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When your academic safety plan has to pass the litmus test of reality
FEATURE
When your academic safety plan has to pass the litmus test of reality
By Barbara L. Foster
P
rior to January 2001, the position of Safety Director at a chemistry department with approximately 2000 students enrolled in laboratories each semester involved handling many types of medical and chemical emergencies, including thermal and acid burns, cuts, fainting, and seizures. The burns were typically limited to the hands and forearms and were easily flushed and treated in the laboratory sinks. Those types of injuries were treated in an expeditious manner according to our departmental emergency action plan and have one thing in common—they did not involve the use of a safety shower in their treatment. The department recently learned that the proper use of a safety shower involves real teamwork and that, despite one’s best intentions, things will not always go as planned.
THE LABORATORY SAFETY SHOWER–UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL
“Ms. Foster, the teaching assistant is evacuating Room 201.” On a memorable January day, the department received a call from the general chemistry prep room that the teaching assistant was evacuating a freshman laboratory on the second floor. The first thought was there was a natural
Barbara L. Foster has served as the West Virginia University Department of Chemistry Safety Director for the academic and research programs since 1991. 6
gas leak in the room, but from student comments this was not the case. Upon entering the laboratory room, there was a female student standing under a safety shower that was drenching her from head to toe. She had been working with concentrated sulfuric acid and accidentally spilled some of it on her abdomen. The student had been wearing a laboratory apron and goggles and was performing the experiment correctly. The accident occurred when the student was holding a small test tube containing approximately six milliliters of concentrated acid and inadvertently dropped the test tube. Her first instinct was to grab the test tube before it hit the bench top. When she caught the test tube, approximately 1 to 2 milliliters of the corrosive contents spilled down the inside the top of the apron because she was bending over at the time of the incident. The student spilled sulfuric acid on a very small area of her sweater, which disintegrated upon contact with the acid, leaving an acid burn approximately the size of a fifty-cent piece on her stomach. The burn was alarmingly white, the skin was necrotic, and the wound was instantly burning and painful. The teaching assistant immediately escorted the student to the safety shower, activated the safety shower, assisted with the removal of the contaminated clothing, and evacuated the room. The victim stood under the safety shower in her underwear, shivering and very embarrassed. The affected area was flooded for 15 minutes, then transport of the student was arranged with a copy of the sulfu-
© Division of Chemical Health and Safety of the American Chemical Society Published by Elsevier Science Inc.
ric acid Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) to the medical center. The student visited the department the next day and reported that the burned area was healing very quickly. A good tip to remember in this situation is that, after the initial dousing, you can grab the fire blanket (two fire blankets were used during the course of treatment) and wrap the victim for modesty and warmth. She very much appreciated the opportunity to cover herself, even though she was doused in the stream of water. A note of caution: during the incident, the student also spilled the acid on the outside of the laboratory apron, onto the bench top and onto the floor. Remember to immediately dispatch someone to clean up the accident area to avoid possible further injury to students in the laboratory room. The red flooring material in the laboratory was immediately bleached white by the acid. It has since proven to be an excellent training tool for other general chemistry students who may wonder about the effects of concentrated sulfuric acid on “chemically-resistant” flooring materials. The contaminated clothing and the laboratory apron involved in the incident were discarded. Another factor involved was the presence of the other 23 students working in this laboratory room. Members of the department worked quickly to properly treat the victim, clean up the accident site, and dry the floor under the shower so the students could return and finish the last half of the three-hour laboratory session. At the beginning of each semester, safety training is provided to teaching
1074-9098/01/$20.00 PII S1074-9098(01)00240-4
assistants and faculty in the academic laboratories. This training includes an oral presentation and a manual that was written specifically for teaching assistants. It is one thing to sit in the comfortable atmosphere of a training seminar and learn the proper treatment for an acid burn and another thing to muster the courage to shove a student under a shower, turn it on, and then assist with the clothing removal. The department learned that when dealing with an acid burn time is the most important factor. Do not hesitate to begin treatment under the nearest safety shower. PROCEDURES FOR HANDLING AN ACID EXPOSURE ON THE BODY
(Note: These procedures do not apply to an exposure to hydrofluoric acid. Follow the instructions on the MSDS for hydrofluoric acid exposure and apply the calcium gluconate gel as directed. Seek immediate medical attention.) ●
●
●
●
Immediately place the victim under the nearest safety shower and flush the affected areas with water for at least 15 minutes.1 Immediately assist the victim with the removal of all contaminated clothing and jewelry (watch bands and rings can retain the chemical and cause serious burns on the wrist and fingers) while the victim is under the safety shower.2 Do not allow the victim’s modesty to slow your treatment process. After the initial drenching, cover the victim with a fire blanket for modesty and warmth. The first few seconds of your response are critical in determining the degree of injury to the victim. Whenever possible, remove the goggles last to prevent chemical splashes to the eyes. Use caution when removing sweaters and tight-fitting clothing and cut the clothing if necessary so you do not spread the chemical into the face and eyes.3 Be aware that creases and folds in clothing can trap the acid and promote tissue damage. Always protect your skin from chemical exposure as you assist the victim.
