National Diagnostics pre-
prepared solution :
Protogel : 30% (w/v)
Acrylamide 0.8% (w/v) and bisacrylamide (37.5:1)Hazardous Substances Policy - Assessment
CHEMICAL HAZARD AND RISK ASSESSMENT
School of Biosciences
Name of supervisor / Dr S.Minchin / Assessment Number* / 1390Signature
Assessor / Rita Godfrey / Date of Assessment / 28 / 5/ 01
Signature
NotesA School COSHH form in Word is available on the School Server.
Available from the Health and Safety Unit.
Guidance on making an assessment is given in Making a Chemical Hazard and Risk Assessment.
Guidance is also available from Guidance on Completing the Chemical Hazard and Risk Assessment Form.
Use a continuation sheet to expand any section of this form in hard copy version.
1 / LOCATION OF THE WORK ACTIVITY / Lab G102 / PERSONS WHO MAY BE AT RISK
List names where possible / All occupants of the lab ( Laura Tate, Jo Field, Dong Ling Zeng, Rita Godfrey)
3 / ACTIVITY ASSESSED / Preparation of acrylamide gels using commercially made solutions for general electrophoresis and their staining
4 / MATERIALS INVOLVED / Attach copies of data sheet(s)
NAME / AMOUNT
max/stored / HAZARD / RISK PHRASES / HAZDAT NO*** / BIOSCIENCESNO***
National Diagnostics pre-
prepared solution :
Protogel : 30% (w/v) / 1 litre / TOXIC / R45 May cause cancer / 307
Acrylamide 0.8% (w/v) and bisacrylamide
(37.5:1) / Category 2
Mutagen / R46 May cause heritable genetic damage
R24/25 Toxic in contact with skin and if swallowed.
Category 2
Carcinogen / R48/23/24/25 Toxic: danger of serious damage to health by prolonged exposure through inhalation, in contact with skin and if swallowed.
TEMED / 50ml / Highly Flammable / R11 Highly flammable. Flash point=21’C / 1176
Corrosive
Harmful / R34 Causes burns
R20/22 Harmful by inhalation and if swallowed
Ammonium Persulphate / 100g / Oxidising
Harmful
Irritant / R8 Contact with combustible material may cause fire.
R22 Harmful if swallowed
R36/37/38 Irritating to eyes, respiratory system and skin
R42/43 May cause sensitisation by inhalation and skin contact / 1165
10% Ammonium Persulphate / 10ml / Harmful / R42/43 May cause sensitisation by inhalation and skin contact
Ethidium Bromide
10mg/ml / 10ml / TOXIC / R46 May cause heritable genetic damage
R40/21/22 Harmful: possible risk of irreversible effects in contact with skin and if swallowed.
R26 Very toxic by inhalation / 1509
Ethidium Bromide solution 1mg/ml / 10ml / TOXIC / R46 May cause heritable genetic damage.
R40 Possible risk of irreversible effects
R23 Toxic by inhalation
Stain Solution, 0.5ug/ml / 500ml / TOXIC / R40 Possible risk of irreversible effects.
R23 Toxic by inhalation
Glycerol / 2.5litres / IRRITANT / R36 Irritating to the eyes / 354
5XTBE:45mM Tris Borate, 1mM EDTA / 5 litres / IRRITANT / R36/37/38 Irritating to eyes, respiratory system and skin
5 / INTENDED USE**
Give brief details and attach protocol/instructions / Running DNA samples on acrylamide gels and staining in
ethidium bromide solution to visualise under UV light. See attached sheet.
6 / RISKS to HEALTH and SAFETY from INTENDED USE
From personal exposure or hazardous reactions. Refer to OELs, flash points, etc., as appropriate. Are pregnant women, breast-feeding mothers especially at risk?
There is a risk of skin contact with all the components but particularly with the acrylamide solution
especially since vinyl and PVC gloves are said to offer no protection against it. There could be a risk of
inhaling the ammonium persulphate when weighing it out. This solution and the TEMED are used in small
quantities only. There is a risk of splashing the ethidium bromide stain onto the skin when putting the gel in
the dish. There is also a fire risk when using the TEMED. Finally , there is a risk of uv irradiation when
looking at the gel or cutting bands out on the transilluminator.
7 / CONCLUSIONS ABOUT RISKS
Is level of risk acceptable? Can risk be prevented or reduced by change of substance/procedure? Are control measures necessary?
The risk of inhalation of acrylamide has been greatly reduced by using pre-prepared solutions. The same
applies to ethidium bromide. However the risk of skin contact is serious and measures need to be taken to
prevent it.
8 / CONTROL MEASURES
Additional to Good Chemical Practice
Turn off all sources of ignition when using TEMED. Wear Protective clothing and gloves when handling
acrylamide and ethidium bromide but keep handling to a minimum. Wash hands immediatley after removing
gloves when handling acrylamide. Until a suitable replacement for vinyl or pvc gloves can be found they
will have to be used. Be careful to avoid splashing the ethidium bromide stain when putting the gel in to
stain. Avoid generating a dust when weighing out the ammonium persulphate. Check electrical connections
prior to electrophoresis. When viewing gel on transilluminator in G4A the face mask provided must be used
as well as the perspex safety screen. Hands should not be exposed to uv light.
9 / INSTRUCTION/TRAINING
Specify course(s) and/or special arrangements.
10 / MONITORING
Performance of control measures,
Personal exposure / Health Surveillance
11 / WASTE DISPOSAL PROCEDURE
See School Server for Approved Procedure Document on specific Chemical Waste Disposal.
Small amounts of unpolymerised acrylamide should be polymerised before disposal.
Gels, gloves, tissues, paper towels etc or anything that has come into contact with acrylamide and/or
ethidium bromide should be sealed in a bag before being placed in the lab bin. Anything used to mop up a
large spillage should be placed in a sealed container, labelled, and taken down to the Stores for specialist disposal .
After looking at the gel on the transilluminator in G4A the gel and tissues used to wipe the
transilluminator are disposed of in the waste bin in G4A which is taken to the skip in the yard by technical
staff, not the cleaner.
12 / REVIEW
Enter the date or circumstances for review of assessment (maximum review interval 5 years)
May 2006 or when a suitable alternative to vinyl or pvc gloves is found.
13 / EMERGENCY ACTION
TO CONTROL HAZARDS / To stabilize situation eg spread absorbant on liquid spill; eliminate sources of ignition, etc.
Small spills – mop up with paper towels which are then transferred to a bag and disposed of. Switch off
all sources of ignition if TEMED has been spilled.
Large spills may need the spill kit which should be bagged afterwards. Where possible any acrylamide
should be polymerised to make it safer for disposal.
TO PROTECT PERSONNEL / Evacuation, protection for personnel involved in clean-up, Special First Aid
Gloves, goggles or face mask should be worn, along with gloves but remember that there is limited
protection from vinyl or pvc gloves. UV face shield and perspex screen are required when viewing gel under
uv light.
TO RENDER SITE OF EMERGENCY SAFE / Clean-up/decontamination
Wash the area thoroughly with water and bag any paper towels used to mop up.
CONTACT PHONE
10.10.00
* Prefix T is used for Teaching Assessment Number.
** Please include amount of chemicals used and how.
***Hazdat No is the UNICOSHH datasheet report number.
Biosciences No is the Biosciences data sheet number.
UNICOSHH IS A CHEMICAL DATABASE ON THE HEALTH AND SAFETY UNIT SERVER.
BIOSCIENCES DATA SHEETS ARE AVAILABLE IN THE SCHOOL SAFETY OFFICE.