ASTM E2014-99
(Guide)Standard Guide on Metallographic Laboratory Safety
Standard Guide on Metallographic Laboratory Safety
SCOPE
1.1 This guide covers the outline of the basic safety guidelines to be used in a metallographic laboratory. Safe working habits are discussed for various tasks performed in a metallographic laboratory.
1.2 This guide does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
1.3 The sections appear in the following order: Scope (Section 1); Referenced Documents (Section 2); Terminology (Section 3); Significance and Use (Section 4); Heat Treating (Section 5); Specimen Preparation/Sectioning (Section 6); Specimen Mounting (Section 7); Mechanical Grinding/Polishing (Section 8); Chemical Safety (Section 9); Electrolytic Polishing/Etching (Section 10); Sulfur Printing (Section 11); Laboratory Ventilation/Fume Hoods (Section 12); Chemical Spills (Section 13); Photography (Section 14); X-ray/Electron Microscopy (Section 15); Keywords (Section 15).
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Designation:E2014–99
Standard Guide on
Metallographic Laboratory Safety
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E 2014; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope 3. Terminology
1.1 This guide covers the outline of the basic safety guide- 3.1 Definitions—All terms used in this guide are either
lines to be used in a metallographic laboratory. Safe working defined in Terminology E 7 or are discussed in 3.2.
habits are discussed for various tasks performed in a metallo- 3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
graphic laboratory. 3.2.1 agreement state—a government body that has been
1.2 This guide does not purport to address all of the safety granted regulatory authority over by-product materials and
concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility radiation-producing devices by the United States Nuclear
of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and Regulatory Commission (USNRC).
health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory
4. Significance and Use
limitations prior to use.
4.1 This guide is intended as a summary of safety practices
1.3 The sections appear in the following order:
in the metallography laboratory. It can be used as a training
Section
Scope 1
manual for those new to the field of metallography and as a
Referenced Documents 2
refresher to those who are experienced.
Terminology 3
4.2 This guide is not intended to be inclusive of all safety
Significance and Use 4
Heat Treating 5
concerns encountered in a metallographic laboratory. Several
Specimen Preparation/Sectioning 6 3
books that provide safety information are available (1-16).
Specimen Mounting 7
4.3 Before operating any equipment, it is advisable to read
Mechanical Grinding/Polishing 8
Chemical Safety 9
and understand the accompanying manuals and to follow any
Electrolytic Polishing/Etching 10
specified safety guidelines.
Sulfur Printing 11
4.4 Material safety data sheets (MSDS) for chemicals being
Laboratory Ventilation/Fume Hoods 12
Chemical Spills 13
used in a laboratory should be on file and readily accessible.
Photography 14
Whenworkingwithanychemicals,especiallyforthefirsttime,
X ray/Electron Microscopy 15
oneshouldreviewtheMSDSsuppliedbythemanufacturerand
Keywords 16
follow any safety guidelines suggested. The most current and
2. Referenced Documents
applicable MSDS should be on file for a given product or
2.1 ASTM Standards:
chemical.
E 3 Methods of Preparation of Metallographic Specimens
5. Heat Treating
E 7 Terminology Relating to Metallography
E 340 Test Method for Macroetching Metals and Alloys
5.1 Personal Protective Equipment, should be utilized. The
E 407 Practice for Microetching Metals and Alloys
minimum protection should include safety shoes, safety
E 883 Guide for Reflected-Light Photomicrography
glasses, and heat resistant gloves. When utilizing furnaces at
E 1180 Practice for Preparing Sulfur Prints for Macrostruc-
high temperatures (>1900°C), a heat resistant suit and face
tural Examination
shield should be used in addition to gloves and glasses.
E 1558 Guide to Electrolytic Polishing of Metallographic
5.2 Furnace Load Weights—The weight limit that can be
Specimens
safely loaded and unloaded manually into a furnace at tem-
perature should be established by the laboratory manager. The
weight limit for manual loading should be determined for
specific procedures. This may be increased or decreased
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E-4 on
Metallography and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E04.17 on Labora-
tory Evaluation and Safety.
Current edition approved April 10, 1999. Published July 1999. The boldface numbers in parentheses refer to the list of references at the end of
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 03.01. this standard.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
E2014
TABLE 1 A Summary of Recommended and Discourage
depending on availability of equipment to aid in loading or
Practices When Heat treating
unloading material; configuration of samples, which could
Recommended Practice Discouraged Practice
make loading and unloading more or less dangerous; or the
Develop SOPs and JSAs Lift specimens$ 10 kg
ability to utilize more than one heat treating technician in
Wear
loading and unloading, or combination thereof.
safety shoes Lean body over bath
5.3 Furnace Loading and Unloading—When working with
safety glasses or face shield
a furnace that requires a removal of a thermocouple prior to heat resistant gloves Leave tank contents uncovered
Use tongs, tray, or wire basket when
loading, care should be taken to handle the thermocouple with
handling samples Contact electrodes with conductive
heat resistant gloves or tongs.
