RISK ASSESSMENT FORM

Use this form to assist you to complete risk assessments for hazardous activities and processes. Any serious or
ongoing hazards should be reported via RiskWare to ensure that appropriate corrective actions are tracked and
completed.

Faculty/School: School of Life and Initial Issue Date: Jun 2017

Environmental Sciences Next Review Date: Jun 2018
(SOLES)
Risk Assessment Reference Number: RA016.1
Risk Assessment Name: Using a Fume Hood
Prepared by: Rhiarn Hoban And Wen Li

Responsible supervisor/s: Markus Hofer (SOLES Safety Committee)

Identify who may be at risk

Identify the activity and the location This may include fellow workers, students,
visitors, contractors and the public
Activity or process: Persons at risk:
Performing routine laboratory work at a fume Hood Staff and students working in labs
Location: Risk assessment team (Who was consulted?):
Research and teaching laboratories in SOLES Safety Committee

List of Legislation, Code of Practice, Australian Standards, Guidance Materials used to determine control
measures
Refer to Safe Work Procedure SWP016.1
http://sydney.edu.au/whs/guidelines/biosafety/decontamination_guidelines.shtml

Risk Assessment Methodology

Assessing the risk is a brainstorming exercise, which is most effectively carried out in a team environment with the people
required to complete the activity or process. Most activities or processes are broken down into a variety of separate tasks. For
each task, consider the hazards, the potential harm or negative outcomes and the conditions required for those negative
outcomes to occur.

Whenever assessing the health and safety risks associated with a task, always consider the following primary risk factors.

• The physical activities required to complete the task e.g. repetitive movement, high force, physical exertion,
awkward posture
• The work environment e.g. lighting, work layout, traffic, thermal comfort, working in isolation
• The nature of the hazard itself e.g. working with chemicals, microorganisms, radiation, machinery, potentially violent
clients
• The individual workers involved, e.g. level of training, skills, experience, health, age, physical capacity

The information gathered from the risk assessment process must be used to develop a Safe Work Procedure (SWP).
 RISK ASSESSMENT FORM

Task or scenario Hazard/s Associated harm, e.g. what Existing Risk Controls Current risk Any Residual risk
could go wrong? rating additional rating
Use the Risk controls are Use the Risk
1
Matrix required? Matrix

Standard Laboratory work Inhalation of Inhalation of toxic, corrosive, • PPE; safety glasses, lab LOW None N/A
involving vapour emissions. fumes flammable OR stinking vapours coat, gloves, enclosed LEVEL 6
shoes.
• Ensure hood is functional
and uncluttered.
• Check test certificate and
power
• Ensure front screen is
lowered.
• Never use a Bunsen
Burner or any other open
flame in a Fume Hood.
• Refer to SWP016.1

1
Always consider whether or not it is possible to eliminated the hazard or hazardous task altogether. If this is not possible, refer to the hierarchy of risk
controls.
 RISK ASSESSMENT FORM

Implementation of Additional Risk Controls

Additional controls Resources required Responsible person Date of RiskWare Reference

needed implementation

Safe Work Procedure DONE/Time Supervisor 2.6.17 N/A

(SWP)

Train workers to DONE – workers and Supervisor N/A

complete process in supervisors
accordance with SWP

University and local Time – workers and Supervisor N/A

WHS training supervisor

Biosafety training Time-workers Supervisor

List emergency controls for how to deal with fires, spills or exposure to hazardous substances and/or
emergency shutdown procedures

If seriously injured call 000 for immediate emergency care. Contact your local first aid officer and notify campus
security on 9351-3333.
If a fire or explosion then immediate EVAC procedures apply.

General spill procedures:

If safe to do so, control the source of release or contain the spill. Evacuate and secure the immediate area and
determine if local and/or emergency services assistance is required.

An incident report must be logged with RiskWare within 24 hours of every injury or near miss.

REVIEW

Scheduled review date 1 year 2 years 3 years

Are control measures in place (YES/NO) YES

Are controls eliminating or minimizing the risk (YES/NO) MINIMISING
Are there any new problems with the risk (YES/NO) NO
Reviewed by:
Actual Review date:
 RISK ASSESSMENT FORM

Risk Matrix.
 SAFE WORK PROCEDURE

Use this form to document Safe Work Procedures for hazardous activities and processes. The information in your
Safe Work Procedure (SWP) should be supported by a risk assessment.

