“How Could This Have Happened?”: The Often Overlooked Hazards of Moving Chemicals Within A Research Facility

No one wants to carry boxes upstairs. It is hard work and more prone to accidents which can hurt a person or create a spill or at least a mess. Even attempting to move a compressed gas cylinder up a stair is rather unsafe, not to mention back breaking. Trying to move a cryogenic dewar is impossible. So, we turn to using the elevator.

This has some problems. NFPA 45 Fire Protection for Laboratories Using Chemicals has this sage advice:

A.8.3.3.1 The route used to transport hazardous materials between receiving rooms, storage rooms, dispensing rooms, and laboratory units of a facility should be appropriate to both the quantity and characteristics of the material being transported. Where possible, heavy or bulky quantities of hazardous materials should be transported by elevator, preferably one reserved exclusively for freight. In any event, the transport of hazardous materials in any quantity on an elevator should be accomplished by the minimum number of persons necessary to accomplish the task safely. All other persons should be excluded from an elevator while hazardous materials are present. Use of stairways for transport of small quantities of hazardous materials should be minimized. Transport of flammable, corrosive, toxic or highly toxic gases, cryogenic cylinders or dewars, or dry ice and similar oxygen depleting compounds should always be done with no one in the elevator.

The basic concept is simple. Keep people out of the elevator when transporting hazardous materials. Elevators must have a fire service override, usually a key lock marked “For Fire Department Use Only”. This allows the elevator to be sent to a specific floor while ignoring calls at other floors. By using the key which you can get from the elevator supplier, one can load the chemicals, send it to the floor, and take a stair to where it will appear. No one needs to ride the elevator nor is there any worry about someone going on the elevator. Some organizations prefer to simply post a sign or stanchion by the door, trusting this to this to keep people off until the chemicals are removed. My experience, sadly, is that this rarely works as someone always feels justified to catch a ride. They either fail to see the hazard or think it does not apply to their short ride.

How credible is being exposed in an elevator? The most common hazards are:

·        Being exposed to hazardous vapors in low concentrations probably without realizing it. Certainly, possible but usually the transit time is so short that the lasting effects except for highly dangerous materials is probably low.

·        Running out of air due to a release of a hazardous gas. This is certainly more worrisome as the release of a single cylinder of compressed gas or – worse – a cryogenic dewar of even an inert could certainly harm or kill a person within minutes. While these everts are incredibly rare, the consequences are incredibly high so some mitigative measures are prudent. If the gases are flammable the potential for a fire or explosion exists, often through static built up during the release. If the gases are toxic then there is another, potentially deadlier hazard than just asphyxiation.

·        Being exposed to a chemical spill due to breakage or leakage during the transport operation. This is certainly another credible scenario albeit not confined to an elevator. However, the limited space in an elevator and the practical difficulty of getting out of the release’s path while in transit again suggest some mitigative measures are prudent. Those who dismissively suggest they can climb out of harms way quickly enough should be encouraged to give a demonstration in front of an audience while being timed. The results usually are embarrassing enough to suggest alternatives are more prudent.

One should also always think through the entire transportation process.

The author has seen large quantities of hazardous materials transferred out of their shipping boxes on carts, platform trucks, and similar devices without any attempt at spill protection or container stabilization. And, all too often, once these devices are put in motion, the driver appears to think they are on a speedway with their progress being clocked! Taking a moment to provide a reasonable spill containment with a tray or larger container can change an incident requiring a spill response to a simple cleanup. Taking the time to tie, wrap, or strap a container to a handle or post can avoid the issue altogether.

Often, an unrecognized hazard occurs when the unloading is performed. It is often more likely to drop a bottle, knock over several bottles, or crack two bottles when loading and unloading. Well packed and cushioned containers are often at a higher risk when being removed from this protection. Taking a few minutes to think through the process is always prudent.

Are you in an aisle and likely to be jostled or bumped by through traffic? Should you move, close off the aisle temporarily, or put up a warning sign? No one ever tries to bump you, but people are distracted, do miss read where you are going, or simply clumsy. (The author freely admits to the latter.) Are your hands or the containers wet, sweaty or slippery and so your grip is less certain? Do you need gloves, a rag, or simply to wash your hands or wipe off the container first? Have you been trained to use two hands for all transfers (one to hold, one to stabilize and back up) or are you a multi-taker and unloading them multiple bottles at a time. The author has seen personnel with a bottle in each hand and one under each arm casually going about unloading. If something were to spill where would it likely flow? Does this suggest a spill pillow may be needed or a slightly different unloading spot? Do you have adequate room to place the containers? Too often I have seen them precariously perched on notebooks, papers, the edge of benches or shelves while the unloading process is being completed, only then to be moved to a safer location. IS the receiving location big enough? Often when a case of chemicals comes in, there is not quite enough room for everything to fit leading to some very risky temporary spotting. Often the highest risk is when the next person opens the door or removes a container and the house of cards collapses. If something were to spill, what are the consequences? Who would you have to notify? How do you prevent others from inadvertently entering and being exposed, slipping, or similar hazards? Where is the closest the spill cleanup kit?

Consider the transport mechanism in all detail. Loading a hand truck with cases of chemicals can lead to a box dropping when going over a threshold or when one is being added or removed. Loading cases on a platform truck can result in one slipping off if something is struck or if a too fast turn or stop is made. Simple carts are often stacked to eye height to avoid multiple trips and their contents easily able to slip or slide off during transit. Securing the cases in either case may be prudent. Providing an anti-slip lip on the platform truck may be a wise investment. Keeping the number of items transported to well within the limits of the transport device is more time consuming but much safer (and probably faster in the end). Supplier packing boxes range from the very well done to those less effective. Even the best can only survive so much of a drop or bang. Cleaning up a spill inside and outside of one is also often a riskier business as the soaked cardboard and limited access creates an entirely new set of hazards. A problem better addressed by avoidance than response.

While none of these require a rocket scientist to analyze they are not the type of things one should realize after the event. Think about the circus the last time you dropped a bottle of sauce in your kitchen. Few of us will be able to say we handled it without some well-intentioned chaos. Thinking first can avoid a much more dangerous situation. And all too often, the personnel never receive any training about the right (and wrong) ways to transport chemicals. The new hire, the well-meaning grad student, the low paid custodian or shipping clerk are often all assumed to know what to do. A very bad assumption. And all personnel, over time, can develop bad habits which, if not recognized and corrected, inevitably lead to problems. So, thinking even this simple routine operation through, looking at what your organization is currently doing, reviewing and updating your procedures, providing some simple training, and ensuring some routine inspections are all mitigative actions that can prevent an incident.