Safety

Student name: Ismahil Mahmood Ismahil

Course: Safety
Instructor: Dr. haval
Date: 28/6/2020
1- What is a chemical hazard?
A chemical hazard can be a solid, liquid or gas. It can be a pure substance, consisting of one
ingredient, or a mixture of substances.

It can harm the health of a person who is exposed to it.

Types of chemical hazards

Chemical hazards include:

 skin irritants
 carcinogens
 respiratory sensitizers.

Physicochemical hazards include:

 chemical explosions and fire

 corrosion
 chemical reactions.

These hazards generally result from a substance's physical and chemical properties.

example of chemical hazards:

Cleaning agents and disinfectants, drugs, anesthetic gases, solvents, paints, and compressed
gases are examples of chemical hazards. Potential exposures to chemical hazards can occur
both during use and with poor storage.

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2- What is a laboratory scale and how it distinguishes from the
industrial quantity?
Laboratory Scales / Scientific Balances: Used for determining the weight or mass of a
sample, scientific balances are among the more vital pieces of laboratory equipment. These
weighing devices are available in a variety of sizes, variable resolutions and multiple weight
capacities.

The primary difference is between the size and sensitivity of what is being measured. In the
science lab, samples are typically measured for the amount of mass, in grams or kilograms. In
industrial applications, weight is usually being measured. In the United States, we use the
pound or ton for industrial applications. Another area of difference would be the size of the
measuring scales. In the science lab, scales are easily accommodated within the inner
recesses of the label, while in the industrial setting, scales may be so large as to weigh the
contents of an 18-wheel tractor-trailer. The last point of difference is one of sensitivity, the
lab scales are often enclosed within a glass enclosure, so as to not be disturbed by a draft of
wind, which can add false measurement data. The industrial scales usually are measuring
larger increments and are open-air devices.

3- What is the main role of the Occupational Safety and Health

Administration (OSHA)?
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, more commonly known by its acronym
OSHA, is responsible for protecting worker health and safety in the United States. Congress
created OSHA in 1971 following its passage of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of
1970 to ensure safe and healthy working conditions for workers by enforcing workplace laws
and standards and also by providing training, outreach, education and assistance. Congress
enacted the OSH Act in response to annual workplace accidents that resulted in 14,000 worker
deaths and 2.5 million disabled workers annually. Since its inception, OSHA has cut the work-
fatality rate by more than half, and it has significantly reduced the overall injury and illness
rates in industries where OSHA has concentrated its attention, such as textiles and
excavation. The administrator for OSHA is the Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety
and Health; the position answers to the Secretary of Labor, a member of the Cabinet of the
United States.

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4- How the Chemical Hygiene Officer (CHO) helps OSHA?

The Chemical Hygiene Officer (CHO) has primary responsibility for ensuring
the implementation of 8 CCR 5191, "Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Chemicals in
Laboratories." The CHO is a member of EH&S and, with support from other EH&S
personnel, is responsible for:
1. Informing PIs/Laboratory Supervisors of chemical-related health and safety
requirements and assisting with the selection of appropriate safety controls, including
engineering controls, laboratory and other workplace practices and procedures, training,
and personal protective equipment;
2. Helping to develop and implement appropriate chemical hygiene policies and
practices;
3. Working with Departments and lab groups to develop and review SOPs for processes
using hazardous chemicals;
4. Conducting periodic inspections and immediately taking steps to abate hazards that
may pose a risk to life or safety upon discovery of such hazards;
5. Performing hazard assessments, upon request; and
6. At least annually, reviewing and evaluating the effectiveness of the Laboratory Safety
Manual and making updates as appropriate.

5- What are the engineering controls and other main facilities

required in the chemistry laboratories?
Engineering controls
consist of various measures for reducing a hazard at its source or for separating personnel
from the hazard. In the laboratory, examples of engineering controls include the substitution
of less hazardous chemicals in an operation, isolating a particular chemical operation,
enclosing a potentially explosive reaction, or utilizing local exhaust such as a fume hood for
an operation that produces airborne chemicals.

Because engineering controls function to reduce or eliminate a hazard at its source before it
is created, they must be fully considered and utilized whenever possible as the first step
in chemical hazard control within the laboratory.

Other main facilities

The main chemistry facilities are the Thompson Chemistry Laboratory, the Morley Science
Laboratories, and the Schow Science Library. These buildings house the instructional
laboratories and classrooms as well as the offices and the research laboratories of
approximately half of the chemistry faculty. A fine research and teaching library, the general
chemistry stockrooms, and facilities for handling laboratory animals are also located here.

