School of Biological Sciences

COSHH/Risk Assessment Form and guidance

THE ACCOMPANYING COSHH GUIDANCE NOTES MUST BE READ BEFORE COMPLETING THE RISK ASSESSMENT – PLEASE COMPLETE THIS FORM ELECTRONICALLY.

1. Title of Procedure:

2. Who will be undertaking this procedure? circle UG Class, Level 3, PG, Staff

Print Name

3. Where will it be undertaken?

4. What are the hazards and do they prevent ‘lone working’?

5. What will be done in the procedure? State concentrations and volumes used.

6. How will the risks be minimised?

7. Are there any specific risks to females of childbearing age who could become pregnant or any risks to new and expectant mothers? YES/NO

If YES please provide detail of procedures to reduce risk

8. What is the assessed risk?

9. Is health surveillance required?

10. How will you dispose of the material used?

11. Procedure in case of accident or spillage

12. If this procedure will involve ‘lone working’ has the risk assessment taken this into consideration?

13. Update:

Signatures:

Student(s): Print & Sign Date:

Supervisor(s): Print & Sign Date:

Biohazards/GMO, Chemical or

Radiation Advisor, depending

on content of assessment: ------Date:

School Safety Officer: ------Date:

Notes on Completion of COSHH risk assessments

School of Biological Sciences

All risk assessments should be completed electronically in the first instance and submitted to the appropriate School Safety Advisor (COSHH- Ms Katrina O’Connor ; BIOLOGICAL - ; RADIATION -) for approval.A copy of the approved risk assessment should then be printed and signed by all those carrying out the procedure, including their supervisor(s), illustrating that they have read and understood the assessment, consider it correct and will abide by its recommendations. The assessment should finally be signed by the relevant School Safety Advisor(COSHH/ BIOLOGICAL/ RADIATION) and School Safety Officer. The students involved, their supervisor(s) and the appropriate School Safety Advisor should each hold a copy of the assessment.

Question 1. This should be short but descriptive and if possible contain the names of the major hazards. Examples – “Growth of Staphylococcus aureus in liquid culture.” “Preparation of Acrylamide gels”.

Question 2. Include names of all those who will carry out the procedure - supervisory staff, technical staff, postgraduate students and, where known, undergraduate students.

Question 3. Where possible give precise location, i.e. “Fume cupboard in G85”.

Question 4. List all hazards that will be encountered during the procedure. These may be electrical, chemical, biological or due to radiation. Where relevant, list exposure limits. It is sometimes helpful to list hazards in the order that they occur in the procedure in order to ensure that all potential hazards are covered.

Example – SDS PAGE and staining of gels with Coomassie blue:-

Glass plates – sharp edges

Acrylamide – neurotoxin and potential carcinogen

2 Mercaptoethanol – irritant and toxic

High voltage DC current – danger of electrical shock

Stain and destain contain acetic acid – danger of burns when diluting stock solution.

NB. Consider whether these hazards would preclude ‘lone working’ eg working in the evening or weekend.

Question 5. Describe what is to be done in the procedure – this will help identify actions that may add to the risk such as homogenisation or centrifugation (these create an aerosol) and conversely what may diminish the risk such as the use of dilute solutions well below effective doses. Include concentrations and volumes of hazardous chemicals used. This helps to assess the overall risk.

Question 6. List procedures to diminish the risks that have been identified in Q4 and Q5. This may include the wearing of protective clothing, the use of fume-cupboards or Class II cabinets or the requirement for special training in aseptic techniques. If Safe Operating Procedures (SOPs) need to be prepared to they should be referred to here and attached to the assessment.

Question 7. New, expectant, and breast-feeding mothers should report their condition to their Line Manager/Dr Todd so that the risk assessment can be reviewed and the appropriateness of health surveillance considered/reconsidered.

Question 8. The assessed risk should be low or negligible due to the procedures described in Q6 that will reduce the risk from the hazards identified in Q4 and Q5. If this is not the case then you should consider an alternative way to carry out the procedure or substitute material that is less hazardous.

Question 9. Health surveillance is appropriate when the work involves the use of substances known to cause occupational asthma or severe dermatitis. It is also appropriate where employees are exposed to carcinogenic and mutagenic substances, unless the risk assessment confirms that exposure is so adequately controlled that there is no reasonable likelihood of an identifiable disease or adverse effect resulting from the exposure. Health surveillance is however, required if there is contact with substances which can cause skin cancer.

If the risk assessment indicates that health surveillance is required then advice on the nature of the health surveillance should be obtained from Dr D Todd, Occupational Health Physician and appended to the risk assessment.

Question 10. This should detail the complete process of disposal – not just to the door of the lab. In COSHH terms the procedure continues until all the material used has been safely disposed of. Details of concentrations of disinfectants used and length and temperature of autoclave cycles used should be given. Please note that we do not have on site incineration facilities. Disposal procedures may be found in the School Safety manual.

Question 11. This should be realistic and practical, if special neutralising materials are required then they should be at hand where the procedure is performed – not to be ordered from stores after a spillage occurs.

Question 12. Consider whether or not the identified hazards pose such a risk that working alone e.g. in the evening should not be undertaken.

If lone working is both necessary and permissible, a form granting permission, signed by Head of School or Supervisor must be submitted with the completed COSHH /Risk Assessment Form.

Question 13. Risk assessments should be checked annually to ensure that they are still relevant to the procedure as it is being currently performed. If there is a significant change in the procedure a new assessment should be made.

R.Hynes_Oct’15