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Chapter 11
Responsible Conduct in Chemical Safety and Security Practices in South Asia Ellene Tratras Contis,*,1 Uzma Ashiq,2 Shazma Massey,3 Sammia Shahid,4 and Amita Verma5 1Department
of Chemistry, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, Michigan 48197, United States 2Department of Chemistry, University of Karachi, Karachi 75270, Pakistan 3Department of Chemistry, Forman Christian College, Lahore 54600, Pakistan 4Department of Chemistry, University of Management & Technology, Lahore 54770, Pakistan 5Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology & Sciences, Allahabad 211007, India *E-mail:
[email protected] Comprehensive training in chemical safety and security is a worldwide need. The ability to bring representatives from all fields in the chemical enterprise together to learn and to share best practices is worthy and timely. Many universities in South Asia are striving to network to teach their students these best practices in chemical safety and security. Examples of workshops instituted through the Global Chemists Code of Ethics (GCCE) initiative (https://www.opcw.org/news/article/ a-new-opcw-report-brings-chemical-safety-and-security-bestpractices-to-your-fingertips/), (https://www.opcw.org/file admin/OPCW/ICA/ICB/OPCW_Report_on_Needs_and_Best_ Practices_on_Chemical_Safety_and_Security_Management V3-2_1.2.pdf), (http://www.iccss.eu/) hosted by the American Chemical Society (ACS) through the Office of International Activities (OIA) and the International Activities Committee (IAC) and funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Chemical Security Program (www.csp-state.net/), (www.csp-state.net/ grants-funding/) will be described. These facilitators were © 2018 American Chemical Society Tratras Contis et al.; Responsible Conduct in Chemistry Research and Practice: Global Perspectives ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2018.
trained either at the first GCCE workshop in Kuala Lumpur in April 2016 or at the last GCCE workshop in Melbourne, Australia in July 2017. The instituted workshops were conducted at universities in India and Pakistan.
Introduction ACS provides a valuable forum that gives opportunities to chemists, chemical engineers, and chemical educators worldwide to not only become aware of the latest trends in chemistry, but also to make use of opportunities for intellectual and professional growth and research in their respective fields. International members of the ACS, especially, avail themselves of the opportunities to be part of workshops and conferences in different countries, as well as in the U.S. These workshops bring chemists together to network and present novel ideas to share with faculty, students and laboratory staff at various universities in India and Pakistan. In this chapter, the corresponding author and immediate past chair of the ACS-IAC invited some participants from South Asian universities to share their experiences of participating in the GCCE workshops. These participants were tasked to develop and implement chemical safety and security workshops in their home universities. Examples of these successful workshops on chemical safety and security will be described. The outcomes of these workshops will be reported and testimonials of the participants and experiences of the facilitators will be shared.
Report of Dr. Uzma Ashiq, University of Karachi The workshop on Chemical Laboratory Safety and Security, sponsored by the American Chemical Society, was held on November 11, 2017. The organizing secretary and presenter of the workshop was Dr. Uzma Ashiq. This report summarizes various sessions on safety and security; a discussion of relevant case studies, videos, and activities; and demonstrations of personal protective equipment (PPE), spill control materials, and a fire protection drill. More than 400 participants expressed interest to join the workshop. Because of the lack of space, only 300 participants could be accommodated. The workshop was conducted in the auditorium of the Department of Chemistry, University of Karachi, Pakistan. The second workshop was conducted on December 14, 2017, in the same place with 104 participants. The module used in both workshops was “Chemical Laboratory Safety and Security.” The objective of the workshop was to provide awareness of safety in academia and industry in order to protect personal health and the environment. Security was the second focus of the workshop. A conscious attempt was made to share good laboratory practices and to fill chemical safety and security gaps among practicing chemists, chemical engineers, 158 Tratras Contis et al.; Responsible Conduct in Chemistry Research and Practice: Global Perspectives ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2018.
