Safety in University Chemistry Courses; an Introduction for Students
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Information Safety in University Chemistry Courses An Introduction for Students BGI/GUV-I 8553 E October 2009 Published by: Deutsche Gesetzliche Unfallversicherung (DGUV) Mittelstraße 51, 10117 Berlin Tel.: +49 30 288763800 Fax: +49 30 288763808 E-Mail: [email protected] Internet: www.dguv.de In cooperation with the Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker (GDCh) and the Berufsgenossenschaft Rohstoffe und chemische Industrie (BG RCI), formerly BG Chemie. This brochure is permanently being updated by the DGUV working team “Gefahrstoffe”. Translated by the Chevalier Dr. Dr. Rüdiger Marcus Flaig © October 2009 The October 2009 edition corresponds to the German version of the brochure “Sicheres Arbeiten in chemischen Laboratorien” (BGI/GUV-I 8553), October 2009. All rights reserved. No part may be reprinted or copied without the publisher’s prior consent. BGI/GUV-I 8553 E can be obtained from your competent accident insurance provider. The addresses are to be found at www.dguv.de Information Safety in University Chemistry Courses An Introduction for Students BGI/GUV-I 8553 E October 2009 Table of Contents 1 Introduction to lab safety 64 Chemical equipment 26 4.1 Handling laboratory glassware 26 2 Before beginning 4.2 Setting up chemical equipment 27 the practical course 94.3 Heating of equipment 28 2.1 Where are important 4.4 Cooling 30 installations and accessories? 9 4.5 Special information 31 2.2 How to learn about dangerous 4.6. Special methods 31 properties of substances and 4.6.1 Work under reduced pressure 31 safety-relevant parameters 10 4.6.2 Working with gases 33 2.3 Essentials to be known 4.6.3 Pressurized gas cylinders 33 and observed 12 4.6.4 Working with autoclaves 36 2.3.1 Body protection 4.6.5 Working with Carius tubes 38 and working clothes 12 2.3.2 Presence at the workplace 13 5 Cleaning and disposal 39 2.3.3 Food, drink and smoking 13 5.1 Cleaning glassware 39 2.3.4 Cleaning and prophylactic 5.2 Disposal of laboratory wastes 39 skin care 13 5.3 Disposal of minimal amounts 40 3 Handling chemicals 14 6 Dangers of fire and explosions 43 3.1 Legal basis: 6.1 Flammable liquids 43 Chemicals Act and Ordinance 6.2 Self-igniting substances 45 on Hazardous Substances 14 6.3 Potentially explosive 3.2 Storage and transport 16 substances and mixtures 45 3.3 Dispensing and decanting 17 6.4 Exothermic reactions 46 3.4 General safety precautions 6.5 Decomposition reactions 47 in experimenting 18 6.6 Laboratory fire protection 48 3.5 Safety measures for experimenting with special 7 Working with chemicals 24 electrical equipment 50 7.1 Accidents with electricity 50 7.2 Physiological effects of electric currents 51 3 8 Working with radiation 52 9.4 Cancerogenic, mutagenic 8.1 Working with radioactivity 52 and reproduction-toxic 8.1.1 Rules for handling substances 65 radioactive substances 52 9.4.1 Legal basis 65 8.1.2 Protection from 9.4.2 Important classes of external irradiation 53 cancerogenic substances 8.1.3 Protection from and of substances suspected internal irradiation 53 to be cancerogenic 67 8.1.4 Protection from contamination 54 9.4.3 Biochemical effects of 8.2 Working with X-rays 55 cancerogenic substances 67 8.3 Working with powerful 9.4.4 Safety measures for handling sources of light, such as lasers 55 cancerogenic and mutagenic substances 68 9 Health hazards 56 9.1 General toxicology 10 Respiratory protection 70 of chemical materials 56 10.1 Physiological basis 9.1.1 Course of intoxications 57 of respiration 70 9.2 Fate of noxious substances 10.2 Environments for respiratory in the organism 58 protection 70 9.2.1. Exposition and routes of uptake 58 10.3 Filter devices 70 9.2.2 Distribution in the organism 58 10.4 Compressed air breathing 9.2.3 Metabolism 59 apparatuses 75 9.2.4 Elimination 59 9.3 Effects of noxious substances 61 11 First Aid in chemical accidents 76 9.3.1 Corrosive and irritant gases 61 11.1 General measures 76 9.3.2 Gases as haematotoxins, 11.2 Immediate First Aid measures 76 cytotoxins and neurotoxins 61 11.3 Frequently occurring 9.3.3 Asphyxiating gases 62 hazardous substances, 9.3.4 Acids and lyes 62 health hazards arising 9.3.5 Solvents 63 from them and suitable 9.3.6 Dusts 63 First Aid measures 80 9.3.7 Workplace limit values 64 11.4 Immediate measures in case of accidents 85 4 Annex A Annex D Register of cancerogenic, Literature relating to safety in chemical mutagenic or reproduction-toxic labs and hazardous properties of chemical substances (CMR register) 86 substances 131 Annex B Annex E Classification of organic compounds Keyword index 136 with a boiling point ≤ 65 °C (low-boiling substances) Form sheet into filter groups 121 Immediate measures at the scene of the accident 139 Annex C Danger