Visit the EH&S’s Chemical SOPs page to find new standard operating procedures (SOP) templates for nanomaterials, chloroform, and metallic lead.
Do you work with nanomaterials? Nanoparticles can be composed of many different base materials, may be of different shapes including nanotubes, nanowires, and crystalline structures such as fullerenes and quantum dots, and can be powder, suspension, or solid matrix form. The toxicity of nanoparticles may be greater than for their parent material, and their greater surface area may make nanomaterials more flammable, explosive, or reactive than larger particles of the same composition. The risks of fire/explosion/reaction increase with the amount of nanoparticles, so researchers should bear this in mind if scaling up a process. EHS& now offers a Nanomaterials SOP template that can be used to generate specific nanomaterial SOPs for your work.
Do you use chloroform as an extractant in your assays or as a solvent in your processes? Chloroform is used for a variety of purposes in laboratories across campus. It is a colorless liquid that quickly evaporates into gas, and it can be toxic if inhaled or swallowed. Chloroform exposure can harm the eyes, skin, liver, kidneys, and nervous system, and it may also cause cancer. EH&S now offers a Chloroform SOP template for work with this chemical.
Do you have metallic lead in your workspace? Metallic lead is used in many different forms including bricks, sheeting, plates, shot, and weights composed of pure lead or as an alloy with other metals. Researchers, medical personnel, scuba divers and others use metallic lead as shielding for radiation sources, weights and various other applications. This toxic metal can cause many acute and chronic health effects, and it can be stored in tissue and bones for many years resulting in toxic levels later in life. Check out the new Metallic Lead SOP template and review additional resources on the Lead Safety page to help you plan how to use lead in your work.
A key part of any research space’s chemical hygiene plan is to have SOPs that describe the safety measures you require when using chemicals or hazardous materials. Contact labcheck@uw.edu if you have any questions or would like feedback on your SOPs.