Safety Regulations
All students/users must read and understand the information detailed hereafter with regards to Testbed safety and emergency procedures prior to Testbed use. Laboratory safety depends primarily on YOU.
Students/users must adhere to written and verbal safety instructions. As additional instructions may be given at the beginning of an arranged session, it is important that all students/users arrive at each session on time.
Strict compliance to safety instructions and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) can greatly reduce accident occurrence rate. Nevertheless, research and workplace contain hazards which can cause serious injury and/or damage to equipment. Working alone and unsupervised in laboratories is forbidden if you are working with hazardous materials and/or equipment. At least two people should be present so that should an emergency arise, one can shut down the equipment and call for help immediately.
(Escape route & first aid-box locations.)
SinBerBEST Testbed Emergency Contact List:
- Edwin Goh (Lab Manager): edwingoh@bears-berkeley.sg
- Hoan Thong Nguyen (Research Engineer): hoan.thong@bears-berkeley.sg
- Komang Narendra (Research Engineer): komang.narendra@bears-berkeley.sg
1. Personal and Testbed Safety
1.1 Never eat, drink, smoke or use ear phones while working in the laboratory.
1.2 All labels/warning signs/operating instructions are to be read carefully and strict compliance is required.
1.3 Do not use any equipment unless you had been trained and approval granted as a user by your supervisor.
1.4 Wear safety glasses or face shields when working with hazardous equipment.
1.5 If you have long hair or loose clothing, make sure it is tied back or confined.
1.6 Proper footwear must be worn in the lab.
1.7 Keep the work area clear of all materials except those needed for your work.
1.8 Clean up your work area before leaving.
1.9 Students/users are responsible for the proper disposal of used materials, if any.
1.10 If an equipment/tool/fixture fails while being used, report the occurrence to your lab technician or Principal
Investigator (PI) immediately. Never try to fix the problem yourself because you could harm yourself and others.
1.11 Wash hands before leaving the Test Bed and before eating.
1.12 Do not attempt to physically repair, dismantle and analyse any lab facility, computer, 3D printer and related
accessories. Seek assistance from lab staff if encountering problem using it.
1.13 Obey all warning signs.
1.14 Do not run within the lab, except in an emergency. Slipping on floors is common cause of injury;
Crashing with another person carrying something could be very serious.
1.15 Do not bring in any hazardous, flammable or toxic materials into the lab.
1.16 Researchers must inform their respective PIs and Laboratory Manager if they intend to work in the lab after 1730hrs
on weekdays, on weekends and/or public holidays.
1.17 Researchers must carry with them a GPS smart tracker, whenever there is a need to work after 1730hrs on weekdays,
on weekends and/or public holidays – upon approval from their respective PIs and Laboratory Manager. GPS smart
tracker and user manual can be requested from Lab technician
(http://sbb2-sinberbest.pantheon.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/overtime_hour_safety.jpg)
2. Conduct
2.1 No unauthorized experiments are to be performed. If you would like to execute a procedure that is not covered in the
experimental procedure, please consult with your PI prior to any execution.
2.2 Coats, backpacks, etc. should not be left on the lab benches and chairs.
2.3 Always wash your hands before leaving the test bed.
2.4 Learn where the safety and first-aid equipment are located. This includes fire-extinguishers and first-aid box.
2.5 Notify your PI and Laboratory Management immediately in case of an accident.
2.6 Eating, drinking, smoking and use of ear phones are strictly prohibited in the laboratory.
2.7 No sitting or leaning on equipment or work surfaces.
2.8 No removal of SinBerBEST property from within the laboratory unless authorized.
3. Emergency Response
3.1 It is your responsibility to read safety and fire alarm regulations and to follow the instructions during an emergency.
3.2 Know at least one to two routes from workplace to an exit.
3.3 Know the location of the fire extinguisher and fire exits, fire alarm points and first aid boxes.
3.4 Know how to switch off electricity, gas, water etc. around workplace.
3.5 Notify your PI and Laboratory Management immediately when an injury, fire or explosion occurred, regardless of
its magnitude.
3.6 Know the building evacuation procedures.
4. Electrical Safety
4.1 NEVER work with electricity higher than 50V AC or 24VDC volts without specific permission, training and /or
written procedures. Notify your project supervisor immediately if you have any doubt. Obtain permission
before operating any high voltage equipment.
4.2 Maintain an unobstructed access to all electrical panels.
4.3 Wiring or other electrical modifications must be referred to the laboratory staff.
4.4 Do not modify, attach or otherwise change any high voltage equipment without prior permission.
4.5 Always make sure all capacitors are discharged (using a grounded cable with an insulating handle) before
touching high voltage leads or the "inside" of any equipment even after it has been turned off. Capacitors can
hold charge for many hours after the equipment has been turned off.
4.6 When you are adjusting any high voltage equipment or a laser which is powered with a high voltage supply, USE
ONLY ONE HAND. Your other hand is best placed in a pocket or behind your back. This procedure eliminates the
possibility of an accident where high voltage current flows up one arm,
through your chest, and down the other arm.
4.7 Be able to recognize all electrical safety hazards in your work area.
4.8 Electrically operated equipment must be de-energized before work on it may commence.
4.9 Always follow lockout/tag-out procedures when working on high voltage electrical equipment and wear
appropriate attire and use personal protective equipment (PPE) such as safety glasses, rated rubber gloves
and insulated boots when necessary.
