Franklin & Marshall College

F&M CHEMICAL HYGIENE PLAN

APPENDIX C. SAMPLE CHEMICAL-SPECIFIC SAFETY PROTOCOL

1. Principal Investigator Identification -
   Name: Ronald L. Musselman
   Prior Relevant Training: Ph.D., Chemistry 1972, where synthesis involved preparation of cyano complexes. Twenty-two years of accident-free use of cyanide salts.
   
2. Laboratory Personnel Identification -
   All of the following have had specific training on cyanide use:
   Name: Theodore Nichols
   Training: High School chemistry teacher
   Name: Lawrence Han
   Training: F&M Senior. Chemistry major.
   
3. Material Identification -
   Full chemical name: Potassium Cyanide
   CAS number: 151-50-8
   Common Synonyms: Hydrocyanic acid, potassium salt,
   RCRA Waste No. P098
   Formula: KCN
   Structure: KCN
   
4. Chemical and physical properties -
   Appearance: White crystalline solid
   Odor: None referenced for pure material. Odor of HCN (almonds) may be present if exposed to moisture.
   Melting Point: 634.5 C
   Boiling Point:
   Specific Gravity: 1.520
   Vapor Density: N/A
   Vapor Pressure at temperature of use: N/A
   Solubility in Solvents to be used: 50 gms/100 cc in cold water; 100 gms/100 cc in hot water; 4.91 gms/100 cc in Methanol at 19.5 C
   Flash Point: N/A
   Autoignition Temperature: N/A
   Flammable Limits: N/A
   
5. Health Hazard Information -
   Exposure Limits: OSHA PEL 8 hr. TWA 5 mg (CN)/M3
   NIOSH 5 mg (CN)/M3/10 min.
   Toxicity Data: oral rat LD50 - 5 mg/kg
   Possible Routes of Exposure:
   
   Inhalation -
   Ingestion -
   Absorption - Readily absorbed through skin.
   Injection -
   Effects of Overexposure: Fatal, oral lethal dose in humans is 2.8 mg/kg. At lower exposures can cause nausea, dizziness and headache, altered sleep time, tremors, loss of muscular coordination (ataxia), difficulty in breathing (dyspnea) or respiratory stimulation, blue skin coloration (cyanosis), flaccid paralysis without anesthesia, rigidity, convulsions, coma.
   
6. Physical Hazards Associated with the Chemical - Corrosivity: Aqueous solution slightly basic, pH of 0.1 molar solution approximately 8.9.
   Flammability: N/A
   Reactivity -
   
   Stability: Exposure to humid air or water may yield hydrogen cyanide vapors. Absorbs CO2 from air further promoting yield of hydrogen cyanide.
   Incompatibility: Acids (contact will yield hydrogen cyanide vapors), strong oxidizing agents.
7. Maximum quantity (or activity if radiolabeled) -
   Purchased: 3.5 lbs (1568 gms), before 6/89
   Stored: 3.5 lbs
   
8. Facilities -
   Room(s) where the material will be Stored: In west fume hood in P-404.
   Ventilation Provisions Present: Room has two window units providing comfort ventilation; supplementary exhaust gives room negative pressure with respect to hallway and adjacent offices. Hood face velocity averages 110 lf/m with sash open 15" (half-way), and 265 lf/m with sash closed to 4". Hood does not have make-up air supply.
   Designated Area Posting:
   On Door - "Toxic Chemicals. Authorized Personnel Only."
   On Hood - "Cyanides. Danger - Extremely High, Acute Toxin."
   Handled: In west fume hood in P-404.
   Ventilation Provisions Present: See above.
   Designated Area Posting: See above.
   
9. Outline of experimental procedures -
   Typical reaction uses 150 gms; reaction performed 2-3 times a year. Principal reaction:
   1) 2 KCN (or NaCN) + Ni+2 --> Ni(CN)2 in MeOH
   CN salt is washed free of contaminates in a methanol slurry and vacuum filtered. Filtrate dissolved into cyanide waste container.
   2) Ni(ClO4)2 + 2 KCN --> Ni(CN)2 + K2ClO4 or
   Ni(ClO4)2 + 4 KCN --> K2Ni(CN)4
   
