Dear Group,
Please note the sections highlighted below. More laptop thefts and a fire
drill (see appropriate map and dress warmly!).
Anna B. Shin
Laboratory Administrator | Aspuru-Guzik Research Group
Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology | Harvard University
12 Oxford Street | Cambridge, MA 02138
617.496.9964 office | 617.694.9879 cell | 617.496.9411 fax
http://aspuru.chem.harvard.edu/
<https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=e7480c62f0&view=att&th=12eee19970eeefe4&attid=0.0.2&disp=emb&zw>
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Mathieu Lalonde <LALONDE(a)fas.harvard.edu>
Date: Fri, Oct 28, 2011 at 1:58 PM
Subject: [CCB_Staff] Safety Committee Meeting Notes: October 2011
To: #List-CCB-Faculty <faculty(a)chemistry.harvard.edu>du>, #List-CCB-Staff <
staff(a)chemistry.harvard.edu>gt;, postdocs(a)chemistry.harvard.edu,
gradstudents(a)chemistry.harvard.edu, othergradstudents(a)chemistry.harvard.edu
Dear members of the CCB community,
Pasted below are the notes from October's Safety Committee Meeting.
Best regards
Mathieu Lalonde
CCB Science Safety Officer
*Safety Committee Meeting Notes: October 2011*
* *
*Accidents in CCB*
A small fire ignited while a graduate student was working up a hydrogenation
catalyzed by palladium-on-carbon. Upon completion of the hydrogenation, the
researcher performed 3 vacuum/purge cycles with anhydrous nitrogen gas prior
in order to eliminate any remaining hydrogen gas and reduce the risk of
ignition during filtration. The palladium-on-carbon was filtered through a
sintered glass funnel covered with Celite® 545. The filter cake was
subsequently washed with wet methanol and covered with sand. The contents of
the funnel were dumped into a waste container and covered with more sand. A
fire was ignited when the researcher attempted to transfer a minute amount
of residual palladium-on-carbon from the funnel to the waste container. The
fire was quickly extinguished with a dry chemical fire extinguisher. No one
was injured during the incident and there was no damage to the facility.****
The researcher performing the reaction was well aware of the precautions
required to safely handle palladium-on-carbon. The safety office recommends
making a wet slurry, by adding water to the palladium-on-carbon Celite® 545
mixture, prior to transferring the spent palladium-on-carbon to a waste
container.****
** **
** **
*Safety Orientation Checklist*
Findings from the RMAS audit of safety programs on the Harvard campus,
including CCB’s, as well as a recent CSB
report<http://www.youtube.com/user/USCSB>regarding fatal accidents in
the laboratory make it abundantly clear that
safety orientations and trainings must be adequately documented. Most
research groups in CCB already perform safety orientations for new members.
The Safety Office recommends using the attached Safety Orientation Checklist
to keep a record of safety walkthroughs and ensure that every group member
has basic knowledge of the facility’s safety features as well as required
safety
training<http://www.uos.harvard.edu/ehs/training/TARA_Cambridge_Lab_Rese…df>.
** **
** **
*Hazardous Waste Management*
Researchers in CCB are becoming increasingly complacent with basic hazardous
waste management. The Safety Office would like to remind researchers that
caps must be tightly screwed and eco-funnels snapped shut when waste is not
being added to a container. Funnels are not adequate caps. Open containers
expose researchers to solvent vapors and are a fire hazard.
** **
The Safety Office would like to remind researchers how to properly complete
hazardous waste tags:
• Chemical formulas are not acceptable on hazardous waste tags. The contents
of the waste must be spelled out and accompanied with an approximate
percentage of total waste.
•At least one hazard box must be checked.
•The date should only be written on the label on the day the waste is being
moved to the main accumulation area for pick up and disposal by Triumvirate.
Otherwise, there should be no date on the label.
•The information (room number, PI, phone number) at the bottom of the label
must be filled out.
** **
** **
*Laptop Thefts*
Two laptop thefts in CCB have recently been reported. We ask that all
researchers be vigilant with regards to locking laptops and keeping valuable
possessions out of sight. Researchers should not hesitate to address
strangers and ask if they need assistance. The Harvard University Police
should be contacted if an individual is suspected of theft.
* *
* *
*Fire Drills*
The Safety Office would like to announce that a fire drill will be taking
place in the CCB complex on Monday October 31st between the hours of 11:30
am and 1:00 pm. Do not plan any experiments that need constant monitoring
during this time. The halls and labs will be monitored during the fire drill
and we ask that everyone participate by evacuating the building and
congregating in the appropriate meeting sites (see red stars on map below).
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