Laboratory operations can be hazardous, especially when working with chemical and biological materials. Most laboratory accidents, while not fatal, run the risk of developing chronic diseases and infections as well as resulting in loss in property and reputation. It is important, therefore, to prevent these accidents before they occur.

This course reviews common and preventable laboratory accidents in both research, clinical and other commercial settings. You can expect to learn best practices that can be adopted to prevent and reduce the severity of such incidents. In addition, practical courses are also offered to ensure familiarity in handling of liquid spills (both chemical and biological) with emphasis on the protection of the emergency response crew.

Who Should Attend?

• Laboratory worker and supervisor
• Workplace Safety & Health (WSH) Officer and Coordinator

Learning Objectives

• Identify common accidents in laboratories (research and industrial)
• Learn best practices in mitigating these accidents
• Manage emergency plans covering injuries, fires, spills and gas leaks (include practical training)

Course Outline

Day 1 : Minimising Accidents in the Lab

An overview of real potential accidents will be presented as well as understanding on how these can be minimised. You will be able to identify the difference between common causes of incidents, and the importance of risk assessment as well as implement “dynamic” risk assessment.

Day 2: Dealing with Emergencies (with practical)

You will be introduced to typical emergencies in a laboratory and learn the methodology on spill containment. These emergencies include:

• Liquid and solid spills (chemical and biological)
• Nanomaterials spills (3D Printing, carbon tubes)
• Gas emission (reaction and pressurised)

In addition, you will learn fire abatement methods for chemicals, first aid emergencies as well as reporting, investigating and implementing corrective actions for incidents.

Certification

Participant who achieves at least 75% attendance and passes all the assessments with competent in this course will be awarded Certificate of Attendance.

About The Trainer

Dr. Viji Vijayan

Dr. Viji Vijayan has vast experience in heading a medical school’s Safety and Emergency Management Department. She was in charge of ensuring  that there is sufficient mitigation measures to prevent accidents and if they did occur the immediate management of the situation. She is familiar with accident analysis methods as part of the overall Biorisk Management System. She works with agencies like World Health Organization through their partner agencies; Global Affairs Canada; Health Security Partners and others to provide Biorisk Management training and consultation in many parts of the world.

She has a Master’s degree in Human Factors and Systems Safety from Lund University in Sweden which enables her to bring concepts from other fields, like aviation, into laboratory safety systems and accident prevention.

Location

NTU@One-North (Near Buona Vista MRT Station)