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in the Chemical Laboratory Edited by NORMAN V. STEERE, School of Public Heolth, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minn. 55455
The Campus Safety Association a t its Annual meeting an Jone 30, 1965, gave tentative approval to some laboratory design eonsiderat,ions on which reaction and comment are sought pending fnrther action. The design considerations were developed by the Laboratory Safety Committee of the Association with the intention of providing a. unique distillation of experience and ideas which could serve as useful guides for designing better and safer laboratmies. Comments may be directed (preferably in t,riplicste) to the Chairman of the Laborat,ory Safety Committee, G. W. Marsisrhky, Division of Safety, Indiana University, 801 N. Jordan Avenue, Bloomington, Indiana.
Introduction This set of considerations has been prepared from considerable hard-won e x p e rienee to provide persons who design new or remodeled laboratmy facilities with a witable reference guide to design sajdy. Recent experience argues that biology laboratories, FLSwell a8 phpi(,s and chemistry laboratories, should be designed for meeting chemical emergenriw. Therefore these considerations sha~tld be r e ferred to when designing all types of laboratories snd the applirable sections should be followed. The following items should be used as guides only. These eonsiderrtt,ionsdo not spcll out all of t,he necessary design problems. In most instances the type of protection is left entirely up to t,he designers alt,hough verioils dternatives are offered. Where soecialised orot,ect,iveeqnipment is . . t,o be employed, an engineer or engineering firm ex~eriencedwith the equipment to be install& should be enlployed. The various state and insurance rating agencies generally will help in the setting of desigu st,andards for fire protection equipment. I n many instances the manufact,wers or distributors of such equipment provide engineering service withont obligatiun. Automatic Systems Automatic fire and explosion detection and/or protection equipment should be inst,alled in those areas of all lxboratory buildings which present special hazards.
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T a b l e 2. Technical Design S t a n d a r d s for Automatic Systems
XIX. Laboratory Design Considerations, Part I Editor's Note
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I h e to the nature of the work performed in most laboratory facilities and the nature of the chemicals employed, the hasards of fire and explosion are much greater than in other r:smpns bnildings. Even small fires in laboratory buildings can canse large losses. Laborat,ory fires have destroyed valnable research equipment, products, and data. As research work increases on campuses, t,he concentration of values also increases and the inherent hazard increeses. To maintain control of this fast rising spiral of hazard and values, it is suggested that, the use of the following types of protective equipment be considered in a11 new or remodeled laboratory buildings. The d e cision as to which type of equipment and how complete sn imtallation is desired or necessary is left to the individnal designers. Teble 1 lists several, but not alltpotential hazard areas, and Table 2 prov~desa list of technical design st,andards for various protective devices. In many hazardow areas, it will be desirable t,o pmvide more than one t,rpe of protection. For example, flammable liquid rooms should have automatic detection, automatic extingnishing, and explosion venting equipment. Fire, smoke, and combust,ihle gas detection equipment should be installed in accordance with it,s individual Listing in the Fire Protect,ion and Ilaaardous Location Equipment Listings of Underwriters' Laborat,ories, Inc. Emergency A l a r m S y s t e m s Due to the high fire hasards, explosion hasards, andpossibleescape of toxic, radioactive, or bacteriological agents, every laboratory building should be equipped with a n emergency evacuat,ion alarm T a b l e 1. Hozardous A r e a s Needing Detection a n d Protection Systems Flammable liquid storage and dispensing rooms Chemical stockrooms Comoressed ges storage facilities Geneial storage roomi Radioactive isotope storage or produet,ion areas Mechanical equipment rooms, electrical rooms, and transformer vaults Bat,tery rooms Air conditioning equipment \'ertical chutes or pipe or duet chases which pierce more than one floor Special hazard, 24 hour or extremely high value laboratories Laboratories used for the handling of infectious agents Laboratories below grade level Laboratories without outside windows
