Washington — In response to a latest hearth in a highschool chemistry laboratory that resulted in a number of accidents, the Chemical Safety Board is asking on colleges and educators to evaluation company steerage for lab and classroom work involving flammable liquids.
CSB states that though it isn’t investigating the Oct. 12 incident at Dinwiddie High School in Virginia, it’s paying homage to previous situations that prompted an incident investigation. In these circumstances, a person, as a part of a lab demonstration, poured the flammable chemical methanol from a bulk container onto flames. A flashback to the majority containers led to fires that brought about accidents.
Tips from the company:
- Don’t use bulk containers of flammable chemical compounds in academic demonstrations when small portions are enough.
- Implement strict security controls when demonstrations necessitate dealing with hazardous chemical compounds – together with written procedures, efficient coaching and the required use of applicable private protecting tools for all members.
- Conduct a complete hazard evaluation earlier than performing any academic demonstration.
- Provide a security barrier between the demonstration and viewers.
“Classroom demonstrations involving flammable chemicals can be important teaching tools, but they must be done safely,” CSB member and interim govt Steve Owens stated in a press launch. “We urge school administrators and teachers to review and follow the CSB’s safety lessons for these kinds of demonstrations so that no one is harmed by these preventable accidents.”
