Sources of Safety Information

Information on laboratory safety is available from many places. The public library usually has material on federal, state, and local safety regulations. The Index to Books in Print, also available at libraries, lists all material published by subject, author, and title. Scientific book publishers will be glad to add new names to their mailing lists for announcements of new publications on safety. 

Professional organizations, such as the American Chemical Society, have published information on safety. Professional journals often carry safety articles, including stories about laboratory accidents of types not formerly experienced. 

The local building department will have information on local requirements, and the local fire department will give helpful advice and call attention to special regional restrictions. 

Insurance companies also frequently have experts on the staff from whom valuable knowledge may be obtained. Before writing a policy, they may want to go over the laboratory s operation with a fine tooth comb. 

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The remainder of this appendix contains discussions of several safety issues pertinent to physical chemistry and a brief description of safety equipment. Such information serves as a starting point for safe laboratory practices. The authors do not claim that this treatment includes a discussion of every conceivable hazard or establishes legal standards for safe behavior in the laboratory. The primary literature and specialized sources of safety information should be consulted. An extensive list of such sources is given at the end of this appendix. 

Despite all that has been written about the workers behavior being the basic cause of the majority of accidents, the worker is in reality the person with the most knowledge about the workplace, work activities, and workplace risks. The worker is the expert and may have many years of experience doing a particular job, so why not consult him or her about the risks of the job and how to make it safer Perhaps we are so busy trying to fix the worker to prevent the accident that we have overlooked him or her as a source of safety information. A good policy is that if in doubt, ask the expert, and by speaking to the worker you will be speaking to the expert. 

Sources of safety information, safety programs, and literature include the following ... 

TABLE 13-2 Select Sources of Safety Information, Standards and Regulations for Machines and Tools... 

And, of course, do not forget about MSDSs. MSDSs are great sources of safety information and should be read, not just filed away. 

Students in CHEM 1000 were first introduced to the MSDS as a source of safety information in a Safety Handout (5) that is given out in all laboratory classes. This handout covers general University and Department safety policies, and includes a brief description of the nature of a MSDS. This description was adapted from that given in Section III.2.2 oiSafety in Academic Chemistry Laboratories. 

Each chapter starts with a description of the topic covered in the chapter. This is followed by a short example highlighting a reported incident involving a batch reaction system. The case study is followed by a listing of key issues and process safety practices unique to the topic. The issues and concerns presented in this book, as well as potential design solutions and sources of additional information are presented in the tables. This format concisely conveys the necessary and relevant information in a familiar and convenient format. The organization of the tables is described below. 

The book does not focus on occupational safety and health issues, although improved process safety can benefit each area. Detailed engineering designs are outside the scope of the book. This book intends to identify issues and concerns in batch reaction systems and provides potential solutions to address these concerns. This should be of value to process design engineers, operators, maintenance personnel, as well as members of process hazards analysis teams. While the book offers potential solutions to specific issues/concerns, ultimately the user needs to make the case for the solutions that best satisfy their company s requirements for a balance between risk reduction and cost. In many instances the book provides one or more sources of additional information on the subject which could be of value to the reader. 

Safety Data Sheets, MCA, Washington. The whole series of 101 sheets was withdrawn in 1980, but remains a useful source of collected information on basic industrial chemicals. 

A wide variety of possible sources of published information has been scanned to ensure maximum coverage. Primary sources have largely been restricted to journals known to favour or specialise in publication of safety matters, and the textbook series specialising in synthetic and preparative procedures. 

Another source of design information is the accident reports made after an accident. They give valuable information of the possible weaknesses that can occur in unit operations, while they are used for certain purposes. In the past many of the unit operations have shown their adverse characteristics. This information is mainly collected to accident reports and included to safety standards. Accident reports tell us for example ... 

Physical data can provide a source of valuable information for investigators. Investigators should not only consider the process system itself, but also control, safety, support, auxiliary, and adjacent systems as part of the analysis. When examining physical data, typical items of interest include ... 

Today, in the United States, there are numerous sources of drug information, including the Physicians Desk Reference (PDR), which is an industry-supported reference. The PDR contains information identical to that contained in package inserts. No comparative information on efficacy, safety, or cost is included. PDR versions covering both trade name protected and generic preparations are available. 

Sources of Helpful Information for Chemical Process Safety... 

Several sources of address information were used, including the VA compensation and pension files, records at the St. Louis Military Personnel Records Center, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (which can obtain current address information from the Internal Revenue Service on persons with occupational exposure to possible health risks), and a commercial tracing agency. Addresses of 5,620 volunteers, or 88% of those not known to be dead, were obtained. Of these addresses, 624 (11%) were reported by the U.S. 

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