10. Safety precautions that will be taken -
    Handling: Use only in a fume hood. Use of acids in this hood is prohibited. Wear goggles and impervious gloves. Wash thoroughly after handling.
    Storage: Keep lid tightly closed. Store in a dry area.
    Transporting: Place well sealed container within sealed, unbreakable container when moving outside hood.
    Solution Preparation: Weigh material on balance within fume hood.
    Analytical Methods for Monitoring: No routine monitoring. Monitor during training with commercially available portable monitor, fitted with colorimetric indicator tubes, sensitive to hydrogen cyanide.
    Special precautions: Do not work alone with this material. If the odor of HCN is detected evacuate the laboratory and notify security. But do not rely on odor for warning. It is estimated that 20 to 40% of all persons are congenitally insensitive to the odor of HCN. If the fume hood ventillation fails, or if symptoms of exposure develop, evacuate the laboratory and notify security.
    
11. Emergency procedures -
    Fire fighting techniques: Recommended fire extinguisant - Alcohol or polymer foam. Do not use carbon dioxide extinguisher on this material.
    First aid procedures:
    Skin and Eye Contact - Flush with copious amounts of water for 15 minutes. Ingestion - Remove victim from contaminated area. Break amyl nitrite ampules under victim's nose and admisister by inhalation for 15 to 30 seconds of every minute. If breathing has stopped, use artificial respiration. Medical assistance should be summoned as soon as possible, but the victim should not be left unattended. Speed in providing treatment is of utmost importance.
    Further treatment to be administered by qualified medical personnel: Discontinue amyl nitrite and immediately inject 10 mL of a 3% solution of sodium nitrite intravenously over a period of 2 to 4 minutes. If necessary inject a non-sterile solution. Do not remove the needle. (Caution: appropriate adjustments in the dose should be made on a body weight basis.) Through the same needle, infuse intravenously 50 mL of a 25% aqueous solution of sodium thiosulfate. The injection should take about 10 minutes. Other concentrations (5 to 50%) are permissible if the total dose is held to approximately 12 grams. Oxygen therapy may be of value in combination with nitrite and sodium thiosulfate therapy. If symptoms recur, the injections of nitrite and thiosulfate may be repeated at half the above doses. In very severe poisoning it is safer and perhaps more efficient to keep repeating the thiosulfate injections instead of the nitrite.
    Inhalation - See ingestion.
    Spill and Leakage Clean-up and Decontamination:
    Solid - Notify supervisor or safety personnel. For small spills, <2 gms, prepare for clean-up: Provide adequate ventilation; scrupulously avoid the addition of any acid to the spill or leak area; wear proper protection against contact. Await arrival of supervisor or safety personnel, if remote from location. For larger spills notify security, evacuate lab, lock door and wait nearby for assistance.
    Scoop up spilled potassium cyanide into suitable container for disposal. Decontaminate trace cyanide or residues without creating dust by wiping area with paper towel dampened with strong sodium ar calcium hypochlorite solution (see disposal procedures, section 12, for preparation).
    Liquid Solution - Protect floor drain from spill with spill pillows or booms. Notify supervisor or safety personnel. For small spills [<2 gms � % KCN (w/vol.)], prepare for clean-up: Provide adequate ventilation; scrupulously avoid the addition of any acid to the spill or leak area; wear proper protection against contact. Await arrival of supervisor or safety personnel, if remote from location. For larger spills notify security, evacuate lab, lock door and wait nearby for assistance.
    Scoop up spilled potassium cyanide into suitable container for disposal. Decontaminate trace cyanide in the spill area with strong sodium ar calcium hypochlorite solution and flush waste into holding area for disposal.
    Evolved Gas - Evacuate the area. Notify security. Lock door and wait nearby for assistance.
    
12. Waste disposal procedures -
    Dilute with several volumes of ice water made basic (pH 10-11) in an ice cooled flask. Slowly add a 50% excess of commercial laundry bleach containing 5.25% (0.75 M) sodium hypochlorite. (Additional equivalents of hypochlorite may be necessary if metals are present which can be oxidized.) Adjust pH if necessary. Let stand over night. Filter any solids present for disposal as a hazardous waste. Cautiously adjust pH to 7. Wash resulting mixture down the drain with excess water.
    