Figure 2. The safety shower must be located in an easily accessible area, free of obstructions, on the same floor level, and within 10 seconds of a chemical hazard. Identify the location of each safety shower with a highly visible sign.
Figure 1. To protect your personnel and students, inspect your safety showers on a regular basis and record the dates of inspection on an attached tag.
●
●
●
Evacuate the room as soon as possible after the victim is under the safety shower. Send the other students to wait outside of the laboratory room. Report the incident to the appropriate person and call for assistance. You will need it. Be advised that the water from the safety shower will quickly flood the floor, even when your drain “works.” Although we regularly test our showers, we routinely use a portable apparatus (a trash can on wheels) to collect the water. To our dismay, we quickly discovered during the course of this incident that the floors in our building have settled in the past 20 years since our last renovation, and the drain in the laboratory room was now situated slightly above floor level. During the activation of the shower, a member
Chemical Health & Safety, September/October 2001
Figure 3. Emergency eyewashes must be located within 10 seconds of a chemical hazard with no obstructions and no change in floor level. Inspect your emergency eyewashes on a regular basis and record the inspection dates on an attached tag.
7
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8
of the laboratory staff worked diligently to push the water into the drain with a mop. We have become aware that some laboratories are designed and built around the country with no floor drains under the safety showers. If this is the case in your building, now is the time to devise a plan of action for the activation of the safety showers sans drains. The amount of water expelled by a shower in the usual course of treatment of a chemical burn (15 minutes) is substantial and can quickly become overwhelming and damaging to wooden laboratory furniture and cabinets (and whatever is stored in the cabinets). Regardless, do not allow the lack of a floor drain to make you hesitate to activate the safety shower. The safety shower must be located in an easily accessible area, free of obstructions, and within 10 seconds in the event of an incident in the laboratory.4 Inspect your safety equipment on a regular basis and record the dates of inspection on the attached tag.5 The wet floor can become a very slippery hazard. If possible, install quality non-skid material around the shower drains in your laboratories. Our lab staff temporarily placed rubber matting on the slippery floor under the shower after the incident to reduce the slip-and-fall hazard. Consult the MSDS for the appropriate first-aid and spill cleanup procedures and send someone to make a copy of the MSDS. Seek immediate medical attention for all chemical burns. Arrange for a knowledgeable person to transport the victim to the medical center.3 Never assume the exposure is too minor to warrant medical attention. Send a copy of the appropriate MSDS with the victim.3 Do not apply ointments, lotions, creams, or bandages except under the advice of a physician.2 Discard all contaminated clothing,
●
●
●
●
shoes, and personal protective equipment.2 Helpful hint: keep some unisex clothing in several sizes on hand (i.e., old sweatshirts and loose-fitting exercise pants from your closet or unclaimed items from your department’s lost and found) for the victim to wear after the incident. Thoroughly clean the area of the acid spill, including the benchtop and the floor, to avoid further exposure. (To avoid damage to the students’ personal belongings, include a statement in your safety rules that all coats, purses, book bags, briefcases, etc. must be stored in the proper areas during the laboratory sessions, not on the benchtops or in the aisle ways. We have coat rack areas in our laboratory rooms where the students stow their gear.) Complete an accident report form and submit it to the appropriate safety administrator in your department. Discuss the incident with your departmental Safety Committee or Chemical Hygiene Officer to determine the cause of the incident (was the student following the safety rules?), the emergency response provided by the attending staff, and possible ways to avoid a recurrence of this incident. Educate all personnel on the proper methods to treat a corrosive spill. Your personnel may be concerned about the possibility of litigious action if they encourage the victim to remove the contaminated clothing. Assuage their fears— inform your personnel of all pertinent departmental and university regulations regarding the proper use of safety showers. Do not panic. Remember your training.