symbols and danger indicators Indicators of special dangers (R phrases) Safety advice (S phrases) 123 5 1 Introduction to lab safety Safety in the chemical lab in 1939: window panes in the form of tiny glittering About 30 of us ... had been admitted to crystals. Into the room with hydrogen the Laboratory for Qualitative Analysis sulphide, where the air was murderous, during our second academic year. We had there retired couples desiring to be alone entered the spacious, soot-blackened, or mavericks to eat their lunch. murky hall like somebody who carefully (Primo Levi: The Periodic Table, Carl Hanser Verlag)* places his steps while entering a place of worship ... Nobody had bothered to waste Over the course of their training and pro- much breath on teaching us how to pro- fessional work, today’s chemists acquire tect ourselves from acids, corrosives, fires extensive knowledge and experiences re- and explosions: Manners were rough at lating to the risks and dangers inherent in the institute, and obviously there was con- their work and to the products developed fidence that natural selection would do its by themselves and their colleagues. The duty and pick those among us who were resulting safety awareness is an integral best adapted to physical and professional part of their professional ethos. The skills survival. There were only few exhausters; and knowledge acquired in the field of in systematic analysis everybody meticu- safety are just as important as those relat- lously released, as prescribed by the text- ing to the profound complexities of science book, copious quantities of hydrochloric or to cutting-edge technological develop- acid and ammonia so that the lab was ments. continuously filled with a dense white fog ---- of ammonia chloride precipitating on the * Publisher of the German version (Das periodische System). English version with the title given here published in September 1996 by Random House, ISBN: 978-0-679-44722-1. Title of the Italian original: Il systema periodico, ISBN: 978-8806135171 6 Thus it is an important goal of academic accident statistics show the success of con- training to educate chemists to sequent compliance with safety regula- tions. • be proficient in safe and secure handling of chemicals and thus, Safety matters in the chemist’s profession- al work are regulated by numerous laws, • protect both themselves and their col- ordinances, directives and guidelines, but leagues and employees from dangers, safety awareness based on solid profes- • act responsibly towards the environment sional knowledge still exceeds this by far. and the general public, Thus, safety awareness can and must be learned and acquired just like any other • identify possible dangers in the use of professional knowledge. For the student in chemical products by consumers and the field of chemistry, this begins with the avert these dangers by providing proper practical courses and the very first experi- instructions. ments in chemistry. Professional knowledge is linked to the Accident prevention as a self-assigned task obligation not only to act as described with personal responsibility is a goal of above but also to demonstrate to the gen- training. It is of particular importance as eral public that safe and secure handling the chemist will, at latest when having to of chemicals is possible and actually being issue instructions as a superior in industry practised, and that application of chemical or academia to subordinates, be held re- products by the consumer is guaranteed to sponsible for the safety of these persons be safe if the instructions for their use are and will have to face civil and penal con- complied with. The insurance providers’ sequences, should the situation arise. 7 A study of thousands of workplace acci- It is mandatory to know dents in laboratories and production substance properties plants has revealed that they were caused by technical defects only in minority of cases, but in the vast majority, that is to A technician was instructed to bottle silver say, in about 85% of cases, by human perchlorate precipitated from solution and errors. Ignorance of safety-relevant prop- dried in an exsiccator. When she was erties of substances or lack of insight into crushing the substance with a spatula, it the type of reactions performed often plays exploded with such vehemence that she a role in this. died from her injuries four weeks later. However, habituation is just as inimical to consciously safe work: Persons who have, Waste disposal rules are to due to long-term experience, lost the ini- be observed tial respect for a potentially hazardous method tend to neglect safety precautions. Here the best prevention is to consequent- A student of chemistry illegally poured ly and regularly attend all safety briefings cyanide-containing wastes into a sink.