1. Organization of safety
2. "Safety Regulations and Advice" of the Molecular Chemistry Cluster
3. General safety rules
4. Laboratory safety rules
5. Working alone, outside regular working hours and night experiments
6. Chemical waste
7. Guidelines for the use of standard equipment and machines
8. Unsafe situations
9. Accidents
10. Raising alarm
11. Alarm signals and how to act in case of alarm
12. Guidelines in case of fire
13. Guidelines in case of chemical spills
14. Computer use

• Every new person in the lab ('new member') will be assigned a mentor, to which he or she can ask questions and receive supervision. This will not only hold for trainees, but also for PhD's, postdocs etc.!
• Every lab room has a 'Lab Steward'. This person is responsible for that lab in daily practice. The Lab Steward or his assigned representative should check the lab in the evening: are all the machines turned off, are solvent bottles returned to the grey cupboards, are the water taps closed? The Lab Steward also has to check the presence of the night experiment cards and collect them. If these are not present, he or she can terminate the experiment. The collected cards are then placed in the rack near the entrance of the lab. The person who carried out the night experiment has to take away his own card the next morning. If the Lab Steward is not the last person to leave, he/she assigns a person to check the lab.
• Besides the Lab Steward, every lab room also has a 'Safety Steward' who is responsible for the safety in the lab. This person is also a member of the Safety Committee.

The "Safety Regulations and Advice" document is created by Facility Management (IHZ), and contains general safety regulations and personal precautionary measures. It will be handed to new members of the cluster upon their appointment, and it will be available on-line eventually for students .

• Never eat or drink in the laboratories
  • Eating and drinking is only allowed in the rooms allocated for this purpose.
  • Never store food, drinks or eating and drinking utensils in a refrigerator or in a space allocated to chemicals
  • Never drink out of laboratory glassware
  • Always wash your hands properly before eating and drinking
• Prevent poisoning through contact with the skin
  • Never work with exposed wounds. Cover these with a band-aid that sticks properly
  • Ensure good personal hygiene, e.g. clean hands and clean, shortly cut nails, etc.
  • Wash your hands before going to the toilet and afterwards.
• Prevent poisoning through inhalation
  • Work with any chemical substances in a fume hoods
• Smoking:
  • Smoking is prohibited throughout the building

• Before a new member can start to do experiments, he/she has to be able to locate and use several important items in the laboratories:
  • Fire extinguishers
    Find out where these are located (next to fume hoods and in the labs and corridors) and how you should use them. See the instructions on the extinguisher.
  • Showers
    Find out where these are located and how you should use them. Be careful: these are connected to the main water supply: there is a high pressure behind the showers, using them will certainly flood the area with about 10 cm of water!
  • Fire blankets
    Find out where these are located and how you should use them. Preferably, use the showers instead of fire blankets.
  • Switches of electrical equipment
    Find out where the switches of your lab are located.
  • Nearest green telephone
    These telephones still work when the main telephone switchboard fails. In the Huygens Building 3rd level there is one near the coffee/tea making facilities. If all other phones fail, use them to report emergencies.
  • First-aid kit
    The first aid equipment is in a box in every lab room. If you need something, ask a staff member or PhD-student.
    Antidotes for cyanide poisoning are present in the cluster, but the antidotes can only be administered by a physician, so be extremely careful!
  • Alarm buttons
    There are two different alarm buttons. The big round red alarm buttons, which can be found near the emergency doors in the lab. These buttons cause an electrical power-out. The second alarm button is a square red box, which contains a glass plate. This button sets off the alarm throughout the whole Huygens (HG) building and is activated by breaking the glass.
  • Experiments
    For every experiment inform yourself on particular risks of the chemicals involved. Check the labels, the information that is available, R&S sentences, etc.
• Every member of the cluster has the task to keep him/herself informed about:
  • The place and operation of manual fire alarms and fire extinguishing equipment.
  • The location of the escape routes and exits.
  • The location of the First Aid facilities, and people able to administer first aid (See First Aid).
• Every member of the cluster has the task to:
  • Keep corridors and escape routes free of obstructions.
  • Free the view of the fire extinguishing and fire alarm equipment, or remove anything which prevents immediate operation of this equipment.
  • Keep all rooms free of unnecessary waste or packaging materials.
  • Ensure proper electrical connections, permanently secured cabling or cable ducting.
  • Report defects and irregularities immediately (See Unsafe situations).
  • Keep only limited stocks of chemicals and/or cleaning agents.
• Every member of the cluster is obliged to participate in a "Fire Extinguishing Exercise and Safety Instruction" once a year (with the "Arbo Milieu Dienst"). You will be notified when these exercises take place.
• Protective equipment
  • Glasses
    It is obligatory to wear glasses in the lab. Frequent infraction of this rule may result in removal from the lab.
  • Lab coat
    It is obligatory to wear a closed cotton (100%) laboratory coat in the lab. Wash the coat regularly, and always when it has been in contact with chemicals.
    Do not wear a lab coat outside the lab.
  • Gloves
    Wear latex gloves only when working in the fume hood! Do not touch anything outside your fume hood with these gloves, this will result in soiling glasswork and other equipment.
  • Hair
    Long hair should be worn in a way that does not cause danger (e.g. moving parts, heat guns, hot plates).
  • Transport of chemicals
    Use special transfer buckets for chemicals when taking them from one lab to another.

