When new employees and visitors join the department, follow these steps to ensure readiness for laboratory work:

• Read the Laboratory Policy Document provided by the caretaker.
• Complete the safety quiz, sign it, and have your principal investigator approve and sign it.
• Sign the Assurance of Compliance form.
• Fill in the Contact Information and Data Security form included in the Laboratory Policy Document.

Submit the following in paper form:

• The quiz and Assurance of Compliance to the lab safety coordinator for archiving.
• The Contact Information and Data Security form to the caretaker.

Once these steps are completed, you are cleared to begin working in the laboratory.

Note: If your work involves ionising sources, liquid nitrogen, or other hazardous materials, additional training, permissions, or medical clearance may be required.

Before starting any experiment, ensure you have read the Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for all chemicals. All chemicals and their SDS, available in both English and Swedish, are registered in KLARA, SU’s system to facilitate chemical management.

Follow the links below for more details:

Stockholm University Lab Policy

Chemical Handling Procedure SU (92 Kb)

Contact information

• Lab Safety Coordinator: Ulrike Schimpf
• Caretaker: Christer Degerstedt

KLARA is SU´s chemical registration and risk assessment system, accessible through the KLARA administrator. Every purchased chemical must be registered in KLARA, with a barcode attached to its container. This process is managed by the KLARA inventory officer within each research group, appointed by the principal investigator.

In KLARA, you can:

• View available chemicals within your research group or other departments at SU. For your group’s chemicals, go to the ‘start page’ and use the ‘find’ function. For chemicals across SU, use the ‘chemical products’ tab at the top of the KLARA page.
• Access Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for chemicals, solvents, and gases.
• Create, upload, or locate risk assessments for experiments. Each risk assessment must be approved and signed by the principal investigator. A signed hard copy should be retained in the lab for the relevant experiment.
• Identify substances that require special permits, investigations, or exemptions for use and storage. For instance, mercury requires an exemption. Permit application documents for mercury can be found in KLARA under the list of mercury compounds. Official applications are submitted through KEMI.

For guidance on the use of mercury or application steps, contact the lab safety coordinator by submitting the Usage of Mercury form.

Responsibilities of the KLARA Inventory Officer

The inventory officer manages the research group’s chemical inventory, ensuring accurate registration, labelling, and compliance. Key duties include:

• Registering new products purchased by the research group and uploading new or updated MSDSs in KLARA.
• Printing barcodes for new chemicals, solvents, and gases.
• Ensuring container labels are accurate and that no outdated pictograms are present.
• Unregistering discarded products in KLARA.
• Conducting a full inventory of all chemicals within the research group.
• Responding to KLARA-related questions from group members.
• Attending KLARA system training, regularly provided by SU.
• Contacting the KLARA administrator for support with issues or questions.
• Ensuring the department’s annual inventory is completed between January and February each year.

Risk assessment for chemical use 

Before using any chemical, a risk assessment must be conducted by Swedish law (AFS 2011:19) using KLARA’s risk assessment module. Key steps include:

• Complete the risk assessment in KLARA and save it in your research group’s folder.
• Ensure the risk assessment is approved by the principal investigator.
• Make the assessment accessible to all relevant staff. Best practice: Keep a copy readily available in the lab, ideally in a designated folder. For highly hazardous materials, such as acetylene gas equipment and hydrofluoric acid, display the risk assessment visibly near the fume hood or work area.

Pregnancy

Pregnant employees must complete an Individual Risk Assessment and submit it to the department’s laboratory safety coordinator. The coordinator, together with the unit’s safety representative and principal investigator, will assess the safety of the work environment and determine appropriate tasks during pregnancy.

