Journal of chemical health & safety最新文献

Chemical waste is generated by nearly every academic and industrial research laboratory. The regulations provide specific requirements for how waste should be handled. This presents challenges to laboratory facilities because of the wide range of small waste streams generated when working with laboratory quantities of chemicals. This paper will describe the requirements and suggest how to provide environmentally sound and economically sensible disposal practices.

The 2023 Workshop on Laboratory Safety entitled “Human Factors: Safety and Technology” provided a comprehensive platform for researchers and safety professionals to explore innovative safety practices. The event featured sessions on AI, machine learning, and human factors in safety culture alongside interactive panel discussions and workgroup activities. Key presentations challenged traditional accident paradigms, emphasizing systemic approaches and the integration of AI in safety management. The integration of AI tools in safety systems holds promise to revolutionize risk assessment and accident prevention across various industries. These advanced technologies can process vast amounts of data to identify potential hazards, predict incidents, and recommend preventive measures with an unprecedented speed. However, human factor challenges can arise when operators become overly reliant on AI systems, potentially leading to complacency, a disregard of ethical considerations, or difficulties in judging the accuracy of the generated materials. The Workshop fostered collaboration through networking opportunities and highlighted the importance of leadership in safety improvements. The posthumous Safety Leadership Award to Eugene Ngai underscores his commitment to advancing research safety. Overall, the Workshop facilitated knowledge sharing and inspired future advancements in laboratory safety practices.

Alkali metals, including lithium, sodium, and potassium, are exceptionally reactive due to their pyrophoric water reactive behavior and are widely used in chemical research laboratories. They have also been the cause of numerous laboratory fires. Lithium metal even reacts with nitrogen gas to form highly reactive lithium nitride as a surface contaminant. Quenching of alkali metals and lithium nitride can follow the same protocol, but it is critical that the quenching be properly conducted to avoid fires. Improperly conducted quenches described herein resulted in significant fires with equipment damage but fortunately no personal injuries. In light of those events, a thorough discussion of quenching considerations, challenges, and protocols are followed by comprehensive and detailed guidance for quenching these reactive metals.

In order to investigate the effect of coal spontaneous combustion (CSC) gases such as CO, C₂H₄, C₂H₆, C₃H₈, C₂H₂, and H₂ on the laminar burning velocity (LBV) of the CH₄/air premixed flame, a constant volume chamber and a high-speed camera were used to measure the LBV of a 90% (in vol) CH₄ and 10% CSC gas mixed fuel at an initial temperature of 300 K and over a wide equivalence ratio range from 0.7 to 1.3. Results show that the addition of all the CSC gases increases the LBV of CH₄. Among all CSC gases, the CH₄/C₂H₂ mixed fuel has the highest LBV, and the CH₄/CO mixed fuel has the lowest LBV. With the addition of three typical stages of CSC gases, the LBV of CH₄ was significantly enhanced. Based on the reaction path, mole fraction, and rate of production analysis, it is found that the addition of CSC gases in Stage 2 can increase the concentration of C₂H₅ and the consumption rate in the CH₃–C₂H₆–C₂H₅ path, which is different from Stages 1 and 3. In addition, all the concentrations of H, O, and OH free radicals increase with the addition of three typical stages of CSC gases.

