Date: Mon, 11 Jul 2005 13:27:14 -0600
Reply-To: brenda.bronson**At_Symbol_Here**GSA.GOV
Sender: DCHAS-L Discussion List <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU>
From: brenda.bronson**At_Symbol_Here**GSA.GOV
Subject: recent lab explosion
Comments: To: David.Vandenberg**At_Symbol_Here**ehs.ucsb.edu
In-Reply-To: <0IJH00FXH0OBXJ44**At_Symbol_Here**mta6.srv.hcvlny.cv.net>
Hello David Vandenberg or Debbie Decker,

I am chair of NFPA 45 Technical Committee, Standard for Fire Protection for
Chemistry Laboratories.  Your email below was forwarded to me concerning a
HF lecture bottle explsion. This is a subject we have discussed at our
committee meetings and that we think NFPA 45 should address so we are
seeking additional information.

One of our committee members (Bill Barlen, our expert on compressed gases)
asked to see the photographs.  I copied Bill and Amy, our NFPA staff
liaison, on this email.

Would you please forward the photographs to us or if they are posted on
some website, could you direct us to it?  Also any additional information
you can furnish about the explosion would be helpful!

Thank you so much for your help,

Brenda L Bronson, P.E.
Fire Protection Engineer
GSA Rocky Mountain Region
PO Box 25546 (8PF)
Denver, CO 80225
303-236-8000 X 5227
Fax 303-236-3606
Cell 303.941.7634



             "Bill Barlen"
                                  brenda.bronson**At_Symbol_Here**gsa.gov
                                                                        cc
             07/11/05 10:04 AM
                                                                   Subject
                                       RE: [DCHAS-L] Fwd: recent lab
                                       explosion 







Thanks,

 We have had this discussion at the meetings and I believe we address it in
NFPA 45.  If not I know I brought it up at the end of the cycle and we
should.


Their are pictures of the lab mentioned.  If they are around I'd like to
see them.

Bill



-----Original Message-----
From: brenda.bronson**At_Symbol_Here**gsa.gov [mailto:brenda.bronson**At_Symbol_Here**gsa.gov]
Sent: Monday, July 11, 2005 10:55 AM
To: barlen**At_Symbol_Here**gas-consulting.com
Subject: Fw: [DCHAS-L] Fwd: recent lab explosion 

Hi Bill,

Wanted to forward this to you since it involved lecture bottles.

Cheers,
 since it
Brenda L Bronson, P.E.
Fire Protection Engineer
GSA Rocky Mountain Region
PO Box 25546 (8PF)
Denver, CO 80225
303-236-8000 X 5227
Fax 303-236-3606
Cell 303.941.7634
----- Forwarded by Brenda L. Bronson/8P/R08/GSA/GOV on 07/11/05 08:53 AM
-----

             "Curtis, Martha"
                                      "Brenda L. Bronson (E-mail)"
                                       , "CFPS
             07/11/05 08:29 AM         Richard R. Anderson (E-mail)"
                                       
                                                                        cc
                                       "Spencer, Amy" 
                                                                   Subject
                                       FW: [DCHAS-L] Fwd: recent lab
                                       explosion 

FYI.

Martha H. Curtis
Senior Fire Service Specialist/Staff Liaison NFPA
1 Batterymarch Park
Quincy, MA  02169-7471
Phone: 617-984-7496
Fax: 617-984-7056
Email: mcurtis**At_Symbol_Here**nfpa.org

-----Original Message-----
From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU] On Behalf Of
Debbie Decker
Sent: Friday, July 08, 2005 6:43 PM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Fwd: recent lab explosion 

Hi gang:

 From our intranet for your information.  If you want copies of the photos,
lemme know.

BTW, I did have a potentially scary situation with HBr in lecture bottles -
quite ancient stuff.  It has a similar nasty habit of over-pressurizing
over time.  It was managed without incident, several $10K later.

Ya'll be safe,
Debbie

>Priority: NORMAL
>X-Mailer: Execmail for Win32 5.1.1 Build (10)
>X-Scanned-By: MIMEDefang 2.49 on 169.237.104.156
>X-Scanned-By: MIMEDefang 2.51 on 128.111.125.200
>Date:         Fri, 8 Jul 2005 13:55:39 -0700
>Reply-To: UCIH Program Management Group 
>Sender: UCIH Program Management Group 
>From: Kevin Kaboli 
>Subject:      recent lab explosion 
>To: SBUCIH-L**At_Symbol_Here**LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU
>
>Hi Folks,
>FYI-Here is the report of the explosion by Dave Vandenberg:
>
>Best
>Kevin
>
>
>
>UC EH&Sers:  Below is a note describing an accident that occured
recently
>on our campus.  You may already be aware of this potential safety issue
>with hydrogen fluroride cylinders.  If not, would recommend that you
>identify and dispose of old cylinders of this material.  We were
fortunate
>that no one was injured in this accident.  Feel free to contact me with
any
>questions about this incident, but I will be away next week.
>
>- Dave Vandenberg, UCSB Laboratory Safety Manager
>
>
>
>This past Sunday evening (7/3/05) an old gas lecture bottle cylinder of
>anhydrous hydrogen fluoride spontaneously exploded within a gas cabinet
on
>the first floor of the Chemistry building.  Thankfully, no one was
injured
>because no one was in the room, or adjoining spaces.  However, given
the
>extensive damage to the lab, it is likely that anyone present would
have
>been seriously injured from flying debris and/or HF exposure.  The
>explosion also resulted in the building being locked down for about 12
>hours by the Fire Department.
>
>Attached are pictures showing the remains of the lecture bottle and a
shelf
>about 10 feet away where the heavy-duty window from the gas cabinet can
be
>seen after it was hurled.
>
>Anhydrous hydrogen fluoride in carbon steel cylinders may react slowly
over
>years with the iron in the steel to form iron fluoride and hydrogen.
The
>hydrogen pressure can ultimately build to the point where it ruptures
the
>cylinder.  This is discussed more fully on the bottom of pg. 5 of this
MSDS
>from Air Products:
>
>http://www.airproducts.com/MSDS/searchresults.asp
>
>Given this potentially serious hazard, WE ASK THAT EACH RESEARCH GROUP
>VERIFY WHETHER THEY HAVE ANY GASEOUS HYDROGEN FLUORIDE IN STOCK.  If
some
>is  on hand, please do not move it, but inform EH&S at x-4899 (after
Friday
>call x-3293). Each cylinder will be evaluated individually as to it's
>condition and ultimate fate.
>
>Thanks for your cooperation.
>
>
>
>----------------------
>David Vandenberg
>Laboratory Safety Specialist
>UCSB Env. Health & Safety
>(805) 893-4899
>David.Vandenberg**At_Symbol_Here**ehs.ucsb.edu
>--- End Forwarded Message ---
>
>
>----------------------
>Kevin Kaboli, MA, MS, CIH
>Industrial Hygiene Program Manager
>University of California
>Santa Barbara, CA 93106
>Kevin.Kaboli**At_Symbol_Here**ehs.ucsb.edu
>(805)893-8787
>(805)893-8659 FAX
>
>
>

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