Follow the links below for more details:

Swedish law AFS 2011:19 in swedish

Log in to KLARA system

About KLARA on SU Staff website

Indivdual risk assessement for pregnant or breast feeding employees (293 Kb)

Contact information

•  Lab Safety Coordinator about risk assessment (KLARA back-up administrator): Ulrike Schimpf
•  KLARA administrator: Mirva Eriksson

Certain chemicals and products in the workplace pose health risks, and Swedish law (AFS 2019:3) requires medical examinations for employees handling such substances.

There are three types of examinations: basic medical examination, medical examination with an aptitude report, and medical examination with an aptitude report and exposure test.

An aptitude report is necessary for work with ionising radiation, allergy- or fibrosis-causing chemicals, and heavy metals like lead, cadmium, and mercury. Employees must not handle these substances without this report. Additionally, biological monitoring (blood tests) is required for lead, cadmium, and mercury exposure before starting work and every three years. Further details are available in the Chemical Medical Control document.

Note: Using these chemicals or products without the required biological exposure monitoring and aptitude report may lead to fines of up to 150,000 SEK. Additionally, a lack of training and a valid certification incurs a penalty of 10,000 SEK per principal investigator and employee.

Investigation steps:

• The employee responsible for handling the chemical creates a method risk assessment in KLARA and shares it with the principal investigator along with other relevant information.
• The principal investigator completes the Medical Needs Form from SU.
• A meeting is held with the employee, principal investigator, lab safety coordinator, and the unit’s safety representative to review and sign the medical risk assessment. The lab safety coordinator will archive the original form, distribute copies, and add the assessment to KLARA.
• The lab safety coordinator arranges the necessary medical examinations for the employee through occupational healthcare, and the employee reports test results back to the lab safety coordinator.

Training and Certification

In addition to medical examinations, both employees and principal investigators must hold valid training certificates for handling certain hazardous substances. These certificates must be submitted to the lab safety coordinator. This applies to work involving the following substances:

• Diisocyanates
• Epoxic plastic components
• Ethyl-2-cyanoacrylate and methyl-2-cyanoacrylate, if used for more than 30 minutes per week
• Formaldehyde resins and processes that release formaldehyde
• Isocyanate exposure from thermal degradation, for example, heating of polyurethane foam
• Methacrylates and acrylates, labeled with H317 or H334
• Organic acid anhydrides

Follow the links below for more details:

Link to Swedish law ASF 2019:3, in Swedish

Chemical Medical Control (275 Kb)

Medical needs form (249 Kb)

Detailed list of chemicals

Stockholm Universitys medical risk assessment

Contact Information

• Occupational healthcare Avonova: Henrik Strohmayer
• Lab Safety Coordinator: Ulrike Schimpf 
• Lab Safety Coordinator Backup: Ulrika Nilsson

In accordance to the Swedish law AFS 2014:43 (Swedish), the chemicals that are classified as hazard with the following hazard statements / risk phrases in the SDS:
H350  H340  H360  R45  R46  R49  R60  R61
should be phased put, otherwise 

1. An investigation has to be conducted whether the chemical can be substituted by a less harmful chemical. That accounts for all CMR products independent on the quantity. Find the  CMR investigation form (197 Kb) . Send this form to MMKs Lab Safety Manager for assessment and archiving.
2. If there is no alternative to the CMR product, a risk assessment for the handling of the chemical has to be established in KLARA prior to use.

The following information need to be included in the risk assessment:

• Where will the CMR chemical be used?
• What protective measures are necessary to ensure minimal exposure?
•  In what situations is personal protective equipment required?
• How the operation and function of equipment, processes or ventilation shall be monitored in order to detect early deviations?

When CMRs are introduced to a laboratory, the laboratory door sign has to be updated. All cabinets, fridges/freezers, fume hoods and sample holders (flasks, bottles etc.) need to be marked with a sign “CMR”. Best practice is to assign a specific area in the laboratory for the work with CMR.

