MILLENIUM SCIENCE COMPLEX

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Julie Baldwin
5 years ago
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2 MILLENIUM SCIENCE COMPLEX

3 Opened in 2012 Essentially two separate buildings Materials Research Institute and Huck Institute of Life Science $225 million to build 275, 600 square feet 66 fume hoods Separate maintenance area MSC

15 CHEMICAL WASTE MANAGEMENT

16 CHEMICAL WASTE All laboratories using chemicals required to have Satellite Accumulation Area Area must have secondary containment Required documentation also part of the waste area Weekly check, self-inspection, inventory EHS coordinates and absorbs all costs for waste disposal

17 WASTE CONT D Online request form utilized Also set-up for tracking purposes Waste contractor picks up the waste from the laboratories and packs the waste Recent change in procedures, in the past EHS had an active roll in the waste pick-ups Waste shipped every 6 weeks, usually 15-20,000 pounds

20 Small chemical spills TYPICAL EHS RESPONSES Depending on the chemical, the lab may clean it themselves, have to report it to EHS EHS has six personnel that handle spills regularly, we have spill materials in our office Usually more of a inconvenience than an emergency

21 Container over pressurization Somewhat common occurrence Often piranha waste RESPONSES CONT D Mixture of sulfuric and hydrogen peroxide Used extensively in Materials Science Also solvents, lab personnel fill the container too full Containers broken during shipment

22 ACID WASTE

23 MERCURY Mercury spills Have drastically declined over the past 10 years EHS conducted a mercury thermometer exchange program Approx. 10,000 mercury thermometers have been taken out of service and disposed of Many barometers taken out of service or protected from breakage Not as common, but mercury spills still happen EHS has mercury vacuum and spill kit

24 TOXIC GAS CYLINDER CHANGEOUTS EHS disconnects the toxic gas cylinders for the labs Used as training for HM team members Helps build a working relationship with lab personnel

25 MAJOR RESPONSES

26 ANHYDROUS HYDROFLUORIC Broken line off of an anhydrous hydrofluoric acid cylinder Lecture bottle near the fume hood One graduate student working in the lab at the time Heard the pop and the hiss, left the lab Went directly to the campus medical center then the hospital

27 HF CONT D EHS/HazMat response Checked our PPE Building has many fume hoods, under a vacuum Checked the airflow into the room, ensured air was being drawn into the lab with smoke tubes Coordinated with other lab personel on amount and placement of lecture bottle Waited two hours before allowing entry

28 MERCAPTAN SPILL Spill of 100 ml of a mercaptan based chemical, in a fume hood Researcher cleaned up the spill with paper towels and spill pads Bagged up all of the spill materials Unsure of what to do with the spill clean-up, materials took them through the hallway to the safety officers office

29 MERCAPTAN CONT D Air handling system spread the odors through the building very quickly, occupants thought it was natural gas Building evacuated, hazmat requested Remove the bag from the building, allow building to ventilate While donning PPE, another problem occurred

30 MERCAPTAN CONT D Lab occupants told the safety officer their equipment was not shut down, if not monitored, will malfunction and cause a serious fire Made entry, ensured equipment was shut down Difficult as there were many steps, relayed to us over the radio

31 Shared use lab Many different users INCOMPATIBLE WASTE MIXED Believed nitric mixed with ethylene glycol, bottle sealed, pressure built up, then exploded No one in the lab at the time

32 Explosion shook the building WASTE CONT D Calls to 911 reported orange cloud of gas filled the lab Fume hood sash was open, removed the cloud quickly Once determined no injuries, cleanup took place

34 QUESTIONS?

Chemical Inventory. https://lx.mit.edu

Chemical Inventory. https://lx.mit.edu EHS Issues Chemical Inventory https://lx.mit.edu Inventories must be maintained for all hazardous chemicals. Statistically significant evidence of health effects following exposure Flammable and explosive