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nimbus8
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Safety equipment
Hey everyone, what would you recommend for general safety equipment. Now obviously there will be specific procedures for certain chemicals.
So far i have safety goggles, tyvek suit, and chemical resistant gloves.
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ElectroWin
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depends on what you're doing; fume hood, emergency shower, blast barriers,atropine, ...
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Variscite
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Im still wondering on what goggles are the best, ive been looking at Uvex ones. They seem nice.
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plante1999
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Faceshield. I got pretty bad marks WHILE I was wearing googles. Hot acid does not make healthy burns.
I never asked for this.
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violet sin
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I fully concur. face shield. don't forget an assortment of gloves latex, neoprene, nitrile. better than just one type if there is an overlooked
incompatibility part way into something. leather apron and gloves are great to have, but not always a necessity. respirator with replaceable
cartridges can be nice. the painters ones that filter out VOC's and some acids to certain levels are good.
after I spilled sulfuric acid on myself from being over confident I got a bunch of stuff. was ACE drain cleaner, and strong. made a little steam
when I sprayed water on it to was the stuff off. blisters the whole fun of it all. ate holes in my clothes and work tools when it splashed every
where. word to the wise, if you are working in a basement and have a normal metal door knob.... put something on the handle for grip. I almost had
to break down my door b/c the acid on my hands was dissolving skin and made for a horrible gripping surface. both hands as tight as I could muster (
work construction so got a good grip) BARELY opened the door. things to think about. don't get complacent with inadequate stop-gaps and just rely on
the " I just won't spill it" method, ok.
I mixed up 2 baking soda gallon jugs, with an inch of excess not dissolved on the bottom. set out a 5 gall pail of plain water with a lid. and a
metal bucket w/ sand and lid for overheating/flammable stuff. like stated above you have to base these on your level of skill and what you plan on
doing. I clearly needed a refresher course in safety before dealing with strong acids. thing was I have a pool and deal with hydrochloric all the
time so I got use to messing with it bare foot in shorts etc. but think of the best, plan for the worst and always try to have a back-up back-up.
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Mailinmypocket
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One of these... Costed me about $20, never had to use it but I keep it within reach when doing experiments. Safety goggles are obviously the first
line of defense but should you ever need to rinse your eyes this makes it a hell of a lot easier!
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confused
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for me
normal experiments:labcoat,goggles, long pants, covered footwear(for labwork only)
anything that produces hazzardous/irritant fumes:full face respirator(with appropriate cartridges) in addition with the other safety gear
hazardous cleanup:tyvek suit, shoe covers, full face respirator
i dont have a faceshield, i use my respirator in lieu of it, since its also impact resistant polycarbonate
also, don't have much in the way of eyewash or emergency showers
and yes, uvex goggles are pretty good, i use a pair for general labwork
[Edited on 4-8-2013 by confused]
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testimento
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- Goggles or preferably full face shield
- Full body protective clothing, preferably plastic lined to prevent instant decay on strong chemicals (chemical industry suits are cheap and best)
- Chemical gloves that endure all chemicals that are used in the process
- Full face gas mask with high quality chemical filter, suitable for chemicals involved in process
(Compressed air breathing source when operating in conditions that involve fumes that are not filtered or are in very high content, for ex. carbon
monoxide or large toxic chemical leak)
- Fume hood with powerful ex-proof line fan and activated carbon filter
liquid scrubbers are preferred when handling solid impurities and chemicals that are not filtered by ACF
- The working space should be fitted with leak pool linings and a drain valve which can be closed to prevent excessively hazardous or large amounts of
chemicals from getting into sewage system. The fume hood should have at least 50mm edge lined with PTFE or other inert sheet to contain all the leaks.
- Fireproofing equipment, including a water hose suitable for mass extinguishing, CO2 for electric materials or powder or foam applications. All
flammable materials should be contained within fireproof, contained metallic cabin and must be kept within good distance from workspace and all
chemicals that are not in use, should be kept off from the workspace to minimize the amount of burning material in case of accident. It's a good idea
to have the fume hood with a window that can be closed in case of fire or other trouble and make a hole on the wall to inject CO2 inside the hood to
distinguish the fire within seconds and contain all the fumes within. I once used this when the line fan caused ether vapors to caught fire and there
was one beaker of ether inside the fume hood that instantly caused large fire. The fume hood and everything inside it, including distilling apparatus,
survived intact due to quick response and the work was finished with success.
All electronic devices should have a single kill-switch in direction where the user can instantly switch the power off in case of accident to prevent
possible electric sparks from causing fire with easily combustible materials, or causing electric shock when extinguishing. Gas bottles must always be
kept at distance of several meters from the workspace so that they can be disconnected at once in case of accident.
The larger amounts of chemicals are involved, the more important the safety factors become. It's totally different to spill a 100ml beaker of ethanol
on a table than rupturing a barrel of ether. When I work on tabletop scale with maximum of a liter or two of non-toxic chemicals, I wear mostly only
goggles and gloves and choose clothes that won't catch fire easily, and with fuming chemicals I use full face gas mask. With these I have one powder
extinguisher within hand reach. When handling larger amounts of hazardous chemicals, I do other extra precautions, mostly consisting of improved
ventilation and firefighting measures.