Lab Safety Manager, Ulrike Schimpf: ulrike.schimpf@mmk.su.se

Accidental Exposure To CMR Has To Be Documented

MMK has to document accidental exposures to chemicals that have the hazard statements H340 (mutagenic), H350 (carcinogenic) and H360 (reprotoxic, amendment regulation AFS 2022:4, comes into effect: 04-2024) in accordance to the Swedish law AFS 2011:19.

In the case of an accident or incident that results in an accidental exposure, the PI is responsible for reporting it in the SAMIR system and the report has to be sent to MMKs Lab Safety Manager or MMKs Head of Department.

Lab Safety Manager, Ulrike Schimpf: ulrike.schimpf@mmk.su.se
Back-up, Head of Department, Niklas Hedin: niklas.hedin@mmk.su.se
 

Certain chemicals, particularly those that are carcinogenic, sensitising, allergenic, or reprotoxic, require special permits or are prohibited, with possible exceptions. These chemicals are listed in the appendix of Swedish law (AFS 2011:19), with a summary in the document Chemicals of Class A and B.

• A risk assessment must be prepared by the employee and, or, principal investigator.
• The permit application must include details such as the specific chemical, working method, purpose, duration, maximum quantity to be used, and the number of people involved. This application is submitted to the Swedish Work Environment Authority by SU’s laboratory safety coordinator.

Note: Using restricted chemicals without a valid permit can result in a fine of 150,000 SEK for Class B substances and 400,000 SEK for Class A substances.

Follow the links below for more details:

Swedish law AFS 2011:19

Application form for class A and B chemicals

  Chemicals of Class A and B (301 Kb) .

Contact Information

For assistance or to report hazardous chemicals, contact the department´s lab safety coordinator, who will document the chemical use and responsible individual. For consultation or permit applications, contact SU’s chemical compliance officer.

• Lab Safety coordinator: Ulrike Schimpf
• SU Chemical Compliance Officer: Hanna Gustavsson
• SU Lab Safety Coordinator: Mikael Corell

Many organic compounds can spontaneously form peroxides through a free radical reaction of the hydrocarbon with molecular oxygen.

Over time, these peroxides can accumulate in containers, creating a risk of explosion if exposed to heat, friction, or mechanical shock. Common solvents like diethyl ether and tetrahydrofuran are particularly prone to forming explosive peroxide crystals, especially during evaporation, distillation, or crystallisation. Exposure to air, light, heat, moisture, or metal contaminants can accelerate peroxide formation.

Inspection and safety measures

It is crucial to follow proper protocols for identifying, handling, storing, and disposing of peroxide-forming chemicals. Regularly and carefully inspect the bottom, sides, cap, and exterior of containers for signs of contamination, such as:

• Hard ice-like crystals, solid masses, or opaque, cloudy liquid, indicating severe contamination.
• Wispy structures in clear liquid, suggesting possible contamination.

Invisible low-level peroxides may require testing, conducted at SU using test strips. Containers failing inspection must not be opened without training. If peroxides are suspected in long-stored chemicals or samples, avoid moving the container; instead, secure the lab and contact SEKA Miljöteknik for removal.

Shelf life guidelines: Category II and III peroxide-forming chemicals have a shelf life of 3 months, extending to 12 months if stabilised with an inhibitor. Certain chemicals always have a 3-month shelf life, including: isopropyl ether, diethyl ether, divinyl ether, potassium metal, potassium amide, sodium amide, sodium ethoxyacetylide, and vinylidene chloride. Consult the department´s lab safety coordinator for further guidance.

Follow the links below for more details:

List of organic compounds that spontaneously form peroxides.

Contact infomation

Lab safety coordinator: Ulrike Schimpf

Drugs With Prescriptions

Drugs that would need prescription from a medical doctor, and are used in research (e.g., as reference standard), need to be ordered by the Head of Department. Drugs that are hazardous to health need permit (Swedish law SFS 1999:58) from the Folkhälsomyndigheten with a few exceptions.

