CHEMICAL SAFETY

By: Ruth T. Libag, RMT, LPT, MAE Chem

The Lab Teacher and Supervisor
The Science Laboratory
 A place of adventure, learning
and discovery
… it can also be a place of
frustration –- and danger
 A place of endless discoveries
 A place where the most important
events in scientific history have
happened
• Hazard is something that is a
potential source of harm
• Biological
• Chemical
• Electrical
• Flammable
• Thermal
• Radiation
• Radioactivity
• Auditory
• Sharps/slippage/crushing
• A hazard can also be the
absence of something
• Risk is the exposure to the
chance of injury or loss
(dictionary.com)
• Risk is the combination of the
likelihood and consequences of
an undesirable event related to a
specific hazard or threat
• The risk associated with the
biological materials in the
laboratory has a safety and a
security component
• Biorisk encompasses biosafety
and biosecurity
Hazard vs. Risk
Hazard vs. Threat
Physical Hazard categories
Substance
This category This category includes hazards associated with
includes hazards the exposure to chemicals and other hazardous
from exposure to: substances, such as:
• noise; • cyanide;
• vibration; and • acids;
• temperature. • caustic soda; and
• lead.

Ergonomic
Ergonomic hazards are associated with the
interrelationship between people and the
equipment/machinery they work with. This
includes:
• work station layout;
• equipment design; and
• instrument layout.
 Hazard categories
Biological Radiation
This category includes This category includes hazardous sources of
hazards associated radiation energy, such as:
with exposure to:
• ultraviolet radiation from exposure to sunlight
• viruses; or arc welding;
• bacteria; and
• ionising radiation from x-ray equipment;and
• parasites
• infra-red radiation from drying. Baking and
heating processes.

Psychological

This category includes the

hazards that can have an
effect on the person’s mental
well-being and behaviour,
such as:
• work load;
• shift arrangement; and
• workplace violence.
Hazardous chemicals
hazardous chemicals:
– carcinogens, toxic or highly toxic agents,
reproductive toxins, irritants, corrosives,
sensitizers, hepatotoxins, nephrotoxins,
neurotoxins, agents which act on the
hematopoietic systems, and agents which
damage the lungs, skin, eyes, or mucous
membranes
•Corrosive
•Reactive
•Toxic
•Iginitable
 COMMON LABORATORY HAZARDS

•Ionizing radiation
•Non-ionizing radiation
*Chemical Hazards •Benzene, arsenic, cadmium
•Noise generated
•Unguarded by machines
laboratory machines
•Acids and bases
•Electrically powered equipment •Viruses, bacteria,
•Cryogenic fungi
chemicals
*Biological hazards
•Blood, blood
•Organic products and body fluids
solvents
•glasswares
•Wastes includingchemicals
•Incompatible tissues, organs and body
parts
*Physical Agents •Wastes from infected laboratory animals

*Equipment and apparatus

Common Chemical Hazard Symbols
Toxicology
 Study of poisons
 The study of adverse effects of chemicals on living
systems .
 NO SUBSTANCE IS ENTIRELY SAFE. The right dose
differentiates a poison.
 … Not even WATER!

Example :
Formalin + HCl  bis(chloromethyl)ether
* a potent carcinogen
Types of toxins
 Irritants
 Corrosive substances (Br, sulfuric acid, sodium hydroxide,
hydrogen peroxide, ammonia, acids, NO2)
 Allergens (phenol derivatives, formaldehyde,
diazomethane, isocyanates etc.)
 Asphyxiants (acetylene, ethane, CO2, methane)
 Carcinogens
 Reproductive and developmental toxins (ethylene
dibromide, dibromochloropropane)
 Neurotoxins (Ochratoxins)
Maximum Concentration of Constituents for
Toxicity Characteristics

Arsenic 5.0 mg/L

Benzene 0.5 mg/L
Carbon tetrachloride 0.05 mg/L
Chloroform 6 mg/L
Lead 5 mg/L
Mercury 0.2 mg/L
Vinyl chloride 0.2 mg/L

*see also list of acutely toxic chemicals

Probable Lethal Dose for Humans
Reproductive toxins
List of Known and Suspected Carcinogens

Acridine
Chloroform
Acrolein
Crystal violet
Aflatoxin
Formaldehyde/
Aniline
formalin Sodium dichromate
Asbestos
Furan Potassium dichromate
Benzene
Hydrazine Ortho-toluidine
Benzidine
Lead Thioacetamide
Cadmium and
Lead acetate Vinyl chloride
cadmium compounds
Phenolphthalein
Phenylhydrazine *See list of carcinogens
Fire Hazard Ratings of Some Common
Laboratory Chemicals
Risk Assessment for Hazardous
Chemicals
1. Identify chemicals to be used and the circumstances
of use
2. Consult sources of information
3. Evaluate type of toxicity
4. Consider possible routes of exposure
5. Evaluate quantitative information on toxicity
6. Select appropriate procedures to eliminate
exposure
7. Prepare for contingencies
 Risk hazards

High risk hazards It is a condition or practice that is likely to Low risk hazards
cause:
• loss of life;
• permanent disability;
• loss of body parts; or
• extensive loss of structure equipment or
material.