Instilllation of Sprinkler Systems, National Fire Prot,ertion Association (NFPA) No. 13 Carbon Dioxide Extinguishing Systems, NFPA No. 12 Dry Chemied Exting~~ishingSystems, NFPA No. 17 Foam Ext,ingoishing Systems (high expansion foam), NFPA No. 11 Waber Spray Syst,ems far Fire Protection NFPA No. 15 Explosion Venting Guide, NFPA No. 68 Inerting far Fire and Explosion Prevention, NFPA No. 69 Inst,zllat,ion Standpipe and Hose Systems, NFPA No. 14 Explosion Suppression Systems, NFPA Handbook Factory INntud Laborstories Engineering Mard NFPA Fire Protection Hsndhook
system which sonnds within the building. Also, since quirk response by pmfessional fire fighters or other emergency personnel is highly desired to minimize damage and danger to the sorromding area, remote signaling devices connecting the building alarm &em to the local fire or police depnrbment or campus security department shonld be given eunsiderat,ion. The following emergenry signaling or reporting equipment should be provided: Remote signaling systems connecting the emergency evacuation alsnn, any automat,ic detect,ion and/or prot,ection d e vices t,o a centrally supervised panel a t the fire department, police department, or campns seewity office in accordanre with the standards of NFPA No. 72, P m p r i e tory, Auxiliary, and Local Protective Signaling Systems. Where remote signaling systems are impractical, emergency telephones sho~ildbe provided inside the building where they will be accessible when the buildings are closed. The emergency telephones should eonneot direct,ly to +,he emergency offices so that t,here will be no need to dial or locate a telephone number. Consideration should he given to pmviding outside emergency t,elephones for use by night watchmen, pmsemby, or persons who have evacuated the building. Anmmcintur panels should be provided for all automabin detections, extingnishing. and manual alarm systems, in a location easily accessible t o the fire department to indicate t,he Incation of any detection, extinguishing, or manual alarm devices which have operated. Such anminciat~or panels are import,anl for prompt responEr to sites of emergencies. Air condit.ioning fans should be ~ t l t o matically shut olT by the operabion of any detection, extingnishing, or mamml alarm device.
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Stairway or other firedoors that are tmmrtlly held open by eleetromagnet,ic: d e v i e ~should he released hy the action of m y automatic detection, extingoixhing, or manual alarm devices. All fume hoods and spot ventilat,ion equipment should he provided with manual shutdff devices so that they can be shut. OR in case of fire, if such setion does not cause addit,ional hazards.
fire resistive storage cabinets, and safety containers. Provision should be made for the collection and disoasal of flammable liaoid and hazardous chemical waste. A special incinerator shonld, if possible, be procured for this pnrpose. Provision should he made for st,oring compressed gas cylinders of a flammable and/or toxic nabwe outside of the building in an area protected from the weather and easily seceasihle to the freight elevator. See NFPA No. 58, Stompe and Handling of Liauefied Petroleum Gases. for a enide
Special Facilities for Chemical Storage, Handling, and Disposal Special provisions should be made for the handling, st,orage, and disposal of flammable liquids, compressed gas c y h dem, and hasardous chemicals. The more rapid srienbifir advances, the more hazardous laboratory operations become. New and remodeled laborstory buildings shonld he designed with the expected increase in hazard in mind. Flammable liquid storage and dispensing should be done in separate but adj* cent rooms or in special cut-off rooms d e signed in accordance with NFPA No. 30, Flammable and Combustible Liquids Code or the Factory Mutusl Laboratories Engineering Manual. Provision should he made for easy distribution of materials to t,he lshoratories so t,hat excessive atorage in lahoratories can he prevented. Provision sbo~ild be made for safe storage within laboratories in ventilated,
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area or enclosure. Special hazard laboratories should he provided for work whieh must he unab tended a t times or whieh is so inherently hazardous that it cannot be conducted in the normal laboratory. Special hazard labs should he equipped with aotamatir fire and explosion prot,ection and detection devices. The rooms should he located on the outer perimeter of the building and have a direct means of egress to the ootside. A special, well-ventilated, and protected ares, should he established for the storage of potentially explosive chemicals such as organic peroxides which should not he stored in flammahle liquids storage moms.
