DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY
TEACHING LAB EXPERIMENT RISK ASSESSMENT FORM
This form must be completed jointly by the Lab Officer in charge and the Lecturer in charge. A hardcopy of the completed form should be kept in a file together with the Project Risk Assessment.
Name of Lecturer in ChargeA/P Chuah Gaik Khuan / Name of Lab Officer in Charge
Toh Soh Lian / Module / Expt No.
CM3193/3194
Activity being assessed:
Inorganic Project Structural, Electrical & Magnetic Properties of Perovskite Ceramics
Known or expected hazards associated with the activity:
Hazards of reagents, solvents and known reaction products.
State each substance and the approximate amounts to be used/produced.
List of activities involved in this experiment which inevitably entail risks. The following are the activities being use:
1) Glass Apparatus. Refer to prepared risk assessment on Use of Glassware
2) Hotplate/Stirrer, Furnaces. Refer to prepared risk assessment on Use of Laboratory Heating Equipment
3) Vacuum Line. Refer to prepared risk assessment on Use of Reduced Pressure or Vacuum
4) X-Ray Powder Diffractometer. Refer to prepared risk assessment on
5) Electricity, Johnson Matthey Magnetic Balance. Refer to prepared risk assessment on Use of Standard Electrical Equipment
6) X-Ray Radiation. There isn’t any radiation detected outside the equipment. The radiation source is cut off once the main door of the equipment is open.
Calcium Nitrate Tetrahydrate: 4.72g
Contact with combustible material may cause fire.
Manganese (II) Nitrate Tetrahydrate: 17.22g
Contact with combustible material may cause fire. Property that cannot be excluded on the basis of structure-effect considerations: Methaemoglobinaemia with headache, cardiac arrhythmia, drop in blood pressure, dyspnoea, and spasma, key symptom: cyanosis (blue colouration of the blood).
Lanthanum Nitrate Hexahydrate: 13.42g
Contact with combustible material may cause fire.
Strontium Nitrate: 1.9g
Contact with combustible material may cause of fire.
1M Potassium Hydroxide: 600ml
Corrosive. Causes burns. Harmful.
Incompatible materials (special precautions):
Calcium Nitrate Tetrahydrate:
Substances to be avoided: Organic combustible substances, reducing agents, ammonium compounds.
Manganese (II) Nitrate Tetrahydrate:
Conditions to be avoided: Heating.
Substances to be avoided: Combustible substances.
Further information: Hygroscopic.
Lanthanum Nitrate Hexahydrate:
Conditions to be avoided: Strong heating.
Substances to be avoided: Reducing agents, combustible substances.
Strontium Nitrate:
Substances to be avoided: Combustible substances, metals in powder form, sulphur, oxidizable substances, polyvinyl chloride.
Further information: Polymerizable.
1M Potassium Hydroxide:
Acids, organic materials, acrolein, nitro compounds, chlorinated solvents, acid anhydrides, phosphorus, potassium, metals. Absorbs CO2 from air.
The risk of injury and its severity likely to arise from these hazards:
Calcium Nitrate Tetrahydrate:
Inhalation: Irritation symptoms in the respiratory tract.
Skin Contact: Slight irritations.
Eye Contact: Irritations.
Swallowed: Nausea and vomiting.
Systemic effects: The following applies to nitrites/nitrates in general: methaemoglobinaemia after the uptake of large quantities.
Manganese (II) Nitrate Tetrahydrate:
Inhalation: Mucosal irritation.
Eye Contact: Irritations.
Lanthanum Nitrate Hexahydrate:
Inhalation of vapours: Irritation symptoms in the respiratory tract.
Skin Contact: Irritations.
Eye Contact: Irritatant and caustic effects. Risk of corneal clouding. Risk of serious damage to eyes.
Swallowed: Irritations of mucous membranes in the mouth, pharynx, oesophagus and gastrointestinal tract.
Other notes: The following applies to nitrites/nitrates in general: methaemoglobinaemia after the uptake of large quantities.
Strontium Nitrate:
Ingestion of large amounts: Nausea, vomiting.
Other notes: The following applies to strontium compounds in general: only slightly absorbable via the gastrointestinal tract.
1M Potassium Hydroxide:
Harmful if swallowed, inhaled or absorbed through skin. Potassium hydroxide solution is extremely destructive to tissue of the mucous membranes and upper respiratory tract, eyes and skin. Inhalation may result in spasm, inflammation and oedema of the larynx and bronchi, chemical pneumonitis and pulmonary oedema. Symptoms of exposure may include burning sensation, coughing, wheezing, laryngitis, shortness of breath, headache, nausea and vomiting.
Who is at risk?
Persons handling the materials and as well as those present in the vicinity.
Measure to be taken to reduce the level of risk:
Proper laboratory attire and safety measures must always be used in order to reduce the level or risk. Material should be handled or transferred in an approved fume hood or with adequate ventilation Wash thoroughly after handling. Do not take internally. Eye wash and safety equipment should be readily available.
Eye protection: Chemical safety goggles.
Hand protection: Gloves.
Please refer to PSSO Safety Information Centre website on safety measures: http://www.chemistry.nus.edu.sg/PSSO/Safety.htm.
