Ensuring Safe Use of Laboratory Gases
We recently undertook a Laboratory Gases workshop with a practical Connecting Regulators and Manifold overview session for a biotech company who use high-value specialty gases for mass spectrometers.
Identifying Safety Gaps in Cylinder Management
Upon arrival, we discovered that the cylinders were correctly housed inside a bespoke manifold room. However, when we enquired, we found that the client had no Written Scheme of Examination, no Maintenance Inspection Programme, and no Standard Operating Procedure covering the correct changeover of the cylinders.
Training Staff: A Diverse Group of Scientists
The six staff who attended the workshop were all highly educated scientists; a mixture of laboratory managers, analysts and scientists. Likewise, there was a mixture of experience levels. One trainee was new to the organisation, one had little experience, and the others varied from reasonably to very experienced. None of the staff had undertaken a laboratory gases workshop before.
Addressing Critical Errors in Gas Handling
The objective of the training was to formalise the safety training and provide the staff with an understanding of how their manifold worked and how they could safely changeover cylinders.
Gas quality and specification are extremely important to this client; however, our trainer discovered that the staff were not purging the system of impurities during the changeover procedure. This lack of purging was producing an error in their analysis after changing the gas cylinders. Our trainer was able to rectify this situation and improve the client’s operational procedures.
The Importance of Purging in Piped Manifold Systems
As an organisation, we regularly find that piped manifold systems are not fitted with a purge/vent facility, meaning that when cylinders are changed over, impurities enter the pipeline and corrupt the organisation’s operation. We actively encourage organisations to review their piped systems and discuss purging requirements with their pipeline engineers.
Practical Advice for Safe Cylinder and Regulator Use
At this client’s training session, our trainer was also able to offer practical advice concerning the safe use of single cylinders and regulators within the laboratories.
Feedback from Client
The client gave us some great feedback, praising our trainer’s approach and the workshop content:
The training was delivered very professionally and informatively. It was a very useful training session for all of us and we all thoroughly enjoyed it.
Summary
If you have gases piped into your premises and would like guidance and assistance in their safe use, then please contact us on 01270 758890 or at admin@gassafeconsultants.co.uk.
