Guidelines for Implementing Safety Management System in Laboratories

1. Risk Assessment
a.      Identify hazards associated with research activities
b.      Conduct risk assessment for all lab-based activities
c.      Develop control measures
d.      Implement control measures

Conduct Risk Assessment for all activities in your lab using the Excel form

2. OSH Regulation
a.      Identify relevant S+H regulations, below are the list of applicable regulations and details, need to identify applicable regulations for your laboratory.

i.          PFM – Petroleum and Flammable Materials regulated by Singapore Civil Defense Force (SCDF). Under the Fire Safety (Petroleum and Flammable Materials) Regulations 2005, import, transport and storage of petroleum and flammable materials (P&FM) are under the SCDF licensing control. Please refer to the SCDF website for more information. This Act is applicable as long as you import, transport or store any petroleum or Flammable Substances

http://www.scdf.gov.sg/Building_Professionals/Fire_Safety_Licensing
_and_Enforcement/Guidebook_App_P&FM_Licence.html
https://wws.nus.edu.sg/osh/scdftoolbox/PFMcalculator.htm

ii.          WSHA (Risk Management), (first aid), (Incident reporting) :- Replaces the Factories Act, with effect from 1 March 2006. The WSHA is the key legislation to effect the principles of the new Occupational Safety and Health framework. This Act is applicable to all laboratories

Risk Management regulations stipulate the need of Risk Assessment in all workplaces, First Aid regulations provide the requirement for First Aid box, its content etc and Incident Reporting regulations stipulates the steps for accident and incident reporting from all workplaces. Please click below link to get more information about this act and its subsidiary regulations.

http://www.mom.gov.sg/publish/momportal/en/legislation/
Occupational_Safety_and_Health/workplace_safety_and.htm

iii.          Radiation Protection Act:- The Centre for Radiation Protection (CRP) is the national regulatory authority for ensuring the safe use of radiation in Singapore. The Radiation Protection Act was first implemented in 1973 to control the import, export, sale, transport, possession and use of radioactive materials and irradiating apparatus. It was amended in 1991 to include the control non-ionizing radiation. Under this Act there are 3 sets of regulation namely

• Radiation Protection (Ionising Radiation) Radiation Regulations 2000;
  
• Radiation Protection (Non-Ionising Radiation) Regulations,1991; and
  
• Radiation Protection (Transport of Radioactive Materials) Regulations 2000

If you are handling any radiation source (ionizing and non- ionizing) then this Act and regulations may applicable to you. General requirement of this Act and regulations can be found in the HAS website.

http://www.hsa.gov.sg/html/business/crp_ir_nir_intro.html

iv.          Environmental Pollution Control Act:- The Environmental Pollution Control Act (EPCA), which came into operation on 1 Apr 1999 consolidates the previous separate laws on air, water and noise pollution and hazardous substances control. The EPCA therefore provides a comprehensive legislative framework for the control of environmental pollution.

The control of hazardous substances is governed by the EPCA and the Environmental Pollution Control (Hazardous Substances) Regulations and the Environmental Pollution Control (Ozone Depleting Substances) Regulations. A licence is required for any person who wishes to import, sell, export, purchase, store, and/or use any hazardous substance controlled under the Act. A permit is required for any person who wishes to purchase, store and/or use any hazardous substance controlled under the Environmental Pollution Control (Hazardous Substances) Regulations. Click the below link to visit NEA website to get more information

http://app.nea.gov.sg/cms/htdocs/article.asp?pid=1528
http://app.nea.gov.sg/cms/htdocs/category_sub.asp?cid=180

Hazardous Substance Regulation http://app.nea.gov.sg/cms/htdocs/category_sub.asp?cid=188

Environmental Public Health Act (EPHA) is also applicable for waste disposal. This act requires to engage NEA licensed contractors to collect and dispose toxic and other wastes.

http://app.nea.gov.sg/cms/htdocs/article.asp?pid=1531

v.      BATA:- BATA stands for Biological Agents and Toxins Act, which is a new legislation that will regulate the possession, use, import, transfer and transportation of biological agents (BAs) and toxins that are known to be hazardous to human health in Singapore.

