SAFETY IN THE CHEMICAL LABORATORYCHEMISTRY 550

Bill Diesslin, CHMM, CSPAssistant Director, ISU EH&S

294-2105wmdiess@iastate.edu

OBJECTIVES

Demonstrate what we know about risk and injury

Discuss why safety is a hard sell

Outline the importance of this class

List a few things you can do to promote a culture of safety

WHAT’S IN THE BOX?

WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT RISKY BEHAVIOR People will take risks when the benefit

is certain and the hazard is unknown

People will take risks when the benefit is certain and the hazard is uncertain

People will take greater risks following positive results from previous risk taking

People will stop taking risks when the benefit is uncertain or the hazard becomes certain

LABORATORY ACCIDENTS

10,000 accidents reported in 2005 OSHA recordable

2 of every 100 researchers injured

Half resulted in days away from work

Some were fatal

WHY IS SAFETY A “HARD SELL”?

Safety isn’t “cool”

Unknown rules will always be broken

There is no “lack of communication” Only “good” or “bad” communication

Fixes are more popular than prevention

Too much positive experience with taking risks

TOO MUCH POSITIVE EXPERIENCE WITH RISK

Heinrich’s Triangle

WHY A CLASS ABOUT SAFETY?

Fluorine gas inhalation Graduate Student working alone with

5% fluorine gas Gas leak in area with improper

ventilation Student suffered pulmonary edema Corrective actions included written

fluorine filling and emergency procedures

Lab Safety (01/15/09)

WHY A CLASS ABOUT SAFETY?

Drying oven explosion

Post-doc researcher processing samples with ethanol

Set drying oven for 60C, well above flashpoint

Explosion & fire destroyed lab

Corrective actions included MSDS training

Chemical Hazard Information (1/20/09 &1/22/09)

WHY A CLASS ABOUT SAFETY?

Fume hood explosion

Graduate student preparing solutions in a fume hood, but the sash was not lowered

Solution got hot and overpressurized

Multiple cuts to hands and face

Fume Hood Usage (01/27/09)

WHY A CLASS ABOUT SAFETY?

Chemical poisoning

Professor spilled dimethyl mercury

A few drops came in contact with her gloved hand

Chemical penetrated glove and skin

Suffered for 10 months and died

Laboratory Safety Inspections (01/29/09)

WHY A CLASS ABOUT SAFETY? Chemical waste explosion

Graduate student placed a waste methanol and Nitric acid solution in a sealed bottle

Solution got hot and overpressurized

Fire and explosion damaged lab

Management of Unwanted Materials online training (prior to February 3rd tour of hazardous waste handling facility)

Chemical Storage (02/05/09)

WHY A CLASS ABOUT SAFETY?

Electrocution

Professor plugs in an electric lamp

The lamp was shorted & the ground was disabled with a two-prong adapter

Professor received an intense shock

Pronounced dead at the hospital

Electrical Safety (02/17/09)

WHY A CLASS ABOUT SAFETY?

Lab fire Graduate students were unloading a

shipment of hexane into a solvent cabinet

The shelf collapsed and the students were drenched in solvent

Flash fire occurred while the lab was vacant

Lab was a total loss Fire Safety (02/19/09)

WHY A CLASS ABOUT SAFETY?

BLEVE

Student capped a liquid nitrogen relief valve

Was unaware that someone had capped the secondary relief valve

Explosion occurred a 3 AM

Lab was a total loss

High & Low Pressure Safety (02/24/09)

WHY A CLASS ABOUT SAFETY?

Laser injury

Researcher attempted to place a filter in an active laser beam

The researcher’s hand moved a mirror

The laser flash injured his eye

Laser & Radiation Safety (02/26/09)

WHAT CAN BE DONE TO PREVENT INJURY? Training Modify behavior Lead by example Right tool for the job Communicate lessons learned Know the “traps” that cause injury

MODIFY BEHAVIOR, NOT JUST FACILITIES

Unsafe Acts90%

Unsafe Conditions

10%

“Swimming pools can be dangerous. To protect people, one can install locks, put up fences, and deploy pool alarms. All of these measures are helpful, but by far the most important thing that one can do is to teach them to swim.” (Thornburgh & Lin ).

LEAD BY EXAMPLE

PROVIDE THE RIGHT TOOL FOR THE JOB

COMMUNICATE LESSONS LEARNED

KNOW THE TRAPS

QUESTIONS