and local and regional chemical organizations. There was an overwhelmingly positive response from the audience. The Chemical Society of Pakistan launched an effective advocacy campaign for this workshop through emails to members. For further promotion of the workshop, notices were posted on the bulletin boards of the biochemistry, applied chemistry, and chemical engineering departments at the University of Karachi. Social media was also used to publicize the workshop. The audiences of the workshop included: • • • • • •
Graduate students Undergraduate students Faculty members Lab employees Members of the Chemical Society of Pakistan Chemists from other chemical organizations
At the time of registration, participants were provided a folder bag with writing pads and pens. The workshop started with a comprehensive introduction of the American Chemical Society with an emphasis on its services for chemists all over the world. This was followed by best practices training in safe chemical management, chemical hazards, chemical storage, chemical waste disposal, and emergency response to spills and fires. An awareness of chemical threats was also introduced among practicing chemists and chemical engineers. It was emphasized that without chemical safety and security, we all are at risk. The presenter taught the Global Chemists’ Code of Ethics to the paticipants. It was a very healthy activity for the scientific community at large. Lab accidents can happen because of a lack of safety measures. A few relevant case studies were discussed through the playing of videos that addressed the challenges faced by researchers and educators in developing countries. Even when safety protocols are followed, emergencies can happen in the laboratory. Therefore, it is essential to know what to do in case of an accident. Case studies about the lab accidents of Sheri Sangji (1–4) at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) in 2008 and Professor Karen Wetterhahn (5–8) at Dartmouth College, New Hampshire in 1996 were discussed. It was explained that in the case of Sheri Sangji, who was a 23-year-old lab technician, the lab accident occurred when pyrophoric tertiary butyl lithium spilled and flashed. She was not wearing a protective lab coat, and her clothing caught fire. A second case study was presented about Professor Karen Wetterhahn who died due to mercury poisoning. She used dimethyl mercury in her experiment and accidentally spilled a drop or two of the colorless liquid on her latex gloves. However, later on, it was found that latex gloves offered no protection from the dimethyl mercury and that heavier laminated gloves should be used when working with toxic chemicals. This activity was followed by a live demonstration of spill control materials and different types of protective gloves and other personal protective equipment (PPE). It was reiterated that proper personal protective equipment and garments should be used when working with chemicals or in an area with hazards. 159 Tratras Contis et al.; Responsible Conduct in Chemistry Research and Practice: Global Perspectives ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2018.
In the activity session, participants shared incidents that happened at their institutions involving chemicals, their causes, and measures taken to prevent them in the future. One example incident was narrated by one of the workshop participants, Dr. Rifat Ara Jamal. “She used thionyl chloride in her experiment without safety glasses during her Ph.D. research in 2006. Unfortunately, the fume hood was also non-functional. On the very same day, she had severe irritation in both her eyes and later it was found that the eye layer was damaged. It took more than 15 days to fully recover from this injury” (9). A fire protection drill session was conducted during the workshop in collaboration with Dr. Ismail Vohra, Director of Sales and Marketing, and his team from the chemical organization Musaji Adam & Sons. The fire alarm was sounded and the participants were instructed on how to evacuate and exit safely. During the session, hands-on training was given, and several participants practiced how to use fire extinguishers. The fire protection drill session was followed by an awareness session regarding the dual use of chemicals, like cyanide, ammonium nitrate, potassium chlorate, and chlorine. The negative use of chemicals as weapons or for other destructive purposes was emphasized. It was discussed that scientists are the first line of defense in protection, as one chemical alone cannot make a weapon. The emphasis was on the role of the person with expertise in the use of chemicals as weapons, so material and knowledge are required to use chemicals for harm. Scientists hold sensitive knowledge that others can use for harm, so chemists have a great responsibility in this regard. Examples included the Bali, Indonesia bombing and the use of potassium chlorate in 2002 (10), and attacks with pesticides in Afghanistan in 2012 (11, 12). Further effective chemical security was explained, which involved the use of Physical Protection Systems (PPS) and descriptions of kinds of chemical facilities that need protection and why. It was concluded that chemical safety and security are inextricably related. The aim of both is protection of the environment and of us. A review of the current situation of safety and security in all chemical facilities in Pakistan was discussed, along with any possible measures to ensure the proper use and handling of chemicals. At the end of the