Working alone means that one person performs activities while he/she cannot be continuously seen or heard by others. The policy concerning working alone is:

• Working alone in a lab is strictly forbidden.
• Only in the office space someone may work alone.

The authority to make a decision in such matters and the associated responsibility lies with the work group leader. Categories of work where working alone is permitted are: library activities, computer activities and writing and reading in the office space. To be present outside working hours requires the permission of the group leader, this is granted by means of an entry pass for working days between 18.00 and 8.00 h and on Saturday and Sunday. Any work in the lab may only be performed if a minimum of two people is present, which are within hearing distance of each other.
If the entry pass is misused, the responsible group leader will withdraw it.

Switch off all equipment at the end of the day. If you wish to perform a night experiment, leave a card on the front of the fume hood. This card has to be filled in completely. Dependent on which kind of experiment you will overnight use a red, green or yellow card (the card itself informs you which one you should use). The last person to leave the lab (most likely the Lab Steward) collects the cards and places them in the holder at the entrance of the lab. IMPORTANT: The person who carries out the night experiment has to take his own card away the next morning.

Chemical waste must be collected according to the rules for Chemical Waste of Molecular Chemistry Cluster. For classification, labeling, etc. see the rules for Chemical Waste available in each lab. In the Molecular Chemistry Cluster it consists of mainly the following categories:

• Halogen rich liquids
  The waste is collected in 5 L containers in some of the hoods. The contents need to be clearly marked on the container. When the container is full, label it with the appropriate sticker (ask your mentor), and bring it to the "Logistic Transfer Room" in your lab.
• Halogen poor liquids
  The waste is collected in 5 L containers in some of the hoods. The contents need to be clearly marked on the container. When the container is full, label it with the appropriate sticker (ask your mentor), and bring it to the "Logistic Transfer Room" in your lab.
• Alkaline inorganic materials in solution
  This waste category (e.g. waste from KOH baths) is disposed off by the PhD-students.
• Inorganic acids
  Small quantities of inorganic acids can be washed away with excess water. Otherwise, follow the same instructions as for categories 1 and 2.
• Special waste substances
  Solid chemical waste (including silica from the columns) and contaminated paper is collected in large red bins with a white lid. If the bin is full, transfer it to the "Logistic Transfer Room" in your lab, along with the list of contents. Do not put needles in this container, but instead put them in the a container designated for needles!
• Heavy Metals
  Waste containing heavy metals needs to be collected separately in 5 L containers, which also need to be labeled.
• Labels
  Every full container needs to be labeled properly. In each lab there are stickers available, which have to be filled in and placed on the containers. IMPORTANT: All old labels (from containers, jars, cans etc.) have to be removed, before they are transported into the "Logistic Transfer Room"in your lab.

