A Novel Approach to Chemical Safety Instruction Suzanne R. Carpenter, Robert A. Kolodny, and Henry E. Harris Armstrong State College, 11935 Abercorn Street, Savannah, GA 31419 The general public is exposed daily in the mass media to buzz words such as asbestosis, PCB's, chemical waste management, and chemical carcinogens among countless others. These terms reflect the increasingly technological state of our industrial society. In particular, chemists and safety personnel need to be informed about chemical issues since these individuals are perceived by the public as responsible for chemical safety in the workplace and in the community. Reflecting this perception, with rapidly increasing frequency, references to legal liability in regard to corporate and institutional responsibility for damages have begun to appear in the chemical journals (I,2). In order to help train students as well as safety personnel in chemical safety procedures, a t Armstrong State College, a senior residential unit of the University System of Georgia in Savannah, a different approach to chemical safety instruction has been successfully implemented. This chemical safety course is unique in pedagogy (discussed below) and in student composition. Distinguishing characteristics of the college include the fact that the mean age of the undergraduate student body is 26 years (many of whom have full-time jobs) and there is a high local concentration of paper processing facilities, chemical manufacturing operations, research facilities, and a major port facility in Savannah. While most participants in our chemical safety source are enrolled for credit, the very important option exists for industrial supervisors, safety managers, and supervisory personnel to take this course on an audit basis. The prerequisites for the course are general chemistry and oreanic chemistrv. Alternatively, a two-quarter chemistry course sequence that topically covers inorganic, organic, and biochemistry may be taken by nonscience majors or nondegree-seeking industrial personnel who wish to take the course. In trying to find an approprinte text for the safety rourse, we and others (4.5) have wncluded that there is not a sin& suitable text. A compilation of tahles, graphs, diagrams, and appropriate journal articles accompany each lecture's notes. In addition. the instructor a ~ s-i r n slihrary research assign--ments each week as part of the course work. The table lists the t o ~ i c covered s in the course. These are similar to topics covered in other such courses or curricula previously described (3-7).However, features unique to this course are the required completion of five projects involving substantial literature research, demonstrations, and industrial guest speakers. The lectures are primarily general information gleaned from the literature and are intended to integrate rules and regulations and common sense. Fire fighting demonstrations on specific classes of chemical fires are performed by the local-fire department, and a demonstration involving cardiopulmonary resuscitation is given by the faculty of the Respiratory Therapy Department at Armstrong. Such emergency training will enable future lab supervisors (in academic or industrial settings) to avoid a "breach of duty" accusation-one of the elements required to prove legal negligence (2). From the table it is apparent that chemical safety students are subiected to a wide ranee of topics. "Risk assessment; ~ i s k ~ e n e f~iat t i o takes " i&o account common sense approaches to chemical safety. The student is taught to
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Journal of Chemical Education
Lecture Toplcs
Risk Assessment: RiskIBenefit Ratio Federal. State and Local Agencies Regulating Chemicals Lab and Personal Safety Equipment Labeling and Chemical Safety with Carcinogens and Conosives 5. Fire: Extinguishersand Flarnrnable/Explosive Chemicals 6. Chemical Storage 7. Hazardous Wastes and Disposal 8. First Aid and Accident Prevention 9. Legalities-Case Studies of Suits Involving Chemicals 1. 2. 3. 4.
