From: Allen Niemi <anniemi**At_Symbol_Here**MTU.EDU>
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] SafetyZone new post: University of Utah chemistry fire
Date: Tue, 28 Apr 2015 08:32:07 -0400
Reply-To: DCHAS-L <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU>
Message-ID: CAN0bzO4P6d9iwVAAC3bwq13z__tda6UgiD0w7oW9bm0H514mtQ**At_Symbol_Here**mail.gmail.com
In-Reply-To <2FFF0389-0DCF-4649-82E9-9AD673EBE9C3**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org>


Two things that do not belong in a flammable storage cabinet (among others) are oxidizers and potential ignition sources. I consider pyrophoric materials (including white phosphorus) to be a potential ignition source. In searching the web I found a lot of flammable storage cabinet guideline material that covers construction, venting, liquid capacity, placement, etc., but very little on what should be not be stored inside other than acids. During lab inspections I have found butane bottles stored in these cabinets with the torch tip still attached. I need to update my own flammable storage guide to cover ignition sources inside the cabinet more explicitly.

Thanks to Jyllian for the update.

Al

On Tue, Apr 28, 2015 at 7:40 AM, Secretary, ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <secretary**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org> wrote:

Jyllian Kemsley posted: "Salt Lake City media reported a fire in the Henry Eyring Chemistry Building at the University of Utah on April 16. Here's what chemistry department chair Cynthia Burrows emailed me about the incident last week: Things stored in one of those double-walled"

New post on The Safety Zone

University of Utah chemistry fire

by Jyllian Kemsley

Salt Lake City media reported a fire in the Henry Eyring Chemistry Building at the University of Utah on April 16. Here's what chemistry department chair Cynthia Burrows emailed me about the incident last week:

Things stored in one of those double-walled, yellow flammable cabinets went off unexpectedly at 10:45 AM. No one was in the room but many were nearby, and pulled the fire alarm when it was obvious that the flames were too big to put out with a hand-held fire extinguisher. The heat triggered the sprinklers which put out the fire.

Basically, the building evacuation went like clockwork, and no one was injured. Lessons for the future? I believer there was white phosphorus stored in the cabinet in a sealed jar under water. However, having recently upgraded the ventilation to all chemical cabinets in a effort to improve air quality in the building, we may have accelerated the slow evaporation of the water. Everything is speculative at this point, as the evidence went up in smoke.

Next steps: as part of our summer clean-up and inventory, we'll be opening all those cabinets and disposing of ageing chemicals.

Jyllian Kemsley | April 28, 2015 at 7:30 am | Categories: Academia, Accidents | URL: http://wp.me/pRCdG-lfk






--
Allen Niemi, PhD
Director
Occupational Safety and Health Services
Room 322 Lakeshore Center
Michigan Technological University
Phone: 906-487-2118
Fax: 906-487-3048

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