| About This Archive | | DCHAS-L 2020 Index | | DCHAS-L Yearly Index | |
Check out Safety Emporium for your N95, N99, and face shield needs.
|
Previous by Date: Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] pumpkin fire and other demos Date: Sunday, June 14, 2020 at 1:35:16 PM Author: davivid <davivid**At_Symbol_Here**WELL.COM> |
Next by Date: Subject: [DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety headlines (14 articles) Date: Mon, 15 Jun 2020 07:25:00 -0400 Author: DCHAS Membership Chair |
DCHAS has had a demonstrable effect on safety. It is a work-in-progress. Here are some anecdotal stories from the early 1950’s and before. I really think things are better now – at least they better be!
Chemical Demonstrations were the rage in the early 1950’s at the University of Oklahoma. Our student ACS group put on demonstrations once or twice a year – with the blessings and assistance of the faculty, I might add. This was despite that Dr. Horace H. Bliss had an absolute prohibition against mouth pipetting so there was a modicum of safety awareness. In addition to the usual color change reactions and chemiluminescence, we (students) demonstrated things like making and using a small hammer by freezing mercury with liquid nitrogen, hydrogen/oxygen balloon explosions, nitrogen tri-iodide, smoking a cigar with oxygen directly from a large cylinder, and a carbon snake reaction using sulfuric acid. This was the finale since it filled the lecture hall (no mechanical ventilation in those days) with sulfur trioxide. We did open the windows.
At that time a friend worked with methylene iodide in a fume hood (convection only, no fan) and nearly died as a result. She did succumb to the flu a few years later.
Earlier, a professor lost a finger in an explosion while holding a test tube containing red phosphorous and something else while lecturing before his class.
The chemical drains in the building were troughs molded into the concrete floors and loosely covered with iron plates. Sometime well before 1950 someone poured a quantity of ether into the sink drain on an upper floor. It ignited and a sheet of flame quickly raced throughout the building. Apparently, no serious damage resulted.Ernie Lippert
From: "Monona Rossol" <0000030664c37427-dmarc-request**At_Symbol_Here**LISTS.PRINCETON.EDU>
---
For more information about the DCHAS-L e-mail list, contact the Divisional membership chair at membership**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org
Follow us on Twitter **At_Symbol_Here**acsdchas
Sent: Sunday, June 14, 2020 1:41 PM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Demonstrations
--- For more information about the DCHAS-L e-mail list, contact the Divisional membership chair at membership**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org Follow us on Twitter **At_Symbol_Here**acsdchasWell, said. It is the same thing I've said about stunts and explosions in the movies since they can be computer generated now without causing harm to anyone. And this is the rational, money-saving, life-saving thing to do.
That said, It isn't going to happen in the movies and is isn't going to happen in the science education either. And I have a longer perspective than the rest of you because I worked in circuses as a child. It is deep in the heart of every child to take a risk. If you've raised a couple or even been around the little bastards for any length of time, you know I'm right. And most adults will pay good money to see others take a risk.
In my business, I have had to content myself with at least trying to reduce that risk as much as possible. I hope you are right and I'm wrong, but I'm betting you will be watching these demonstrations on TV from your wheel chairs in the old folks home.
Monona
-----Original Message-----
From: Richard Palluzi <000006c59248530b-dmarc-request**At_Symbol_Here**LISTS.PRINCETON.EDU>
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU
Sent: Sun, Jun 14, 2020 9:24 am
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Demonstrations
--- For more information about the DCHAS-L e-mail list, contact the Divisional membership chair at membership**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org Follow us on Twitter **At_Symbol_Here**acsdchas
I would encourage the membership to read Chapter 12 of NFPA 45 Fire Protection for Laboratories Using Chemicals in its entirety before doing any demonstrations. The number of accidents this has caused led the committee to add significant restrictions and responsibilities.
On a personal opinion note, it is 2020 and why can’t you show a video instead of creating a needless hazard. While I am sure we all have vivid memories of these type demonstrations, particularly the less well planned and executed ones, how many of us can truly say this is what made us decide to go into science? I suspect few if any. These things, particularly the larger and more spectacular scale ones, are just not worth the risk. With all due respect to Michael Faraday and all the other greats who came before us, times have changed and I don’t see anyone suggesting that we should all throw out hot plates and ovens for Bunsen burners or get ride of our cars for horse drawn carriages. I think it is time to rethink the need for hazardous demonstrations and consider if new technologies can’t allow us to do something a lot safer.
Richard Palluzi
PE, CSP
Pilot plant and laboratory consulting, safety, design,reviews, and training
Richard P Palluzi LLC
72 Summit Drive
Basking Ridge, NJ 07920
rpalluzi**At_Symbol_Here**verizon.net
908-285-3782
Previous post | Top of Page | Next post