Student Assistant Handbook for Laboratories
I. Organizational Chart
Flow Chart
II. Departmental Goals
The goal of the Department of Laboratories is to assist the faculty in the provision of quality laboratory experiences to the students of UTPB. It is also the goal of this department to carry out the policies and procedures of this institution and of the UT System designed to ensure compliance with all state, local, and federal regulations and to minimize the risk of loss of Laboratory assets.
III. Appointments
Appointments are made by the semester. The maximum number of hours per week allowed on student assistant appointments is 19.5 hours. Appointments may be made for any number of hours per week up to 19.5 hours.
IV. Scheduling
Scheduling Work schedules are flexible to accommodate class schedules. At the beginning of the semester, submit your class schedule to your supervisor, either Adaline Schelling or Miles Gray. Your supervisor will develop a work schedule to which you will be expected to adhere. If for some reason you cannot work your regular hours, please inform your supervisor in advance so that work assignments can be redistributed to other assistants.
V. Time Sheets
Student assistants are expected to keep track of the hours they have worked, and to record them properly on the time sheets provided by your supervisor.
Student assistants are on a bimonthly pay schedule and so are paid twice a month. Direct deposit forms are available from the accounting office. These forms are completed and turned in to Human Resources for direct deposit of pay into student assistants bank accounts. Or, student assistants can pick up their pay checks from the accounting office, located on the first floor of the Mesa Building, any time after 10:00 am on pay days.
You may work more than your appointed hours per week if the work assignments warrant the extra time. Prior supervisor approval is required in these instances.
VI. Duties
Your duties as a Student Assistant will vary according to your level of experience. Primarily, the duties of the Student Assistant are to prepare materials for teaching labs as requested by the faculty, to maintain the stockroom (i.e. re-shelve chemicals, perform physical inventories), and to perform "housekeeping" duties (washing glassware, restocking paper towels and soap in labs, general cleaning). Other duties may include animal care (feeding and watering, bedding changes, cage washing) and office duties such as making copies and data entry. Your supervisor will distribute the work assignments to the student most suited to the task.
VII. Work/Repair Requests and Lab Prep Requests
When a faculty member needs a service provided by the Division of Laboratories, he/she is required to submit their requests in writing. The faculty are required to do this for two reasons. First, the written request avoids confusion as to what the professor wants from lab staff. Second, it provides lab administration with valuable information on how lab services are being utilized. New requests will be posted on the "New" board, which should be checked daily. Requests may be submitted on one of two pre-printed forms available in the prep room, the Lab Prep Request or the Work/Equipment/Supplies Request form, or in any other written form.
When work is completed, the request is to be signed by the individual who completed the work and an estimation of the time required to complete the request noted. The completed requests are placed on the "Completed" board. The yellow copy of the Lab Prep Request is to be placed in the notebook designated for the particular lab class that the request was for. If the Lab Prep Request form is not used, make a copy of the request for the notebook. Place the original on the “Completed” board.
The faculty are all made aware of these requirements for requests. If a faculty member attempts to make a requests for work without a written request, please direct them to one of the forms and suggest that you would do a much better job for them if you had explicit written instructions. Remind them that if the request is not in writing, they will not be assured of getting what they asked for. If this method doesn't work, or you feel uncomfortable asking the professor to complete the form, be as helpful and agreeable as possible, then report the problem to your supervisor.
VIII. Instructions for Completing a Lab Prep Request
1. Read the entire request. If any of the request instructions are unclear, contact the initiator of the request for clarification. Also locate the copy of the request form generated for the last time the experiment was done (these copies are maintained in notebooks kept in the prep rooms, labeled appropriately). Use these copies to avoid the problems previously encountered.
2. If solutions are requested, verify that the solution is not already available by checking the stock solution shelves in the stock rooms before fresh stock is prepared.
3. Verify that the MSDS notebook for the lab being prepared has copies of all the chemicals to be used. If necessary, obtain the original MSDS from the file to make copies for the notebook.
4. Make note of any particular problems encountered in the preparation of the materials directly on the form so that the forms may be used for future reference. Any calculations made should also be written on the form.
5. Record all chemicals used, consumable supplies, and equipment/non-consumable supplies provided for the lab on the appropriate log sheets or in the computer (see Inventory Tracking Instructions below).
