Ultra-violet Light Safety

Standard Operating Procedures

Building: Combs Research Building
Room: 222
Department: Markey Cancer Center
PI: Andrew Pierce, PhD.

Section 1: Process

Section 2: The purpose of the Ultra-violet Light Safety module is to be used as a guideline to ensure the laboratory worker remains cognizant of the UV light sources used in the lab and their associated hazards. Ultra-violet light (UV) is defined as electromagnetic radiation in the spectral region between 180 and 400 nanometers (nm).

Section 3: Immediate or prolonged exposure to UV light can result in painful eye injury, skin burn, premature skin aging, or skin cancer. Individuals who work with or in areas where UV sources are used are at risk for UV exposure if the appropriate shielding and protective equipment are not used. The symptoms of UV overexposure to the skin are well known and characteristically called sunburn. However, the symptoms of overexposure to the eyes are not widely known. They are:

• a burning and painful sensation in the eye
  
• a sensitivity to light
  
• the sensation of a foreign object in the eye, sometimes described as sand in the eye
  
• tearing
  

These symptoms usually develop several hours after the overexposure occurred.

Section 4: All lab personnel should be wearing a lab coat or lab apron, gloves, and when there is active work being done within the lab. But most importantly to minimize UV exposure, one should be wearing goggles, face shields or masks, as appropriate, and other protective devices and equipment as needed.

Section 5: The engineering controls for this lab will be the use of a plexi-glass shield to provide the necessary shielding between the source of the UV and the laboratory worker/user when using the light box on the 3rd floor exposure room. With the UV lamp within the lab, we will be using the short wave position. When using this we will hold the lamp, we will hold the UV light source away from us so that we will not directly be looking at the light and only be viewing the bands on the PCR assay. The UV light within the cell culture hood will not be used.

Section 6: The UV light box on the 3rd floor will be accessed by any lab worker in this building needing it. However, the UV lamp in the lab will only be accessed by the laboratory workers in this lab.

Section 7 & 8: If an eye or skin injury is suspected, the individual should be examined by a physician.

Section 9: All UV light sources that are essentially broken, should be disposed of in the appropriate waste receptacle. Contact Materials Waste Management with any questions regarding waste disposal.

Section 10: Materials Safety Data Sheets, MSDS, for all chemicals may be found on the following web address:

Section 11: Protocols