SUMMARY
The first-year teaching assistant in charge of this laboratory remembered his training and handled the situation
like a pro. The quick and proper actions of the teaching assistant negated the effects of the acid and saved the student from further painful tissue damage. Experience has taught us that anything can and will happen in an academic laboratory. One thing remains crystal clear: detailed emergency training is a priority in any successful safety program. Prepare your personnel for all emergencies, including those that will involve a safety shower. Instruct them on reporting practices and the locations of emergency equipment, spill control equipment, and laboratory exits. Conduct frequent refresher courses on the proper treatment of chemical burns on the body. Your students depend on you to teach them the subject matter and to expertly handle any emergency situation that may occur in the laboratory. A successful safety program should not be perceived merely as mandatory attendance at an annual training event; it involves the daily commitment of everyone in the department to ensure a safe and healthy environment in which to teach and learn. Teach safety and work safely. References 1. Improving Safety in the Chemical Laboratory: A Practical Guide, 2nd ed.; Young, J. A., Ed.; Wiley-Interscience: New York, NY, 1991, 138 –9. 2. Prudent Practices in the Laboratory, Handling and Disposal of Chemicals; National Research Council; National Academy Press: Washington, D.C., 1995, 86 – 8. 3. Safety in Academic Chemistry Laboratories; American Chemical Society: Washington, D.C., 1995, 34, 40. 4. ANSI Z358.1-1998; Emergency Eyewash and Shower Equipment; American National Standards Institute: New York, NY, 1998, 9. 5. Dux, J.P. and Stalzer, R.F., Managing Safety in the Chemical Laboratory; Van Nostrand Reinhold: New York, NY, 1998, 28.
Chemical Health & Safety, September/October 2001
When your academic safety plan has to pass the litmus test of reality
By Barbara L. Foster
P
rior to January 2001, the position of Safety Director at a chemistry department with approximately 2000 students enrolled in laboratories each semester involved handling many types of medical and chemical emergencies, including thermal and acid burns, cuts, fainting, and seizures. The burns were typically limited to the hands and forearms and were easily flushed and treated in the laboratory sinks. Those types of injuries were treated in an expeditious manner according to our departmental emergency action plan and have one thing in common—they did not involve the use of a safety shower in their treatment. The department recently learned that the proper use of a safety shower involves real teamwork and that, despite one’s best intentions, things will not always go as planned.
THE LABORATORY SAFETY SHOWER–UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL
“Ms. Foster, the teaching assistant is evacuating Room 201.” On a memorable January day, the department received a call from the general chemistry prep room that the teaching assistant was evacuating a freshman laboratory on the second floor. The first thought was there was a natural
Barbara L. Foster has served as the West Virginia University Department of Chemistry Safety Director for the academic and research programs since 1991. 6
gas leak in the room, but from student comments this was not the case. Upon entering the laboratory room, there was a female student standing under a safety shower that was drenching her from head to toe. She had been working with concentrated sulfuric acid and accidentally spilled some of it on her abdomen. The student had been wearing a laboratory apron and goggles and was performing the experiment correctly. The accident occurred when the student was holding a small test tube containing approximately six milliliters of concentrated acid and inadvertently dropped the test tube. Her first instinct was to grab the test tube before it hit the bench top. When she caught the test tube, approximately 1 to 2 milliliters of the corrosive contents spilled down the inside the top of the apron because she was bending over at the time of the incident. The student spilled sulfuric acid on a very small area of her sweater, which disintegrated upon contact with the acid, leaving an acid burn approximately the size of a fifty-cent piece on her stomach. The burn was alarmingly white, the skin was necrotic, and the wound was instantly burning and painful. The teaching assistant immediately escorted the student to the safety shower, activated the safety shower, assisted with the removal of the contaminated clothing, and evacuated the room. The victim stood under the safety shower in her underwear, shivering and very embarrassed. The affected area was flooded for 15 minutes, then transport of the student was arranged with a copy of the sulfu-
© Division of Chemical Health and Safety of the American Chemical Society Published by Elsevier Science Inc.