workshop, feedback from the participants was gathered using a questionnaire with multiple types of questions. An overall rating along with a summary of the responses, comments, and suggestions are found in Table 1. Additional constructive comments and suggestions follow. Attendees appreciated and showed keen interest in the entire workshop. They suggested that laboratory management should ensure safe procedures and regular audits and to take extraordinary measures to develop the culture of safety and security. The audience appreciated this program very much. They enjoyed the presentations, as well as the live demonstrations of PPEs, spill control materials and the fire protection drill. The case studies session was highly rated. A majority of participants commented that the workshop was very educational to them because they had never attended this type of workshop. They wanted to get a chance to attend other such workshops. One interesting comment came from an undergraduate student who wanted the workshop instructor to slow down and keep the information on the slide longer so participants could finish writing down their notes. 160 Tratras Contis et al.; Responsible Conduct in Chemistry Research and Practice: Global Perspectives ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2018.
Table 1. Data of Testimonials Testimonial
Overall rating
Suggestions/Comments
a) Faculty 95
The chemical safety and security should be a part of our curriculum.
100
These types of workshops must be at the start of the semester for all students, staff, and faculty.
100
The laboratory management should provide SOPs and PPEs to all students.
90
Handouts of the workshop should be provided at the start of the workshop.
98
In workshop, online webinar should be included from any representative of ACS.
100
The workshop was comprehensive. It was great for community and environment.
90
These types of workshops must be repeated once in a year to recall it.
91
Hands-on training must be a part of future workshops.
b) Graduate students
c) Undergraduate students
d) Industry scientists
The workshop concluded with the certificates distribution ceremony and refreshments. It is important to mention that those associated with chemistry from academia and from chemical organizations responded very positively to the format and content of the workshop. Responses from graduate students and their eagerness to learn the knowledge imparted in this workshop strongly suggest that this workshop was beneficial to them. In addition, adding the participation certificates to their resume will help gain employment. Students showed a keen interest during the question-answer session, and at the end of the workshop participants requested additional advanced workshops. Working employees were also interested in the theme of the workshop. The facilitator highlighted the efficient measures that are a must for employees in industry. In developing countries, precautionary measures and safety protocols for workers and other staff can be lacking because of a lack of chemical safety knowledge. There was one shortcoming to the workshop. Because of the limited timeframe for the organization of this workshop, the organizer barely tapped owners, production managers, and HR managers of the concerned industries. 161 Tratras Contis et al.; Responsible Conduct in Chemistry Research and Practice: Global Perspectives ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2018.
However, the results and objectives of the workshop were disseminated to various industries and received very positive responses from them. The instructor hopes to continue these initiatives in the future. As a faculty member and researcher, the facilitator is confident that this workshop will help establish an academia-industry relationship in the future. Additional workshops will be organized in 2018. The first workshop will be conducted in February 2018 as the academic year at the University of Karachi will commence from mid-January. This workshop will be held to provide the opportunity for those who could not be accommodated at the first workshop and for those new admits in the Chemical Sciences. The module of the workshop will be “Chemical Laboratory Safety and Security.” Upon the request of the Department of Chemistry, NED University of Engineering & Technology, Karachi, Pakistan, a workshop on Chemical Safety will be conducted in May 2018. Another workshop will be conducted specifically for postgraduate students and faculty in mid-July at the Department of Chemistry, University of Karachi. The module of the workshop will be “Publishing Your Research.” In summary, Professor Uzma Ashiq would like to share her experience in organizing this workshop. Initially when she discussed the idea with the chairman of the department and colleagues, they thought that it would be difficult to attract enough of an audience from the industry, but she got an opposite response. The other concern was about the substance material for the training. It was her first experience in designing a safety workshop, and her expectations were not too high. However, she went through such an encouraging experience that she should plan an annual calendar for training workshops on safety measures. Another lesson she learned through this workshop was that she must develop a sustainable interaction with the industry to know the real issues that the workforce faces in Pakistan. This experience helped her understand the potential of training in this field and the limitation of resources and logistics at her institution.
