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Previous by Date: Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Flame Resistance & Lab Coats Date: January 28, 2013 12:01:53 PM EST Author: NEAL LANGERMAN

Next by Date: Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Flame Resistance & Lab Coats Date: January 28, 2013 12:25:04 PM EST Author: "Smith, George S."

Russ, Robin,

Could you comment on how severe is the threat from burning lab coats? Using
pyrophoric chemicals would seem one reason to use FR lab coats, but using
these lab coats every day seems like excess cost and unnecessary exposure to
FR chemicals.

Shouldn't engineering controls (glove box under N2, vessel containment, fire
suppression system etc.) be used before additional PPE is used? In the
specific case of fuming nitric acid (my own experience) using acid and
oxidizer resistant long gloves, apron, and face shield should be standard
practice, and questions about resistance of FR lab coats to fuming nitric
acid complicates the assessment.

At one of my previous employers (org synthesis lab, mg to kg scale,
pyrophorics used rarely in mg/mL amounts) we looked at FR lab coats after we
discontinued cotton lab coat service. We decided to go with the Tyvek lab
coats because the occurrence of fires was nil (>15 years) and we increased
training and review of chemistry performed in the labs.

Just curious,
Slawomir Janicki

-----Original Message-----
From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU] On Behalf Of
Robin M. Izzo
Sent: Monday, January 28, 2013 11:49 AM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Flame Resistance & Lab Coats

Russ,

I will look for the literature on this, but to quickly answer about the
treated coats vs. Nomex, the companies that sell the treated coats say that
the fire resistance begins to fail after two years. The Nomex is more
expensive, but the fire resistance does not fade.

I have seen some literature on all but the human toxicity of the treated FR
coats.

Thanks,
Robin

Robin M. Izzo, M.S.
Associate Director, EHS
Princeton University
609-258-6259 (office)

Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please.
~ Mark Twain

-----Original Message-----
From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU] On Behalf Of
Russell Vernon
Sent: Sunday, January 27, 2013 1:01 PM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Flame Resistance & Lab Coats

So the discussion in the UC Lab Safety world now includes flame retardant
lab coats and human/environmental potential consequences.

I would greatly appreciate being pointed toward information that would help
us more intelligently discuss these concerns:

How good are FR coats in a real flammable liquid fire? How does that compare
to non-FR lab coats?
Are the treated cloth lab coats inferior to the "Nomex" type?
Do the modern treated FR coats demonstrate any human toxicity or
environmental adverse effects?

Literature that may help us in answering these kinds of questions is what I
am asking you to help me find.

Sincerely,
-Russ

Russell Vernon, Ph.D.

Director

Environmental Health & Safety

University of California Riverside

900 University Ave

EH&S
Riverside, CA 92521

www.ehs.ucr.edu

russell.vernon**At_Symbol_Here**ucr.edu

direct 951.827.5119

admin 951.827.5528

fax 951.827.5122

after hours emergency contact UCPD 951.827.5222

________________________________________
From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU] on behalf of
Secretary, ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety [secretary**At_Symbol_Here**DCHAS.ORG]
Sent: Friday, January 25, 2013 10:50 AM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety headlines from Google (12 articles)

From: Melissa Charlton-Smith
Subject: RE: [DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety headlines from Google (12 articles)
Date: January 25, 2013 1:33:49 PM EST

Nitric acid is aqueous, so how can it be flammable (in the Tripoli
story)

Possibly someone who KNOWS told the reporter that it's an oxidizer and at
certain concentrations can cause combustion in contact with combustible
materials....and the reporter took the short root to "it's flammable".

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