Safely Equipment The following safety equipment should he provided in d l laboratory buildings:
Water-type fire extinguishers (Class A) shonld he provided in accordance with t,he standards of NFPA No. 10, Inst,all~tion, Maintenance, and Use of Portable Fire Extinguishers. In addit,ion to the Class A fire extinguishers, Class B : C fire extinguishers should he provided for fighting flammable liquid and electrical fires. Multi-purpose, Class AB:C fire extinguishers can be used instead of providing two different types of extinguishing units. There should be a t least one 30 lb class B : C or AD : C fire extinguisher and one 5 lh Class B : C or AB:C fire extinguisher on each floor, and one 5 lb Class B:C or AB:C fire exlinguisl~erin each laboratory. Soecirtl Class D fire extinenishers s h a h d he provided where the use of metsls or metal hydrides indicates s, need for them. Standpipe and fire hose equipped with adjustable fog norales should be installed in accordance with NFPA No. 14, Installation of Standpipe and Hose Systems. Consideration should be given to installing two 30 minute, self-contained breathing masks for alternate floor levels for use in emergency rescue operations. The air masks should he set in permanent, cabinets. Consideration should he given to providing a proximity suit or suits for fire fighting and rescue operat,ions, especially where the local fire department is located some distance away or does not have this equipment. At least one safety shower and eyewash fountain should be installed in each Idmratory, or near the entrance to each laboratory. There should be no more than a 50 f t travel dist,anceto siich devices fmm any point in a laboratory. Each laboratory should be equipped with a t least one fire blanket. Esch laboratory should have access t,o a first aid kit. Respirators, vent,ilitted hoods, ventilated suits, ete., should he provided for protection of persons entering areas where infectious disease agents or radioactive isotopes may be or are airborne under normal conditions or due to accidents. Safety bulletin boards should he placed in the building for communieztion of safet,y information and regulations.
Facililies for Infectious Agents and Animals Animal handling and infectious agent laboratories, and handling or housing areas, should be designed with t,he prevention of human infection in mind. This is especially import,ant in research areas where the level of possihle infection is rapidly increasing. All areas of pos~ihle contamination should he well segregated from public areas and provided with a sepitrat,e posit,ive v e h l a t i o n system which can he equipped with bacteriological fillers. Any makeup of air necessary far the ventilation of contaminated areas should be introduced from the outside. Table 3 lists some of the hazards normally encountered and suggested preventive design features. (Continued on page A586)
Safety
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Selected Bibliography Table 3
Hazard -
Preventive Design
.4irborne, aerosol, infeetiour agents as in laboratories or animal housing rooms
Ultraviolet lights and/or spot ventilation, o.g., ventilated animal cages or cabinets
Sllrface-borne infectious agents from spills nv nonnd contamination
Ultraviolet lights, where surface is directly exposed, and easily cleanable walh, floors, ceilin~s,and equipment, e.g., ghzed tile, eeiamie ti& and stainless steel. Floor drains and wall hvdmnts should he ~ r o v i d e d Sep;epntion of high hizard areits by
Gross contamination
ordinsry bssard areas wiFh iThange rooms hetweeu them snd public: areas Disposal of infectious waste or carcasses
Antoclaves ior steriliastion and a n incinerator for disposal
GLASSMAN,H. N., Bacterial. KPI,., 12, 105-48 (1048). LONG,E. R., Am. J Public Health, 4 1 , 782-87 (1951). MILLER,0. T., SCHMITT, R. F., AND Pmrr LIPS, G. B., Am. J . Public Henah. 45, 1420-23 (19.55). SULKIN,S. E. A N D PIKE, R. M., .am. J . Public Health, 41, 769-81 (1951). General Biological, Chemical, and Kadlological Safety Regulations, U. S. Army Biological Laboratories, Fort Detrirk, Frederick, Md., 1963. PHILLIPS, G. B., J. CHEM. EDUP., 42, A43-A47, A117-A130 (1965).
To be eontznued in September, 1065, issrlr 0j THIS JOURNAL
Contamhmted eqnipment
General equipment and snpplies
rim&ina it from the contamination area throughpnbhc areas Each area homing animals, used for the hat:dline. introduction. or testine of infectiollb aaents should be eani&d
should be seareasted from the m a n drainage sys1en;and equipped with sterilization equipment. A sufficient number of refrigerators should be provided for infectious agents so that they will not be left on lables or benches
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Tho Campus Safety Association newsletter Laborat,ory Safety will r c sume pnbliention in September, with G. W. Marsischky of Indiana University serving as Editor. Subscriptions for nine issues a year will be available for $2.00 from the Campus Publishem. 711 N. Univer8it.y Ave., Ann Arbor, Mirhigan 48108.
