Laboratory Rules for the Laboratories of the Department of Materials Technology

Validity

• Following rules are valid for all laboratories of the Department of Materials Technology.

Organisation

• FH-Prof. Priv.-Doz. Dipl.-Ing. Dr.mont. Gernot Zitzenbacher (Head of Department)
• Ing. René Geber (technical coordinator)
• Ing. Markus Gillich (technician)
• Alexander Syrowatka (technician)

Applicable regulations

• Campus rules
• Fire regulations
• IT Guidelines for behaviour in computer rooms
• General Safety Guidelines for the Upper Austria University of Applied Sciences School of Engineering
• Maternity
• "Lone Work General Guidelines" and "Lone Work Department of Materials Technology"
• Emergency plan „electrical accidents“

Lone Work

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

Introduction

These laboratory rules are intended to ensure safe and economical use of laboratories, which is achieved through proper and expert handling of installations and equipment and economical use of energy, water and supplies in such a way that

• the health and safety of laboratory users is maintained,
• accidents can be avoided,
• unnecessary pollution is avoided
• and the cleanliness of the laboratory space and equipment is ensured.

The teacher(s)/supervisor(s) of laboratory and project classes undertake to teach the students the rules for orderly operation and safety regulations at the beginning of the course.

The laboratory rules must be known and followed by users. If a laboratory user is found to be in breach of the obligations under these provisions, the users permission to work in the laboratories can be withdrawn.

General guidelines for laboratory use

• Knowledge of these regulations is a precondition for participation in the various laboratory exercises.
• The applicable regulations mentioned above are valid for all laboratories of the Department of Materials Technology.
• Pregnant and breastfeeding mothers must inform the appropriate instructor/supervisor of this (there are legal limits to what they are allowed to do in the laboratory!).

• Bringing food and drinks and their consumption in laboratories is prohibited without exception.
• All equipment in the laboratory may only be operated after instruction in its use by the responsible technician or operator.
• The usage of the laboratories including the entire laboratory equipment for private purposes is strictly prohibited.
• The information in equipment instruction manuals about dangers must be heeded. Device-specific warnings are attached to the respective devices and are also to be heeded.
• At the end of each lab course, all equipment which has been used must be returned to its original location. It is important to ensure that all instruments are switched off. The gas, air and water supply must be turned off.
• The user has not only to log off, but must also switch off PCs.

• No liability is accepted for any damage caused by negligence on the part of students participating in lab courses.
• When carrying out tests/experiments the work rules/process specifications and instructions given must be followed. Tests conducted according to self-devised, untested regulations are prohibited.
• In the vicinity of rotating machinery extra care is required. Long hair, ties, etc. must be protected.
• For participants it is in their own interest to take all precautions to reduce the risk of accidents in the laboratory.
• Some test setups cannot be fully protected for reasons of accessibility for measurement purposes. The supervisor/instructor of the practical must make this clear and the relevant instructions must be followed.

• Everything should be avoided which could harm equipment and components. Potential damages must be reported to the instructor immediately.
• Before switching on measurement devices, it must be checked that they are connected properly and the correct effective range/range of measurement has been selected.
• For every setup the corresponding limits must be adhered to.
• The instructions of the supervisor must be followed at all times.
• Escape routes must be kept clear at all times.

PSE = Personal safety equipment

Specific guidelines for each laboratory

Buildung A | U1: MET, MECH

Building B | EG: KST, ESU

Buidling B | O3: WBH, PBB, OT, TRIBO, WSA, REM, DIL

Building D | O1: MFL

MET (Laboratory for Metallography)

PSE to use for work in MET:

• Safety goggles or face shield
• Chemical protection gloves
• Acid prove apron
• Closed footwear

• During dangerous work (handling chemicals or etching solutions ...) protective eyewear and appropriate clothing and footwear must be worn.
• The labelling requirement applies to the storage of chemicals in appropriate glassware for the duration of the experiment. It must be clearly visible which specific substance is involved and who is using it (name, start date...).
• Increased caution is required in the vicinity of rotating machines such as cutting equipment or grinding and polishing equipment. Long hair, ties, etc., must be protected.

MECH (Laboratory for Mechanical Testing)

PSE to use for work in MECH:

• Safety goggles or face shield
• Heat or cold protection gloves
• Closed footwear

• When working with the tensile tester there is an increased risk of accidents by crushing. The operation of the machine and the loading of the samples must be done only by one person.
• When working with the pendulum impact testing machine the protective door must be closed at all times. Only the person who has put the sample in may operate the pendulum.
• When working with the climate simulation chamber, the user must be aware that parts in the chamber can be either very cold (-70°C) or hot (up to 180°C). Appropriate protective clothing should be worn.

