ECH5503

DESIGN FOR SAFE HANDLING OF

INDUSTRIAL CHEMICALS
CHAPTER 4:
DESIGN OF LABORATORY SAFETY SYSTEM
(INTRODUCTION)
1
PRE-PLANNING EXPERIMENTS
1. Identify ALL hazards
2. Ensure all safety equipment
available, and maintained
3. Follow preplanned work
procedures
4. No substitution without thorough
review (Supervisor)
5. Develop an Attitude of Safety
Awareness

2
BEFORE ANY WORK, YOU MUST KNOW
1. Properties of materials & agents and
their prescribed safety procedures
2. Be familiar with operating procedures
for ALL equipment used
3. Emergency spill procedures, use of
adsorbents and disinfectants
4. Designated escape routes (know
alternate)
5. Location of fire ext., eye wash,
shower, first aid, and spill kits

3
 ASSESSING HAZARDS AND RISKS OF CHEMICALS

1. Physical Hazards
• flammable
• oxidizer
• explosive
• compressed gases
• combustible
• corrosive
• unstable reactive
• water reactive

2. Health Hazards
• sensitizers
• toxic substances
• irritants
• carcinogens
 Hazard Communication
Routes of Entry
1. Inhalation
2. Absorption – skin & eyes
3. Ingestion – direct & indirect
4. Injection

5
 NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION (NFPA)
704 DIAMOND
• provides a readily recognized, easily understood system for identifying SPECIFIC
HAZARDS.
• uses spatial, visual, and numerical methods to describe relative hazards of material.
• addresses the health, flammability, instability, and related hazards that may be
presented as a result of fire, spill, or similar emergency.

• The NFPA 704 Diamond identifies the following hazards of chemicals.

1. Health
2. Flammability
3. Reactivity
4. Special
• Each hazard class is ranked to indicate the degree of hazard.
1. Minimal Hazard=0
2. Slight Hazard=1
3. Moderate Hazard=2
4. Serious Hazard=3
5. Severe Hazard=4
4. CAUSE DEATH OR
MAJOR RESIDUAL
INJURY

3. CAUSE
SERIOUS
TEMPORARY OR
RESIDUAL INJURY

2. CAUSE TEMPORARY
POSSIBLE RESIDUAL
INJURY

1. CAUSE IRRITATION
BUT ONLY MINOR 0. NO HAZARD
RESIDUAL INJURY
8
4. MATERIALS which will rapidly or completely vaporize
at atmospheric pressure and normal ambient
temperature or which are readily dispersed in air, and
which will burn readily

3. LIQUIDS AND SOLIDS that can be ignited under almost

all ambient temperature conditions.

2. MATERIALS that must be moderately heated or

exposed to relatively high ambient temperatures before
ignition can occur

1. MATERIALS that must

0. MATERIALS
be preheated before
that will not
ignition can occur
burn
9
 4. MATERIALS which in themselves are capable of
detonation or of explosive decomposition or explosive
reaction at normal T and P.

3. MATERIALS which in themselves are capable of

detonation of explosive reaction but which require a
strong initiating source or which must be heated under
confinement before initiation.

2. MATERIALS which in themselves are normally

unstable and readily undergo violent chemical change
but do not detonate.

1. MATERIALS which in themselves are normally stable,

but which can become unstable at elevated T and P, or
which may react with water with some release of energy
but not violently.

0. MATERIALS which in themselves are normally stable,

even under fire exposure conditions, and which are not
reactive with water.
10
 SPECIAL HAZARDS
• use symbols to communicate hazards
• the only symbols authorized by the NFPA are:
W , which indicates a reaction when in contact with
water
OX, which indicates that the material is an oxidizer
• other symbols: such as ACID, ALK, CORR, or
radiation symbol are not necessary because
the hazards are already accounted for in the
health rating.
Denotes materials that are oxidizing agents. These compounds give up oxygen easily,
remove hydrogen from other compounds, or attract negative electrons.

Denotes materials that are water-reactive. These compounds undergo rapid energy
releases on contact with water.

Other Commonly Used Symbols Include:

 EXAMPLE
NFPA Diamond for Sulfuric Acid NFPA Diamond for Acetone

NFPA Diamond FOR DOOR OF ROOM containing Sulfuric Acid

and Acetone
 LABEL
All containers, pipes, process vessels and storage areas must
be labeled
All labels must identify the product and hazards associated
with its use
Read the label at 3 times before using the products
1. when removing from storage
2. before opening the container
3. before actual usage
Inventory:
1. Date containers when opening for the first time
2. Maintain up to date inventory
3. Regularly dispose of surplus materials
4. Keep on hand only those products that you have room to store
properly
 LABELS…..
Labels contain:
1. pictograms
2. identify hazards
3. clear risk
phrases
 LABELLING REQUIREMENTS
Every container (original and
secondary) must be labeled with:
1. Complete chemical name or
trade name – no abbreviations
2. Appropriate hazard warnings
3. Name of manufacturer, or
responsible party
Hazard Warnings
• Written or pictorial
GHS PICTOGRAMS AND HAZARD CLASSES
TRANSPORT PICTOGRAMS
 LABEL
• Hazardous materials are required to have the following
elements on the label under the GHS format.
1. Product Identifier
2. Symbols/Pictograms
3. Signal Words (Danger or Warning)
4. Hazard Statement (Physical, Health,
or Environmental)
5. Precautionary Statement and
Pictograms (First Aid included in
this statement)
6. Supplier Information
 EXAMPLE:
Below is an example of the GHS labeling format.
 LABEL - continue
• Manufacturer’s labels: should not be removed, defaced, or
tampered with unless that container is emptied of its original
contents.
• If that container is used as a secondary or portable container, the
original label must be completely removed or covered.
• Simply putting an X through the label or crossing out information
is NOT ENOUGH.

• Labeling the secondary containers must include

1. Product Identifier
2. combination of words/pictures/symbols that provide general
information about the chemical hazards.

• secondary container: must have immediate access to MSDS, if

have specific information not on the container: physical & health
hazards
 Below is an example
of a secondary container
now filled with Acetone