The application form, goods hazardous to health (265 Kb) (Swedish) needs to be filled out and sent in by SUs Lab Safety Coordinator to Folkhälsomyndigheten. For help and to inform, contact MMKs Lab Safety Manager. MMKs Lab Safety Manager has to document its use and the responsible person. The work with these chemicals requires an extended documentation by the PI, including: a journal of every use and order, containing the substance name and amount, date and a signature. Risk assessments need to be in place.

Head of Department, Niklas Hedin: niklas.hedin@mmk.su.se
SU Lab Safety Coordinator, Mikael Corell: mikael.corell@su.se
Lab Safety Manager, Ulrike Schimpf: ulrike.schimpf@mmk.su.se

Purchase Declarations

Purchase declarations can be required at the purchase of selected hazardous chemicals as hydrogen peroxide (30%). These declarations are signed by the Head of Department.
Head of Department, Niklas Hedin: niklas.hedin@mmk.su.se

Ethanol Purchase / Access

The Head of Department and Administration, are responsible for granting access.

How to get access: Go to kontohantering.su.se, find the person that shall grant the access in the Search field, go to System rights (Systemrättigheter), Ethanol permission (Etanoltillstånd), Edit (Redigera), choose Purchase (Köpa) and then the associated institution, save through pressing the assign button (”tilldela-knappen”).

Head of Department, Niklas Hedin: niklas.hedin@mmk.su.se
Temporary Head of Administration: Daniel Emanuelsson-Paulson: daniel.emanuelsson-paulson@mmk.su.se
 

1. Training for the handling of liquid nitrogen (LN2) is mandatory when you need access to the storage room, and is held by Björn Röstlund (SU Butik), alternatively by selected MMK employees.
2. A document has to be filled out and signed by the student, handed out by the trainer. The document has to be then signed by MMKs Lab Safety Manager or alternatively by the Head of Department and is archived by the Lab Safety Manager.
3. The Lab Safety Manager will inform MMKs Caretaker for card access (LN2 room at SU butik, Back-up: MMKs environmental coordinator).

Dates for training are published here

SU Butik, Björn Röstlund: bjorn.rostlund@su.se
Trainer back-up, Kjell Jansson: kjell.jansson@mmk.su.se
Lab Safety Manager, Ulrike Schimpf: ulrike.schimpf@mmk.su.se
Caretaker, Christer Degerstedt: christer.degerstedt@mmk.su.se
Access back-up, Environmental coordinator, Baltzar Stevensson: baltzar.stevensson@mmk.su.se
 

The waste management procedures are intended to give you guidance about how waste is handled at Stockholm University. They cover all waste generated in university activities.

All information related to waste managment is published on the central SU webpages. 

University’s waste management procedures for office waste

University’s waste management procedures for laboratory waste

Recycling stations and centres

Work-life balance implies the ability to separate personal life from work and sufficient amount of time off to rest and recover. A good work-life balance requires self-, time, and stress management as well as an acceptable workload and reasonable deadlines. The responsibility should be shared between the employee and the work place.  

By clicking the link you will find a useful summary of the work environemnet workshop held in August 2023.

A summary from the Work Environment Workshop Aug 23, 2023

Work environment day (6262 Kb)

MMK offers a rest room at KÖL (M330), if you feel sick, are pregnant or injured or for any reason you would need to rest / lay down for a specific time. Please contact the student office to get the key and leave a few information.
Student office: chemistry@su.se

If you feel sick, are pregnant or for any reasons you need a public rest room, there are two in the Frescati Södra in house A at floor 5 or in house B at floor 4. The rest rooms may be used for a maximum of 2 hours/occasion and only by one person at a time, during the Service Center's opening hours.

There exist also a rest and breastfeeding room at the Studenthuset, Universitetsvägen 2, house Alfa and room 321. For access, contact the Infocenter, on floor 2 during the Infocenter's opening hours. The request to borrow a rest room is made on the spot, it is not possible to book in advance. The room may be used for a maximum of 2 hours/occasion and only by one person at a time.