Keep specimens and surrounding material
area free of moisture and debris
5.3.1 Material should be loaded into the furnace with tongs.
The tongs used should have the proper configuration for the
specimen to be loaded. Tongs should be properly maintained. 6.2 The cutting blade of a bandsaw is exposed and can be
5.3.2 When several small or oddly shaped specimens are to
dangerous. A guiding device, such as a block of wood, should
be heat treated, a tray or wire basket may facilitate loading and be used to maneuver the specimen, thereby, reducing the
unloading.
possibility of hand injury.
5.3.3 The surface of an oil quench bath can ignite during
6.3 The major danger from abrasive saw operations is from
quenching. Caution should be taken to avoid being burnt. Do
flying debris from a broken wheel. This danger is normally
not lean over the oil quench tank when pieces are being
eliminated in modern equipment by shielding the cutting area
quenched, and cover the tank as quickly as possible to
from the operator. A cutoff saw should never be operated
extinguish the flames.
without a shield in place.
5.4 Salt bath furnaces should be set up in accordance with
6.4 Sectioning often results in the formation of burrs on the
the manufacturer’s instructions, along with state and local
edges of the specimen. These burrs can be quite sharp and
environmental regulations. Exhaust systems are required for potentially dangerous. The burrs should be carefully removed
gases generated. Some states may regulate exhaust system
by filing or grinding.
specifications. 6.5 Wet grinding is always preferred over dry grinding
5.4.1 Personal protective equipment should include a heat
because of the reduced amount of dust and reduced heat
resistant apron, sleeve protection, safety glasses, safety shoes, damage to the specimen. The dusts generated from grinding
and face shield.
any metal are a health hazard. Those generated by grinding
5.4.2 The start up of a salt bath should be performed by a materials,suchasberyllium,magnesium,lead,manganese,and
properly trained technician.
silver, are extremely toxic. These materials should be ground
5.4.3 When long cycles with little attention are performed, wet under a ventilation hood, and a face mask should be worn.
the temperature control devices should have alarms with limits
6.6 A SOP, including a JSA, should be completed for each
and shutdown capability. piece of equipment being used while sectioning or preparing
5.4.4 Keep all water or moisture away from and out of the
specimens,listinganypotentialhazardsanddescribingthesafe
salt bath. Clean the pieces to remove cutting fluids or any other
operating procedure. Recommended procedures for the metal-
residuals. After cleaning, dry all the pieces thoroughly.
lographic preparation of various materials can be found in
5.4.5 Clean and dry baskets before each use. Moisture may
Methods E 3.
build up on the salt dried on the basket.
7. Specimen Mounting
5.4.6 To avoid shock, do not place metal, baskets, or
7.1 The major safety concern while using either automatic
sludging tools between electrodes while power is on.
or manual mounting presses involves the potential of burns
5.4.7 Wear a face mask when filling furnace with dry salts.
from contact with hot equipment or specimens. Operators
5.4.8 Keep work area clean. Do not keep boxes, pallets, or
should wear insulated gloves to protect hands.
other highly flammable items in work area. Keep floors clean
7.2 Prolonged contact with many mounting materials can
to avoid slips, trips, or falls.
cause irritation to the eyes and skin; gloves are recommended.
5.4.9 Keep salt containers tightly closed to avoid moisture
Also prolonged exposure to the vapors and dust generated
adsorption in dry salt.
during the mounting procedure is not recommended. Consult
5.4.10 Establish periodic checks and safe procedures for
the product label and MSDS of the specific mounting material,
electrodes, sludging, rectifying, and the use of graphite rods.
and use the protective equipment recommended.
5.5 A standard operating procedure (SOP), including a job
7.3 When using castable resins, work should be completed
safety analysis (JSA), should be completed for every heat
under a fume hood.The corrosive, explosive, and carcinogenic
treating practice performed, listing any potential hazards and
properties vary widely with different castable resin compo-
describing the safe operating practice. A summary of recom-
nents, and users should be aware of the most current and
mended safe practices can be found in Table 1.
applicable MSDS information and occupational health and
6. Specimen Preparation/Sectioning (17)
safety issues relating to each component separately and mixed.