Report of Dr. Shazma Massey, Forman Christian College (A Chartered University) Last year in July 2017, I attended an ACS workshop in Melbourne, Australia and learned about the safety and security of chemicals. After attending this workshop, my first and foremost objective was to conduct a similar workshop at my university for the optimal benefit of students, laboratory staff, and faculty. The reason for being so passionate about conducting this workshop was very strong in order to ensure the safety of students, staff and faculty at academic institutions. Keeping with my objective, I conducted a workshop on safety and security of chemicals on November 15, 2017 at Forman Christian College (a chartered university) in Lahore, Pakistan, that was highly acclaimed by all the participants. I was so honored that the Rector, Vice Rector, Dean of Natural Sciences, Chairperson of the Chemistry Department, Chairperson of the Pharmacology Department, along with faculty, staff, and students from my university and other 162 Tratras Contis et al.; Responsible Conduct in Chemistry Research and Practice: Global Perspectives ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2018.
universities participated in this workshop. There were 150 participants. Because of limited seating capacity in the hall, I had to apologize and turn away many other interested candidates. The following were the topics addressed in the workshop: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
Safe Management of Hazardous Chemicals Chemical Procurement Chemical Hazards Safe Handling & Personal Protective Equipment Chemical Storage Chemical Waste Disposal Emergency Responses to Spills & Fires Case Study (Chemical Laboratory Fire) The Importance of the Security of Chemicals
The participants found this workshop very interesting because of the importance and efficacy of every topic that was substantiated by relevant and comprehensible pictures and video clips. I was pleased and satisfied to disseminate awareness among participants in dealing with chemicals. The reason for this happiness and satisfaction was that I had been suffering from nausea regularly while dealing with methanol in the chemistry laboratory. During my Ph.D. research, I did not have a clue nor was I ever told that methanol could be the reason. However, when I went to the University of Nottingham, U.K., I was told to consult and properly read the SDS sheets before using any of the chemicals. There I read that methanol inhalation leads to blurred vision, headache, dizziness, nausea, and can even damage our kidneys and liver and ultimately spoil our health. Here is another example of not being aware of proper methanol use. Students soaked plants in methanol using uncovered beakers and then went to lunch in the canteen without realizing the possible hazards. Similarly, one of my colleagues prepared a compound and smelled it directly that led him to fall unconscious and be hospitalized for a few weeks! There was another incident in which one of the students in the chemistry laboratory was working without goggles in front of another student who was boiling dilute sulfuric acid that bubbled out of the test tube and injured one of his eyes. The students used the fume hood and kept the sash of the hood open without realizing that it is important to close the sash of the hood. The eye opener was Sheharbano “Sheri” Sangji’s video (13). She died at the age of 23 while working at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). The research assistant Sheri Sangji suffered severe burns from a fire that occurred on December 29, 2008. In fact, it happened when a plastic syringe that she was using to transfer the pyrophoric reagent tert-butyllithium from one sealed container to another dropped and caught fire. Sangji was not wearing a protective laboratory coat and her clothing caught fire, resulting in severe burns that led to her death 18 days later. A criminal case was filed against the supervising professor who hired her and the institution because she was not given proper safety and security training to work with such chemicals. 163 Tratras Contis et al.; Responsible Conduct in Chemistry Research and Practice: Global Perspectives ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2018.