13. Reference sources -
    Aldrich MSDS
    Genium MSDS
    Gosselin, Smith, Hodge, Clinical Toxicology of Commercial Products, 5th Edition
    Prudent Practices for Handling Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories
    Prudent Practices for Disposal of Chemicals from Laboratories

14. F&M CHEMICAL HYGIENE PLAN

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    APPENDIX C. SAMPLE CHEMICAL-SPECIFIC SAFETY PROTOCOL

    Cyanide Safety Protocol
    1. Principal Investigator Identification -
       Name: Ronald L. Musselman
       Prior Relevant Training: Ph.D., Chemistry 1972, where synthesis involved preparation of cyano complexes. Twenty-two years of accident-free use of cyanide salts.
       
    2. Laboratory Personnel Identification -
       All of the following have had specific training on cyanide use:
       Name: Theodore Nichols
       Training: High School chemistry teacher
       Name: Lawrence Han
       Training: F&M Senior. Chemistry major.
       
    3. Material Identification -
       Full chemical name: Potassium Cyanide
       CAS number: 151-50-8
       Common Synonyms: Hydrocyanic acid, potassium salt,
       RCRA Waste No. P098
       Formula: KCN
       Structure: KCN
       
    4. Chemical and physical properties -
       Appearance: White crystalline solid
       Odor: None referenced for pure material. Odor of HCN (almonds) may be present if exposed to moisture.
       Melting Point: 634.5 C
       Boiling Point:
       Specific Gravity: 1.520
       Vapor Density: N/A
       Vapor Pressure at temperature of use: N/A
       Solubility in Solvents to be used: 50 gms/100 cc in cold water; 100 gms/100 cc in hot water; 4.91 gms/100 cc in Methanol at 19.5 C
       Flash Point: N/A
       Autoignition Temperature: N/A
       Flammable Limits: N/A
       
    5. Health Hazard Information -
       Exposure Limits: OSHA PEL 8 hr. TWA 5 mg (CN)/M3
       NIOSH 5 mg (CN)/M3/10 min.
       Toxicity Data: oral rat LD50 - 5 mg/kg
       Possible Routes of Exposure:
       
       Inhalation -
       Ingestion -
       Absorption - Readily absorbed through skin.
       Injection -
       Effects of Overexposure: Fatal, oral lethal dose in humans is 2.8 mg/kg. At lower exposures can cause nausea, dizziness and headache, altered sleep time, tremors, loss of muscular coordination (ataxia), difficulty in breathing (dyspnea) or respiratory stimulation, blue skin coloration (cyanosis), flaccid paralysis without anesthesia, rigidity, convulsions, coma.
       
    6. Physical Hazards Associated with the Chemical - Corrosivity: Aqueous solution slightly basic, pH of 0.1 molar solution approximately 8.9.
       Flammability: N/A
       Reactivity -
       
       Stability: Exposure to humid air or water may yield hydrogen cyanide vapors. Absorbs CO2 from air further promoting yield of hydrogen cyanide.
       Incompatibility: Acids (contact will yield hydrogen cyanide vapors), strong oxidizing agents.
    7. Maximum quantity (or activity if radiolabeled) -
       Purchased: 3.5 lbs (1568 gms), before 6/89
       Stored: 3.5 lbs
       
    8. Facilities -
       Room(s) where the material will be Stored: In west fume hood in P-404.
       Ventilation Provisions Present: Room has two window units providing comfort ventilation; supplementary exhaust gives room negative pressure with respect to hallway and adjacent offices. Hood face velocity averages 110 lf/m with sash open 15" (half-way), and 265 lf/m with sash closed to 4". Hood does not have make-up air supply.
       Designated Area Posting:
       On Door - "Toxic Chemicals. Authorized Personnel Only."
       On Hood - "Cyanides. Danger - Extremely High, Acute Toxin."
       Handled: In west fume hood in P-404.
       Ventilation Provisions Present: See above.
       Designated Area Posting: See above.
       
    9. Outline of experimental procedures -
       Typical reaction uses 150 gms; reaction performed 2-3 times a year. Principal reaction:
       1) 2 KCN (or NaCN) + Ni+2 --> Ni(CN)2 in MeOH
       CN salt is washed free of contaminates in a methanol slurry and vacuum filtered. Filtrate dissolved into cyanide waste container.
       2) Ni(ClO4)2 + 2 KCN --> Ni(CN)2 + K2ClO4 or
       Ni(ClO4)2 + 4 KCN --> K2Ni(CN)4
       
