LABORATORY CHEMICAL HYGIENE PLAN

Transcription

1 Page 1 LABORATORY CHEMICAL HYGIENE PLAN What is not a poison? All things are poison and nothing is without poison. It is the dose only that makes a thing not a poison - Paracelsus (15 th Century) As part of our Chemical Hygiene Plan for safe operation in our laboratories, students need to be aware of how to operate around chemical hazards in the laboratory. This document describes how some industrial and governmental standards are implemented in the Chemistry laboratories at Wenatchee Valley College. These materials are to help students perform safely in the Chemistry laboratories and to learn methods of safe operation in any laboratory. Wearing chemical safety goggles close toed shoes, and long pants to cover your skin, not wearing loose clothing, and tying long hair back are precautions all people must observe while in the Chemistry laboratories. These items along with appropriate use of ventilation hoods provide the protective equipment standards for use of all chemicals in the Chemistry laboratory. In addition students may choose to provide and wear laboratory coats, and/or gloves when appropriate. The following labeling information must be read to understand the terminology we will be using to communicate chemical hazards in chemistry laboratories. TO DETERMINE IF A CHEMICAL IS HAZARDOUS AND TO HANDLE HAZARDS CORRECTLY 1) Words on the label, such as CAUTION, WARNING, OR DANGER indicate a chemical is hazardous 2) Follow all safety information and procedures in your laboratory directions. 3) Ask your instructor or the laboratory technician if you have concerns or questions about safe handling of chemicals in the laboratory. 4) Check the SDS/MSDS for hazard information and get help from your instructor or the laboratory technician in interpreting the SDS/MSDS information.

2 Page 2 KEY HAZARD RATING ORGANIZATIONS: 1] NIOSH NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH 2] NFPA NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION 3] J.T. Baker CHEMICAL COMPANY (for college laboratories) All share a similar system of identification and labeling which includes 4 hazard categories which are color coded and a rating scale from 4 to 0. Hazard Code Color Rating Number and Key Words Health Defined as danger or toxic effect a substance presents if inhaled, ingested, or absorbed. Blue 4 Extremely Hazardous 3 Highly Hazardous 2 Moderately Hazardous 1 Slightly Hazardous 0 No Significant Hazard Flammability Defined as the susceptibility of a substance to burn. Reactivity Defined as the potential of a substance to explode or react violently with air, water, or other chemical substances. Special Defined as unusual reactivity, radioactivity, or other special characteristics. Red Yellow White 4 Extremely Hazardous 3 Highly Hazardous 2 Moderately Hazardous 1 Slightly Hazardous 0 No Significant Hazard 4 Extremely Hazardous 3 Highly Hazardous 2 Moderately Hazardous 1 Slightly Hazardous 0 No Significant Hazard Descriptive symbol (OXY) or 4 Extremely Hazardous 3 Highly Hazardous 2 Moderately Hazardous 1 Slightly Hazardous 0 No Significant Hazard Wenatchee Valley College is currently transitioning into the use of the recently developed Global Harmonized System (GHS). The GHS is designed to be used globally as a universal hazard identification system. At times you will encounter the Baker SAF-T-DATA TM labeling system and/or the Global Harmonized System. You should become familiar with both systems to ensure safe handling of chemicals while in the laboratory.

3 Page 3 Baker SAF-T-DATA TM Labeling System SAF-T-DATA TM is an easy-to-understand labeling system that provides vital safety information relevant to laboratory and production personnel. Using the SAF-T-DATA TM labeling system as a guide, you can quickly learn three things: The hazards each substance presents to your health and safety. The proper protective equipment needed to handle the substance. The recommended storage area. Hazard Information Rating Scale Extreme Severe Moderate Slight No Known Hazard Substances are rated on a scale of zero (no known hazard) to four (extremely hazardous) in each of four hazard categories: 1. Health Hazard Defined as the danger or toxic effect a substance presents if inhaled, ingested or absorbed. It is quantified using NIOSH guidelines for acute toxicity and various other sources for chronic health hazards including: - International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) - National Toxicology Program (NTP), Annual Report on Carcinogens - OSHA 2. Flammability Hazard Defined as the susceptibility of a substance to burn. It is quantified using National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) guidelines and is based on flash 1 and boiling points. 3. Reactivity Hazard Defined as the potential of a substance to explode or react violently with air, water, or other chemical substances. The SAF-T-DATA TM reactivity ratings are based on data from well known scientific references such as Bretherick, etc. and other expert sources. 4. Contact Hazard Defined as the danger a substance presents when exposed to skin, eyes, and mucous membranes. It is quantified from scientific data published by NIOSH and the Department of Transportation. 1 The flash point is the lowest temperature at which a substance will ignite with exposure to air and an ignition source. It is not to be confused with the autoignition temperature, which is the temperature at which a substance will burn spontaneously in air without a spark.