Glass, paper, needles, cartridges, batteries and glue waste do not fall under any of the categories, and should be handled as follows:

• Glass
  Glass is collected in the glass container in the lab. If the glass is contaminated with chemicals, rinse it or let the solvent evaporate. If the container is full, call the number on it to have it emptied. Bottles used for ethanol (96% and absolute), and metal solvent bottles should be returned to the "Logistic Transfer Room" in your wing. IMPORTANT: Make sure the labels are removed.
• Paper
  Paper that has not come into contact with chemicals is collected separately (in the dust bins). When the dust bin is full, empty it into the blue paper container, in room HG03.004, near the elevator. Cardboard boxes are also collected here.
• Needles
  Needles must be put in special containers (yellow with white top). When full return them to the "Logistic Transfer Room" in your lab.
• Cartridges, empty batteries and glue waste
  This waste is collected in the cabinet in room HG03.004.

Report dangerous situations to the Lab Steward or Safety Stewards (see list of room responsibles) and, if necessary, to the Safety Committee and/or the work group leader. For any small inconveniences (noise, pollution, smell in the lab, etc.), call the Arbo- en MilieuDienst (Occupational Health & Safety organization, tel. 15400).

Three phases apply in case of an accident, as described in the Emergency Plan:

• First Phase
  • Raise the alarm. This is always the first thing to do!
  • Ensure yourself where the First Aid facilities are and where help can be obtained.
  • Evacuate persons at risk and persons unable to save themselves from the danger area.
  • Guide the emergency team members to the place of the incident.
  • Control the beginnings of a fire with the available small fire-extinguishing equipment. See Guidelines in case of Fire.
  • The AMD (Arbo- en MilieuDienst) will provide information and instructions when requested. The first response of the emergency team is described in this contingency plan.
• Second Phase
  • After the first phase alarm has been raised, the internal emergency team will arrive on the scene within 4 min.
  • The internal emergency team will make a coordinated response, and take action to save lives, evacuate the premises and/or control the fire.
  • The internal emergency team is also in communication with internal and external services that are simultaneously called in.
  • This coordinated emergency help is established in the BHV (Bedrijfs Hulpverlening/Internal Emergency Help) Plan and the BHV (Internal Emergency Help) Evacuation Plan.
• Third Phase
  • Arrival of the external emergency services, fire brigade, GGD medics (Area Health Authority), and/or Police.
  • Upon arrival, the fire brigade takes complete command.
  • The internal emergency team already present at the scene will guide and assist the external emergency services.
  • The combat plan gives information for the fire brigade and other emergency helpers.

See also In case of an alarm for what to do if you are not near an accident, but an alarm signal is given.

For any life-threatening calamity (fire, electrocution, medical emergencies and when all the fume hoods fail): Call 55555. State your name and cluster and say briefly what is happening. In particular state clearly where help is needed. Remember the First Aid diploma holders (EHBO):

• P.(Hans) J.H.M. Adams

  P.(Hans) J.H.M. Adams Phone: 52325

• Stijn van Dongen

  Stijn van Dongen Phone: 53118

• Peter M. van Galen

  Peter M. van Galen Phone: 52362

• René de Gelder

  René de Gelder Phone: 52842

• Lieke van Hemert

  Lieke van Hemert Phone: 52304

• Linda Hendriks

  Linda Hendriks Phone: 52174

• Theo P.J. Peters

  Theo P.J. Peters Phone: 52186

• Bas Ritzen

  Bas Ritzen Phone: 52396

• Jorge Verkade

  Jorge Verkade Phone: 52376

• Désirée van der Wey

  Désirée van der Wey Phone: 52676

For minor situations (when only a few fume hoods fail, when there is some minor flooding, or a fuse blow): Call 33333, state your name, cluster and say briefly what the problem is; it will be fixed as soon as possible. Follow it up by an e-mail (33333@science.ru.nl) describing what you have just phoned about, and copy it to Martin Feiters

Martin C. Feiters Phone: 52016

and Peter van Dijk

Peter A.S. van Dijk Phone: 52818

.

The alarm is a continuous signal ('slow whoop'), which is the evacuation signal. If this is without risk, switch off the apparatus, the gas and the electricity in your room. Walk calmly outside and gather in safe distance from the main building. Do not use the elevator. If asked, provide the emergency services with information about the lab.

Raising fire alarm
The fire alarm is raised and reaches the central emergency post in various ways:

• Manually: by pressing a manual fire alarm switch (the only two buttons which can do this are manned by the doormen, so this is never an option).
• By telephone: by calling alarm phone number 55555.
• Automatically: activated by the smoke detectors.