This is a condition of practice

that is likely to cause:

Medium risk hazards

• minor non-disabling injury
It is a condition or practice that is or illness; or
likely to cause: • non-disruptive property
damage.
• serious injury or illness that results
in temporary disability; or
• property damage that is disruptive
but less severe than a high risk
hazard.
Dealing with hazards
Elimination

Substitution

Engineering controls

Administrative controls

Personal protection
 Why do we need to manage chemicals
and hazardous wastes?

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko as he appeared in July 2004 (left) and as

he appeared in November 2004 after the supposed dioxin poisoning.
 Health effects of common inorganic
contaminants
CONTAMINANT SOURCE PATHWAYS HEALTH EFFECTS
Arsenic Pesticides, Ore Air, water Gastrointestinal
smelting/refining disorder, lower limb
disorder
Asbestos Heat/flame resistant Air Asbestosis (scarring
applications of lungs)
Cadmium Electroplating, battery Air, biota, water Joint pain, lung,
manufacturing kidney disease
Lead Gasoline, batteries, Air, biota, water Impairs nervous
solder, radiation system, red blood cell
shielding synthesis
Mercury Electrical goods, chlor- Water, biota Inorganic: disorder of
alkali plants (inorganic), central nervous
fungicides, slimicides system, psychoses
(organic) Organic: numbness,
impaired speech,
deformity, death
 Health effects of common organic
contaminants
CONTAMINANT SOURCE PATHWAYS HEALTH EFFECTS
DDT(dichlorodiph Application of pesticide Water, food chain Bio-accumulates on
enyltrichloroethan worldwide fatty tissues, nervous
e) disorders
Dioxin Impurity of manufacture Water, food chain Damage to kidney,
2,3,7,8-TCDD of trichlorophenols used liver and nervous
(tetrachlorodiben in various biocides system; powerful
zo para-dioxin teratogen, possibly
carginogenic
PCB Dielectric, heat transfer Food chain Persistent, probably
Polychlorinated and hydraulic fluid carcinogenic,
biphenyls exposure results in
chlor-acne,
headaches; visual
disturbance
 Safety equipment required of a
laboratory
 Lab gowns/Aprons (1 per student)
 Eyewash (2 per classroom)
 Fire Blanket (1 per classroom)
 Fire Extinguisher (1 per classroom)
 First-Aid Kit (1 per classroom)
 Goggle disinfecting materials or equipment (1
set per classroom)
 Materials Safety Data Sheets (1 set per school)
 Safety goggles, splash-proof (1 per student)
 How to avoid accidents in the
laboratory

 use proper equipment

 make sure equipment is clean and in good
working order
 make sure electric machines and equipment are
properly grounded to prevent shock
 receive instruction in the proper use of all
equipment
 practice proper use of equipment
 What does a safe Laboratory look
like?
 adequate work space for students and teachers
 clearly marked emergency evacuation routes
 master gas and electric cutoffs
 properly maintained safety equipment
 signs and labels to identify safety
First Aid Kits
 Ensuring Laboratory Safety
 be a role model for obeying safety rules
 prevent clothing or long hair from becoming a hazard
 teach students how to conduct investigations safely
 make sure that safety equipment is functioning and
readily available
 supervise students to ensure that they obey safety rules
 document safety instruction
 continuously check for unsafe conditions
Storage Requirements for Flammables

 1. Store all flammables in a dedicated flammables

cabinet.
 2. Keep cool, between 55*F and 80*F (12.8oC to
27oC), at all times.
 3. Store away from all sources of ignition.
 4. Store away from all oxidizers,
 5. Never store flammables in refrigerators unless
the refrigerator is explosive proof.
 6. Avoid storing any chemicals, especially
flammable materials in direct sunlight
 CHEMICAL STORAGE
 Proper storage of chemicals helps eliminate
breakage, chemical spills and inadvertent mixing of
noncompatible materials. The following are
precautions that should be taken.
 Store chemicals by hazard class and segregate each
class in a separate area.
 Chemical bottles should not be stored on the floor
or above eye level.
 Store over 10 gallons of flammable materials in an
approved flammable storage cabinet.
 Only chemicals in current use should be on the lab
bench or in the fume hood.
MSDS

 A material safety data sheet (MSDS) is a form

containing data regarding the properties of a
particular substance.
 Includes information such as physical data
(melting point, boiling point, flash point, etc.),
toxicity, health effects, first aid, reactivity,
storage, disposal, protective equipment, and
spill-handling procedures.
 MSDS Links/Chemical Hazard
resources
 http://www.flinnsci.com/
 http://www.msdssearch.com/
 http://www.msdsonline.com/
 http://www.ilpi.com/msds/index.html
 http://hazard.com/msds/
 http://ccinfoweb.ccohs.ca/default.html
 http://www.sigma-aldrich.com