Safety

Safety is our utmost concern!

Please refer to the Chemical Hygiene Plan for the Safety Guide in the Analytical NMR Facility.

  • For all potential users and visitors, please contact us in advance to arrange a guided tour of our Center
  • The Center houses five-strong super-conducting magnets and high radio frequency electronics.
  • The environment could pose a potential danger to all personnel in the Center if safety guidelines are not observed.

Warning signs are located at all critical entry ports and restricted areas.

  • The Center is not accessible to people with heart pacer and/or metal implants, as they could be affected by the electronics and strong magnetic field.
  • The superconducting magnet will suck any loose metal objects within 10 feet from it with strong force and high speed.
  • Small metal items such as Clips, Staples, Metal tools, Keys, Quarters, etc, are not allowed to close the magnets.
  • Strong magnetic field will erase all magnetic strips such as your Credit Cards, Photo IDs, Cell Phones, etc.
  • Body injury and death can result if a person is hit or pinched by the flying projectiles’. 
  • Quenching could also happen that induces further injury!  The rapid collapse of the supper conducting magnetic field with the uncontrollable boil-off of cryogens is called “Quenching”.
  • Contact of the super-cold liquid with skin could result in body injury or death.
  • The malfunction expresses itself as a loud whooshing sound and the lab will be filled up most in gas nitrogen and helium.

Basic safety orientation for NMR Facility Users.

  • The following policy is to be observed at all times:
    KEEP ALL ENTRANCES LOCKED. NMR labs are accessible only to authorized personnel.
  • KEEP ALL METAL OBJECTS outside the restricted areas away from any magnet.

All magnets retain a strong magnetic field even when electric power is out.

Loose metal objects (such as metal trash cans, compressed cylinders, metal chairs, etc) will be sucked into the magnet at such a high speed and strong force that it will be unpreventable.

  • EVACUATE THE LAB IMMEDIATELY, IN CASE OF magnet malfunction.
  • NO SMOKING, FOOD, CHEMICAL PREPARATION in the NMR LABS.
  • FOLLOW all SAFETY PROCEDURES as outlined in the Standard Operating Procedure from the University and the NMR facilities.