assess the consequences of certain personal actions in everydav laboratorv situations. Topic 2 deals with numerous federal, state, and local agency rules and regulations involving chemical safetv. Students are exposed to label requirements and the reading of specific manuals. Topic 3 invohes laboratory and personal safety equipment as far as purchasing and using the equipment most effectively. At this point, Project I. "Safety Practices in the Chemical Laboratory" is assigned. Each st!;dent formulates n few general safety practice; for a freshman chemistrv lah, a student laboratory safety ayreement to follow the stated practices, and a safety test to be given to assess a freshman chemistry student's safety knowledge. The students are to complete this project using their chemical knowledge and the safety rules they have been taught through the years. This project helps chemistry students learn to anticipate the level of chemical safety knowledge of "new-comers" to a chemistry lab. This knowledge is important since the legal responsibility of a lab supervisor is greatly dependent upon the sophistication, maturity, age, and prior experience of the injured person (I). Topic 4 takes into account the labeling of specialized carcinogens, corrosives, and radioisotopic materials. Those planning to be or those already in medical fields find this topic most revealing. Physicians, dentists, and others in the health field often are faced with the handling and exposure to hazardous materials (8). . . In Proiect 11. the student has an upportunitv to display an understanding of the compilations ofchemical safetv data. This r~roiectis a "Harardoui Chemical Report". ~ a i student h i' assigned a class of hazardous chemicals and is asked to write a report that includes such things as the chemical reactions of the class, the chemical reasons for hazards of the chemical (if known), what type of exposure yields the hazard, the accepted limits of exposure, the tvne of nrotection required, the handling procedures, the label& mandated by caw, and the storage and disposal procedures. This report forces the students to become familiar with the available safety references both in the departmental safety library and the college library. When students discover the availability of information on many hazardous chemicals, they will not hesitate to use the literature to answer questions that may surface "on the job". Topic 5 is concerned with specialized chemical fire fighting techniques. Fires in chemical laboratories often produce toxic fumes quickly, making appropriate actions imperative (9). The risk of fire is minimized by a discussion of the handling of specific flammable chemicals and explosives. Chemical storage, both in industry and in laboratory settings, is then introduced in Topic 6. This topic is especially ~
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well-suited to those already responsible for this procedure in their everyday work situations. Topic 7 examines in detail hazardous wastes and their disoosal. Here. Proiect 111. which involves formulating a laboratory checklist and performing a laboratory inspection, follows lectures on labeling, storage, disposal, and fire safety that must be addressed on the checklist. Similar t o the lab insoection.. Proiect . IV involves the inspection of chemical storage areas. Topic 8, dealing with accident prevention and first aid, is next introduced with the appropriate demonstrations already mentioned. Finally, case studies of suits involving chemical negligence (Topic 9),are discussed. Again, community experts may be consulted for their expertise in legal matters. The last project is an oral presentation. Each student selects an approved topic that must be related to safety with chemicals. It can be a topic in the news, or it can be a presentation on a chemical or chemical class the student may he using a t work. Each student is given 10-15 min to make his or her oral presentation to the class, followed by a 5-min question/answer period. In conclusion, the outline of the course described illus-
trates the diversity of concerns in chemical safety and one approach to its instruction. In addition, this course exemplifies the integration of many individuals' expertise into a unified theme. Some of the topics covered in this course could be modified and integrated into high school or middle school science classes via guest speakers, out of class reports and discussions of safety prior to teacher demonstrations, andlor student exneriments. Armstrona- State College - as well as other educational institutions across the country have a wealth of'locill orranizations that can be called upon for expertise in matters dealing with chemical safety. very few educational institutions call upon them for help in educating students. The nation can little afford this waste of talent. Literature Cited 1. Gas%J. R . J . C h e m E d u r . 1990.67.51-Sh 2. Garr.J. R. J. C h m E d u c 1990.67.132-134.
W.H.: Munchauaen. L. L. J . Chrm.Educ. 1983,60,A296-A302. 1. Nichnllr, L. J. J. Chsm. Edue. 1982,S9.A?01-A304. S. Luwry. G. G. J . Chem. Educ. 1978.55. A235-A297 and A2694266. 6 . Green. M . E. J . Cham. Educ. 1974.61, Al.57-A1S9. 7. Tomhoulian. P : Brantley, L.J. J . Chem.Educ. 1980,57,A43445. 8. Farman. A. G.: Hine~.V.G.J.Danio1 Edur. 1986,i0.504-308. 9. Taylor, R.C.:Kolodny. R.A.: Wa1fers.D.R. SynrhInurdi. Met.-Org. C h e m 1973,3121. 175-179. 8. Corkern.
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