6.1 Safety glasses should always be worn when operating 7.4 A SOP, including a JSA, should be completed for each
sectioning equipment. Ties, loose fitting clothing, and jewelry piece of equipment used for every mounting routine per-
can become tangled in the moving parts of equipment and formed.TheSOPshouldlistanypotentialhazardsanddescribe
should not be worn. the safe operating practice.
E2014
8. Mechanical Grinding/Polishing by the manufacturer for that specific chemical.Any evaporated
solvents should be replaced to maintain a filled capacity.
8.1 Injury to operator’s hands is a very common injury
9.5 Chemicals should always be protected from heat and
received during grinding or polishing. For manual polishing,
fire.
small or irregularly-shaped specimens should be mounted to
accommodate handling. For semi-automatic and automatic 9.6 Spent or exhausted chemicals should be disposed of
promptly, following all applicable regulations.
procedures, ensure that all moving parts have come to rest
before mounting or removing specimen holders or before
9.7 Specific Chemical Precautions—Paragraphs 9.7.1-
cleaning the equipment, or both.
9.7.13 list some specific safety situations that are often
8.2 When using grinding or polishing equipment, operators
encountered in a metallographic laboratory and known to be
should not wear ties, loose fitting jewelry, or loose fitting
dangerous.
clothing, which could become entangled with the equipment.
9.7.1 The addition of sulfuric acid to water produces an
8.3 Some of the lubricating liquids and polishing suspen-
extremely exothermic reaction. The solution must be cooled
sions used during grinding and polishing are flammable and
during mixing. While cooling, the acid must be slowly poured
caution should be taken. The specific manufacturer’s product
in the water or solvent with constant stirring. Spattering of the
label and most current and applicable MSDS should be read
solution must be avoided. Dilute solutions (anything less than
before it is used.
100 % concentrated) of sulfuric acid strongly attack the skin,
8.4 A SOP, including a JSA, should be completed for all
are very hygroscopic, and vigorously attack most plastics.
mechanical grinding and polishing equipment, listing any
9.7.2 The addition of crystalline chromium trioxide to water
potential hazards and describing the safe operating practice.
forms chromic acid, a strong oxidizing agent. The reaction
liberates free oxygen, which can be incendiary in the presence
9. Chemical Safety
of oxidizable materials.
9.1 Beforeusingormixinganychemicals,allproductlabels
9.7.2.1 Chromic acid cannot be safely mixed with acetic
and pertinent and most current MSDS should be read and
acid or most organic liquids, such as alcohols or glycerol.
understood. The appropriate type of protective clothing will
9.7.2.2 Chromic acid solutions cannot be used in contact
dependonthetaskbeingperformed.Again,consulttheproduct
with plastic parts without their eventual destruction.
label and the most current and applicable MSDS for recom-
9.7.2.3 Care should be taken to prevent chromic acid
mendations concerning protective clothing.
contact with the skin since repeated exposure to even dilute
9.2 The safe use, storage, and disposal of chemicals be-
solutions will cause persistent and painful ulcers that are slow
comes more complex whenever they are combined or mixed.
to heal.
Experimentation with new combinations of chemical reagents
9.7.2.4 Chromium trioxide is poisonous to humans and a
is not recommended unless conducted by a person knowledge-
carcinogen.
able in chemistry. Table 2 shows some chemicals often
9.7.3 When preparing solutions containing mixed acids,
encounteredinametallographylaboratoryknowntobeincom-
salts in water, or other organic solutions, the acid should be
patible with one another.
added slowly to the solvent with constant stirring.
9.3 The hazards involved with handling chemicals are
9.7.4 Particular care should be taken to avoid skin contact
numerousandoftenspecifictothechemicalsbeingused.Users
with acid fluorides since exposure to them, which may pass
should be aware if there are dangers that are long term,
unnoticed at the time, may result in serious burns later.
immediate, visible, invisible, and with or without odor.
Extreme caution should be used when handling hydrofluoric
9.4 Only small quantities should be mixed and stored in
acid.
glass-stoppered bottles filled to capacity. Exceptions include
fluorides and strong alkaline solutions, which should be stored
9.7.4.1 Hydrofluoric acid will ulcerate the skin if not imme-
to polyethylene or another appropriate container recommended
diately washed off with water. Flushing the area with water
must be followed by the use of a neutralizing cream, such as
calcium glutamate gel, after which a physician should be
TABLE 2 Listing of Some Chemical Combinations Encountered
consulted as soon as possible. If left untreated, the acid will
in a Metallographic
...
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