Security and Shared Material Resources Rules

Training

• All safety training must first be completed BEFORE working in the
• Operating

Dress Code

• Lab coats, gloves
• Do NOT leave exposed skin: wearing open shoes, high heels, skirts and short pants is prohibited.

General Security Rules:

• Anyone working in the laboratory with chemical products must first complete the WHMIS safety training
• At all times in the laboratory, wear gloves, a lab coat and protective eyewear, as well as long pants, socks and closed sturdy shoes. On the contrary, avoid gloves and lab coats outside the lab (unless warranted by an exceptional situation for your own safety), take them off to avoid touching doors also used without protective gear.
• Long hair should always be tied up.
• Wash your hands as you leave the laboratory.
• Do not bring any food or beverage into the laboratory.
• Never store products in the drawers, fume hoods or on the workbenches. Check the designated storage space by CAS number in the Quartzy inventory.
• Temporary storage in appropriate bottles of solvents or samples is only allowed with proper labelling following the format « YourInitials-AAMMJJ » and the chemical product name+CAS number or sample reference to your lab book number+page. This procedure will be upgraded in the near future to implement the new SIMDUT standards.
• Before handling a new chemical product, consult the material safety data sheet, which contains essential elements for safe handling and storing, and a first aid kit in case of exposure or spillage.

Fume hood:

• Always keep the back as clear as possible for proper airflow evacuation.
• Glassware that held volatile compounds should be left in the fume hood at least overnight after proper rinsing and/or cleaning, even if it ultimately goes into a trash can.

Shared Resources:

• We need to share the work space, thus wash the workbenches and the fume hood after using them, every day.
• You always need to ask permission before borrowing glassware and fume hoods belonging to another group (gr. Allen and gr. Boudreau).
• You should never put back a defective apparatus or articles, it’s very annoying; you need to notify the rest of the group by email and get it repaired or replaced.

Inventory Management of the Chemical Products:

• When you receive a new product, you need to add it to the inventory. You need to write down its reception date, apply the "CA" sticker and the location where it is stored on the product’s label.
• When you run out of a product, you need to:
  • Prepare a new order and add a note in the Quartzy inventory.

Waste:

• Regarding the used solvents’ recycling bins, you need to:
• Learn the proper procedures for waste disposal. Note that disposal costs of the red trash can for solid toxic waste are high, so it should not be used for regular waste, but safety first. Specifically, only the gloves used to handle cadmium-based nanosemiconductors or the Cd precursors, are to be thrown into the red trash can.
• Bring the waste containers under the fume hood to discard the used liquids.
• Always close the waste containers after using and clean them when needed.
• Do not overfill the containers, watch the subtle line for the maximum.
• Engage the pick up procedure when it is full.
• You need to make sure you deactivate the Piranha solution for 24h before putting it into the trash bin. Also, it is preferable to leave the container in the fume hood with the little cap open to avoid suppression risks.
• Use the characterization apparatus (POP-0314).
• Use the reservation boards provided for this purpose.
• Respect the other group’s members’ reservations.
• Fill in the user notebook scrupulously.

Laboratory Manipulations:

• Make sure your glassware is clean, only use new syringes and needles.
• When you are using needles, bend them in a 90º angle.
• Make sure you have enough of each chemical or product you need.
• Add some ice to isopropanol in the Dewar.

Chemical gas:

• Take note of the informative sheets placed on the doors of the laboratories using dangerous chemical gases
• Detectors specific to each gas used in the laboratory are installed to the concerned laboratories. The detectors have two different alarm levels.
  • First level : stroboscopic light is emitted when the concentration level of the gas becomes slightly elevated, but still remain not dangerous. If the first level of a detector in the laboratory is activated, the other detectors in the corridor will also emit stroboscopic light. A first level alarm may signal a gas leak that could lead to a second level alarm, so stay vigilant. It is thus recommended to exit the building. The actions required are :
    • Close the gas source
    • Inform the other members in the laboratory
    • Exit the laboratory
    • Close the laboratory's door
    • Call the #911 on the red phones to inform the SSP
    • Contact the person in charge of the laboratory
  • Second level : stroboscopic light and a sound warning are emitted when the concentration level of the gas becomes too elevated. All the laboratories in the building will be notified and evacuated.
    The actions required are :
    • Exit the laboratory quickly
    • Close the laboratory's door
    • Exit the building quickly
    • Call the #911 on the red phones to inform the SSP
    • Contact the person in charge of the laboratory