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ALS Chemistry Labs

The ALS Chemistry Labs are located in the User Support Building (15-130) and in Building 6 (6-2233). These spaces are dedicated to chemical work that involves higher quantities, higher toxicity or reactivity, and/or more complex work activity than is allowed on the ALS experiment floor. In addition, most hazardous chemicals at the ALS are stored in these facilities.

Long pants, closed toe shoes, and safety glasses with side shields are required at all times in the ALS user chemistry labs. Additional controls, such as use of a fume hood or additional PPE, are employed according to the heirarchy of controls to ensure that work is performed as safely as possible.

The ALS Chemical Safety Specialist manages these laboratories and controls access.

Alyssa Brand
510-486-7681
als-chemsafety@lbl.gov

Limitations

The following work is prohibited in the ALS user chemistry laboratories:

  • Work with pyrophoric solids, liquids, or gases
  • Work with water-reactive liquids
  • Air-free synthesis

How To Gain Access to the ALS Chemistry Labs

  1. Notify the ALS Chemistry Laboratory Manager that you need access and briefly describe the work you will need to perform.
  2. Complete the online course: EHS 0348 Chemical Hygiene and Safety.
  3. Attend an in-person lab orientation (ALS 2007 Chem Lab Access Orientation) with the ALS chemistry laboratory manager.
  4. Take any additional training that may be required for your particular work, such as Safe Handling of Engineered Nanoscale Particulate Matter or Working Safely with Hydrofluoric Acid.
  5. Upon successful completion of these steps, card-key access will be granted.

Note: An annual online refresher is required to maintain card-key access (ALS 2009 Chem Lab Access Orientation Refresher).

Scheduling

To ensure availability of the proper space and equipment of one of the user chemistry labs, please contact the chemical safety specialist 1-2 weeks before your scheduled beamtime. Note that high-hazard work, which includes activities that pose significant risk to personnel or the environment, must be conducted during business hours (8am to 5pm) and may require additional safety precautions, including the presence of two people, and/or direct safety personnel oversight.

Work Review and Authorization

All work performed in the ALS user chemistry labs must be reviewed and approved by the chemical safety specialist. No unauthorized work is permitted. The level of review is dependent upon the complexity and risk of the activity.

  • Simply entering the lab to obtain materials for use at the beamline requires no review; the combination of the training and orientation provides enough information to allow this access.
  • Low-risk tasks, such as using the sonicator or cleaning samples with ethanol, only need to be reviewed the first time they are performed. This review is typically done during the orientation.
  • More complex or hazardous tasks (such as using heating devices with flammable liquids, working with strong acids, using water-reactive chemicals, or performing any chemical synthesis) require a documented review process.
  • Some high risk work is prohibited at the ALS in general, such as work with pyrophoric materials and primary explosives.

Chemistry Laboratory Procedures

The in-person lab orientation will cover procedures such as emergency preparedness, hazard recognition, use of personal protective equipment, and what to do with leftover chemicals. This information is also summarized in a handout that you will receive at the orientation.

Waste

An important part of the work review process will be to identify any possible hazardous waste streams that may be generated. Due to very strict regulatory oversight, it is important to correctly identify, store, and label all such materials. The chemical safety specialist will work very closely with you on this.