Laboratory Regulations for the Department of Innovation, Design and Industrial Goods Marketing (DEPT. IDI)

Organization

• Head of Department, professors of the IPM degree programme
• Head of Laboratory: laboratory manager for the laboratory-assigned Head of Department
• Teacher: teacher of a laboratory class (“laboratory exercises”)
• Technician: the respective laboratory assigned technical specialist

Applicable regulations

• Campus order
• Fire regulations
• IT Guidelines for computer rooms
• General Safety Guidelines for the Upper Austria University of Applied Sciences School of Engineering
• Maternity
• “Lone Work General Guidelines“
• Emergency Plan for Electric Accidents

Maternity

• Pregnant women are required to inform the laboratory manager of their pregnancy before entering the laboratory facilities.
• Expectant and nursing mothers are subject to statutory maternity protection/law and are restricted as to working time, physical effort and exposure to environmental influences.

Lone Work

• FH employees (card with P-number).
  The lone working regulation according to “Lone Work General Guidelines” apply.
• Students (card with S-number)
  Students are not permitted to work alone in the laboratories.

Hazards

• Electrical hazards: DC voltage> 60 V AC or> 25 V
• Mechanical hazards: danger of cuts, danger of draw-in/entanglement, danger of crushing
• Thermal hazards: risk of burning by very high temperatures and open flames, freezing by liquid nitrogen
• Radiation exposure: eye damage from UV and laser radiation
• Exposure to high sound volume: hearing loss due to increased sound pressure level of machines and acoustic tests

Clothing and protective equipment

• Long hair must be secured by suitable hair protection.
• Clothes must be close fitting, protruding accessories must be secured or removed (ties, jewelry etc...).
• Suitable footwear must be worn (closed front, slip-resistant, perforation resistance).
• Protective goggles must be worn when using machine tools.
• During hot work(s) (with ovens, extruders, etc.) heat-protective clothing (gloves, boots, protective helmet with face shield, suitable footwear) must be worn.
• While working with UV and laser radiation, depending on the strength, goggles must be worn.
• For high sound pressure level work suitable hearing protection should be worn.

Access to the laboratories

• Attendance at a safety briefing and evidence that the guidelines have been understood are preconditions for entry into a laboratory.
• Work in the laboratories is possible
  • under the guidance/supervision of a laboratory class teacher
  • accompanied by a suitable person after approval by the laboratory manager
• Immediately after entering a laboratory you must find out where the relevant safety devices and other requirements, such as an emergency stop button, fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, the escape route(s) etc. are and check that the devices work.
• Before starting any activity, the LEV (local exhaust ventilation) must be switched on.

Behavior in the laboratory

• Escape routes are always to be kept clear.
• Slow, deliberate movements.
• Only the equipment in the laboratory must be used like tools, experimental set-ups, chemicals, gases, excipients, etc.
• Existing installations and superstructures may only be modified if instructed by the laboratory manager.
• Persons with appropriate training may only operate machine tools and hoists.
• Equipment (e.g. electrical cables, hydraulic hoses...) must be checked for defects before use. Defective laboratory inventory must be reported to teaching staff immediately.
• Before operating a machine or device, switching on a circuit set-up or triggering a chemical or biological reaction, the permission of the teacher or the laboratory manager must be obtained.
• Running machines, electrical tools (e.g. soldering irons), circuitry, as well as chemical and biological reactions must be constantly supervised and secured against third party interference.

Prohibitions in the laboratory

• Drugs and alcohol are strictly forbidden.
• Equipment from other laboratories or private equipment, in particular hazardous substances, must not be placed in the laboratory.
• Protective devices such as covers, emergency stop switches, overload protection, backup fuses etc. must not be removed or rendered ineffective. Fire protection doors must be able to close automatically.
• Standing under suspended loads is prohibited.
• In general, no loads heavier than 13 kg may be lifted.

Work on electrical installations

1. Disconnect all poles and all sides.
2. Secure against reconnection.
3. Determine the absence of voltage at all poles.
4. Earth and short-circuit.
5. Cover or isolate adjacent live parts.

Accidents

• In the event of injury the emergency services must be informed (144: Who? What? Where?).
• In the event of an accident the laboratory manager must be informed as soon as possible.