Electrical systems are very prone to fire if a circuit is overloaded. Just think about how your toaster oven at home works, that is the same principle that may cause an overloaded circuit to ignite! Building electrical is engineered with many fail-safes that prevent this from happening such as breakers, circuit and wire size guidelines, and GFCIs. But these breakers only protect up to the wall, nothing past. For these reasons, extension cords and outlet splitters are not allowed. If you need more power, use a UL Approved surge protector with a switch on it. And make sure these are plugged directly into the wall!
Incident Spotlight-Electrical Shock during Phone Assisted Troubleshooting of Lab Equipment
A researcher was on the phone with a service vendor, trying to troubleshoot an issue with an XRD instrument. When they discovered a circuit board that was in the way and needed to be moved. When the researcher grasped the circuit board, he immediately felt a strong electric shock, even though the XRD was unplugged. You can read the full publication here.
What do you think happened? How could this accident have been avoided?
Wear Lab Appropriate Clothing
As the weather begins to get warmer and the sun is out longer, students and researchers may begin dressing in warmer clothes that may not be appropriate for the lab. Remember, a Lab Coat is not a substiture for shorts and sandals! You must always wear full length pants, closed toed shoes, and a full length shirt in the lab, no matter how warm it is out!
Hydrofluoric Acid (HF) First Aid
EH&S has recently replaced the stock of Calgonate gel across campus for those labs that use and store Hydrofluoric Acid (HF), which presents the perfect time to remind lab members of the general information and first aid measures necessary for using this highly toxic and corrosive material.
HF is unique in the hazmat world, as it is referred to as the “Bone Seeker”- meaning that the fluoride ions in the acid absorb rapidly through soft tissue and readily bond with the calcium in our bones and bone marrow, leading to both skin corrosion and acute toxicity hazards. “Calgonate” (calcium gluconate) is to be used as a first aid measure in the event of dermal exposure to HF, as it is formulated to combine with HF and neutralize these fluoride ions.
In the event of a known or potential exposure to HF:
Immediately rinse the exposed area with copious amounts of water in either a safety shower or sink, removing contaminated clothing and jewelry from the impacted areas, for at least 5 minutes.
Dry area quickly and, wearing non-contaminated nitrile gloves, apply Calgonate gel onto the affected area and massage into the skin.
Contact UPD (x7-2222) for EMS response. All HF exposures must get medical treatment immediately.
Be sure to know where the Calgonate gel is located in your lab before handling HF. Additional inventory of the gels are located at the Science Stores and with EH&S.
This newsletter is published the first Monday of each month. If you have suggestions for topics please send them to us!
