1. Safety in the Chemical Laboratory Chemistry 550
Bill Diesslin, CHMM, CSP
Assistant Director, ISU EH&S

2. 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

3. What’s in the box?

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. Too much positive experience with risk
Heinrich’s Triangle

8. 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)

9. 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)

10. 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)

11. 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)

12. 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)

13. 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)

14. 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)

15. 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)

16. 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)

17. 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

18. Modify behavior, not just facilities
“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 ).

19. Lead by example

20. Provide the right tool for the job

21. Communicate lessons learned

23. Know the Traps

24. Questions