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The Bronfman Science Center was specifically planned to accommodate collaborative
research and contains a central pool of research instruments. The other half of the chemistry
faculty have their offices and research laboratories in the Bronfman Science Center. The
Bronfman Science Center also contains a student machine shop, an electronics shop, and a
photographic darkroom.

6- Discuss the personal protective equipment (PPE) and based on

what conditions we choose a suitable PPE in the laboratories?
For many laboratory operations the risk of chemical exposure cannot be totally
eliminated through the use of engineering and procedural control measures. For this reason, it
is necessary to supplement such measures with the use of personal protective
equipment (PPE) and apparel. Because PPE functions as a barrier between the laboratory
worker and the chemical hazard, rather than by actually reducing or eliminating the hazard, its
use must always be in addition to (and never as a substitute for) appropriate engineering
and procedural controls.
It is the responsibility of the principal investigator, lab manager, or lab supervisor of the
laboratory to ensure that appropriate personal protective equipment is provided to and used by
all laboratory personnel. Such equipment must be adequate to ensure personnel are protected
from chemical exposure to the eyes, skin, and respiratory tract.

Selection of PPE
Selection of personal protective equipment is described in Standard Operating Procedures.
Personal protective equipment is selected based on the hazard. The Laboratory Chemical
Personal Protective Equipment Guidance Form is found in Appendix A can be used for this
purpose in the laboratory and will help assign the proper PPE based on the hazard. Careful
consideration to street clothes must be given when working with potential fire hazards such as
flammables, reactive, or pyrophoric. Synthetic fabric street clothes are not appropriate for
these applications and all cotton or fire-resistant lab coats must be utilized.

Example of PPE

Eye Protection
Appropriate PPE for the eyes is required whenever there is a reasonable probability that the
eyes could be exposed to chemicals. Vented safety goggles are the preferred eye protection to
be worn when chemicals are handled in the laboratory. These must be worn over prescription
glasses. All protective equipment for the eyes must bear the stamp Z87, which indicates that
it meets the performance guidelines established by the American National Standards Institute
in ANSI Z87.1 “Practice for Occupational and Educational Eye and Face Protection.”
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 7- What are the flammable and combustible liquids? Which class
of chemical hazards they classified as? What are the safety
precautions when using flammable and combustible liquids?

A flammable liquid is defined by NFPA and OSHA as a liquid whose flash point does not
exceed 100°F, when tested by closed‐cup test methods, while a combustible liquid is one
whose flash point is 100°F or higher, also when tested by closed‐cup methods. These broad
groups are further classified in the table below.

HANDLING PRECAUTIONS:

 Avoid accumulation of vapors and to control sources of ignition including:

 open flames
 electrical equipment
 sources of static electricity
 Accounts of a few of the fires that have occurred in our laboratories may be found
in Anecdotes.
 Pouring flammable liquids can generate static electricity. The development of static electricity
is related to the humidity levels in the area. Cold, dry atmospheres are more likely to facilitate
static electricity. Bonding or using ground straps for metallic or non-metallic containers can
prevent static generation.

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 Whenever possible use plastic or metal containers or safety cans.
 When working with open containers, use a laboratory fume hood to control the accumulation
of flammable vapor.
 Use bottle carriers for transporting glass containers.
 Use equipment with spark-free, intrinsically safe induction motors or air motors to avoid
producing sparks. These motors must meet National Electric Safety Code (US DOC, 1993)
Class 1, Division 2, Group C-D explosion resistance specifications. Many stirrers, Variacs,
outlet strips, ovens, heat tape, hot plates and heat guns do not conform to these code
requirements.
 Avoid using equipment with series-wound motors, since they are likely to produce sparks.
 Do not heat flammable liquids with an open flame. Steam baths, salt and sand baths, oil and
wax baths, heating mantles and hot air or nitrogen baths are preferable.
 Minimize the production of vapors and the associated risk of ignition by flashback. Vapors
from flammable liquids are denser than air and tend to sink to the floor level where they can
spread over a large area.
 Electrically bond metal containers when transferring flammable liquids from one to another.
Bonding can be direct, as a wire attached to both containers, or indirect, as through a common
ground system.
 When grounding non-metallic containers, contact must be made directly to the liquid, rather
than to the container.
 In the rare circumstance that static cannot be avoided, proceed slowly to give the charge time
to disperse or conduct the procedure in an inert atmosphere.