If one handles explosive materials, there should also be another safety factor involving distance from occupied structures, immediate ice-cooling bath
in case of overrun reactions, and in case of storage, a good distance or a barrier of sand. I used to keep some detonators within box that was lined
with 30cm layer of sand. I tested the structure to withstand 50 grams blast of TNT with only a little "THUMP" upon detonation. This will also minimize
the risk that the state will find out your hobby. If possible, a remote control during synthesis behind a good blast barrier is always a good idea:
even gram-scale detonation of most explosives has enough force to drive glass and tool shrapnel through quite thick materials, including heavy
protective gear, and even larger amounts(scale of 100's of grams) are enough to cause instant fatality in all cases within few meters around workplace
regardless of personal safety gear.
For normal amateur chemist setup, simple rules:
-Wear face and glove protection and respirator if working with fuming stuff
-Make fire extinguisher ready
-Make sure there are no burning stuff around your workspace
-Make quick switch for all electronics and gases
-Always know the chemicals and reactions and possible side reactions of every chemical involved your experiments. Never do, if you don't fully know,
check several sources to correct information.
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Oscilllator
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Often doing the experiment outside can be just as good as a fume hood, especially if there is a breeze about. For example when distilling nitric acid
outside I almost never notice any NO2 smell, since its all carried away by the wind  .
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ElizabethGreene
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I am generally underequipped for safe work, and have limit my experiments because of it.
I use Nitrile gloves and Safety Goggles whenever I'm in the garage/lab. I have a box fan that provides more comfort than ventilation. Anything
noxious or toxic gets done out on the driveway or put on the list to do "later". My workbenches have a plywood top and are covered with clear
"contact paper" (a thin flexible plastic with an adhesive back)
For emergency response:
I have a gallon of water and a gallon of saturated Sodium Bicarbonate solution within arms reach. I also have an open box of Sodium Bicarbonate right
next to it. I have a bucket of wet sand available to douse fires.
Future work:
Cheap:
Dry sand is better than wet sand. I should spread this out to dry.
Bentonite Aka Cheap kitty litter would be good for absorbing liquid spills.
An Apron would be nice, as would a face shield.
I have an N95 mask, but a respirator would be better when dealing with powders like that sulfur I was working on.
Rope rings or wooden circles so I'll have a safe place to set down RBFs.
A panic button to bring assistance from in the house.
Not Cheap:
A proper fire extinguisher.
A fume hood or glove box of sufficient size to permit distillation and refluxing.
A heat and chemical resistant work surface with a backsplash to keep kit from falling behind the bench would be very nice.
A sink with running water and a drain would be fantastic!
An eye wash station.
More Shelves.
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Hexavalent
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Quote: Originally posted by Mailinmypocket  | One of these... Costed me about $20, never had to use it but I keep it within reach when doing experiments. Safety goggles are obviously the first
line of defense but should you ever need to rinse your eyes this makes it a hell of a lot easier!
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Does it come pre-filled with saline solution, or do you supply your own?
"Success is going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm." Winston Churchill
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Mailinmypocket
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It comes empty. You can buy the saline solution, but it expires after a month or so and is quite expensive. I just make my own saline and change it
every so often. At first I was curious to see if there would be any problems with mold and whatnot as there is no preservative but nope, no issues. I
was always under the impression that an eye wash was expensive (thinking of the wall mounted ones) but the standalone refillable bottle is quite
affordable to have at home.
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prof_genius
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You should get a first aid kit (with burn gel) and a eyewash.
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Tdep
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"A proper fire extinguisher"
Obviously CO2 extinguishers have their limitations, but are they still the best option? If not, what's the best fire extinguisher type for a home lab
setting?
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testimento
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CO2 is for electric fires and it leaves no residue to clean. It is an asphyxiant, so in contained spaces like small rooms even a small CO2
extinguisher can cause danger to persons.
Powder extinguishers are best for chem stuff, they can be cleaned off rather painlessly and they are quite powerful.
One should build a fume hood by himself if no used are not for sale. New ones cost easily a thousand bucks. I have 1500x700x1500mm fume hood made from
plywood and PC faceshield equipped with activated carbon filter or lye scrubber and line fan for highly toxic and dangerous materials.
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Tdep
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I might consider getting a powder one then, it sounds like a smart idea.
Also, has anyone had any experience with a Class D extinguisher? The metal fire fighting ones? Is it a waste of time for a home setting, like is it
just better to have a bucket of sand and some good running shoes?
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ElizabethGreene
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All this talk about an eye wash station and #@(@$# if I didn't get metal chips in my eye last night. :/
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bfesser
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<strong>ElizabethGreene</strong>, I hope your vision is alright! Please, tell us what happened, so we can try to avoid such mishaps in
the future.