    10. Safety precautions that will be taken -
        Handling: Use only in a fume hood. Use of acids in this hood is prohibited. Wear goggles and impervious gloves. Wash thoroughly after handling.
        Storage: Keep lid tightly closed. Store in a dry area.
        Transporting: Place well sealed container within sealed, unbreakable container when moving outside hood.
        Solution Preparation: Weigh material on balance within fume hood.
        Analytical Methods for Monitoring: No routine monitoring. Monitor during training with commercially available portable monitor, fitted with colorimetric indicator tubes, sensitive to hydrogen cyanide.
        Special precautions: Do not work alone with this material. If the odor of HCN is detected evacuate the laboratory and notify security. But do not rely on odor for warning. It is estimated that 20 to 40% of all persons are congenitally insensitive to the odor of HCN. If the fume hood ventillation fails, or if symptoms of exposure develop, evacuate the laboratory and notify security.
        
    11. Emergency procedures -
        Fire fighting techniques: Recommended fire extinguisant - Alcohol or polymer foam. Do not use carbon dioxide extinguisher on this material.
        First aid procedures:
        Skin and Eye Contact - Flush with copious amounts of water for 15 minutes. Ingestion - Remove victim from contaminated area. Break amyl nitrite ampules under victim's nose and admisister by inhalation for 15 to 30 seconds of every minute. If breathing has stopped, use artificial respiration. Medical assistance should be summoned as soon as possible, but the victim should not be left unattended. Speed in providing treatment is of utmost importance.
        Further treatment to be administered by qualified medical personnel: Discontinue amyl nitrite and immediately inject 10 mL of a 3% solution of sodium nitrite intravenously over a period of 2 to 4 minutes. If necessary inject a non-sterile solution. Do not remove the needle. (Caution: appropriate adjustments in the dose should be made on a body weight basis.) Through the same needle, infuse intravenously 50 mL of a 25% aqueous solution of sodium thiosulfate. The injection should take about 10 minutes. Other concentrations (5 to 50%) are permissible if the total dose is held to approximately 12 grams. Oxygen therapy may be of value in combination with nitrite and sodium thiosulfate therapy. If symptoms recur, the injections of nitrite and thiosulfate may be repeated at half the above doses. In very severe poisoning it is safer and perhaps more efficient to keep repeating the thiosulfate injections instead of the nitrite.
        Inhalation - See ingestion.
        Spill and Leakage Clean-up and Decontamination:
        Solid - Notify supervisor or safety personnel. For small spills, <2 gms, prepare for clean-up: Provide adequate ventilation; scrupulously avoid the addition of any acid to the spill or leak area; wear proper protection against contact. Await arrival of supervisor or safety personnel, if remote from location. For larger spills notify security, evacuate lab, lock door and wait nearby for assistance.
        Scoop up spilled potassium cyanide into suitable container for disposal. Decontaminate trace cyanide or residues without creating dust by wiping area with paper towel dampened with strong sodium ar calcium hypochlorite solution (see disposal procedures, section 12, for preparation).
        Liquid Solution - Protect floor drain from spill with spill pillows or booms. Notify supervisor or safety personnel. For small spills [<2 gms � % KCN (w/vol.)], prepare for clean-up: Provide adequate ventilation; scrupulously avoid the addition of any acid to the spill or leak area; wear proper protection against contact. Await arrival of supervisor or safety personnel, if remote from location. For larger spills notify security, evacuate lab, lock door and wait nearby for assistance.
        Scoop up spilled potassium cyanide into suitable container for disposal. Decontaminate trace cyanide in the spill area with strong sodium ar calcium hypochlorite solution and flush waste into holding area for disposal.
        Evolved Gas - Evacuate the area. Notify security. Lock door and wait nearby for assistance.
        
    12. Waste disposal procedures -
        Dilute with several volumes of ice water made basic (pH 10-11) in an ice cooled flask. Slowly add a 50% excess of commercial laundry bleach containing 5.25% (0.75 M) sodium hypochlorite. (Additional equivalents of hypochlorite may be necessary if metals are present which can be oxidized.) Adjust pH if necessary. Let stand over night. Filter any solids present for disposal as a hazardous waste. Cautiously adjust pH to 7. Wash resulting mixture down the drain with excess water.
        
    13. Reference sources -
        Aldrich MSDS
        Genium MSDS
        Gosselin, Smith, Hodge, Clinical Toxicology of Commercial Products, 5th Edition
        Prudent Practices for Handling Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories
        Prudent Practices for Disposal of Chemicals from Laboratories