This project describes the external exposure levels of metalworking fluid (MWF) in an automobile parts manufacturing factory and analyzes the health effects of MWF on workers so as to provide a scientific basis for optimizing the MWF testing process and evaluating occupational hazards. MWF in the air of the workplace was collected according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’ analysis method (NIOSH 5524). The mass concentrations of MWF total aerosols and extracted aerosols were determined by weighing and binary or ternary solvent extraction. The quantitative relationship between them was analyzed. The propensity score matching (PSM) method was used to establish the group of subjects. Demographic information, allergic diseases, and clinical laboratory indicators were collected through questionnaire and health examination data, and the health effects of MWF were assessed. Personal sampling of 38 workers in three posts was carried out using a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) filter. The arithmetic means of concentration of total aerosols was 0.43(0.13–1.02) mg/m³, and the extractable aerosols concentration was 0.23(0.05–0.55) mg/m³. There was a significant correlation between total and extractable aerosol levels, and a linear regression equation was established: Y = 0.469X + 0.024 (X is the total aerosols concentration, Y is the extracted aerosols concentration). There was no significant difference in blood routine, liver function, or other biochemical results or indicators between the exposed workers and controls (P > 0.05). The clear linear relationship between concentrations of aerosols indicates that the extracted aerosols level can be reasonably inferred from the total aerosols. Under the circumstances investigated in this project, MWF exposure did not induce significant adverse health effects, as evidenced by the results of occupational medical examination.

In recent years, with continual improvement in the level of mining intelligence, the application of mining cables in mines has become increasingly widespread. However, the fires caused by mining cables are gradually increasing, posing a serious threat to miners’ safety. This paper selected two commonly used cable materials in mines, mine-used portable shielded rubber cable and mine-used cross-linked polyethylene insulated polyvinyl chloride sheathed power cable, and explored the smoke toxicity of the two cables using the NBS smoke density test box and Fourier transform infrared smoke density analyzer. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of the changes in combustion products were conducted, and the toxicity of combustion products was evaluated using smoke toxicity index and smoke toxicity evaluation model. The research results showed that both types of mining cables generated immense amounts of CO₂, CO, and HCl and trace amounts of SO₂ and NO₂ during the holistic combustion process. The toxicity index values of the two mining cables were 1.021 (mine-used portable shielded rubber cable) and 0.500 (mine-used cross-linked polyethylene insulated polyvinyl chloride sheathed power cable), respectively, showing opposite smoke toxicity performances before and after combustion. The toxicity index of HCl gas for the two mining cables was 12.04 times the reference concentration (mine-used portable shielded rubber cable) and 5.52 times (mine-used cross-linked polyethylene insulated polyvinyl chloride sheathed power cable), which was the main cause of casualties. In addition, attention should be paid to CO, HCN, CO₂, and NO_x as injurious gases. The research results of this paper provided a theoretical basis for the research on the toxicity of underground cable fire in coal mines and had important guiding significance for the early monitoring and warning of mine cable fire, underground personnel escape, and evacuation route planning.

This study provides a detailed account of the “star-shaped” safety education and training mechanism employed in the chemical laboratory within the mechanical discipline. Furthermore, it serves as a valuable reference for other chemical laboratories with similar aims, providing a model for the improvement of safety training practices. Personnel safety in chemical laboratories remains a paramount concern, yet the number of annual accidents continues to rise at an alarming rate. A significant contributing factor to these incidents is the unsafe behavior of individuals, which highlights the urgency of mitigating such conduct to enhance safety management standards in these laboratories. Education represents a pivotal instrument in this pursuit. The Institute of Manufacturing Engineering at Huaqiao University has introduced an innovative “star-shaped” safety education framework, meticulously designed to cater to the specific needs of chemical laboratories. This mechanism draws upon the distinctive features of the university’s own identity and the fundamental tenet of safety education, namely, “universal participation, comprehensive coverage, and continuous monitoring.” It encompasses a wide range of safety training aspects, including safety courses for new laboratory personnel, targeted training for research groups and experimental branches, and specialized training in using instrumentation and equipment. The framework integrates theoretical and practical courses, as well as regular and irregular training sessions, ensuring that no individual is overlooked, thus achieving the goal of laboratory safety training and improving the overall level of safety management. Furthermore, assessment of this safety training is conducted through a comprehensive process encompassing audits, laboratory safety inspections, and rigorous monitoring of accidents and changes in safety hazards. This innovative framework represents a significant advancement in promoting safety in chemical laboratories and fostering a culture of safety awareness and compliance among lab personnel.