
The health and safety at work act (safety act 1974)
The health and safety at work act 1974 describes the duties that employers have towards
the employees (workers). It states that it is the responsibility of employers to protect the
health, safety and welfare of all the employees including casual workers, clients, visits and
general public at work. The objectives of this act are to:
provide the training, information, instructions and supervision.
Making sure that staff are aware of instructions which are being provided by the
manufacturer.
Providing safe place for employment and safe working environment.
Provide the written safety policy/ risk assessment.
The failure to this, can cause fines and imprisonment.
The health and safety executive (HSE)
The work and safety executive aim to protect the health, safety and welfare of employees.
The HSE prevents deaths, injury and ill-health at workplace. The HSE provides advice,
information and guidance; they also raise awareness in workplaces by influencing and
engaging. The HSE also operates permission and license activities in hazard industries and
carries out targeted inspection and investigation, they also have imposed action in order to
prevent harm and hold those who break the law.
Control of substances hazardous to health (COSHH)
Under the control of substances hazardous to health regulations, the employers are
required to either stop, decrease or at the very least, control the exposure to hazardous
substances in order to prevent ill-health to employees. The employers must make sure that
COSHH assessments are carried out and controls are in place to protect the employees from
the exposure to hazardous substances.
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Reporting of injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrence regulation
(RIDDOR)
RIDDOR is a law which was made in 1995. By this law it is needed for employers and people
who are self-employed and people who are in control of these premises to report incidents
in the workplace. The incidents that are required to report are deaths, certain injuries,
occupational diseases and dangerous occurrence which arise out of or in connection with
the work. The aim of RIDDOR regulation is to enable the HSE and local authorities to detect
accident trends, recognise how risks arise and investigate serious accidents. So, in order to
comply with RIDDOR, you are required to report certain incidents and injuries to HSE.
Regulation of health and safety in Pharmaceutical industry
The pharmaceuticals industries or laboratories stores hazardous chemical that puts
everyone in that laboratory or industry at risk. The safety data sheets in pharmaceutical
industries make sure that chemicals are produced and used in a safe manner. The safety
data sheets state accurate procedures on how to handle chemicals and advise on storage,
disposal and first-aid measures that should be taken during emergency. In the health and
safety at work act state that we do not have to work with chemical if not provided with
safety data sheet. The health and safety act states that handling, transport and use of toxic
substances must be safe in pharmaceutical industry. The purpose of the Management of
Health and Safety at Work regulation 1999 is to recognise dangers and prevent people from
getting harmed at work. This is also regulated by HSE which detects all workplaces to make
sure essential assessments are performed.
What is hazard?
Hazard is something that has a potential to harm. The example includes chemicals and
electricity.
What is risk?
The harm that could be caused by a hazard and the chances of it happening.
HAZARDS RISKS SAFETY MEASURES WHY THE LEGISLATION
SAFETY
MEASURES
ARE THERE?
Chemicals Flammable While working with Safety There are
flammable chemicals measures are significant
we should get rid of there to legislations on
ignition sources when protect people hazardous
working with at workplaces chemicals, such
flammable liquids at or in school. as control of
workplaces. At The flammable substances
workplaces, store the chemical hazardous to
flammable liquids away should be health
from incompatible stored, (COSHH), The
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materials. Before transported dangerous
working with and used in substances and
flammable liquids, it is safe manner in explosive
essential to have order to atmospheres
appropriate training decrease the regulation
and information. It is risk of getting 2002, the
also crucial to wear fire and control of
correct protective decreases the Asbestos
clothes and equipment. likelihood of regulation
them adding 2012. The
fuel to any fire registration,
It is important to store
on site. The evaluation,
compressed gas in
storing of authorisation
cylinder in a room that
Compressed gas oxidising and restriction
is dry, cool and well-
material or on chemicals
ventilated, it should be
chemicals is (REACH) 2007
away from
important and and chemicals
incompatible materials
safety hazards
and ignition sources. In
measure are information
workplaces it is
there to and packaging
necessary to make sure
protect for supply
that the storage
because (CHIP).
temperature does not
oxidising Flammable
be greater than 52
chemicals can liquid storage
degree Celsius.
speed up or regulations,
Oxidising When working with make the fire explosive
oxidising intense and substances act
chemicals/materials, it can burn the 1883.
is important to avoid substance
ignition sources. It is rapidly
important to store, therefore,
handle and use safety
oxidising measure are
chemicals/materials in there to
well-ventilated areas protect the
which are away from people from
combustible materials. explosion. The
It is crucial to have corrosive
training and safety chemical can
procedures before attack and
handling or using these destroy our
oxidising body tissues
materials/chemicals. and can
damage the
Corrosive While working with eyes, skin
corrosive chemical, we rapidly after
should avoid skin touching so
