Risk management: A growing concern in university chemistry

~afetyin the chemical laboratory

edited by

MALCOLMM. RENFREW University of Idaho Idaho 83843

MOSCOW,

Risk Management A Growing Concern in University Chemistry Laboratories Edward W. Orr 616 Gerald Ct. l-A. Midland, MI 46640

William K. Ghee 8202 Whippoorwill, Waco, TX 76710 Risk management in university chemistry laboratories is both an important and an often misunderstood subject. I t is often confused with safety management or with the purchase of insurance. It includes each of these, hut is much broader and involves the determination as to how to properly treat exposures which may produce penanal injury or property damage. Injury to people and damage t o personal property or laboratories must always be considered as a possibility. The following illustrates the im~ortanceof not overlookine even obvious hazards: Forrxamplr, a st d e n t rom~rlainrdto the iusrructw. '.Every tiuc 1 rry the h u m rang test for nitrates.. m\, . finger> Irurn!" The instructor knew that the procedure called for pouring concentrated sulfuric acid "carefully down the side of the test tube," but never dreamed that the student would think that meant the outside. Every experienced teacher knows such sad stories.' ~

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Any organization may incur excessive euPenses or suffer a major financial loss if the exposures t o loss are not properly managed. In our saciety today, awards of over $1million for negligence are no longer unusual occurrences. This article has three basic purposes: to define risk management and discuss alternatives t o treating exposures facing those operating chemistry laboratories, to indicate how two Virginia universities did or did not apply the risk management concept to their laboratory settings, and to identify potential sources of information on this subject. We know of no other articles directly relating t o this topic and feel that those who work in chemistry laboratories should he familiar with the risk management concept and process. A risk management program deals with "pure" risks (situations faced by an organization that involves such events as destruction of a business building or a legal liability judgment). If these risks are properly man-

aeed. .. . it will contribute to the financial stalility ofthr organmtim. K ~ s kmanngrmrnt in\olvr\ the rnin~muationuf the ndvrrce cmwqumrrb