There was another incident in a Texas Tech laboratory (14) in which an explosion severely injured a graduate student at the University in Lubbock, Texas, in the chemistry department in 2010 during the handling of a high-energy metal compound, which suddenly detonated. The security of chemicals and proper maintenance of inventory is equally important. Safety precautions are needed in dealing with chemicals because they can be used for both constructive and destructive purposes. There are many incidents in which terrorists acquired chemicals from unregistered vendors and laboratory staff who were not aware that the same chemical could be used for destructive purposes. Take the example of ammonium nitrate that is used as fertilizer. It was used by a terrorist in bombing the federal building in Oklahoma City in 1995, in which 168 people were killed, including 19 children, and almost 700 were injured (15). Similarly, the misuse of cyanide that is used in mining and the metal plate industry is popular with criminals and terrorists because it is relatively easy to obtain and in one incident was added to Tylenol capsules that killed 7 people in the U.S. in 1982 (16). In all these incidents, the common element is a lack of knowledge in working with chemicals in a laboratory environment. The most relevant result of this workshop in my university was the immediate action of the Vice Rector to form a committee to ensure the safety and security of students, staff, and faculty in laboratories. I was asked to be the coordinator of this committee. As a coordinator, I was assigned the task of finding gaps and taking the necessary actions to ensure that people working in laboratories are not only well aware of the hazards and precautions, but that they are also practicing awareness of possible dangers. Moreover, I was also asked to check the availability of equipment used for users’ safety and security when working in laboratories. I took immediate action and: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Requested the authorities purchase fire blankets immediately. Requested the authorities purchase eye stations immediately. Suggested the regular monitoring of first aid boxes and fire extinguishers. Suggested that the laboratory staff immediately prepare SDS sheets of all available chemicals in our laboratories. Advised the students not to throw acids and bases and harmful chemicals into the sink without proper neutralization Advised the authorities to contact different industries for the proper disposal of hazardous waste. As a result, the department is in contact with different industries.
The committee further decided that this workshop must be conducted for all Master of Philosophy and Ph.D. chemistry students at the time of their orientation. The committee emphasized that this workshop be mandatory for all students before working in laboratories. The laboratory environment itself is hazardous by nature and the people who are working in the laboratories determine risk. It is the responsibility of lab workers to recognize potential dangers and follow the rules while working in lab. Besides professional responsibility, it is also our social and moral responsibility 164 Tratras Contis et al.; Responsible Conduct in Chemistry Research and Practice: Global Perspectives ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2018.
to spread such awareness to our fellow human beings and to the environment. If we love human beings and our environment, it is better to correct an unsafe friend than to bury one!
Report of Professor Dr. Amita Verma, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology & Sciences The seminar and workshop were organized at the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shalom Institute of Health & Allied Sciences, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology & Sciences, Allahabad, India on November 6 and December 16, 2017. The organizing convener of the seminar and workshop was Professor Dr. Amita Verma and the chairman was Dr. Arvind Dayal. The events were conducted with a generous grant and support provided by ACS International Activities and in pursuit of learning about the need for chemical safety and the safe use of chemicals for those working in academia, industry, research institutes, medical stores, etc. The entire workshop was divided into two parts. The first part of the seminar was on chemical lab safety and security, and the second part comprised a workshop on effective science communication. More specifically, the seminar on chemical lab safety and security was conducted to encourage ethical laboratory practices and adopt internationally recognized standards for chemical safety and security. The goal of the workshop on effective science communication was to provide an overview of communication tools to convey scientific concepts to bridge communication barriers between a variety of audiences in public and professional interactions. The speaker, Dr. Sourav Pal, Director of the Indian Institute of Sciences, Education & Research (IISER), Kolkata, expressed his views toward the technical disposal of laboratory chemicals. Professor Sushil K Singh, Head of the Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering & Technology, IIT-BHU, Varanasi, said that chemical safety is a vital topic for researchers. He emphasized fund allocation and enforcement of safety guidelines for protection from chemical hazards. Professor Ramendra K Singh of the Bioorganic Research Laboratory at the Department of Chemistry, University of Allahabad, presented a lecture on various hazards of laboratory chemicals and safety measures. Dr. Niraj Kumar, Executive Secretary of the National Academy of Sciences India (NASI), Allahabad, said that science should work for the development of society. Dr. Kumar also explained that original and true science with accurate rationale is necessary for a real redress of issues. He shared that failures in research should also be reported and that negative findings should not worry researchers. He further emphasized developing scientific temperament in oneself. Dr. Jeetendra Kumar Vaishya from the National Medicinal Plants Board, New Delhi, presented on research proposal writing skills for obtaining grants from different research organizations. I discussed chemical security programs and 165 Tratras Contis et al.; Responsible Conduct in Chemistry Research and Practice: Global Perspectives ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2018.
