Development and application of safety and waste management protocols for the Laboratorio de Ingenieria Quimica

Security and waste management protocols are developed for the laboratory de la Escuela de Ingenieria Quimica at the Universidad de Costa Rica. The protocols are elaborated according to the provisions and guidelines stipulated in the Costa Rican legislation, technical references and documents issued by the chemical regency of the Universidad de Costa Rica. An inspection guide was prepared and applied as diagnostic tool for the evaluation of the safety conditions and handling of chemical substances in the laboratory. Inspections of the physical plant and interviews to area managers were realized. The results obtained have allowed to implement improvements of the activities in safe working environment conditions and teaching; and an adequate signaling and demarcation of the facilities, location and recharge of fire extinguishers. An emergency plan is elaborated for the Laboratorio de Ingenieria Quimica, by performing a sequence of stages proposed by Comision Nacional de Emergencias. In addition, a plan for the safe and effective management of waste generated is made based on the reagents most frequently used in the different practices. The method of storage Flinn Scientific was selected as the most appropriate method to organize and distribute chemicals in the laboratory reagent storage area, obtaining the highest percentage in the decision matrix. Security aspects in the registration and documentation system implemented in the laboratory administration are evaluated by a checklist. This assessment has allowed to propose improvements, to increase the efficiency and to obtain an easy storage, control and a fast search of the information by means of the procedures documented and elaborated. Some of the recommendations proposed have been the establishment of an emergency action committee, the reduction of unnecessary quantities of chemicals stored, training on safety, operation of fire extinguisher and first aid; and construction of an emergency exit, etc.