Scope
This experimental work instruction applies to experimental equipment operating at temperatures above 100°C.
Pre-visit
User Principal Investigator shall provide the following to the Diamond Local Contact at least eight weeks prior to the experiment at Diamond:
Assurances that User-provided equipment achieves the relevant;
- Essential Safety Requirements (see below);
- Essential Information Requirements (see below);
- Assurances that Users coming to Diamond achieve the relevant;
- Essential Competency Requirements (see below);
- Assurances that the equipment is compliant with the safety requirements of the home institution.
Diamond Local Contact shall ensure compliance with the following for Diamond provided equipment:
- Essential Information Requirements (see below);
- Essential Safety Requirements (see below);
- Essential Competency Requirements (see below).
Pre-experiment
Diamond Local Contact shall ensure that the above pre-visit requirements for User provided equipment is reviewed by a competent mechanical technician or engineer. This shall include inspection of the equipment.
Experimental Setup
Diamond Local Contact & User Visit Principal Investigator shall collaborate to ensure adherence to:
- Essential Experimental Setup Checklist (see below).
Operation
Diamond Local Contact & User Visit Principal Investigator shall collaborate to ensure adherence to:
- Essential Operational Checklist (see below).
Essential Safety Requirements
Equipment and components shall be:
- Rated and compatible for the intended temperatures, sample environment, and set-up conditions at Diamond;
- Suitably tested ensure safe operation at Diamond. Non-standard set-ups shall be commissioned and tested prior to coming to Diamond;
- Suitably maintained and inspected to ensure safe operation at Diamond;
- Safely packaged & transported to Diamond to prevent damage that could affect safe operation;
- Suitably risk assessed, identifying failure modes, safety controls and emergency controls. (Ref Essential Hazard & Failure Mode Checklist);
- Fitted with suitable safety devices (e.g., over-temperature cut-off);
- Labelling: Equipment CE / UKCA marked or has an appropriate declaration of conformity;
- Provided with safe operating procedures / instructions.
Essential Information Requirements
Information required:
- A full description of the proposed experimental setup & technical specifications;
- Material details including flash points, auto-ignition temperatures, reaction / decomposition products, etc.;
- Sample environment details including temperature range;
- Safe operating procedure / operating manual / instructions for any equipment not provided by Diamond;
- Evidence that equipment has a valid portable appliance test.
Essential Competency Requirements
Person setting up experimental equipment shall:
- Have sufficient experience of setup, test, and operation of the equipment, materials, risks and required safety controls to ensure safe setup;
- Have sufficient skills and be practiced in the safe setup and operation of the specific equipment, materials, risks and required safety controls used in the experiment;
- Have sufficient knowledge of the essential equipment safety requirements to ensure safe setup.
Persons operating equipment shall:
- Have sufficient experience and be practiced in safe sample changing, use of emergency stops and safety critical steps (e.g., thermocouple placement) to ensure safe operation;
- Have sufficient skills and be practiced in safe sample changing, use of emergency stops and safety critical steps (e.g., thermocouple placement) of the specific equipment used in the experiment;
- Have sufficient knowledge of the essential equipment safety requirements, risks, and safety controls to ensure safe operation. This includes knowing when to stop operations and what to do in the case of an emergency;
- Be suitably supervised if they do not have sufficient skills, knowledge, and experience.
Essential Experimental Setup Checklist
- Persons setting up the equipment meet the Essential Competency Requirements;
- Guarding: Hot parts and components shall be sufficiently guarded;
- Temperature verification equipment has been issued and persons operating the equipment are trained how to use it;
- Component ratings are suitable for the working temperatures. Components are correctly rated for the conditions, materials and temperatures that will be experienced;
- Fire detection isolations have been completed (if required);
- Furnace, flow cell or other equipment is correctly assembled and functioning (check interlocks, e-stop, cooling water lines, etc.);
- Visual inspection of the set-up is carried out;
- Cleaning: The furnace, flow cell or other equipment is clear of previous samples;
- Temperature controller is set below the auto-ignition temperature (if applicable);
- Manufacturer’s instructions (where applicable) have been followed during setting up;
- Formation of a flammable atmosphere is prevented during normal operations and is unlikely in foreseeable accident conditions;
- Modifications from planned setup have been checked by a competent person.
Essential Operation Checklist
- Persons operating the equipment meet the Essential Competency Requirements;
- Visual check of the set-up is carried out before every operation;
- Modifications to the planned set-up are done by a competent person and checked against the Essential Experimental Setup Checklist;
- Safety controls stated in the User Experimental Risk Assessment (ERA) (or lab form) are applied, and the ERA has been graded and validated;
- Safety controls stated in both the beamline risk assessment and any Diamond equipment risk assessment are applied;
- Suitable supervision of the experiment is in place to ensure safety;
- Failure modes of the set-up are understood by all persons supervising the experiment;
- PPE identified on the risk assessment is provided, it fits, it is in good condition, and all operators are proficient in its correct usage;
- Emergency conditions and required action is understood by all persons supervising the experiment;
- Emergency action to take on the fire alarm sounding is understood by all persons supervising the experiment;
- Emergency action on power outage is understood by all persons supervising the experiment;
- If safety issues are identified, the Principal Beamline Scientist (PBS) must be contacted, and the issues resolved before continuing with the experiment.
Essential Hazard & Failure Mode Checklist
The main hazards are:
- Hot surface personal contact, either with heater or hot test samples;
- Fire from flammable materials in contact with heating element or heat source;
- Fire from overheating element or other heat source;
- Fire resulting from failure of components, either heating element, supply leads, power supply or other component;
- Fire resulting from the escape of flammable liquids or gases;
- Electrocution from personal contact with high voltage / high current supply.
Principal failure modes are:
- Poor equipment and / or system design;
- Poor installation / setup;
- Poor maintenance of equipment;
- Inadequate repairs or modifications;
- An unsafe system of work;
- Operator error, poor training / supervision.