All alarms will receive a response from the central emergency post, they will send help.
In case of a fire alarm, the fire doors will close automatically on the magnet latches, and the evacuation signal may sound on the floor where the fire alarm is raised. The doors of the emergency exits will be electronically unlocked if necessary.

What to do in case of fire
Each person who discovers a fire, should act according to the instructions which apply to the Molecular Chemistry Cluster:

• Phone the alarm number 55555
• State clearly:
  • Your name
  • The location of the fire (room number)
  • What is on fire
  • Particular details
• Close the door at the place of the fire
• Warn people in the immediate vicinity
• Take people who are at risk to a place of safety (behind the fire resistant doors in the corridors)
• Try to extinguish the fire if possible
• Think about your own safety
  • Never go into a room filled with smoke
  • Never spray water onto electrical equipment
  • Close all doors and windows when leaving the cluster
  • Never use the lift if you suspect there is a fire in the building!
  • Limit telephone communications
  • Follow the instructions given by the emergency helpers

Combatting fire
There are several ways to combat a fire:

• Carbon dioxide extinguisher 5 kg, (CO₂)
  The extinguishing cloud of carbon dioxide, also known as carbonic acid snow, has a temperature of -79 ^oC and for this reason cannot be used on people who are on fire. The extreme cooling-down can cause serious burns. Carbon dioxide is very effective as an extinguishing agent in buildings where electrical equipment is used. The very finely dispersed cloud does not affect instruments and food. The extinguishing agent is less suitable in the open air. It can be also used for surface fires of solids, liquids and gasses. An important class of fires that cannot be extinguished with CO₂ is that of alkali metals. This is the one case where sand as a fire extinguisher is preferred.
  
  Use for fire class:
  • A = Solids, e.g. wood, paper and textiles
  • B = Liquids, e.g. petrol and oil
  • C = Gasses, e.g. butane and propane
  If carbon dioxide is used in a closed space, people must leave the room directly after use of the extinguishing agent because of the danger of suffocation.
  
  How to use:
  • Take apparatus out of the holder.
  • Remove locking pin.
  • Walk up to the center of the fire.
  • Test the extinguisher by pressing down the press-valve for a short time, pointing the spray cylinder on the ground. If no carbon dioxide is released, find another extinguisher.
  • Remove locking pin.
  • Point spray cylinder at the seat of the fire, and hold the cylinder by the handgrip in connection with the danger of freezing.
  • Continually press down the press-valve.
  After use: Put down the apparatus and report the use of the apparatus to the AMD. Remember: if you use an extinguisher and empty it, place it horizontally on the floor: this is a signal to the fire-fighters that it is empty!
  
  
• Powder extinguisher 6 kg
  Generally, do not use: it gives a hell of a mess! The extinguishing powder agent mainly consists of salts. A disadvantage of powder is that during extinguishing, the view is obstructed by the cloud of extinguishing powder. The use of powder in a closed space can cause a lot of consequential damage. Electronic equipment may become unusable and mechanical parts may be jammed.
  The extinguishing agent can be used effectively outside and has the effect of breaking down the flames.
  
  Use for fire class:
  • A = Solids, e.g. wood, paper and textiles
  • B = Liquids, e.g. petrol and oil
  • C = Gasses, e.g. butane and propane
  Carbon dioxide or nitrogen is used as an expulsion gas.
  
  How to use:
  • Take apparatus out of the holder.
  • Walk up to the seat of the fire.
  • Remove locking pin.
  • Point hose / spray nozzle.
  • Press or strike valve.
  After use: Put down the apparatus and report the use of the apparatus to the AMD. Remember: if you use an extinguisher and empty it, place it horizontally on the floor: this is a signal to the fire-fighters that it is empty!
  