6. When the prep is completed, sign your name at the bottom, and record the amount of time required to complete the request. Separate the two parts of the form if using the Lab Prep Request or make a copy if using other written form, placing the original on the "completed" clipboard, and the copy in the notebook for the lab course that the prep was for.
IX. Inventory Tracking Instructions
To prevent the loss of Laboratory assets and to effectively manage the chemical and consumable supply inventory, it is very important that we log everything that leaves the stockroom. In the case of equipment such as glassware, hotplates, mechanical balances, etc., it is very important that we verify the return as well as the departure.
- Chemicals
1. All chemicals used to prepare lab materials must be recorded. Log books are maintained in each stockroom for this purpose. These logs are used to generate chemical usage reports at the end of each semester, so it is EXTREMELY important that you remember to record every chemical used to prepare lab materials.
2. Pre-made solutions from the stock solutions shelves are not to be recorded (the chemicals used to make them were recorded when used). For example, if a prep calls for 1 liter of a 1 molar NaOH solution, and we have that much already made, there is no need to record the use of NaOH. However, if there is no 1 M NaOH available, or not enough, you will record the amount of solid NaOH used to prepare the solution.
3. If a container of a chemical is requested for a lab and we expect to get the container back minus what was used, weigh the container with cap attached. Record the weight of the container on a sticker placed on the cap. Also record the transfer of the container to the lab along with its weight in the log. When the container comes back, weigh the container again to determine the amount used. You then will record this amount as usage. In the event a container is transferred that we know we will not get back, obtaining the starting weight is not necessary, although the transfer must be recorded. Information required for a chemical transfer include the date, the chemical name as it appears on the label, the manufacturer and catalog number, original amount in the full container and amount remaining, original storage location, new storage location, and the initials of the individual recording the transfer.
- Consumable Supplies
1. Consumable supplies used for labs must be recorded in the same manner as chemical usage.
2. Consumable supplies used in the prep room or issued to lab rooms rather than to specific lab classes (i.e. paper towels in rooms used for more than one lab course) are to be recorded separately as Òin houseÓ.
- Equipment/Non-consumable Supplies
1. Equipment issued for use in lab classes and to research labs must be recorded in the log book. Information required on equipment check-out include the date, the name of the item(s) issued, quantity, the name of the person receiving the equipment and the room number it will be kept in, and the initials of the person issuing the item(s). If the equipment is not expected to return (i.e. replacement glassware for a chemistry kit), note this when the item is checked out.
2. When an item is returned to the stockroom, record the return in the log book.
X. Laboratory Emergencies
Fire
- In the event of a fire, UTPB Police should be notified immediately at extension 911 and the following actions are recommended:
1. Put the fire out if you know how to do so without endangering yourself or others. If you have been trained in the use of a fire extinguisher, you may choose to fight the fire from a position where you can escape, but only if you are confident that you will be successful. Small fires often can be easily extinguished.
2. A fire, contained in a small vessel can usually be suffocated by covering the vessel with a lid of some sort.
3. If the fire is large or spreading, activate the fire alarm to alert building occupants. If possible, shut down any equipment which may add fuel to the fire. Do not turn off any fume hoods in the immediate area as they will tend to keep the area free of smoke and fumes. Leave the fire area and prevent its spread by closing doors behind you.
4. Evacuate the building and await the arrival of UTPB Police. Be prepared to inform them of the exact location, details of the fire, and chemicals that are stored and used in the area.
5. Do not re-enter the building until you are told by Police or the fire official to do so.
6. If your clothing catches fire, drop to the floor and roll to smother the fire. If a fellow co-workerÕs clothing catches fire, knock the person to the floor and roll him to smother the flames. Use a safety shower immediately thereafter.
- Chemical Spill Response and Clean-up Procedures
In the event of a chemical spill, the employee(s) who caused the spill is responsible for prompt and proper clean-up. It is also their responsibility to have spill control and personal protective equipment appropriate for the chemicals being handled readily available.
The following are general guidelines to be followed for a chemical spill.
