CHEMICAL LABORATORY SAFETY CTEC 1345

COURSE DESCRIPTION (catalog description)

Chemical Laboratory Safety (2-4-3) Study of the safety problems encountered in the operation of a chemical laboratory. Topics include chemical and safety regulations, chemical hygiene plans, the Lab Standard, and safe laboratory procedures.

REQUIRED TEXT/MANUALS

Chemical Laboratory Safety Course Concepts, Richard Wheet, 1st ed.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

The course has two major objectives:

• To instruct chemical technicians in regulated and accepted ways of safeguarding themselves, their co-workers, and the environment from unintended effects of the chemicals they work with.

• To instill in chemical technicians the idea that regulations are meant to help protect them, their co-workers, and the environment to the degree society and governmental agencies have decided appropriate.

There are specfic topical objectives which are listed within each unit.  click here for complete list

COURSE SYLLABUS

    Spring 2011 Course Syllabus (pdf format)

COURSE OUTLINE (content)

• The Psychology of Safety
• Support
• Safety Coaching

INTRODUCTION TO LABORATORY SAFETY

• Toxicity
  • PEL
  • TLV
• Corrosivity
• Flammability
  • Classifications
  • Fire Triangle
  • Control of Ignition Sources
  • Autoignition
  • Flammability Range
• Reactivity
  • Self-Reactive Chemicals
  • Air and Water Reactivity
  • Delayed Reactions
• Sources of Information
  • Precautionary Labels
    • Knowing Labels
      • Codes and Symbols
      • Regulations Governing Labels
      • Using Chemical Labels
    • Chemical Labels in the Laboratory
      • Signal Words
      • Industrial Chemical Product Labels
      • Formats for Industrial Chemical Labels
      • Consumer Product Label Requirements
      • Industrial Product Label Requirements
    • Label Codes and Symbols
      • NFPA Hazard Diamond
      • Hazardous Materials Identification System
      • Color and Number Codes
      • Pictograms
    • Labeling Containers
      • Shipping
      • Secondary Laboratory Containers
• Technical Literature and Experts
• Material Safety Data Sheet

Protection Against the Odds

• Eliminate or Reduce the Hazard
  • Substitution
  • Changing the Process
  • Reducing the Scale
• Engineering Controls
  • Fume Hoods
    • Types
    • Operation
    • Efficiency
  • Clean Benches
  • Local Exhaust
  • Special Equipment
  • Glove Bags
  • Dry Boxes
  • Glove Boxes
  • Shielding
  • Storage
• Administrative Controls
• Personal Protective Equipment
  • Eye and Face Protection
  • Clothing
    • Selection
    • Durability
  • Gloves
    • Degradation
    • Permeation
  • Respirators

Safe Laboratory Procedures

• Glassware
• Chemical Transfers
• Heating Methods
• Cryogens
• Compressed Gases
  • Contents
  • Personal Protection
  • Transporting
  • Regulator
  • Cylinder Handling
• Emergency Equipment and Procedures
  • Fire Extinguishers
  • Eyewash Fountains
  • Emergency Showers
  • Spill Cleanup Kits
  • Emergency Procedures
• Electrical
  • Ohm's Law
  • Shock
  • Outlets
  • Protectors
  • Fuses and Breakers
  • Potential Hazards
• Waste Disposal
• Special Procedures
  • Chemicals of Moderate Chronic of High Acute Toxicity
  • Chemicals of High Chronic Toxicity
  • Chemicals of High Flammability
  • Chemicals of High Reactivity

Chemical Safety and Environmental Regulations

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

• Toxic and Hazardous Substances
  • Air Containment Standard
  • Substance-Special Standard
  • Hazard Communication Standard
  • Lab Standard
• Other OSHA Regulations
  • Flammable and Combustible Liquids
  • Respiratory Protection
  • Miscellaneous Hazardous Agents
  • Record Keeping
• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
  • RCRA
  • Hazardous Waste
  • Waste Treatment
  • Waste Minimization and In-house Treatment
  • Nonhazardous Waste Disposal
  • Hazardous Waste Disposal
  • Commingling Lab Packs
  • Record Keeping
  • Other EPA Regulations
    • Toxic Substances Control Act
    • Superfund
    • Community Right-to-Know Act
    • Clean Air Act
    • Clean Water Act
    • Toxic and Hazardous Substances
      • Air Contamination Standard
      • Substance Specific Standards
      • Hazardous Communication Standard
      • Laboratory Standard
      • Department of Transportation

