DCHAS-L Discussion List Archive
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 2009 09:35:49 -0700
Reply-To: "Debbie M. Decker" <dmdecker**At_Symbol_Here**UCDAVIS.EDU>
Sender: DCHAS-L Discussion List <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU>
From: "Debbie M. Decker" <dmdecker**At_Symbol_Here**UCDAVIS.EDU>
Subject: Re: Baylor University evacuates science building after cyanide
spill
In-Reply-To: <4720DC8C-64B7-48B8-B602-ADDDF1237F7A**At_Symbol_Here**uvm.edu>
And I remember labeling my very expensive high purity acetonitrile as "meth
yl cyanide" so others would leave it alone!
Great point, Steve.
-----Original Message-----
From: Arvedson, Steve
Subject: RE: [DCHAS-L] Baylor University evacuates science building
after cyanide spill
Date: October 14, 2009 8:27:13 PM EDT
It appears that this situation was created by an incomplete
understanding of the meaning of the term "cyanide" in this context.
If they had called in an isovaleronitrile spill instead (same
material, different name), they probably could have just cleared the
room and cleaned up the spill wearing the appropriate respirator and
other PPE. The material has an NFPA health rating of 2, a boiling
point of 128 degrees C and an oral LD50 in mouse of 233 mg/kg. Did
anybody on staff at Baylor pull up the MSDS and try to work with the
emergency responders to ease their concerns? This is a good reminder
that all chemical-using institutions, whether academic or industrial,
should be trying to work with their local responders to establish two-
way communication, so that the appropriate level of response can be
applied to each incident.
Steve
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