ACS grant opportunities. I also discussed tips for writing a research paper in an effective manner and structural aspects of presenting research findings. Delegates enthusiastically participated in panel discussions, group discussions and various competitions such as essays, slogans, collages, and scientific quizzes. Results The participants enjoyed the various events and took keen interest in learning more about the safe use of chemicals and science communication. They learned about ethical practices in laboratories through various working models, collages, and posters presented by delegates. They also interacted with the speakers in an open atmosphere and were impressed to learn about the importance of chemical safety. Outcomes Delegates were interested to learn how to include safety practices into their day-to-day laboratory exercises and in the safe disposal of chemicals. They also learned to implement chemical safety and security in their curriculum. They were further interested in participating in additional sessions and working to organize similar events at their institutes. They were highly interested to know about ACS, its membership, and ACS grant opportunities. On the basis of these events, our institution is also going to create initiatives to mandate the following of ethical lab practices and to improve current standards of safety protocol in laboratories. Attendance was strong at all events. The seminar on Chemical Laboratory Safety and Security drew 470 participants from all across India. The workshop on Effective Science Communication had 100 delegates. My Experience I was highly delighted to be part of the ACS GCCE workshop and very thankful to the ACS for providing the necessary support and suggestions to organize such events for the awareness of chemistry to the public. I experienced that people are very curious to know more about chemistry and ACS. Future Workshops Based on the response, I am highly interested to organize more events in the future with the support of ACS. I wish to conduct more outreach programs to create awareness about chemistry. I want to be part of the ACS International Committee and want to be involved in more ACS programs. Testimonials 1.
From this program, we have learned the importance of chemical safety and security, which we have never done before. 166
Tratras Contis et al.; Responsible Conduct in Chemistry Research and Practice: Global Perspectives ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2018.
2. 3. 4.
This program is an eye opener for us. We will seriously include safe practices in our laboratories. We will include these topics in our curriculum and also provide an overview to newly admitted students. We will organize this type of event at our institute.
Report of Dr. Sammia Shahid, University of Management & Technology The ACS International Activities Committee organized the Global Chemists’ Code of Ethics (GCCE) workshop, from April 4–6, 2016 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Three scientists, Dr. G.A. Miana, Dr. Raza Shah, and Dr. Sammia Shahid from Pakistan attended the workshop. All three planned to conduct the same kind of workshop in their cities. In its continuation, the first national workshop on Global Chemists’ Code of Ethics was conducted at the University of Management and Technology in Lahore, Pakistan, on December 2, 2016. More than 100 active researchers in the chemical sciences participated in the workshop. The workshop started with the lecture of Professor Dr. Raza Shah, who covered the safety and security aspect of GCCE and actively interacted with the participants. He explained all the points of GCCE related to safety and security and listened to the opinions of the audience. Dr. Sammia Shahid highlighted the importance of publication and scientific writing in the domain of GCCE. She also gathered the opinion of the audience through pamphlets that were distributed to the audience. Professor G.A. Miana highlighted the role of GCCE in environment and research. At the end of the workshop, Professor Miana invited the consent of the participants on the GCCE. All the participants agreed to adopt the code in its current form. It was also agreed during the workshop that the Urdu version and English version of the code might be distributed among all members of the Chemical Society of Pakistan in order to seek their consent. The audiences were informed that the English version of the GCCE has already been circulated among members of the Chemical Society of Pakistan. The input from the members of the Chemical Society of Pakistan was excellent. It was also decided at the workshop that the GCCE will be published in the upcoming issue of Al-Chemy, a newsletter of the Chemical Society of Pakistan and that this newsletter is distributed to all members of the chemistry community throughout the country freely. The second National Workshop on the Global Chemists’ Code of Ethics was conducted on February 23, 2017, in the Department of Chemistry, Jinnah University for Women in Karachi. Chemistry is the physical science that studies the composition of substances and the elemental forms of matter. Because everything is ultimately made of chemicals, this makes it an incredibly important branch of science. Chemistry has contributed more to the betterment of human life than any other science. The chemical systems are the right size to affect humans directly, for better or worse. They are the building blocks of biological organisms; they are the substances we eat and drink; they are the drugs that have dramatically improved human health over the past century; they comprise the 167 Tratras Contis et al.; Responsible Conduct in Chemistry Research and Practice: Global Perspectives ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2018.