  • Department of Transportation

Spill Prevention and Cleanup

• Important Concepts
• The ACS Guide For Chemical Spill Response Planning in Laboratories
  • Introduction
  • Emergency Preparedness
  • First Steps When a Spill Occurs
  • Recommended Procedures for Cleaning Up Simple Spills
• Regulatory Overview
• Spill Prevention Methods
• Recommended Components of a Laboratory Chemical Spill Kit
• Decontamination

Laboratory Chemical Storage

• Ordering
• Segregation of Incompatible Chemicals
• Labeling of In-Process Chemicals
• Shelf Management Techniques

DISPOSAL

• Avoiding Hazardous Combination
• Categorizing Unknown Wastes

WORKING SAFELY WITH TOXIC CHEMICALS

• Physiological Response
• Routes of Entry
• Target Organs
• Warning Signs
• Controls
• Information

SAFE HANDLING OF CORROSIVE CHEMICALS

• Definition of Corrosive Chemicals
• Identification of Corrosive Chemicals
• Emergency Response
• Working with Corrosives
• Less is Better
• Transportation
• Segregation of Incompatible Chemicals

OXIDATION HAZARDS

• Fire Triangle
• MSDS
• Three Rules for Storage
• Segregation of Incompatible Chemicals
• Perchloric Acid
• Peroxides
• Storage and Disposal

Carcinogens and Related Health Hazards

• Introduction
• Select Carcinogens
• Measures for Handling "particularly hazardous substances"
• Peer review Protocol
• Designated Areas
• Hazards
• MSDS
• Spills Cleanup

Flammable and Combustible Chemicals

• Flammable and Combustible Definition
• NFPA Ratings
• Ratio of Fuel to Air
• Flash Point
• Fuels
• Oxidizers
• Ignition Sources
• Self-Ignition
• Fire and Spill Prevention
  • General Procedures
  • Common Operations
    • Ordering
    • Receiving
    • Transporting and Transferring
    • Storage
    • Usage
    • Disposal
  • Emergency Response
    • General Procedures
    • Spill
    • Fire

Compressed Gases

• Introduction
• High Pressure Hazards
• Moving Compressed Gas Cylinders
• Confined-Space Hazards
• Storage
• Minimizing Inventory
• Cylinder Valve Pressure-Relief Devices
• Securing the Cylinder
• Using Compressed Gases
  • Pressure Regulators
  • Pressuring and Depressuring the System
  • Regulator Maintenance
• Tubing and Fittings

OSHA Laboratory Standard

• Overview of OSHA standards affecting laboratories
  • The Chemical Hygiene Plan
  • The Plan
  • Characteristics
  • Components
• Key Issues
• Enforcement
• Inspections

PRACTICAL APPROACHES TO LABORATORY WASTE MANAGEMENT

• Regulatory Overview
  • Getting Laboratory Workers Committed
  • Educational Training
  • Motivating Factors
  • Encouragement and Peer Pressure
  • Types of Training Programs
  • Effective Management System
  • Waste Management System
• Waste Management Programs and Systems
  • Elements of an Effective Program
  • Written Plans and Procedures
  • Plans Procedures
  • Why have a Plan
  • Types of Plans
  • Hazardous Waste Management Plan
  • Regulatory Overview
  • System Overview
  • Staff Responsibilities
  • Facilities
  • Waste Management
  • Central accumulation
  • Health and Safety
  • Training program
  • Monitoring and Compliance
• Contingency Plan
  • Effective Waste Managers
  • Empowerment
• Training Programs
  • Purpose
  • Personnel
• Program Monitoring
  • Purpose
  • Procedures

LABORATORY WASTE HANDLING

• Waste handling
  • Accumulation
  • Labpacking and Commingling
  • Waste Stream
  • Costs
• Waste Characterization
  • Goals
  • Categories
  • Evaluation
  • Testing
  • Ignitable Waste
  • Corrosive
  • Reactivity
  • TCLP
• Waste Minimization
  • Administrative Techniques
  • Bench Techniques
  • Purchasing/disposal economics
  • Purchasing Control
  • Inventory Control
  • In-Lab Waste
  • End of Process Treatment
  • Laboratory Waste Minimization Act of 1992