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8- Explain in an example with the chemical equation how the
negative effect of oxidizers? What are the safety precautions?
Oxidizers are solids, liquids, or gases that react readily with most organic material or reducing
agents with no energy input. Oxidizers are a severe fire hazard. They are not necessarily
combustible, but they can intensify combustion and increase the flammable range for
chemicals so they ignite more readily.
Oxidizers are often recognized by a pictogram (ring on fire) or by a yellow band (containers
from Fisher Scientific) on the container’s label. Keep in mind that older bottles or bottles
from certain manufacturers may not have the symbol or yellow band present. It is important to
be able to identify oxidizers based on their chemical name or by reading the Safety Data
Sheet.
The potassium chlorate and sugar demonstration shows the energetic reaction between an
oxidizer and organic compound.

KClO3 + C6H12O6  KCl + CO2 + H2O

The safety precautions are:

 When handling strong oxidizers, at a minimum wear standard laboratory attire: closed-
toe shoes, long pants, a lab coat, safety glasses with side shields or splash goggles, and
gloves.
 When the procedure requires mixing of a strong oxidizer with an organic chemical,
seek more specific information on the reactivity of the particular chemicals. The
mixing can result in a violent reaction.
 Use oxidizers in a chemical fume hood. If there is a risk of explosion or violent
reaction, it is absolutely necessary to use the hood sash as a protective barrier between
you and the hazard.
 Do not return excess chemical to its original container. Contamination of the material
could cause an unwanted and dangerous reaction.

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9- What are the poisons substances and what are the other
interchanging words with poison?
poisons are substances that cause death, injury or harm to organs, usually by chemical
reactions or other activity on the molecular scales, when an organism absorbs a sufficient
quantity.

The five most poisonous substances: from polonium to mercury

1. BOTULINUM TOXINS
Even though some of them are used in the cosmetic industry (including in botox), the
botulinum family of neurotoxins includes the most toxic substances known to man. The LD50
values reported for these seven proteins are about 5 ng/kg (ng stands for nanogram, which is a
billionth of a gram).

Non-lethal quantities injected into mice can paralyse the affected limb for as long as a month.
The exquisite selectivity of these toxins for certain types of cells in the human body is
remarkable, but also means that many species (including all invertebrates) are simply
unaffected.

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2. SNAKE TOXINS
Like botulinum toxins, most snake venoms are a mixture of many proteins which are often
neurotoxins with LD50s below 1 mg/kg. A crucial complication here, however, is the speed of
activity. While some snake venoms may be highly potent, other, less potent venoms might kill
faster. This is vital information. A potent but slow-acting venom might leave enough time to
intervene, while a fast-acting poison with a lower LD50 might kill you before you can get
help.
3. ARSENIC
Elemental arsenic has an LD50 of around 13 mg/kg – orders of magnitude higher than some
of the substances on this list. Despite that, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease
Registry gives it the top rank on its priority list of hazardous substances.

This highlights a key consideration – how common a substance is and how likely you are to
be exposed to it. Ex-spies notwithstanding, your odds of being exposed to polonium or
botulinum in lethal quantities are negligible. But chronic exposure to toxic metals is a real
problem for many people around the world, and a simple measure of acute lethality such as
LD50 simply cannot capture this.

4. Polonium-210
The radioisotope used to kill Alexander Litvinenko is extraordinarily toxic even in quantities
less than a billionth of a gram. The LD50 of this compound is not a property of its chemistry.
While other toxic metals such as mercury and arsenic kill through the interaction of the metal
with the body, polonium kills by emitting radiation which shreds sensitive biomolecules, such
as DNA, and kills cells. Its half-life – the time taken for half of the ingested material to decay
– is about a month, leading to a slow death by radiation poisoning.

5. Mercury
The harmful effects of mercury are perhaps most famously exemplified by Lewis Carroll’s
Mad Hatter, who was chronically exposed to mercury while plying his trade. But the toxicity
of mercury is actually far more complicated, depending critically upon the kind of mercury
involved. Organic and inorganic mercury compounds have different effects and hence LD50
values (which are typically between 1mg/kg and 100 mg/kg).Pure mercury is considerably
less toxic, as dramatically illustrated by the case of a dental worker who attempted suicide by
injecting the liquid element into her veins. Ten months later she was effectively symptom-
free, despite having mercury distributed throughout her lungs.

The other interchanging words with poison are:

1- Toxin.
2- Venom.
3- Bane.
4- Toxicant.