1. Immediately alert lab occupants and supervisor, and evacuate the area, if necessary.
2. If there is a fire or medical attention is needed, contact UTPB Police 911.
3. Attend to any people who may be contaminated. Contaminated clothing must be removed immediately and the skin flushed with water for no less than fifteen minutes. Clothing must be laundered before reuse. See First Aid for Chemical Exposures for more information.
4. If a volatile, flammable material is spilled, immediately warn everyone, control sources of ignition and ventilate the area.
5. Don personal protective equipment, as appropriate to the hazards. Refer to the Material Safety Data Sheet or other references for information.
6. Consider the need for respiratory protection. The use of a respirator or self-contained breathing apparatus requires specialized training and medical surveillance. Never enter a contaminated atmosphere without protection or use a respirator without training. If respiratory protection is needed and no trained personnel are available, call EHS at ext. 2762 or UTPB Police at 911. If respiratory protection is used, be sure there is another person outside the spill area in communication, in case of an emergency. If no one is available, contact UTPB Police.
7. Using the chart below, determine the extent and type of spill. If the spill is large, if there has been a release to the environment or if there is no one knowledgeable about spill clean-up available, contact EHS at ext. 2762 or UTPB Police at 911 immediately.
8. Protect floor drains or other means for environmental release. Spill socks and absorbents may be placed around drains, as needed.
9. Contain and clean-up the spill according to the table above. Loose spill control materials should be distributed over the entire spill area, working from the outside, circling to the inside. This reduces the chance of splash or spread of the spilled chemical. Bulk absorbents and many spill pillows do not work with hydrofluoric acid. POWERSORB (by 3M) products and their equivalent will handle hydrofluoric acid. Specialized hydrofluoric acid kits also are available. Many neutralizers for acids or bases have a color change indicator to show when neutralization is complete.
10. When spilled materials have been absorbed, use brush and scoop to place materials in an appropriate container. Polyethylene bags may be used for small spills. Five gallon pails or 20 gallon drums with polyethylene liners may be appropriate for larger quantities.
11. Complete a hazardous waste tag, identifying the material as Spill Debris involving XYZ Chemical, and affix onto the container. Remember that the use of an adsorbent typically does not alter the chemical properties of that chemical. Contact EHS at ext. 2762 for advice on storage and packaging for disposal.
12. Decontaminate the surface where the spill occurred using a mild detergent and water, when appropriate.
13. Report all spills to your supervisor or the Principal Investigator.
XI. Fist Aid Procedures
- Chemicals on Skin
- When chemicals spill on the skin, immediately flush with water for no less than fifteen minutes. For larger spills the safety shower should be used. When using the safety shower, remove any jewelry or clothing that have become contaminated to facilitate removal of any residual material. For pullover shirts and sweaters, it may be better to cut garments off to prevent contamination of eyes.
- After fifteen minutes of rinsing, seek medical attention and explain carefully what chemicals were involved. The MSDS should be reviewed to determine if any delayed effects should be expected.
- Chemicals in Eyes
- For chemical spills in the eyes, physicians recommend flushing with water for fifteen minutes. The eyes must be forcibly held open to wash, and the eyeballs must be rotated so all surface area is rinsed. The use of an eye wash fountain is desirable so hands are free to hold the eyes open. Contact lenses should be removed while rinsing.
- After flushing, prompt medical attention is recommended regardless of the severity or apparent lack of severity.
- Chemical Inhalation
In the event of possible over-exposure to a chemical via inhalation, close containers, open windows or otherwise increase ventilation, and move to fresh air. If symptoms, such as headaches, nose or throat irritation, dizziness, or drowsiness persist, seek medical attention by calling UTPB Police at 911.
- Accidental Ingestion of Chemicals
- In the event of accidental ingestion of a chemical, contact the Poison Control Center at 800-764-7661 for instructions. Do not induce vomiting unless directed to do so by a health care provider.
- Accidental Injection of Chemicals
- If accidental injection of a chemical has occurred, wash the area with soap and water and seek medical attention, if necessary.
XII. Injury/Illness Reporting Procedures
Work related injury or illness must be reported to the Personnel Office using the form Employers First Report of Accidental Injury or Occupational Illness. The information on this form may initiate an accident investigation by EHS, where applicable and will provide the information needed for Workers Compensation Insurance. Forms are available through the Laboratory Coordinator or the Personnel Office.
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