Training prerequisites:
This assessment should be read by everyone who will be using the above mentioned chemicals. Please refer to Completed Risk Assessment forms on Common Activities: http://www.chemistry.nus.edu.sg/PSSO/Safety/Risk/risk.htm#Common.
Level of risk remaining:
Constant vigilance is required by the users.
For X-Ray radiation, the level of risk is none (can not be detected by X-Ray radiation detector).
Emergency action if :
Spill:
Calcium Nitrate Tetrahydrate:
Avoid substance contact. Avoid generation of dusts; do not inhale dusts. Do not allow to enter sink. Take up dry. Forward for disposal. Clean up affected area.
Manganese (II) Nitrate Tetrahydrate, Lanthanum Nitrate Hexahydrate & Strontium Nitrate:
Avoid generation of dusts; do not inhale dusts. Do not allow to enter sink. Take up dry. Forward for disposal. Clean up affected area.
1M Potassium Hydroxide:
Evacuate area. Wear rubber boots and gloves. Absorb on sand or vermiculite and place in closed containers for disposal. Ventilate area and wash spill site after material pickup is complete.
Fire:Calcium Nitrate Tetrahydrate:
Suitable Extinguishing Media: In adaption to material stored in the immediate neighbourhood.
Special Risks: Non-combustible. Fire-promoting. Keep away from combustible materials. Development of hazardous combustion gases or vapours possible in the event of fire. The following may develop in event of fire: nitrous gases.
Other information: Contain escaping vapours with water.
Manganese (II) Nitrate Tetrahydrate:
Suitable Extinguishing Media: Water, CO2, foam, powder.
Special Risks: Non-combustible. Fire-promoting. Keep away from combustible materials. Development of hazardous combustion gases or vapours possible in the event of fire. The following may develop in event of fire: nitrous gases.
Other information: Contain escaping vapours with water.
Lanthanum Nitrate Hexahydrate & Strontium Nitrate:
Suitable Extinguishing Media: In adaption to materials stored in the immediate neighbourhood.
Special Risks: Non-combustible. Fire-promoting. Keep away from combustible materials. Development of hazardous combustion gases or vapours possible in the event of fire. The following may develop in event of fire: nitrogen oxides.
Other information: Contain escaping vapours with water.
1M Potassium Hydroxide:
Non combustible. Use extinguishing media appropriate to surrounding fire conditions. Do NOT use water.
Is the experiment suitable for out-of-hours operation ? Yes No
References if any:
http://www.chemdat.de/cdrl/catalog/standard/en/ (Cat no: 102121)
http://www.chemdat.de/cdrl/catalog/standard/en/ (Cat no: 105940)
http://www.chemdat.de/cdrl/catalog/standard/en/ (Cat no: 105326)
http://www.chemdat.de/cdrl/catalog/standard/en/ (Cat no: 107872)
http://www.psi-net.org/msds/pages/potassiumhydroxide1m.pdf
Signature of Lab Officer in Charge:……………………………………………………………….. Date:…………………………
Signature of Lecturer in Charge:………… ……………………………………..
Date:… ……………………..
Prepared Risks Assessments for standard equipment and operation are with the kind permission of Dr. Ken MacNeil, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol.
Activity being assessed:
Note any activity to be used which entail risk (e.g. use of glass vacuum apparatus, high pressures, high voltage, radiation, high temperatures). Give reference to any special protocols to be followed, and if appropriate attach copies to the risk assessment form. State any additional precautions taken to minimise risk.
Known or expected hazards associated with the activity:
FOR EACH CHEMICAL, read the MSDS and note:-
a) Particular hazards (e.g. highly toxic, carcinogenic, corrosive, flammable, pyrophoric, explosive, volatile, dust hazard). Note any dangerous combinations of properties (e.g. volatile and toxic).
b) Requirements for safe handling (e.g. fume cupboard, inert atmosphere, low temperature).
c) How to dispose of residuals
· Dispose to drain, with water dilution
· Neutralise, then to drain with suitable dilution
· To flammable liquid waste receptacle
· To non-flammable liquid waste receptacle
· Keep for recovery/recycling
· Keep for special disposal later (e.g. heavy metals)
· Double bag and dispose to dry waste
· Special procedure (specify)
Incompatible materials (special precautions)
Note any dangerously incompatible materials and hazards arising from contact of any reagents and substances used with common materials such as paper, benches, hoses, etc.
Measures to be taken to reduce the level of risk
Include hazards of previously unknown products.
Location of work – laboratory, open bench, fume cupboard
Level of risk remaining:
Likelihood and consequences of any accident or unforeseen events whilst carrying out the activity. When this has been done, choose the appropriate procedure:-
a) Close supervision and/or attendance of trained first-aider needed.
b) Specific approval of supervisor needed.
c) Training is needed prior-to or during the operations specified.
d) Training is complete and only general laboratory competence required.
e) No risk perceived.
Emergency action:
a) Any special requirements to deal with accidental spillage or leakage.
b) What to do in the event of accidental exposure (skin contact, inhalation, etc.).
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Printed on: 22 December 2004