Handle Potent Compounds? 10 mistakes when using powders weighing hoods
3 likes1,080 views
This document outlines 10 common mistakes made when using powders weighing hoods. These include failing to turn the hood on, having improper airflow rates, placing the hood in a location with cross-drafts, not following good laboratory practices like bringing personal items or food into the hood, misunderstanding the necessary level of containment, neglecting proper personal protective equipment, moving hands or arms too quickly in the hood, removing contaminated gloves from the hood before finishing a task, dragging hands across surfaces, and failing to clean clutter and residues from the hood after use. Following good techniques can help avoid potential personnel exposure and surface contamination.
Handle Potent Compounds? 10 mistakes when using powders weighing hoods
- 1. 10 Common Mistakes when using Powders Weighing Hoods or, quit leaving crap on my lab bench!
- 2. Within the research, biotechnology, and pharmaceu6cal industries; the powders weighing hood is a commonly used device when handling highly potent ac6ve pharmaceu6cal ingredients. Unfortunately, a lack of specific training or instruc6on leads to common mistakes that o?en create personnel exposure or surface contamina6on situa6ons.
- 3. 1. Not turning on the hood While this sounds pre9y basic, you would be surprised as to how o;en this occurs. Always verify the hood is opera?ng. Simply holding a kim-‐ wipe at the face opening can verify an inward flow of air.
- 4. 2. Improper flow rates – not certified Cer?fica?on ensures the hood has been checked and set to the proper opera?ng face velocity. Since powders weighing hoods are designed different than tradi?onal laboratory hoods, you should check with the manufacturers specifica?ons for the proper flow rate.
- 5. 3. Improper placement of hood – cross-drafts, shearing.
- 6. 4. Not using good laboratory practices Good Laboratory Prac?ces ensures you handle potent compounds in a safe manner that protects not only yourself but also others. Personal items such as mobile phones, drinks, or food should never be placed in or near powders weighing enclosures.
- 7. 5. Not understanding what the proper level of containment is needed In order to fully understand the proper level of containment needed, you must either know the occupa?onal exposure limit for the specific ac?ve pharmaceu?cal ingredient or the control band assignment. Once you know either of those items, then a proper risk assessment can be performed. You should also perform surrogate monitoring to gain an understanding of the specific control capabili?es of the equipment, once it is in your facility, and using your personnel.
- 8. 6. Not wearing proper PPE Always wear your lab coat, gloves, disposable sleeve covers, and safety glasses. Depending on the potency of the specific compound, addi?onal PPE may be required addi?onal respiratory protec?on.
- 9. 7. Rapid hand movement Moving arms and hands quickly within the hood can cause changes in the laminar airflow created within the hood. Always move slowly to prevent the subtle changes.
- 10. 8. Hands in and out of hood Once gloved hands contact the powder, your hands must remain within the hood un?l the task is complete. Never remove gloved hands from the hood with powder on them. Always have a preplanned procedure to dispose of waste within the hood either through a waste port or some type of receptacle in the hood.
- 11. 9. Dragging hands across work surface Don’t touch the work surface once the task has begun. It is possible to come in contact with residual powders if the prior user did not clean the hood properly.
- 12. 10. Cluttering up the workspace and not cleaning afterwards Place everything you will need in the hood to complete the task. Addi?onal items not relevant to the current task take up space. Prior to removal from the hood, all items must be thoroughly cleaned. This includes wiping down a scale or any other equipment. Depending upon the proper?es of the specific compound, a long-‐UV black light will help iden?fy deficiencies in cleaning prac?ces.
- 13. Contact Affygility twi9er.com/affygility h9p://www.linkedin.com/in/affygilitysolu?ons facebook.com/affygilitysolu?ons Go affygility.com/podcasts or go to iTunes and search for “Biopharma EHS pburke@affygility.com affygility