KST (Plastics Engineering Laboratory)

PSE to use for work in KST:

• Safety goggles or face shield
• Heat protection gloves
• Closed footwear

• Work by students on equipment and systems in the plastics laboratory is permitted only after instruction by expert full-time, technical or scientific project staff. Before starting work on a unit of the plastics laboratory the responsible supervisor (qualified full-time staff or research assistants) or technicians must be informed.
• When working in the plastics laboratory the wearing of a protective glasses, appropriate protective clothing and closed shoes is compulsory.
• In the plastics laboratory plastics are processed in a plasticized state. Contact with hot parts of the plant (rheometer, thermoforming station, extruder) is to be avoided due to the risk of burns. There is also the danger of burns from hot and melted plastic parts.
• Liquid nitrogen is used for cryogenic fracture tests. When handling liquid nitrogen, appropriate protective clothing (face protection, gloves = PSE) must be worn.

ESU (Electro Slag Remelting Laboratory)

PSE to use for work in ESU:

• Closed footwear, safety shoes level S2
• Safety goggles or face shield
• Helmet with visor
• Heat protection gloves
• Ear protection
• Heat protection coat
• Heat protection gaiters
• Dust protection mask

• When carrying out heat treatment experiments above 500°C there must always be at least two appropriately trained people in the room.
• The performance of heat treatment experiments is allowed only after appropriate training by the competent department technician or an appropriately trained member of the project staff.
• Due to the open test/experiment construction with high-current operation, this laboratory has the highest safety risk, requiring special precautions in handling the equipment.
• Students may only enter and work in the ESU lab in the presence of qualified full-time staff or research assistants.
• When performing remelting experiments there must always be at least two appropriately trained people in the room.
• Manipulation of electrical equipment is permitted only when the power supply is completely turned off. When operating, all physical contact with equipment must be avoided.
• The operation of the facility is permitted only under the guidance of an expert full-time member of staff (especially Prof. Dr. Peter Zeller) and only after verifying the system configuration.
• Stand-alone changes to the test setup must be avoided for safety reasons (for man and machine).
• Manipulation of remelted blocks may only be done provided all persons wear full protective clothing (helmet with face shield, coat, leggings, fixed (closed) shoes, gloves = PSE).
• Attention! Metal parts which no longer glow, can yet still be very hot (600°C) and should therefore not be touched without checking the temperature first.
• The use of gas cylinders has to be carried out with the utmost care. Gas cylinders must be properly secured.

WBH (Heat Treatment Laboratory)

PSE to use for work in WBH:

• Closed footwear
• Safety goggles or face shield
• Helmet with visor
• Heat protection gloves
• Heat protection coat
• Heat protection gaiters

• When carrying out heat treatment experiments above 500°C there must always be at least two appropriately trained people in the room.
• The performance of heat treatment experiments is allowed only after appropriate training by the competent department technician or an appropriately trained member of the project staff.
• For the manipulation (insertion, removal ...) of samples in a hot oven full protective clothing (helmet with face shield, coat, leggings, fixed (closed) shoes, gloves = PSE) must be worn at all times.
• Attention! Danger of fire when quenching in the oil tank! To put out the fire (by suffocation), the cover of the quenching tank should be closed immediately.
• Should any problems or deviations from the planned test sequence be encountered then a member of staff or a technician familiar with the installations must be informed. Independent changes to the test set are to be avoided for safety (for man and machine) reasons.
• Attention! Metal parts which no longer glow, can yet still be very hot (600°C) and should therefore not be touched without checking the temperature first.
• The protective gases can cause asphyxiation. Operation of the furnaces with protective gas is therefore only allowed if the ventilation is always turned on. This must be constantly checked.
• If the experiment is carried out in closed furnaces ventilation can be reduced to half power during the night.
• The use of gas cylinders has to be carried out with the utmost care. Gas cylinders must be properly secured.
• During dangerous work (handling chemicals or etching solutions...) protective eyewear and appropriate clothing and footwear must be worn.
• The labelling requirement applies to the storage of chemicals in appropriate glassware for the duration of the experiment. It must be clearly visible which specific substance is involved and who is using it (name, start date...).
• Increased caution is required in the vicinity of rotating machines such as cutting equipment or grinding and polishing equipment. Long hair, ties, etc. must be protected.

PBB (Laboratory for Plasma Treatment and Coating)

PSE to use for work in PBB:

• Closed footwear

• Safety goggles or face shield
• Ear protection
• Dust protection mask

• Working with the plasma system is only permitted after instruction and under the supervision of a master user (see lists in appendix).
• The covers of electrical components and equipment must be kept closed at all times.
• Manipulation of the system may be performed only in the presence of a master user.
• The use of gas and precursors has to be carried out with the utmost care. Explosive gases must be stored in closed cabinets and all other gas cylinders properly secured.
• Before operation it must be checked whether the process gas extractor is on. It must also be checked at regular intervals that it is operating. If the extractor fails the flow of process gases must be prevented.
• When operating the hoist/lifting device, make sure that when closing the hood no person or objects are jammed/trapped in it.
• In case of danger to persons or equipment the EMERGENCY STOP on the cabinet door must be operated. Before operating the system each user must know the location of the EMERGENCY STOP.
• Before operating the blasting devices check if the attached filters have a sufficient filtering effect. Contaminated filters result in dust formation outside the blasting chamber, which in the worst case can trigger a fire alarm.