  
• Other ways
  There are some other ways to extinguish a fire:
  • Bucket of sand: pour the sand from the bucket onto the fire. As you can suspect, this will give some mess, and may jam mechanical parts of equipment. Generally: do not use. Must be applied with alkali metal fires.
  • Fire blanket: if someone is on fire, put the blanket around that person. Note: put it tightly around the person, otherwise you will get a chimney-effect! This is best accomplished by rolling the person on the floor in the blanket. Generally: use the emergency showers instead!
  • Emergency showers: If you are on fire, go to one of the showers located on the hallway or in a room entrance and pull the lever. Be careful: these are connected to the main water supply: there is a high pressure behind the showers, using them will certainly flood the lab with about 10cm of water! The laboratory floors are not drained, so be aware of the danger of flooding. This should not discourage people people to use the emergency shower when necessary.
    The state of the showers is checked regularly.

There are several classes of chemical spills:

• Minor Chemical Spill
  Defined as: spillage of small quantities of chemicals. Act as follows:
  • Alert people in immediate area of spill.
  • Wear protective equipment, including safety goggles, gloves, and long-sleeve lab coat.
  • Avoid breathing vapors from spill.
  • Confine spill to small area.
  • Use appropriate kit to neutralize and absorb inorganic acids and bases. Collect residue, place in container, and dispose as chemical waste.
  • For other chemicals, use appropriate kit or absorb spill with vermiculite, dry sand, or diatomaceous earth. Collect residue, place in container and dispose as chemical waste.
  • Clean spill area with water.
• Major Chemical Spill
  Defined as: spillage of large quantities of chemicals (i.e. solvents >1 L, solids > 1 kg), or when anyone is injured or contaminated. Act as follows:
  • Attend to injured or contaminated persons and remove them from exposure.
  • Alert people in the laboratory to evacuate.
  • If spilled material is flammable, turn off ignition and heat sources.
  • Call 55555, state place and nature of the spill.
  • Close doors to affected area.
  • Have person knowledgeable of incident and laboratory assist emergency personnel.
• Special spills
  
  • Spills in the eye:
    
    • Immediately rinse eyeball and inner surface of eyelid with water continuously for 15 min, using the eye showers or the eye wash bottles available in every lab.
    • Forcibly hold eye open to ensure effective wash behind eyelids.
    • Obtain medical attention.
    • Report incident to your mentor and to the ARBO contact person.
  • Mercury spills
    Remember: mercury vapors are odorless, colorless, and tasteless. Because of the health effects of mercury, the extremely difficult and time-consuming procedures required to properly clean spills, every effort should be taken to prevent accidents involving mercury. Always store mercury in unbreakable containers and stored in a well-ventilated area. Wear protective clothing: lab coat, gloves and safety goggles!

• Dam the mercury (using rags or other disposable items) to prevent spreading. Divert the mercury from drains, cracks and crevices.
• Keep persons who are not involved in the cleanup away from spill area to limit exposures and to prevent the spread of contamination.
• Close doors to other indoor areas. Immediately ventilate spill area - open doors and windows and use fans that exhaust to outdoors. Keep air flowing through the room with the mercury spill - but make sure it is ventilating outside.
• Turn off heating, ventilating or air conditioning systems that circulate air from the spill area to other parts of the building.
• If you have come in contact with the mercury, avoid spreading the contamination to other areas. Put contaminated clothing/shoes into a trash bag and wipe off any visible mercury beads into the bag. If it is a small spill that you are cleaning up yourself, shampoo and shower after the cleanup is complete. If it is a large spill, contact local health department and a contractor who specializes in cleanup of toxic spills, and leave the area.
• Use a chemical to coat the mercury or form an amalgam with the mercury, this will keep the mercury from vaporizing and being released into the air. Use sulfur powder for this.
• Report incident to mentor and to the ARBO contact person.

Chemistry-related software
ChemOffice (Installation Manual)
Scifinder
MDL Crossfire Commander
Isis Base/Draw
Tracelab
Orgchem huisstijl (templates for presentations etc.)
molviewer
General software
Anti-virus software

The employees and students are allocated logins and directories in consultation with the cluster's computer administrator. Files, which appear outside these directories, may be removed by the computer administrator without previous consultation.
Research results are the cluster's most important data. The researcher (student or staff) is responsible for the backing-up of his or her data. To prevent losing important files if a hard disk crashes, we recommend making a back up regularly. In case of problems with the computers in the measuring instruments and general computers, it is assumed that there is a back up of important files (NMR, your own directory). Remember the original data on the NMR-machines is deleted every month!