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Date: Wed, 4 Mar 2009 14:51:10 -0500
Reply-To: Margaret Rakas <mrakas**At_Symbol_Here**SMITH.EDU>
Sender: DCHAS-L Discussion List <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU>
From: Margaret Rakas <mrakas**At_Symbol_Here**SMITH.EDU>
Subject: Re: Two Recent Lab Hazmat Responses
In-Reply-To: <670FF300-A229-408D-92CB-E72DF3498BE1**At_Symbol_Here**uvm.edu>
It would be wonderful if UMaryland is able to share some of the
details, such as ID of the acids, quantity, and anything that might be
helpful to the safety community.
One of my Geology colleagues is stunned that the Chemical community,
particularly in academia, does not collect information on accidents in
any formalized kind of way. He said that if he wanted to see whether
any students were involved in car accidents while performing field work,
or how many faculty had (unintentionally) walked off a cliff, those
statistics are reported and accessible by the Geology community.
I understand if the attorneys are reluctant but in this age of the
twitter, the blog and facebook, it's hard to imagine being able to keep
details of published events secret, and I think safety personnel should
do their utmost to persuade administrators that safety information
should be shared.
The above is my personal opinion only, not legal or business advice,
and may not reflect the opinion of my employer or any group to which I
belong.
Margaret
>>> List Moderator 3/4/2009 2:00 PM >>>
March 3, DiamondBack Online * (Maryland) Chemical spill forces
evacuation of building. An adverse chemical reaction at the University
of Maryland*s chemistry building on February 27 prompted an
evacuation
and the deployment of a hazardous materials team, according to the
Prince George*s County Fire Department. During an experiment within
the confines of a safety hood system designed to collect fumes, the
experimenter mixed two unidentified acids together causing a reaction
that resulted in broken flasks and some chemicals sprayed on the floor
and counters, said a Prince George*s County Fire Department
spokesman.
Upon reaching the scene, firefighters and police evacuated wing five
of the building. The experimenter was the only person evaluated by
paramedics, and he was not transported to the hospital.
Source:
http://tinyurl.com/d73wwb
.
March 1, Idaho Statesman * (Idaho) Chemical spill injures Boise State
lab manager in Boise. A Boise State University lab instructor was
wounded at about 2 p.m. on February 28 when 500 ml of nitric acid
spilled onto his wrist, forearm, thigh, and knee, according to a
police spokeswoman. When firefighters arrived at the third-floor
chemistry lab in the multipurpose classroom building on the west side
of campus, the instructor had already begun using sodium bicarbonate
to neutralize the chemical. He was taken to Saint Alphonsus Regional
Medical Center for burn treatment. About 60 people, including two
uninjured lab students, were evacuated as the building was checked and
the spill cleaned up. The incident did not affect classes or other
activities on campus.
Source: http://www.idahostatesman.com/boise/story/683419.html
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