Faculty/School: School of Life and Initial Issue Date: Jun 2017

Environmental Sciences Next Review Date: Jun 2018
(SOLES)
SWP Reference Number: SWP016 Version: 1 Version Issue Date: Jun 2017
SWP Title: Using a Fume Hood
Prepared by: Rhiarn Hoban And Wen Li

Responsible supervisor/s: Markus Hofer (Chair Safety Committee)

List the Hazards and risk controls as per risk assessment

Associated risk Hazards Risk controls
assessment
reference:

• PPE; safety goggles, lab coat, gloves, enclosed shoes.

RA016.1 Inhalation of toxic, • Ensure hood is functional and uncluttered.
corrosive, • Check test certificate and power
flammable OR • Ensure front screen is lowered.
stinking vapours • Never use a Bunsen Burner in a Fume Hood.

List resources required including personal protective clothing, chemicals and equipment needed

• Safety glasses
• Lab coat
• Gloves (refer to specific chemical SDS for appropriate glove selection)
• Fully enclosed shoes (preferably leather) with non-slip soles
• Long hair to be tied back

List step by step instructions or order for undertaking the task

• Ensure you have read the SDS’s of any chemicals you are using in the hood and understand the risks. Know
the location of the nearest spill kit, eyewash, safety shower, fire extinguisher and fire blanket.
• Check for RA and SWP of specific procedures
• Wear personal protective equipment as appropriate.
• Ensure hood fan is switched ON and working before use.
• The fumehood sash should be down as far as possible when the fumehood is not in use.
• Keep hood clear of clutter and mess, and keep amount of equipment and chemicals in hood to a minimum to
maintain good air flow. Equipment that must be in the hood should be organised in such a way to maximise
airflow (See figure 3.).
• Keep the glass sash at the front of the hood down as far as possible when in use (approx 20 cm gap is
appropriate).
• Conduct your work at least 15 cm inside the hood to ensure toxic/flammable/corrosive vapours are effectively
removed by the hood (See figure 2).
• Do not use the hood as a long-term storage location for chemicals and wastes - it is designed for experimental
procedures, not storage.
• Do not use paper towels or similar inside hood as they might get suck into the ducting, where they can get
stuck and reduce airflow.
 SAFE WORK PROCEDURE

• Never use Bunsen burners or other ignition sources in a fume hood.

List emergency shutdown procedures

All fume hoods should be fitted with an emergency stop button. This will shut down electricity and gas within the
fume hood to remove potential ignition sources.

List Emergency procedures for how to deal with fires, spills or exposure to hazardous substances

If seriously injured call 000 for immediate emergency care. Contact your local first aid officer and notify campus
security on 9351-3333.
If a fire or explosion then immediate EVAC procedures apply.

General spill procedures:

If safe to do so, control the source of release or contain the spill. Evacuate and secure the immediate area and
determine if local and/or emergency services assistance is required.

An incident report must be logged with RiskWare within 24 hours of every injury or near miss.

List Clean up and waste disposal requirements

Organic waste and other types of waste generated from working inside the fume hood should not be stored long-
term in the hood. Instead, this waste should be appropriately labelled and correctly disposed (refer to
RA/SWP039)

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 SAFE WORK PROCEDURE

List references used in the development of this SWP, e.g. codes of practice
Refer to RA016: Using a fume hood
Refer to RA/SWP039: Working and disposal of biohazard waste
Refer to RA/SWP004: Clean up of biohazard spills

List competency required – qualifications, certificates, licensing, training - e.g. course or instruction:
• Fume hoods are certified annually by NATA certified contractors.
• Report faulty hoods immediately, so that repairs can be arranged. Faulty hoods should not be used.

Staff approved to assess competence for this SWP

Laboratory Supervisor / Manager

SWP Sign off sheet

SWP name and version:

In signing this section the assessor agrees that the following persons are competent in following this
SWP.

Name Signature Date Name of Assessor/Authoriser

Competent Assessor/Authoriser signature

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