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Lab health and safety

  • 07-09-2018 09:12PM
    #1
    WoollyRedHat
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,462 ✭✭✭✭


    Wanted to ask, if you are working in the lab , is there a legal obligation to have either a lab manager or an appropriately trained Technical Officer with jurisdiction for day to day running including any health and safety issues? I.E. if there is no senior person with training in this area in such roles at any given time is this against the law? The lab would have chemicals that can be corrosive as well as biological agents ( in a separate vicinity). Also there seems to be no lab safety officer which excaberates the issue.


Comments

  • #2
    _Brian
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,842 ✭✭✭✭_Brian


    I think you’ll find it’s quite vague on actual structure and the employer responsibility will be such as

    “Ensure that appropriate systems are employed to ensure employee safety”

    As to what is “appropriate” is often only hammered out when the issue is raised or an accident happens.

    Your first step should be to carefully document all your safety concerns and make management aware of them immediately, see what their response is from there.


  • #3
    granturismo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,971 ✭✭✭granturismo


    WoollyRedHat wrote: »
    .. Also there seems to be no lab safety officer which excaberates the issue.

    Are you asking on behalf of someone else or are you working in this lab with hazards?


  • #4
    WoollyRedHat
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,462 ✭✭✭✭WoollyRedHat


    granturismo wrote: »
    Are you asking on behalf of someone else or are you working in this lab with hazards?

    On behalf of someone else.


  • #5
    granturismo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,971 ✭✭✭granturismo


    WoollyRedHat wrote: »
    Wanted to ask, if you are working in the lab , is there a legal obligation to have either a lab manager or an appropriately trained Technical Officer with jurisdiction for day to day running including any health and safety issues?.

    No. The company safety statement should identify who has ultimate responsibility for safety in the lab - it may be the QC manager. Assuming this is an industrial lab.

    WoollyRedHat wrote: »
    I.E. if there is no senior person with training in this area in such roles at any given time is this against the law? .

    Yes, it is acceptable that the person with ultimate responsibility can delegate day to day supervision and responsibility to a competent person (an employee who has appropriate training and experience). Technically it is not against the law as long as there is someone identified in the safety statement as having ultimate responsibility (it may be the CEO).

    The lab must have written risk assessments. These should identify what level of supervision is required.
    WoollyRedHat wrote: »
    The lab would have chemicals that can be corrosive as well as biological agents ( in a separate vicinity). Also there seems to be no lab safety officer which excaberates the issue.

    Chemicals either are corrosive or they are not (unless the lab is synthesizing chemicals). Again, risk assessments will identify what supervision is required for handling corrosives and biological agents.

    A safety officer is of no value, unless senior management take safety culture seriously or the safety officer can change attitudes.


  • #6
    Dr.Sanchez
    Closed Accounts Posts: 675 ✭✭✭Dr.Sanchez


    granturismo wrote: »
    A safety officer is of no value, unless senior management take safety culture seriously or the safety officer can change attitudes.

    The story of my life. I have awful hardship trying to change attitudes when all senior management sees are numbers and figures on a spreadsheet. Even when I put forward business cases showing where savings can be made with improvements in safety. Boggles the mind.


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