Health considerations relative to the use of solvents in the chemistry laboratory

Conference · Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1978

OSTI ID:7024355

Porter, W. E.; Ketchen, E. E.; Bolton, N. E.

Organic solvents can be safely used in the research laboratory if a few simple principles of good practice are followed. The hazards from flammability, explosion, incompatible reactions, and decomposition of laboratory solvents are probably greater than health hazards per se, but this paper will address only those hazards which may cause impairment to the health of laboratory workers. In the main, simple, straightforward practices and methods are discussed for controlling exposure to toxic solvents. The major obstacle in achieving good control is neither inadequate control systems nor the lack of knowledge by laboratory workers, but rather the failure to follow safe practices, of which they are already familiar. There seems to be an almost universal tendency among laboratory workers to become complacent and to minimize the health hazards of common solvents. This is especially true in cases where the solvents in question have been used routinely for years. The feeling seems to be that the absence of apparent health effects to date guarantees that there will be none in the future. In reality, chronic damage may already have occurred or there may be a long period of latency before overt health effects are manifested.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• OSTI ID: 7024355
• Report Number(s): CONF-780305-18
• Resource Relation: Conference: American Chemical Society conference, Anaheim, CA, USA, 12 Mar 1978
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS//MATHEMATICS, COMPUTING, AND INFORMATION SCIENCE
PERSONNEL
HEALTH HAZARDS
SOLVENTS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
TOXICITY
CHRONIC EXPOSURE
INGESTION
INHALATION
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY
OINTMENTS
PREVENTIVE MEDICINE
PROTECTIVE CLOTHING
SKIN ABSORPTION
VENTILATION
WORKING CONDITIONS
CLOTHING
DRUGS
HAZARDS
INTAKE
MEDICINE
SAFETY
UPTAKE
560306* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Man- (-1987)
510200 - Environment
Terrestrial- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
570000 - Health & Safety
560400 - Other Environmental Pollutant Effects