Safety

Policies and Procedures

Priorities

1. Safety: You are responsible for your safety and for those around you. Do not work in the
facility when you are tired, sick, medicated, or intoxicated. Read and understand the safety
information in this manual, in equipment protocols, and in safety data sheets.

2. Facility and Equipment Integrity: Never compromise the equipment or facilities for your
research. Understand and abide by equipment restrictions. If you damage or contaminate
equipment while straying from equipment protocols, you could be liable for property and
equipment damages that may include staff time, spare parts, vendor services, or equipment
replacement.

3. Your Research.

Code of Conduct

Assume responsibility for the lab. Follow safety, equipment, and cleanliness protocols, even if
your work is not sensitive to contamination or particulates. Never leave a mess; if you find one,
either clean it, ask the responsible parties to clean it, or notify staff. Report equipment problems and
notify staff and other users if you have made a mistake or may have caused contamination. Share
space and respect equipment reservations. Ask questions. The lab operates effectively when
everyone is cordial, follows instructions, and communicates.

Laboratory Item and Activity Restrictions 

The following table lists items and activities that are restricted in all laboratory spaces, cleanroom and non-cleanroom. This is not an exhaustive list; be sure to ask if you have questions.

Visitors 

Visitors are not allowed in lab spaces without approval. If approved, an active MMF user must escort each visitor during his or her entire time in laboratory spaces and is responsible for the visitor’s actions and safety. Visitors are to abide by all safety measures expected of laboratory users and are not allowed to operate any laboratory equipment or perform any chemical operations. Visitors are not allowed in the facility after normal hours or as buddies to meet the buddy system requirement. 

Dress code 

You and your clothing should be clean (i.e. free of dust or dirt) before entering lab spaces. Avoid  clothing that sheds fibers such as wool, fur, fake fur, mohair, etc. 

You must wear shoes that completely enclose the heel, toes, and top of your feet. Socks or stockings are required. Sandals, open-weave shoes, or shoes that expose the top of the foot are not allowed. High heels and deep-treaded shoes that hold mud or dirt are also not allowed. Your shoes should be clean and dry before entering the labs to avoid tracking mud, dirt or leaves into the labs. 

You must wear long pants that run from your shirt to your ankles. Shorts, short pants, capris,  skirts and dresses are not allowed. During warmer weather, you may bring with you a pair of  lightweight hospital-scrub style pants to wear over your shorts. 

Your shirt must cover your shoulders and reach from the top of your arms to your pants. Tank  tops, halter-tops, and spaghetti strap tops are not acceptable. 

1. Safety Glasses 

Safety glasses must always be worn in all labs. The MMF provides safety glasses, or you may choose to purchase your own glasses, if they meet ANSI Z87.1-2003 standards. You can remove your safety glasses when using optical microscopes but remember to put them back on when you step away from the microscope. Safety glasses alone are not acceptable for chemical protection when working with concentrated acids, bases, and oxidizers in the wet benches. Please refer to the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) section for details in chemical protection protocols.

2. Contact Lenses 

Consistent with recent recommendations from the American Chemical Society, contact lenses are allowed in MMF laboratories, if safety glasses are always also worn. In the case of an eye exposure emergency, rinse at the emergency eyewash station with contacts in place and remove them while flushing.