OT (Laboratory for Surface Technology)

PSE to use for work in OT:

• Closed footwear
• Safety goggles or face shield, IR-protection glasses
• Respirator mask min FFP2
• Ear protection
• Disposable gloves

• When performing dangerous work (handling chemicals or etching solutions ...) always wear protective eyewear. Moreover, appropriate protective clothing and footwear (PSE) must be worn.
• The labelling requirement applies to the storage of chemicals in appropriate glassware for the duration of the experiment. It must be clearly visible which specific substance is involved and who is using the substance (name, labelling date...).
• Running the plasma spray device is only permitted while the fume hood lid is closed and the exhaust air filter mat is mounted.
• While working with the plasma spray device appropriate protection gear must be worn (breathing mask minimum FFP2, single-use gloves, fixed (closed) shoes, protective eyewear) and UV- and IR-protection must be ensured (PSE).
• Cleaning of the plasma spray device is only allowed with a special vacuum cleaner (filter class M and HEPA filter class H14).
• When operating the plasma spray system, the OT laboratory must be secured against unintentional entry (warning sign)!
• The use of gas cylinders has to be carried out with the utmost care. Gas cylinders must be properly secured.

TRIBO (Laboratory of Tribology)

PSE to use for work in TRIBO:

• Closed footwear
• Safety goggles
• Ear protection

• Working with the tribometer shall only be carried out after successful training and under supervision of a main user (see lists in appendix).
• The use of gas cylinders has to be carried out with the utmost care. Gas cylinders must be properly secured.

WSA (Materials Analysis Laboratory)

PSE to use for work in WSA:

• Closed footwear
• Safety goggles or face shield
• Heat or cold protection gloves
• Disposable gloves

• Work on GDOES shall only be carried out after successful training and under the supervision of a master user (see lists in appendix).
• Work on the XRD may only be performed after successful training and under the supervision of a master user (see lists in appendix).
• In the high temperature chamber of the contact angle measuring device, plastics are processed in a plasticated state. Do not touch hot system parts (up to 400°C) as there is a risk of burns. There is also a risk of burns due to hot plastic parts and melts. When conducting high temperature tests, the appropriate PSE must be worn.
• Always wear protective goggles when carrying out dangerous work (handling chemicals or etching solutions ...). In addition, appropriate clothing and closed shoes (PSE) must be worn.
• The use of gas cylinders has to be carried out with the utmost care. Gas cylinders must be properly secured.
• For the operation of DMA and DSC liquid nitrogen is used. When handling liquid nitrogen appropriate protective clothing (face shield/protection, gloves = PSE) must be worn.

SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope Laboratory)

PSE to use for work in SEM:

• Closed footwear
• Safety goggles

• Work on the SEM may only be performed after successful training and under the supervision of a master user (see lists in appendix).
• LN2 is used for cryo breaking experiments. When handling liquid nitrogen appropriate protective clothing (face shield/protection, gloves = PSE) must be worn.
• The use of gas cylinders has to be carried out with the utmost care. Gas cylinders must be properly secured.

DIL (Dilatometer Laboratory)

PSE to use for work in DIL:

• Closed footwear
• Safety goggles or face shield
• Cold protection gloves

• Dilatometer experiments are only permitted after appropriate training by the responsible technicians (see lists in appendix) or an appropriately trained scientific project staff member.
• Should any problems or deviations from the planned test sequence be encountered, a member of staff or a technician familiar with the setup of a scientific project team must be informed. Independent changes to the test set are to be avoided for safety (for man and machine) reasons.
• Refitting works may only be carried out by the responsible technician (see lists in appendix) or by an appropriately trained/qualified scientific project staff member.
• Working with other units not related to dilatometer operation is strictly prohibited in this room.
• Running the dilatometer in the DSC mode LN2 is used. When handling liquid nitrogen appropriate protective clothing (face shield/protection, gloves = PSE) must be worn.
• The use of gas cylinders has to be carried out with the utmost care. Gas cylinders must be properly secured.

MFL (Multi Function Laboratory)

PSE to use for work in MFL:

• Closed footwear
• Safety goggles or face shield
• Protection gloves

• When working with the Mutronic DiaDisc 5200 it must be ensured that the Ruwac DAZ 1220 H extraction system is switched on and set to automatic mode before the saw is started up.
• When working with the hot gas welding units, please note that air streams with a temperature of up to 700°C can occur.
• When working with the socket welding devices, it must be noted that in addition to the sockets mounted on the left and right of the sword, the sword itself also becomes hot, thus increasing the risk of burns.
• When working with the pipe welding units, it must be noted that there is an increased risk of burns when the heating element is folded out. Furthermore, it must be ensured that the face milling device is not put into operation until it is inserted and locked.
• Resin and hardener are organic substances that can irritate eyes and skin and cause allergic skin reactions.
• Personal safety equipment (PSE = protective gloves and goggles) must be worn and a good ventilation must be ensured. Otherwise the work can be commenced in the digestorium! Watch out for self-ignition while curing!

Laboratory range 1 at the TCKT (compounder)

• The laboratory rules and guidelines of the TCKT are valid.

Laboratory range 2 at the TCKT (organosheet plant, diaphragma plant)

• The laboratory rules and guidelines of the TCKT are valid.

Responsible professors, master user and technicians in charge

Master user