Gen AI in Business - Global Trends Report 2024.pdf
Chemistry is not zero exposure
1. Chemistry is not a “Zero
Exposure” Occupation
Harry J. Elston, Ph.D., CIH
Midwest Chemical Safety, LLC
Dawson, IL
2. “Chemistry is not a zero-exposure occupation.
You are not entitled to zero exposure. You are
entitled that your exposure be kept below
recognized occupational exposure limits and to be
informed of the hazardous properties of the
materials with which you work.”
3. Producers and Consumers
Colleges and Universities are
manufacturers of a product
Who are the consumers?
Industry – Research, QA/QC, etc.
Government – Environmental,
Transportation, Law Enforcement…
Academia – graduate and professional
schools
4. What the Consumer Wants on Day 1:
Basic chemical calculations
Basic chemical manipulations
(dilutions, distillations, prepare
solutions, etc.)
Has basic understanding of hazard
(acids/bases are corrosive, cyanides
are toxic…)
5. Day 1:
Basic understanding of safe waste
management (don’t mix organics with
nitric acid, waste segregation, etc.)
Basic understanding (and respect) for
risk management
Can put the risk equation together:
Risk = hazard x P(exposure)
Has respect for chemical hazards, but
not fear
6. A completely unscientific survey
for this presentation
Reviewed GenChem and Organic Chem
textbooks and lab manuals from 4
undergrad institutions
7. What I consider are problems:
Lab manuals never had the student make dilutions
from concentrated stock acids/bases
Labs have removed use of toxic material for
separations (CS2, carbon tetrachloride,
dichloromethane, cyanides in qual schemes, etc.)
Reasons for chemical substitution are not
explained
PPE is prescribed but not explained. No risk
assessment is performed.
No hazard assessments or risk evaluations shown
8. Missing teachable moments
Dilutions and chemical manipulations
Understanding risk information
MSDS/SDS (a starting place)
Interpreting MSDS/SDS in light of
concentration
Other toxicology information
Interpreting conflicting tox data
Safely working with hazardous/highly
hazardous material (like they will when they
graduate)
9. Leading from the front (of the
classroom or lab)
Introducing “hazard” to students
In “pre-lab” exercises:
“Hazard” is an inherent property of the
chemical
“Hazard” is reduced by dilution
Talk about choice of chemicals used
In the classroom
Introduce industrial chemical use
10. Leading from the front
Risk and Risk Management
What is risk?
Risk (consequence) = Hazard x P(exposure)
Balance hazard/exposure to keep risk
acceptable
Introduce to the student the “whys”
Chemical substitution (hazard)
SOP/PPE (exposure)
Risk assessment tools at higher levels
11. Leading from the front
In the lab
Handling hazardous chemicals/waste
safely
Keep risk perspective – make it part of
the pedagogy
Make working safely part of the
evaluation
Reward those who work safely, penalize
those who are demonstratively unsafe