I seemed to be cursed at my last job. I once got the phosphor powder from two fluorescent lamps <a href="viewthread.php?tid=10163#pid141731">in
my eyes</a>. Then there was the time I splashed bleach {NaOCl(aq)} in my eyes, only to find that the 'fixed' eyewash station still wasn't
working. And the time a large glass and steel clock fell off the wall and hit me in the face, glass first. Or the time I slipped on ice and fell
down the insanely steep serrated metal stairs to the roof hatch (like <a
href="http://www.cs.grinnell.edu/~walker/phase2/06-07-19/original-photos/stairs.jpg" target="_blank">these</a> <img
src="../scipics/_ext.png" /> and fractured my ankle. ...the time I electrocuted
myself with 220 VAC while on my back in a puddle of water... ...the multiple concussions, lacerations, burns, and electric shocks... ...and that
goddamn box cutter!
Needless to say, I performed a lot of hazardous tasks at that job. Surprisingly, I was the head of the store safety committee, and the one who always
insisted other people follow safety regulations and were aware of any hazards!
[Edited on 6.8.13 by bfesser]
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ElizabethGreene
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| Quote: | | I hope your vision is alright! Please, tell us what happened, so we can try to avoid such mishaps in the future. |
I was tapping a hole in an aluminum lawnmower deck spindle, and used compressed air to clean the chips. Some unexpected fluid/aerodynamics later and
I took two random bits of aluminum to the eye. I flushed it (and my shirt and the mower deck and the floor) with a gallon of distilled water. I am
undamaged.
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ScienceHideout
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I always say that the best personal protection is the knowledge of the chemicals you are working with, along with the reactions involved with them. If
you have this you will be 99.9% safe.
Of course, in addition you need a few things.
Goggles, gloves, a lab coat, ventilation device, and of course a sink. Sinks are for washing skin and eyes. I hear that those plastic eye washes are
not always good for everything. Regular flowing water is much better. I also have a portable showerhead that I can quickly attatch to the faucet in a
matter of seconds to drench myself if needed
P.S. Kitty litter is awesome
hey, if you are reading this, I can't U2U, but you are always welcome to send me an email!
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bfesser
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[thred-rez] Not a good plan. You'd be surprised how difficult it is to accomplish simple tasks or even complete basic coherent thoughts when
your hair is on fire, your face is covered in splattered lye, or you're temporarily blinded by bleach—speaking from experience. If it
involved threaded connections; you'd be fucked. I prefer something you can find while drunk, blindfolded, and wearing earplugs; where you can just
smash a huge paddle, stomp on a peddle, or pull a giant lever to get drenched in life and limb saving water.
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Pyro
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bfesser, I just read your accidents, seems like you are just about as lucky as I am.
My family has especially bad luck with electricity, I have been shocked twice with 380VAC, once while standing in a ft. of water, twice with 220VAC in
one day and a few times with 24VDC.
not to mention my dad who got a whole 10 000V from a radar in the coast guard.
all above information is intellectual property of Pyro.  |
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bfesser
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Hehe. I re-read that post myself this morning. Those are just the accidents I could recall offhand and specific to working at that job! I hesitate
to label myself as accident prone, because I'm generally quite safe and meticulously cautious and careful about things, but accidents and injuries
just seem to be attracted to me. Perhaps it's because I'm always so active in interacting with broken machines and investigating failures.
True fact: among other interesting things (gravel deeply embedded in tissue and what the doctor thought was a broken off pencil lead?) you would see
(I have seen) on an x-ray of my left hand (I'm heavily right-handed) are strange marks on several bones. The cause? Drills. Yeah, I've been dumb
enough to hold something in one hand, and use a drill on it with the other... more than once!!! I guess I'm not good at learning from some of my
mistakes; but at least I'm physically resilient and good at healing.
I've actually been told <em>many many many times</em> that I was bleeding profusely from a head wound or other such injury that I hadn't
even noticed. Other people tend to inform me when I'm injured, rather than me finding out for myself.
Pro-tip: good quality (not the 99¢ rolls) vinyl electrical tape is better than Band-Aid®s—and much more
economical—for cuts on hands from box-cutters, etc.
[/rambling]
[Edited on 2.11.13 by bfesser]
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Pyro
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ouch, never had a drill accident before, sounds painful! Can bone damage not be very bad in some cases?
hmm, I have burnt myself way too many times, I've cut off the first 3mm of my index finger with a machete, there was that time I was trimming my nails
in bed with my pocket knife only to lose it and be too lazy to get up and look for it, the next morning withe my white sheets not looking so white
anymore, the time I cut my finger to the bone, the time the hatch fell on my head, pushing my forehead into the steel edge, I have a 3cm scar between
my eybrows, or when a horse threw me and I got a galloping hoof on my knee on the way down and couldn't walk for a week
not an accident, but something pretty funny: When I was young and my parents were building the boat I was playing around in the engine room, once the
main engine
was in place, they noticed a bolt was missing from the generator. When asked I gave the vague answer "in the main engine". they pulled apart the
entire engine again, but found it in the cylinder head
I find that flesh sticks together pretty well once the blood has stopped flowing.
all above information is intellectual property of Pyro. |
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bfesser
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Actually, I hadn't noticed that I drilled into my hand until I saw every object I'd handled covered in bright red blood. With a sharp enough drill
bit, I didn't even feel it.
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