4.10 Never override safety devices such as electrical interlocks.
4.11 Remove all rings, key chains or other metal objects when working with electricity.
4.12 Never plug in cords that are wet or touch electrical equipment with wet hands.
4.13 Never work on “live” or energized equipment unless it is necessary to conduct equipment troubleshooting.
4.14 Do not connect too many pieces of equipment to the same circuit or outlet as it could become overloaded. Do not
daisy chain extension socket outlets.
4.15 Be sure that Residual Current Circuit Breakers (RCCB) with leakage current sensitivity (IΔ) of 30 mA) are used in high-
risk areas such as wet locations. RCCB are designed to shut off electrical power within 0.1 second.
4.16 Inspect all equipment periodically for defects or damage.
4.17 All cords that are worn, frayed, abraded, corroded or otherwise damaged must be replaced.
4.18 Keep all cords away from heat, oil and sharp edges.
4.19 Always follow the manufacturer's instructions for usage and maintenance of all electrical tools and appliances.
4.20 Never touch an electrical appliance and metal structures/parts at the same time.
4.21 Always unplug electrical appliances before attempting any repair or maintenance.
4.22 All electrical devices must be properly grounded with approved three wire plugs unless they are "double insulated".
Grounding provides a safe path for electricity to the ground, preventing leakage of current in circuits or equipment.
4.23 All electrical equipment and extension socket used in the laboratory should be of approved type.
4.24 Keep electrical cords out of the way of foot traffic so that it would not become tripping hazards or become damaged
by traffic.
4.25 Never use electrical equipment in wet areas or run cords across wet floors.
4.26 Ensure energized parts of electrical equipment operating at 50 AC or 24 DC volts or more are guarded against
accidental contact.
4.27 Never turn on DC source onto circuits with full load on, turn on load incrementally and slowly. Know how to respond
to emergencies such as electric shock incidents or fires.
4.28 If in doubt, seek clarification with your supervisor/ Principal Investigator or technical staff in the laboratory.
4.29 Check and switch off all equipment/computers before leaving the laboratory.
4.30 Must understand the relevant safety procedures before operating any equipment.
4.31 When equipment is not being used, should be disconnected and neatly coiled the electrical leads.
4.32 Electrical cables should be kept off floors to minimise hazards. If this is unavoidable, a cover must be installed over or
tied up the cables to facilitate the movement of equipment and to minimise accidents.
4.33 No flammable solvents are used near an electrical switch.
4.34 A socket outlet with Residual Current Device (RCD) (30mA) must be used when doing experiment work.
4.35 When a circuit breaker gets tripped, the circuit and its load must be checked by an authorised person before power is
restored.
4.36 Testing an opened circuit board is not allowed. Suitable cover must be installed.
5. Mechanical Safety
5.1 Guards on machinery must be in place during operation.
5.2 Exercise care when working with or near hydraulically- or pneumatically-driven equipment. Sudden or unexpected
motion can inflict serious injury.
5.3 Personal protective equipment (PPE) issued must be worn at all time when operating machinery.
5.4 Always adopt safe work practices when lifting any heavy objects.
5.5 Use a trolley for items from 15 kg up to 50 kg in weight or bulky in nature.
5.6 Individuals do not stand on the top two steps of a stepladder. Ladder feet are levelled before individuals climb on the
ladder.
5.7 Ladder is to be used by only one person at a time.
5.8 No attempt is made to reach beyond arm’s length while standing on the ladder.
5.9 Ladders are not placed in front of a doors that opens towards them unless the door is blocked, guarded, or locked.
5.10 A box, chair, carton, shelves, or anything other than a ladder should not be used as a ladder.
5.11 In case of flood, stop the leak, warn lab staff; Do not attempt to move wet electrical equipment.
6. Laser Safety
6.1 NEVER, EVER LOOK INTO ANY LASER BEAM, no matter how low power or "eye safe" you may think it is.
6.2 Always wear safety goggles if instructed by your laboratory staff.
6.3 The most common injury using lasers is an eye injury resulting from scattered laser light reflected off of
mountings, sides of mirrors or from the "shiny" surface of an optical table. The best way to avoid these injuries
is to always wear your goggles and NEVER LOWER YOUR HEAD TO THE LEVEL OF THE LASER BEAM! The laser
beam should always be at or below chest level.
6.4 Always use "beam stops" to intercept laser beams. Never allow them to propagate into the laboratory. Never walk
through a laser beam. Some laser beams of only a few watts can burn a hole through a shirt in only a few seconds.
6.5 Laser radiation workers should be instructed on potential eye hazards and the importance of limiting unnecessary
exposure. They should receive pre-employment, periodic and final eye examinations.
6.6 Binoculars or aiming telescopes should not be used to view direct beam or reflected beam from mirrors unless the
beam intensities are greatly below the safe levels. If necessary, a filter having sufficient optical density should be
placed in the optical path of telescope for such situations or adequate laser protective eye wear is worn by the
operator.
6.7 If you suspect that you have suffered an eye injury, notify your laboratory staff or supervisor IMMEDIATELY! Your
ability to recover from an eye injury decreases the longer you wait for treatment.