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10- Explain in a chemical reaction why the hydrofluoric acid (HF)
is a poisonous substance?
HF + Ca (OH)2  CaF2 + H2O

HF + Mg (OH)2  MgF2 + H2O

When human tissue is exposed to concentrated HF, the molecules disassociate into individual
hydrogen and fluoride ions. The hydrogen ion burns like any other acid. The fluoride ion
quickly penetrates dermal and muscle tissue and reacts with the calcium and magnesium
found within the body, rendering these ions useless.
Major organs or systems that are especially vulnerable to damage are the heart, liver, kidneys
and nerves. Exposures of 6%-8% BSA burns of concentrations above 50% HF almost always
prove fatal within hours.

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11- What are the corrosive substances and describe their effect
with examples? What are the safety precautions?
Corrosives are materials that can attack and chemically destroy exposed body tissues.
Corrosives can also damage or even destroy metal. They begin to cause damage as soon as
they touch the skin, eyes, respiratory tract, digestive tract, or the metal. They might be
hazardous in other ways too, depending on the particular corrosive material.

Corrosives can also damage or even destroy metal. They begin to cause damage as soon as
they touch the skin, eyes, respiratory tract, digestive tract, or the metal. They might be
hazardous in other ways too, depending on the particular corrosive material.
Most corrosives are either acids or bases.

Examples:
Most corrosives are either acids or bases. Common acids include hydrochloric acid, sulfuric
acid, nitric acid, chromic acid, acetic acid and hydrofluoric acid. Common bases are
ammonium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide (caustic potash) and sodium hydroxide (caustic
soda).

Other chemicals can be corrosive too. Check the supplier labels on chemical product
containers.

It is wise to treat unknown materials as very hazardous until they are positively identified.

Corrosive materials are present in almost every workplace. Acids, bases (which include
caustics or alkalis), and other chemicals may be corrosive. Everyone who works with
corrosives must be aware of their hazards and how to work safely with them.

The safety precautions are:

 Obtain and read the SDS for all of the materials you work with
 Be aware of all of the hazards (fire, health, reactivity) of the materials you work with
 Know which of the materials you work with are corrosives
 Wear the proper personal protective equipment when working with corrosive materials
 Store corrosives in suitable containers away from incompatible materials
 Store, handle, and use corrosives in well-ventilated areas
 Handle containers safely to avoid damaging them
 Dispense corrosives carefully and keep containers closed when not in use
 Stir corrosives slowly and carefully into cold water when the job requires mixing
corrosives and water. (Rule to remember: AAA - Always Add Acids to water - this
also applies to bases).
 Handle and dispose of corrosive wastes safely
 Practice good housekeeping, personal cleanliness, and equipment maintenance
 Know how to handle emergencies (spills, fires, injuries) involving corrosive materials

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 Always follow the health and safety rules that apply to you job
12- Discuss the carcinogenic substances and reproductive toxins
with the examples?

A carcinogen is any substance, radionuclide, or radiation that promotes carcinogenesis, the

formation of cancer. This may be due to the ability to damage the genome or to the disruption
of cellular metabolic processes.

Examples:

 Tobacco
 Radon
 Asbestos
 Crispy
 Brown Foods
 Formaldehyde
 Ultraviolet Rays
 Alcohol
 Processed Meat
 Engine Exhaust and Pollution

A reproductive toxin is a substance or agent that can cause adverse effects on the
reproductive system. The toxic effects may include alterations to the reproductive [sexual]
organs and/or the endocrine system (which includes the thyroid and adrenal glands). These
effects can occur in both men and women.

Exposure to reproductive toxins may cause one to become infertile or to have difficulty
conceiving a child. Reproductive toxins may affect the parent, developing child (even after
birth), or both.

Examples:

 Teratogens
 Bisphenol A
 Lead

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References:
[1] https://chemistry.williams.edu/facilities/
[2] https://protect.iu.edu/environmental-health/laboratory-safety/lab-safety-chemical-
hygiene/control.html
[3] https://www.wisconsin.edu/ehs/hazmat/flamm-combust-
liquids/#:~:text=A%20flammable%20liquid%20is%20defined,classified%20in%20the
%20table%20below.
[4] https://ehs.princeton.edu/laboratory-research/chemical-safety/flammable-
materials/flammable-liquid-handling-precautions
[5] https://theconversation.com/the-five-most-poisonous-substances-from-polonium-to-
mercury-29619
[6] https://www.sciencealert.com/handle-with-care-the-world-s-5-deadliest-poisons
[7] https://www.dictionary.com

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