ric acid Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) to the medical center. The student visited the department the next day and reported that the burned area was healing very quickly. A good tip to remember in this situation is that, after the initial dousing, you can grab the fire blanket (two fire blankets were used during the course of treatment) and wrap the victim for modesty and warmth. She very much appreciated the opportunity to cover herself, even though she was doused in the stream of water. A note of caution: during the incident, the student also spilled the acid on the outside of the laboratory apron, onto the bench top and onto the floor. Remember to immediately dispatch someone to clean up the accident area to avoid possible further injury to students in the laboratory room. The red flooring material in the laboratory was immediately bleached white by the acid. It has since proven to be an excellent training tool for other general chemistry students who may wonder about the effects of concentrated sulfuric acid on “chemically-resistant” flooring materials. The contaminated clothing and the laboratory apron involved in the incident were discarded. Another factor involved was the presence of the other 23 students working in this laboratory room. Members of the department worked quickly to properly treat the victim, clean up the accident site, and dry the floor under the shower so the students could return and finish the last half of the three-hour laboratory session. At the beginning of each semester, safety training is provided to teaching
1074-9098/01/$20.00 PII S1074-9098(01)00240-4
assistants and faculty in the academic laboratories. This training includes an oral presentation and a manual that was written specifically for teaching assistants. It is one thing to sit in the comfortable atmosphere of a training seminar and learn the proper treatment for an acid burn and another thing to muster the courage to shove a student under a shower, turn it on, and then assist with the clothing removal. The department learned that when dealing with an acid burn time is the most important factor. Do not hesitate to begin treatment under the nearest safety shower. PROCEDURES FOR HANDLING AN ACID EXPOSURE ON THE BODY
(Note: These procedures do not apply to an exposure to hydrofluoric acid. Follow the instructions on the MSDS for hydrofluoric acid exposure and apply the calcium gluconate gel as directed. Seek immediate medical attention.) ●
●
●
●
Immediately place the victim under the nearest safety shower and flush the affected areas with water for at least 15 minutes.1 Immediately assist the victim with the removal of all contaminated clothing and jewelry (watch bands and rings can retain the chemical and cause serious burns on the wrist and fingers) while the victim is under the safety shower.2 Do not allow the victim’s modesty to slow your treatment process. After the initial drenching, cover the victim with a fire blanket for modesty and warmth. The first few seconds of your response are critical in determining the degree of injury to the victim. Whenever possible, remove the goggles last to prevent chemical splashes to the eyes. Use caution when removing sweaters and tight-fitting clothing and cut the clothing if necessary so you do not spread the chemical into the face and eyes.3 Be aware that creases and folds in clothing can trap the acid and promote tissue damage. Always protect your skin from chemical exposure as you assist the victim.
Figure 2. The safety shower must be located in an easily accessible area, free of obstructions, on the same floor level, and within 10 seconds of a chemical hazard. Identify the location of each safety shower with a highly visible sign.
Figure 1. To protect your personnel and students, inspect your safety showers on a regular basis and record the dates of inspection on an attached tag.
●
●
●
Evacuate the room as soon as possible after the victim is under the safety shower. Send the other students to wait outside of the laboratory room. Report the incident to the appropriate person and call for assistance. You will need it. Be advised that the water from the safety shower will quickly flood the floor, even when your drain “works.” Although we regularly test our showers, we routinely use a portable apparatus (a trash can on wheels) to collect the water. To our dismay, we quickly discovered during the course of this incident that the floors in our building have settled in the past 20 years since our last renovation, and the drain in the laboratory room was now situated slightly above floor level. During the activation of the shower, a member
Chemical Health & Safety, September/October 2001
Figure 3. Emergency eyewashes must be located within 10 seconds of a chemical hazard with no obstructions and no change in floor level. Inspect your emergency eyewashes on a regular basis and record the inspection dates on an attached tag.
