Equipment safety in building electricals, like heating devices, etc., Study notes of Building Materials and Systems

Download Equipment safety in building electricals, like heating devices, etc. and more Study notes Building Materials and Systems in PDF only on Docsity! Page 1 of 9 Doc. No. IITB/ISG/01/Rev.0 Equipment Safety Introduction Some of the hazards related with equipment used in research labs include  Electrical hazards  Hot surface which can cause burns and which can be a source of ignition.  High noise levels  Unguarded rotating parts  Use of vacuum which can cause implosion.  Use of high pressure  Generation of magnetic fields  Ultra violet and infra red radiation Many accidents in research laboratories result from improper use and lack of maintenance of equipment. The following precautions must be adopted while working with equipment in the laboratory.  Refer the operating manual/user manual of the equipment before starting operation. The manual will contain details of hazards and safety precautions to be taken during installation, operation and maintenance.  The operating manuals of equipment must be located at an easily accessible location in the laboratory.  Personnel who are not authorised and trained must not carry out operation of the equipment.  New users must carry out the operation under guidance of senior research scholars.  A schedule for maintenance and inspection of equipment must be prepared as per manufacturer’s instruction and must be adhered to.  Unauthorised maintenance activity must not be done. Service personnel must be contacted where required.  Switch off and unplug the equipment while making adjustments.  Switch off the equipment at the end of the operation and when not in use. Page 2 of 9 Doc. No. IITB/ISG/01/Rev.0 Equipment Safety  Use personal protective equipment as recommended by the manufacturer while operating the equipment.  Equipment with specific hazards must not be left unattended.  Display contact details and action to be taken in case of emergency near the equipment.  Display caution signages to warn visitors about the hazards. Equipment out of order or not in use must be labelled.  Precautions must be taken to prevent inadvertent energisation of the equipment during maintenance activities.  High pressure equipment must not be located inside the laboratory work area. Same must be in a separate room. Page 5 of 9 Doc. No. IITB/ISG/01/Rev.0 Equipment Safety  Placing the heating mantle on a lab jack helps to quickly remove it in case of a sudden increase of temperature. Oil baths  Prevent water being spilled into the bath, as this can cause the splatter of the hot material.  Prevent overheating of the oil. Monitor the temperature of the oil.  Use of thermal sensing devices helps to turn off the electric power if the oil bath overheats.  Oil baths must be well mixed to ensure that there are no hot spots around the heating elements.  The heated oil must be placed in a secondary container (heat resistant tray) to contain the spill in case of breakage.  The oil bath must be placed on a stable support, e.g., lab jack.  The equipment used must be clamped high enough so that if there is a sudden overheating the heating element on the lab jack can be lowered immediately.  Wear heat resistant gloves when handling a hot bath. Page 6 of 9 Doc. No. IITB/ISG/01/Rev.0 Equipment Safety Heat guns  Never use heat guns near open containers containing flammable liquid or inside the fume hood where flammable vapors could be present.  The heating element or the switch of the heat gun can become a source of ignition. Microwave Ovens  Use lab purpose microwave ovens.  Do not place any material between the sealing surface and the door on the oven’s front face.  Do not overheat samples.  The materials used inside the oven must be those specified by the manufacturer.  Do not use metal containing objects in the microwave, as they can cause arcing.  Do not heat sealed containers in a microwave oven, as they can explode. Page 7 of 9 Doc. No. IITB/ISG/01/Rev.0 Equipment Safety Centrifuges  The centrifuge rotor is subjected to high mechanical stress at rotation speeds.  Accidents result from improper loading or balancing of the rotors. These cause them to dislodge during spinning, resulting in serious damage and personal injury. The following precautions must be taken while using centrifuges:  Balance the load properly.  Do not overfill the centrifuge tubes.  Ensure that the centrifuge tubes are placed properly.  Ensure that the lid of the centrifuge is closed before starting the centrifuge.  Do not run a rotor beyond its maximum rated speed.  Keep a maintenance log.  Always use the rotor specified by the manufacturer.  Look for signs of corrosion of the rotors.  Check the cone area for cracks.  Check for corrosion or cracks in the tube cavity.