The Act will be relevant to companies and institutions (including educational institutions) involved in biomedical and life sciences research, who are working with biological agents and toxins in the Schedules of the BATA. Individuals wishing to work with the biological agents in the Schedules should note the requirements stated in the Act, as these could have an impact on the day-to-day operations of their research facilities and companies

You can find more information from Ministry of Health website

http://www.moh.gov.sg/corp/about/faqs/hottopics/
details.do?cid=cat_faq_biosafety&id=31096837

vi.      Poisons Act:- Poisons are defined as any substances specified in the Schedule to the Poisons Act, Chapter 234. Any company, unless exempted under the Poisons Act, would need a licence for the purpose of import, store or sell by way of wholesale or retail. Please refer to the attached mail for details

vii.     Chemical Weapons Convention:- The Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) entered into force on 29 April 1997. The Convention aims to completely eliminate an entire category of weapons of mass destruction, the Chemical Weapons. It is the first treaty in the world of its type, setting itself a time frame of 10 years to complete the destruction of all stocks of Chemical Weapons in the world. This legally binding instrument functions through the foundation of a comprehensive and extensive verification regime, the treaty's cornerstone. Singapore signed on this convention and currently NACWC under the ministry of customs control purchase, store, use and sales of listed chemicals. Click the below link for getting more information

http://www.nacwc.gov.sg/chemcialunder_index.htm

b.      Keep information updated
c.      Communicate requirements to staff and students
d.      Consider legal requirements in the risk assessment

3.         Structure and responsibility
a.      Roles and responsibilities are clearly defined in laboratory activities (List down the name of staff and student working in your laboratory, their roles and responsibilities, attached is a sample excel spreadsheet.

b.      Maintenance of equipment – Inventory of equipments in the lab and maintenance schedule – control measures from the Risk Assessment form

c.      Waste disposal  (SOP available in the OSHE and Chemistry department website, follow your department guideline for the disposal)

d.      Accident, incident reporting (SOP available in OSHE website)

e.      Emergency response – who and how chemical, biological, radiation spills are to be handled (Need to identify Eye wash, safety shower, fire extinguishers, Chemical spill kit etc. in your laboratory, communication and training for students) – Identify possible emergencies in your lab and make sure adequate response equipment available – Extinguishers, F/A box, Emergency shower eye wash etc.

f.      OJT training for new students / staff (Safety lead in your group, Safety briefing, mentoring etc)

g.      Document control (Evidence for all the above records)

4.         Training, awareness and competence
a.      Induction training for new lab students and staff  - Currently we have Graduate Orientation training for all graduate students (Faculty Level) and department Safety Training. Identify additional training required for specific activities in your lab.

b.      Hands on/practical training for use of equipment, procedures and agents
c.      Training courses as defined by SSTS 
d.      Refresher training as defined by SSTS

5.         Consultation and communication
a.      Consultation & communication with departmental safety committee, FSHO/OSHE on lab specific safety matters – Departmental Safety website, communication among your group members – group meeting

b.      Informing other lab. Users in the same work area/dept. of the lab. Specific hazards  e.g. if they are working with risk group 3 agents – Hazard Warning Label, prepare and print out necessary label from OSHE website and paste in your laboratory, click the below web link

            https://wws.nus.edu.sg/osh/labsign/default.aspx

c.      Communicating with regulators (via OSHE)
d.      Communication with vendors, suppliers
e.      Keeping abreast of new regulations, NUS policies and communicating to them

6.         Documentation / Documents, Records and data control
a.      Completed risk assessments
b.      Roles and responsibilities
c.      Standard Operating Procedures
d.      Departmental specific SOPs
e.      Those determined from your risk assessment
f.       There is a system for management of the following records:
g.      Chemical Inventory
h.      Equipment maintenance records
i.       Industrial hygiene monitoring records
j.       Licenses
k.      Waste disposal records
l.       Accident/incident reports Investigation reports
m.      Audit records

There are several SOPs available in your department website, review and adopt those relevant/applicable to your lab.

7.         Operational Control
a.      Identify appropriate control measures to reduce risk to acceptable level
b.      Develop SOPs of commonly used techniques. 
c.      Controls identified in risk assessment to be incorporated into SOPs