Further Enquiries:

School of Molecular & Biomedical Science
The University of Adelaide
SA 5005
Australia
Email

Reception
Molecular Life Sciences building:

Telephone: +61 8 8313 5352
Telephone: +61 8 8313 5328

Facsimile: +61 8 8313 4362

Equipment Safety

Equipment Safety
Purchasing and Acquisition
Failed Electrical Items
Decommissioning Equipment
FEES Reports
University Policy

Equipment Safety

All equipment used in the School must be assessed for operational hazards; if any are found, the risk level must be assessed and appropriate controls applied if needed. In particular a safe operating procedure (SOP), that controls risk to an acceptable level, must be devised and documented.

All supervisors must ensure: that any equipment, chemical or procedure has been assessed for hazard and the appropriate controls put in place by the School, themselves or their laboratory workers. Similarly all equipment users have a responsibility to seek out the relevant SOP and abide by its instructions. If no SOP/hazard assessment exists, you must prepare one. More information is available on the School's Hazard Management page.

The University also conducts regular training on Hazard Management and the School encourages all supervisors to attend this training. You can access this training by following the link: University Hazard Management Training Course. Select Hazard Management and book yourself into the training.

The School has decided that some instruments and procedures are of significant complexity and/or hazard. All persons wishing to use them must demonstrate their competence to an approved instructor and have this recorded the the School training records. These items of plant include:

Autoclaves (Autoclave training is only available to staff approved by the School Manager/Head of School due to the level of risk)
Hydraulic Lifting Equipment
Microtomes/Cryostats/Vibrotomes
X Ray Film Processor
Anaesthetic Machine

Some hazards with equipment:

Sharps (e.g. Microtomes)
Movement (e.g. centrifuges, mixers, stirrers, shakers)
Chemical manipulations (e.g. balances, pH meters)
Asphyxiant (e.g. Liquid nitrogen, other compressed gasses)
Heat (e.g. Ovens, bag sealers, heating blocks, autoclaves)
Cold (e.g. Liquid nitrogen, ultracold freezers)
Vacuum (e.g. Freeze dryers)
Pressurised gasses (e.g. cylinders, pressure filtration)

Risk Assessments and Safe Operating Procedures can be found on the School's "Risk Register".

Failed Electrical Items

This procedure is to assist in the appropriate management of electrical equipment that are faulty and/or have failed an electrical test. It provides information to Supervisors, staff and electrical testing contractors what must be done in the event of a piece of equipment failing and how it should be handled.

You can read the Failed Electrical Equipment Procedures here.

Decommissioning Equipment

The School keeps an accurate record of all equipment that is currently held. We must also make sure that when an item of equipment is removed from service, decommissioned or disposed of to ensure that this database is up to date.

If you have a piece of equipment that you wish to remove, you can collect a 'Decommissioning Equipment Form' from reception or room 3.18 or download from the link listed here. Speak to Alan McLennan who can also assist you in ways of removing the piece of equipment.

This form needs to be completed and sent to Kate Millan in room 3.18 for processing.