Since HF is again in the news, I will recount an incident that happened perhaps 15 years ago at a small analytical laboratory. One of our analysts received a box containing four 500 ml bottles of HF from the shipper’s truck. She proceeded to carry the small cardboard shipping box to the laboratory. Upon her arrival, she noticed that the box and lab coat were wet.. She immediately removed her lab coat and articles of clothing as necessary to apply calcium gluconate ointment. She was further treated at our local hospital according to a protocol that we had previously established with them because of our routine use of HF.

The incident was immediately investigated. Upon examination, the box and one plastic bottle had puncture holes. The hole in the bottle was at the shoulder above the liquid level. It leaked only when it was tilted while it was being carried to the lab. The carrier was informed. Their truck was stopped en route. Neither the driver nor the truck was contaminated although the offending nail extending from a pallet was found. The bottle had been punctured when its pallet was pushed against the one with the protruding nail. The vendor was informed and promised to review how hazardous materials were packaged for shipment.

The Chemical Hygiene Plan was changed to require received shipments to be transported to their destination using a cart rather than by carrying.

Ernie Lippert