Lab and Storage Safety Presented by Catherine Sperling

Lab and Storage Safety Presented by Catherine Sperling Dreyer Your Local Account Manager

BC Teachers’ Responsibilities …Safety is not just a matter of common sense. A teacher should be informed, aware & proactive. Legal liability of the teacher will be judged against: 1. Appropriateness of activity for grade level. 2. Careful instruction of all aspects of activity. 3. Thoroughness of teaching safety rules. 4. Supervision of activity. 5. Enforcement of safety rules. Science Safety Resource Manual BC Ministry of Education Revised 2003

Science Facility & Safety Equipment Checklist • • • Communication/Procedures Eye/Face Wash-Eye Stations First Aid Kit Safety goggles Laboratory work stations Sinks Fire Protection Electrical safety General safety protection

Did You Know? That the accident rate in schools is 10 x greater than the chemical industry. NSTA, Guide to School Facilities, 1999 44% of lab injuries are from cuts 23% of lab injuries are burns 11% involve chemicals in the eyes Texas Secondary School Study, 2001 70% of Grades 9 to 12 accidents occur in Grade 9 Larry Duff, Ed. D. Omaha, Lab Survey, 1996

Why are there more accidents in Schools? • Inadequately or poorly designed lab space. • Poor preparation – Teacher? Student? • Overcrowding, too few workstations. • Inadequate safety training for teachers and students. • What other reasons would you speculate?

NSTA Research Identifies the Main Cause of Accidents in School Labs OVERCROWDING and their recommendations are • No more than 24 students per class • 1, 250 sq. ft. room • 50 sq ft. per student (45 sq ft. for Middle School) The Most Common Injury is… • Cuts from broken or chipped glassware National Science Teachers Assoc. Recommendations

Accident rates related to science lab class size Number of Accidents Class Size (Texas Secondary Safety Profile, 2001

Because Glassware Injuries are so Common – Remember the Rules • Never use glassware that is cracked or Safety in the Lab chipped • Always lubricate glass tubing, thermometers, and rods when inserting them in rubber stoppers • Manipulate heated glass with caution avoid burns. Glass cools slowly. • Wrap or strip glassware with masking tape if it is to be used under a vacuum or under pressure. This will prevent flying pieces of glass in the event of an implosion or explosion • Never heat pipettes, volumetric flasks, or burets as they can expand the liquids inside can increase in volume when heated

Emergency Procedures A multipurpose ABC fire extinguisher must be located in each science classroom, storeroom, and prep area. Remember R A C E • • Rescue anyone in immediate danger Alarm… call 911 Close the doors and windows Extinguish the Fire and P A S S • • Pull the pin Aim low or at the base of the fire Squeeze trigger Sweep from side to side of the fire

Protection in the Lab Did you know? Marie Curie, known for her discovery of radium, died of radiation poisoning caused by the lack of proper protective material. Safety in the Lab

Eye Protection Goggles must be worn by all people in the lab when activities are taking place involving: • Hot liquids • Hazardous chemicals • Glassware • Flames • Chipping, grinding or anytime there will be flying particles Safety in the Lab

Eye Protection ‘Safety glasses’ shown here are not sufficient protection when working with liquids. These may be used only if there may be flying fragments. Safety in the Lab

How well do you predict these safety glasses will protect a student’s eyes? Safety in the Lab

Safety in the Lab A few seconds after the chemical splash with safety glasses/spectacles remaining on student’s face.

Complete protection and safe results… after a chemical splash with proper fitting splash proof goggles. Safety in the Lab

Emergency Shower and Eye/Face Wash Stations • Located no more than 10 seconds or 25 feet from any student workstation. • Water pressure to operate correctly (0. 4 gpm) • Both eyes must be washed simultaneously and the face with tepid water • Instantaneous flow of water for at least 15 minutes • Water control valve that remains on, allowing the use to use both hands • Clearly marked and unobstructed for immediate use • Flushed for 5 minutes once a week to remove harmful contaminants

Eye/Face Wash Stations • Located no more than 10 seconds or 25 feet from any student workstation. • Water pressure to operate correctly (0. 4 gpm) • Both eyes must be washed simultaneously and the face with tepid water • Instantaneous flow of water for at least 15 minutes • Water control valve that remains on, allowing the use to use both hands • Clearly marked and unobstructed for immediate use • Flushed for 5 minutes once a week to remove harmful contaminants Chapter 6

Gloves Be aware that people may be allergic to latex. The incidence of latex allergy is increasing. Latex allergies cause contact dermatitis, watery eyes, itching, and sneezing. Severe allergic reactions to latex may cause anaphylactic shock, suffocation and death. Be aware that people that have not previously been allergic to latex or have only indicated minor irritations from contact with latex, may become severely allergic and suffer an extreme reaction. Use Nitrile Gloves! Safety in the Lab

Got an MSDS for Methol something?

Red phosphorus degrades to poisonous white phosphorus which spontaneously ignites in contact with the air.

The word “Nitro” has been hand written on this label After testing, this chemical was in fact nitroglycerine … it was in a middle school.

Ammonium chloride crystals (mixed ammonium hydroxide & hydrochloric acid vapors)

Nitric Acid Issues…. Leaking nitric acid + Ammonium hydroxide bottles = Ammonium nitrate crystals

More Nitric Acid Issues…. • • Highly corrosive Severe burns on contact Powerful oxidizer Eats plastic caps in 7 to 10 years Red cap nitric acid Yellow cap sulfuric acid Green cap ammonium hydroxide Strong acids & bases are incompatible. White crystals are ammonium nitrate formed by leaking vapors of nitric acid and ammonia.

One last look at Nitric Acid …

5 -color chemical storage system GREEN General Storage Low hazard RED 1 st Responders Recognize Industry standard colour code. Labels are tri-lingual. Flammable dedicated cabinet or flammables area WHITE Corrosive Contact hazard, keep away from red, yellow and blue YELLOW Reactive or Oxidizing Store away from Red BLUE Poisons, Health Hazard dedicated cabinet