4 Page 4 Hazard Symbols When a hazard is severe (3 rating) or extreme (4 rating), symbols are used to emphasize and define the hazard. These symbols are easily recognized and most are used internationally. The hazard symbols used in the SAF-T-DATA TM labeling system include:

5 Page 5 The New GHS Compliant Labels The new labels must include six parts: Depending on the hazard severity of the chemical, each label will include at least one of these nine pictogram symbols:

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7 Page 7 Secondary chemical containers contain the following elements: To use the label information better you need to understand how a hazardous chemical may enter the body. The four main routes of entry are: 1] Absorption through the respiratory tract (lungs) through inhalation. This is the most important route in terms of severity. 2] Absorption through the digestive tract. This can occur through eating or smoking with contaminated hands or in contaminated work areas. 3] Absorption through the skin. This is the most common cause of occupational disease (dermatitis). 4] Percutaneous injection through the skin. This can occur through misuse of sharp materials, especially hypodermic needles. Toxic effects can be immediate or delayed; reversible or irreversible; local or systemic.

8 Page 8 The Global Harmonized System requires the replacement of Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) with Safety Data Sheets (SDS). SAFETY DATA SHEET (SDS) ITEM LIST Each item below must be provided on every SDS 1] Product or chemical identity on the label 2] Hazard(s) identification 3] Composition/Information on ingredients 4] First aid measures 5] Fire-fighting measures 6] Accidental release measures 7] Handling and storage 8] Exposure controls/ Personal protection 9] Physical and chemical properties 10] Stability and reactivity 11] Toxicology information 12] Ecological information 13] Disposal considerations (non-mandatory) 14] Transport information (non-mandatory) 15] Regulatory information (non-mandatory) 16] Other useful information Some Important SDS Definitions and Precautions to be Observed: CARCINOGEN: Substances which are suspected or known to cause cancer. Some may have threshold limits of exposure. Exercise extreme care when handling! Do not breathe vapors and avoid contact with skin, eyes, and protective equipment and using appropriate confining apparatus. CORROSIVE: Living tissue as well as equipment is destroyed on contact with these chemicals. Do not breathe vapors and avoid contact with skin, eyes, and clothing. Use suitable protective equipment. DANGER: Substances that have known harmful effects or which may have harmful effects, but have no available literature citing such effects. Treat as if these are the most dangerous chemicals that exist. There may or may not be serious hazards associated with these chemicals.

9 Page 9 SDS Definitions (cont.): EXPLOSIVE: Substances known to explode under certain conditions. Avoid shock (dropping), friction, sparks, and heat. Isolate from other chemicals which generate the hazard when spilled.in the vicinity FLAMMABLE: Substances which give off vapors that readily ignite under usual conditions. Spontaneously flammable- Avoid contact with air/flammable liquids, gases, vapors- Keep away from heat, sparks, or open flame- Sensitive to moisture- Keep dry. IRRITANT: Substances that have an irritant effect on skin, eyes, respiratory tract, etc. Do not breathe vapors and avoid contact with skin and eyes. LACHRYMATOR: Substances that have an irritant or burning effect on skin, eye or respiratory tract. These are dangerous in very small quantities (opening the cap has an immediate effect on eyes. Only open in the fume hood! Do not breathe vapors. Avoid contact with skin or eyes. Avoid heating. MUTAGEN: Chemical or physical agents that cause genetic alterations. Handle with extreme care! Do not breathe vapors and avoid contact with skin, eyes, and clothing. PEROXIDE FORMER: Substance which forms peroxides upon standing or when in contact with air. Many peroxides are explosive! Do not open bottle if a residue is present on the outside of the cap or inside of the bottle. POISON: Substances that have very serious and often irreversible effects on the body. Hazardous when breathed, swallowed, or in contact with the skin, and in sufficient quantity lead to death. Avoid contact with the body. When handling, use suitable protective equipment. TERATOGEN: Substances that cause the production of physical defects in developing fetus or embryo. Handle with extreme care! Do not breathe vapors and avoid contact with skin, eyes, and clothing. Use suitable protective equipment when handling. TOXIC: Substances which are hazardous to health when breathed, swallowed, or are in contact with the skin. There is danger of serious damage to health by short or prolonged exposure. Avoid all the contact with the body. When handling use suitable protective equipment. When a chemical container is labeled AVOID CONTACT, do just that, wearing the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). Avoiding contact is good practice for all laboratory chemicals, even if they are considered non-hazardous. For further information, consult the websites of the agencies listed at the top of page 2