Programs

Safety data sheets (SDS)

• Hazardous products - The University of Ottawa subscribes to the ChemWatch database of more than 13 million safety data sheets (SDS/MSDS) provided by manufacturers of pure compounds, products and mixtures. In addition, ChemWatch provides more than 100,000 "ChemGold" SDSs, which consolidate chemical hazard information from multiple sources into a single comprehensive document and distills that information further into one-page mini-SDSs or safety summaries. This database enables students and staff to review these SDS in multiple languages. Access is available on campus networks or via VPN.
• Biohazardous products - many laboratory workers, whether in research, public health, teaching, etc., are exposed to not only chemicals but infectious substances as well. Pathogen Safety Data Sheets (PSDS) are produced for personnel working in the life sciences as quick safety reference material relating to infectious micro-organisms.

Labels

The product (supplier) label serves as one of the primary sources of information about the contents of a container. It is vital that the information depicted is properly understood by end users. The label must be bilingual (French/English) and legible. If the supplier label becomes damaged or unreadable for any reason, the label must be replaced with a workplace label containing the following information:

1. Product identifier (product name matching that on the SDS),
2. Information for the safe handling of the product, and
3. A statement that the SDS is available

Information for the safe handling of the product refers to precautions that a person must take to minimize potential adverse health effects or injury. These precautions can be conveyed through pictures, words, symbols or equivalent means and are usually available on the SDS.

In the course of shutting down a laboratory or when equipment is simply old and must be discarded, the Health, Safety and Risk Management Office, in coordination with the Faculty of Medicine’s Technical Support team, is called upon to decontaminate or decommission equipment or research spaces as needed.

Before discarding any equipment, please attach the decommissioning form to the equipment and contact  medsafety@uottawa.ca.  In order to document that the proper decontamination and decommissioning procedures have been followed the HSRM Team must sign the forms before any equipment can be discarded.

Please note, all small electronic equipment must be placed in the electronic recycling container on the first floor behind the elevator 1.

Equipment Decommissioning Form 

Personal protective equipment (PPE) is any kind of clothing, eyewear or other apparel that protects the users from hazards present in their work environment or that they might encounter in their daily activities. The Health, Safety and Risk Management Office wants to ensure that all persons are adequately protected by providing recommendations as to what type of PPE might be necessary for you by providing the information below.

Safety Glasses

According to the University of Ottawa’s procedure on safety eyewear  and the University’s guidelines on PPE, “safety eyewear must be worn in circumstances where there is a hazard of:

•  Impact (flying particles, dusts, vapours)
• Splash (chemical, radioactive, biological agents) or
• Ultraviolet and infrared (harmful rays).”

It is important to note that not all safety eyewear is suitable for all potential hazards in the laboratory. For example, goggles are preferable when pouring corrosive liquids. Safety glasses are primarily designed to protect one’s eyes from flying objects. Prescription eyewear is never to be considered safety eyewear.

Lab Coats

According to the University of Ottawa’s guidelines on PPE, “lab coats must be worn at all times when working in the laboratory using hazardous materials.”  The Health, Safety and Risk Management Office suggests that ALL personnel, whether employee, student, volunteer or visitor, wear an appropriate lab coat at ALL times within the laboratory environments.

Gloves

Though gloves can be a very useful piece of PPE, it is important to use them correctly. The standard powderless nitrile gloves will not be beneficial in all situations. All gloves are not impermeable to all materials. It is therefore very important to verify the manufacturer’s specifications for your gloves before using them. You may also make use of the glove guide to choose the correct type of glove for the work to be conducted.