DCHAS-L Archives Oct 15 2009 - Re: Baylor University evacuates science building after cyanide

At KU, if we know why the alarm was pulled/what was spilled/any information , we are expected to find the Chem Dept Business Manager, who will be in a specified location (near the front of the fire lane where the fire trucks always pull up) and calmly - and concisely state what happened and/or what chemicals are involved. Any MSDS sheets we have with us we can give to her. She takes it from there (and the firemen are usually there by that point) Any time she is absent, a very specific hierarchy is followed. I think that having a "point person", probably administrative, that the police/fire authorities are directed towards is imperative to facilitating a quick and APPROPRIATE response to a situation. But, the person "who pulled the alarm" is expected to get to that location immediately and to answer al l questions honestly. One would hope that all responses have the same focus - SAFETY! -Melinda On Thu, Oct 15, 2009 at 9:02 AM, wrote: > This brings up an interesting point. Perhaps the "staff" who were in the > know were not allowed to speak to the local responders! At our institutio n, > our Chem (and Bio) dept staff have been repeatedly told that "we are not > allowed to have any contact with local fire agencies, etc" and that they > (administration) will exclusively deal with these outside groups. > > Marjorie Samples > Folsom Lake College > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "List Moderator" > To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU > Sent: Thursday, October 15, 2009 4:30:43 AM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific > Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Baylor University evacuates science building after > cyanide spill > > From: Arvedson, Steve > Subject: RE: [DCHAS-L] Baylor University evacuates science buildi ng > > after cyanide spill > Date: October 14, 2009 8:27:13 PM EDT > > It appears that this situation was created by an incomplete > understanding of the meaning of the term =93cyanide=94 in this context. > If they had called in an isovaleronitrile spill instead (same > material, different name), they probably could have just cleared the > room and cleaned up the spill wearing the appropriate respirator and > other PPE. The material has an NFPA health rating of 2, a boiling > point of 128 degrees C and an oral LD50 in mouse of 233 mg/kg. Did > anybody on staff at Baylor pull up the MSDS and try to work with the > emergency responders to ease their concerns? This is a good reminder > that all chemical-using institutions, whether academic or industrial, > should be trying to work with their local responders to establish two- > way communication, so that the appropriate level of response can be > applied to each incident. > > Steve > -- Melinda L Toumi Ph.D. Candidate University of Kansas Department of Chemistry 785-864-3896 melindatoumi**At_Symbol_Here**gmail.com

On Thu, Oct 15, 2009 at 9:02 AM, <drs amples**At_Symbol_Here**comcast.net> wrote:

This brings up an interesting point. Perhaps the "staff" who w ere in the know were not allowed to speak to the local responders! At our i nstitution, our Chem (and Bio) dept staff have been repeatedly told that &q uot;we are not allowed to have any contact with local fire agencies, etc&qu ot; and that they (administration) will exclusively deal with these outside groups.

Marjorie Samples
Folsom Lake College

----- Original Message - ----
From: "List Moderator" <ecgrants**At_Symbol_Here**UVM.EDU>
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU
Sent: Thursday, October 15, 2009 4:30:43 AM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Baylor University evacuates science building after cyanide spill

From: =A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0Arvedson, Steve <stephena**At_Symbol_Here**amgen.com& gt;
Subject: =A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0RE: [DCHAS-L] Baylor University evacuates science building =A0
after cyanide spill
Date: =A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 =A0October 14, 2009 8:27:13 PM EDT

It appears that this situation wa s created by an incomplete =A0
understanding of the meaning of the term =93cyanide=94 in this context. =A0
If they had called in an isovaleronitrile spill instead (same =A0
m aterial, different name), they probably could have just cleared the =A0
room and cleaned up the spill wearing the appropriate respirator and =A0
other PPE. =A0The material has an NFPA health rating of 2, a boiling =A0
point of 128 degrees C and an oral LD50 in mouse of 233 mg/kg. =A0Did =A0< br>anybody on staff at Baylor pull up the MSDS and try to work with the =A0
emergency responders to ease their concerns? =A0This is a good reminder =A0
that all chemical-using institutions, whether academic or industrial, =A0should be trying to work with their local responders to establish two- way communication, so that the appropriate level of response can be =A0 applied to each incident.

Steve

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