7
●
●
●
●
●
8
of the laboratory staff worked diligently to push the water into the drain with a mop. We have become aware that some laboratories are designed and built around the country with no floor drains under the safety showers. If this is the case in your building, now is the time to devise a plan of action for the activation of the safety showers sans drains. The amount of water expelled by a shower in the usual course of treatment of a chemical burn (15 minutes) is substantial and can quickly become overwhelming and damaging to wooden laboratory furniture and cabinets (and whatever is stored in the cabinets). Regardless, do not allow the lack of a floor drain to make you hesitate to activate the safety shower. The safety shower must be located in an easily accessible area, free of obstructions, and within 10 seconds in the event of an incident in the laboratory.4 Inspect your safety equipment on a regular basis and record the dates of inspection on the attached tag.5 The wet floor can become a very slippery hazard. If possible, install quality non-skid material around the shower drains in your laboratories. Our lab staff temporarily placed rubber matting on the slippery floor under the shower after the incident to reduce the slip-and-fall hazard. Consult the MSDS for the appropriate first-aid and spill cleanup procedures and send someone to make a copy of the MSDS. Seek immediate medical attention for all chemical burns. Arrange for a knowledgeable person to transport the victim to the medical center.3 Never assume the exposure is too minor to warrant medical attention. Send a copy of the appropriate MSDS with the victim.3 Do not apply ointments, lotions, creams, or bandages except under the advice of a physician.2 Discard all contaminated clothing,
●
●
●
●
shoes, and personal protective equipment.2 Helpful hint: keep some unisex clothing in several sizes on hand (i.e., old sweatshirts and loose-fitting exercise pants from your closet or unclaimed items from your department’s lost and found) for the victim to wear after the incident. Thoroughly clean the area of the acid spill, including the benchtop and the floor, to avoid further exposure. (To avoid damage to the students’ personal belongings, include a statement in your safety rules that all coats, purses, book bags, briefcases, etc. must be stored in the proper areas during the laboratory sessions, not on the benchtops or in the aisle ways. We have coat rack areas in our laboratory rooms where the students stow their gear.) Complete an accident report form and submit it to the appropriate safety administrator in your department. Discuss the incident with your departmental Safety Committee or Chemical Hygiene Officer to determine the cause of the incident (was the student following the safety rules?), the emergency response provided by the attending staff, and possible ways to avoid a recurrence of this incident. Educate all personnel on the proper methods to treat a corrosive spill. Your personnel may be concerned about the possibility of litigious action if they encourage the victim to remove the contaminated clothing. Assuage their fears— inform your personnel of all pertinent departmental and university regulations regarding the proper use of safety showers. Do not panic. Remember your training.
SUMMARY
The first-year teaching assistant in charge of this laboratory remembered his training and handled the situation
like a pro. The quick and proper actions of the teaching assistant negated the effects of the acid and saved the student from further painful tissue damage. Experience has taught us that anything can and will happen in an academic laboratory. One thing remains crystal clear: detailed emergency training is a priority in any successful safety program. Prepare your personnel for all emergencies, including those that will involve a safety shower. Instruct them on reporting practices and the locations of emergency equipment, spill control equipment, and laboratory exits. Conduct frequent refresher courses on the proper treatment of chemical burns on the body. Your students depend on you to teach them the subject matter and to expertly handle any emergency situation that may occur in the laboratory. A successful safety program should not be perceived merely as mandatory attendance at an annual training event; it involves the daily commitment of everyone in the department to ensure a safe and healthy environment in which to teach and learn. Teach safety and work safely. References 1. Improving Safety in the Chemical Laboratory: A Practical Guide, 2nd ed.; Young, J. A., Ed.; Wiley-Interscience: New York, NY, 1991, 138 –9. 2. Prudent Practices in the Laboratory, Handling and Disposal of Chemicals; National Research Council; National Academy Press: Washington, D.C., 1995, 86 – 8. 3. Safety in Academic Chemistry Laboratories; American Chemical Society: Washington, D.C., 1995, 34, 40. 4. ANSI Z358.1-1998; Emergency Eyewash and Shower Equipment; American National Standards Institute: New York, NY, 1998, 9. 5. Dux, J.P. and Stalzer, R.F., Managing Safety in the Chemical Laboratory; Van Nostrand Reinhold: New York, NY, 1998, 28.
Chemical Health & Safety, September/October 2001