Risks, incidents and accidents of any kind have to be reported in the SAMIR system, by the affected person or the supervisor, the supervisor has to be informed. SAMIR is the university´s reporting system for safety, work environment and environment. The safety representatives, head of department and lab safety manager will be informed by SU when the incident or accident is reported in SAMIR. Please contact the MMKs Lab Safety Manager or MMKs Head of Department, if you have any questions or need help.
Lab Safety Manager, Ulrike Schimpf: ulrike.schimpf@mmk.su.se
Head of Department, Niklas Hedin: niklas.hedin@mmk.su.se

Defibrillators

Defibrillators are distributed over the campus, find a list of locations and information here. Before you start CPR on a person, call 112 and send another person out to meet the ambulance. Defibrillators in the Arrhenius houses are to be found in the entrances of house C, D, E, O and P, and KÖL (close to Magneliesalen).

In the event of a death

Find procedures here for the event of the death of an employee or student.

Threats, Violence and Harassment

Find information here (English) and procedures here (English) for the event of a threat, of violence or harassment of an employee or student.

The Department has to investigate victimization, whereas the Student Service (Student) and Human Resource Office (Employee) investigates harassment and sexual harassment. Read more here (English). Please report the issue in SAMIR.

Student Service
Coordinator for Equal Treatment
+46 (0) 8 16 2559
jamlikhet@su.se
 

The work or storage of concentrated infectious agents of class 2 or higher have to be reported according to Swedish law 29 § AFS 2018:4. If an organism that needs to be ordered is categorized at biosafety level (BSL) 2 or higher,

1. A Biorisk assessment (311 Kb) has to be conducted. The document has to be sent to the MMKs Lab Safety Manager for potential adjustments and archiving.
2. A form from the Work environment agency (Arbetsmiljöverket) has to be filled out for Risk class 2 (838 Kb) , Risk class 3 (838 Kb)  and Risk class 4 (838 Kb) . This document needs to contain the contact data of the SUs Lab Safety Coordinator who will be the contact person for the Work environment agency (“Uppgifter om kontaktperson för anmälan”).
3. All documents together with a map of the location where the work will be performed have to be sent to the Work environment agency by SUs Lab Safety Coordinator. The SUs Biosafety Coordinator can be consulted when seeking for advice on legislation, documentation and local adjustments. The biorisk assessment and an emergency protocol have to be attached to the LAF. Mark the LAF, lab areas, and the door, where the group works with the microorganisms, with a biohazard sign.

SU Lab Safety Coordinator, Mikael Corell: mikael.corell@su.se
SU Biosafety Coordinator, Ann-Kristin Iréne Östlund Farrants: anki.ostlund@su.se
MMK, Lab Safety Manager, Ulrike Schimpf: ulrike.schimpf@mmk.su.se
 

The waste management procedures are intended to give you guidance about how waste is handled at Stockholm University. They cover all waste generated in university activities.

All information related to waste managment is published on the central SU webpages. 

University’s waste management procedures for office waste

University’s waste management procedures for laboratory waste

Recycling stations and centres

SU offers several courses available to staff, such as

• Laboratory safety for managers (will be announced per e-mail)
• General fire safety course (SU webpage)
• Director flammable goods (SU webpage)
• Director of fire safety (SU webpage)
• Fire safety controller (SU webpage)
• Evacuation leader (SU webpage)
• Radiation safety (will be announced per e-mail)
• First aid and HRL (SU webpage)
• Biosafety (will be announced per e-mail)
• Gas handling (will be announced per e-mail)

Fire safety training
 

If you have any questions or concerns regarding laboratory safety, please:

• Environmental safety coordinator: Baltzar Stevensson
• Lab safety, chemicals and security coordinator: Ulrike Schimpf
• Radiation safety coordinator: Lars Eriksson
• Work environment safety coordinator: Ulrika Nilsson