materials that we use to construct the products that we use daily, but they are also the environmental pollutants that can plague our world. Chemicals can also be used as weapons. The circumstances of today’s world provide both scientific and ethical challenges for chemistry. The most important ethical issues involve synthetic chemicals, which have become a major part of our lives. There is an old saying “Chemists think with their hands.” They are discoverers of knowledge and creators of new substances. When a new substance is created, if the substance is made commercially, they need to develop “greener” methods of production that conserve non-renewable resources and minimize the effects on the environment. On a broader level, they need to consider the problems of today’s world and work on problems that will improve the human condition, particularly the lives of those in underdeveloped countries. Chemists also need to think carefully about their role in preserving the health and safety of the planet, including their role in the creation of weapons. More than the other sciences, chemistry is centered in the laboratory so it is important that laboratory practices adhere to the highest professional and ethical standards. The practice of chemistry, and all other sciences, raises ethical questions on several levels. Many of these questions arise from the day-to-day work in the laboratory: the responsible conduct of research. Others are related to the relationships of chemists to their colleagues and to the relationship between science and society. To put these questions in context, there is a need to understand the nature of professional ethics and the moral ideals that underlie the profession of science. Based on the format of the first workshop in Lahore, the second workshop was conducted in Karachi. More than 100 chemistry students attended the workshop and agreed to adopt the Global Chemists’ Code of Ethics approved by the Kuala Lumpur participants of the GCCE. A third workshop is planned for March 2018 in Islamabad.
Concluding Remarks These reports show the importance of sharing information in workshop format on building a world consensus of the chemical codes of ethics by training our chemists on chemical safety and security. In this way, global chemists unite in their understanding of these important topics. The number of participants impacted, the number of university personnel trained, and the training of our young chemists for tomorrow is enhanced. The testimonials of the participants give us all hope for the future chemical safety and security in our field. These trainers continue the wonderful work of the GCCE and will continue in their efforts to improve the safety and security of all chemists worldwide.
Acknowledgments All the authors want to acknowledge the invitation by ACS to participate in the GCCE workshops and the financial assistance in travel and supplies to continue 168 Tratras Contis et al.; Responsible Conduct in Chemistry Research and Practice: Global Perspectives ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2018.
this effort in their home institutions and countries. This initiative indeed reaches across borders. As past Chair of the ACS International Activities Committee, the corresponding author would like to personally acknowledge the co-authors for their willingness to share their stories and reports on these successful GCCE workshops. In addition, all the co-authors would like to thank the American Chemical Society (ACS) for providing them an opportunity to participate in the first GCCE workshop in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in April 2016 or the GCCE STLI workshop at Melbourne, Australia in July 2017. The ACS International Activities contribution to complete these workshops was invaluable. The co-authors greatly appreciate the support ACS and the Department of State have provided towards these workshops. The co-authors also want to thank their respective universities and their departments who provided venues and support to run the workshops.
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