General rules for working in the cleanroom
The safety of you and coworkers in the lab is of utmost importance. Although we encourage constructive feedback on safety procedures, and how to improve them, you must accept that safety is not a democratic process. The rules must be followed.
In case of an accident, you must also accept that your coworkers or cleanroom staff takes over and instructs you in order to help in the best possible way. You may not think rationally in such a situation!
How to behave
- Always think of safety first!
- Always wear the required cleanroom attire
- Change you cleanroom coat at least once a week
- Respect a comfort safety zone around people working in the cleanroom
- When you work at the fume hoods:
- Use slow movements (to avoid turbulence)
- Reduce the amount of equipment and bottles in the bench
- Operate with sash as low as possible (Always below arrow marking max sash height)
- Keep the worksurface tidy
- Clean up after use
- If you must leave a process unattended in a fumehood, please limit the time and attach a note with name, contact info, and return time.
- Wash labware after use with Milli-Q water and hang to dry on rack
- No food or drinks allowed in the cleanroom
- Broken glass must be cleaned and disposed of in the glass bins
- No earphones! You must be able to hear and see to act safely
Clean room attire and personal protect equipment
Clean room attire and personal protect equipment (PPE) have different purposes. Clean room attire is not PPE. You wear cleanroom attire to protect the sample from dust generated by you, and you wear PPE to protect you from chemicals.
To minimize particle generation your personal clothes and hair must be totally covered from the lower edge of the clean room coat and up. Long hair must be tucked under the hood and neither headscarves nor hair must stick out or block your vision.
Oversized trousers or floor long dresses pose a safety risk as you may trip while handling chemicals and is thus not allowed. Clothing that contains excessive fringe or even overly loose-fitting clothing may be ruled to be unsafe. Open toed shoes are accepted.
Please note that you are required to strip your clothes when using the safety shower. Not removing contaminated clothes will make the situation worse. If you are not comfortable with this, you should not enter the lab.
Cleanroom attire
The required cleanroom attire is:
- Hair cover
- Safety glasses, even over normal glasses. They may only be removed when using the microscopes.
- Beard cover if you have a beard or stubble over 3 mm long
- Cleanroom gown
- Gloves
- Shoe covers
Personal protection equipment
Further required PPE when working with dangerous chemicals:
- Apron
- Face splash shield
- Double nitrile or latex gloves (provides better safety and facilitates glove change after spill)
- Protective sleeves
- Fumehood sash kept low