1 vrije Universiteit amsterdam

Chemical Safety

Chris Slootweg

2 vrije Universiteit amsterdam

Laboratory Safety

Safety Rules and Recommendations

Read ‘the yellow book’ !

Laboratory Safety Rules

Available in print (dutch)

in every lab

pdf/EPUB on every PC

Web version

• English

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Safety videos, see: http://www.youtube.com/user/scheikundefarVU

(see: veiligheid op het lab)

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Finding your way around

Lab-eldest will give a lab-tour

All equipment comes with a manual

Equipment must be validated by

the electronics department

The laboratory

You must read and understand the manual before

using any piece of equipment!

Finding your way around

Lab-eldest will give a lab-tour

All equipment comes with a manual

Equipment must be validated by

the electronics department

Locate your safety tools!

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Fire extinguisher training

Location: Fire Brigade VU University

Subscribe

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Laboratory

In the Lab

Work neatly

No solvents/chemicals on the bench

Order and archive your paperwork

Friday afternoon lab/bench-cleaning

Your fume hood is not a stockroom

• Keep chemicals / waste to a minimum

Keep your fumehood and

bench tidy!

• optimal ventilation & safety

[experience the N2 flow]

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Laboratory

Chemicals

Dispose chemicals of poor quality

Understand your reaction!

Know the (side)products

What are the dangers?

Transport chemicals in a bucket

Always check the H-phrases

Learn to recognize the

hazard symbols

Some information about

specific chemicals

Safety letters C&EN

MSDS sheets

app (free): Chemical Safety Data Sheets

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Laboratory

Practical matters

Notify your colleague when doing a special reaction!

Your colleagues must know what to do when your reaction

becomes a safety hazard

Communicate your presence in the lab, adjust working

hours when needed

Per two lab cluster:

- At least two people present - At least one supervisor

No-one works without a colleague present!

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Liquid waste

Dispose liquid waste immediately

Know the dangers of your chemical waste!

• Quench / destroy reactive compounds in

a sensible manner

• Which waste goes into which container?

Waste

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Liquid waste

Pay attention to possible reactions when emptying your

waste container

Never close a waste container after using it!

Wait at least 1 hr. [pressure build-up]

Waste

Solid Waste

Dry / evaporate traces of solvent

in your fume hood

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Chemisch Afval

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Handling the N2 tank

Always refill the tank when empty

Get instructions from

your supervisor

Use the service elevator at M [1083]

Follow the elevator protocol

Never join the tank in the

elevator (asphyxiation)

Follow the instructions at the refill

station [NL only]

Liquid N2 tank

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Safety Flyer

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Evacuation at OC

In case of…

Follow instructions of the Evacuation Officer

• EO can be recognised by the orange armlet

• E.g. Staff, PD, PhD, student that takes the responsibility

Evacuate labs and offices properly (=safe)

• Notify the EO if someone is missing

Close all doors (don’t lock them) + dim the lights

• bring your belongings (jacket, rug sack, purse, keys)

Gather in the group room

Collectively, we go outside -> restaurant main building

Evacuation Officer will sign off our section at the assembly

point (conference desk, main building)

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What to do before entering the OC lab?

Refresh your laboratory operations knowledge

Part V of Multiscale Operational Organic Chemistry, 2nd ed, John W. Lehman)

Read up on Schlenk-line techniques

Advanced Practical Inorganic and Metalorganic Chemistry (R. John Errington)

Chapters 2 – 5, 6.1-6.3,6.5, 7, 8, 11, 12.4.2, 12.5 & 12.8

Read Laboratory Safety Rules (Yellow booklet)

Read additional Safety/Instruction Documents

Read the equipment manuals

First analyze the protocols

Read again before using the equipment

Get instructions on stills & glovebox usage

Read through the ppt Chemistry@OC + all hyperlinks

Arrange access to OC-server (Helpdesk)

No labwork before completing the above (week 1)

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Chemical Safety

Chris Slootweg