About This Archive  |	DCHAS-L 2009 Index   |	DCHAS-L Yearly Index
Search All Posts:   Advanced Search     Disclaimer

Check out Safety Emporium for your N95, N99, and face shield needs.

Previous by Date: Subject: 3 Energy-saving strategies for laboratory exhaust systems Date: Sat, 21 Nov 2009 12:11:28 -0500 Author: List Moderator

Next by Date: Subject: 6 Chemical Safety Stories found by Google Date: Tue, 24 Nov 2009 09:05:24 -0500 Author: List Moderator

 I followed the story link. there was an update & some interesting 
comments from students who were in the class. Almost all comments were 
that this was an unfortunate accident. As a safety geek, I don't believe 
in "accidents". Things happen, but there's usually a reason why things go 
wrong. I think I figured it out from a comment from a student who was in 
the class: 


Okay I WAS THERE and we were doing LAB! The teacher put RUBBING alchohol 
in a small glass bowl and lit it with a match. It was a small little fire 
in the bowl. This metal substance was put on tongs and reached into the 
fire. It worked the first time and all that happened was a bright spark 
lit up and quickly went out. We had enough time to do it again so we did. 
The fire was weaker by then so the teacher put in some more rubbing 
alchohol and it blew up toward the 2 boys. The 15 year old took his shirt 
off right away so only his torso was burnt. The 14 year old was in shock 
and fell to the ground rolling around trying to get the fire out (as we 
learned STOP, DROP, and ROLL in elementary school). So the teacher tackled 
him with a towel and patted the fire out. By the time the fire was out he 
was burned all over his body. MY TEACHER RISKED HIS LIFE to save the boys. 
His hands were burned and blistered but all he cared about was saving my 
fellow students. So put those rumors behind you and pray for the ones 
involved in the accident, their families, and the students who witnessed 
the tragic accident. Thank you 

When the teacher went to repeat the experiment, he added additional 
isopropyl alcohol to the dish that already had a flame. This caused a 
flare up. Its an accident that has happened before & will again until 
people realize that you can't see the flames too well from a "weak" 
alcohol fire & you can't add additional flammable liquid to a fire. Think 
of the bar-b-q and adding additional lighter fluid. It always flares up. 
It would also help to have a shield between the fire & the students.  How 
do we get this info out to the teachers?

Kim Auletta
Lab Safety Specialist
EH&S    Z=6200
Stony Brook University
kauletta**At_Symbol_Here**notes.cc.sunysb.edu
631-632-3032
EH&S Web site: http://www.stonybrook.edu/ehs/lab/

Remember to wash your hands!


From:
List Moderator 
To:
DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU
Date:
11/20/2009 02:53 PM
Subject:
[DCHAS-L] Lab Incident (Indiana): Two students hospitalized with burns
Sent by:
DCHAS-L Discussion List 


http://www.wlfi.com/dpp/news/local/2-wainwright-middle-school-students-hospitalized-with-burns

Excerpt:

LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - Two students and their teacher were burned in an 
accident Wednesday morning at Wainwright Middle School in Lafayette.

Sheffield Township Volunteer Fire Medical Officer Brian Waller said the 
students were a 14-year-old boy and a 15-year-old boy.

Tippecanoe School Corporation (TSC) Superintendent Scott Hanback said the 
students were burned when an alcohol chemical flared up in an 8th grade 
science experiment. 

The 14-year-old boy was airlifted to Riley Children's Hospital in 
Indianapolis.

The 15-year-old was transported to a Lafayette hospital by ambulance.

Sheffield Township emergency responders said that the teacher was treated 
at the scene for minor burns to the hands.

TSC spokesperson Christy Fraley said 16 other students were in the 
classroom at the time of the incident. She also said two other classes had 
performed the same science experiment earlier in the day.





 I followed the story link. there
was an update & some interesting comments from students who were in
the class. Almost all comments were that this was an unfortunate accident.
As a safety geek, I don't believe in "accidents". Things happen,
but there's usually a reason why things go wrong. I think I figured it
out from a comment from a student who was in the class: 






Okay I WAS THERE and we were doing LAB! The teacher put
RUBBING alchohol in a small glass bowl and lit it with a match. It was
a small little fire in the bowl. This metal substance was put on tongs
and reached into the fire. It worked the first time and all that happened
was a bright spark lit up and quickly went out. We had enough time to do
it again so we did. The fire was weaker by then so the teacher put in some
more rubbing alchohol and it blew up toward the 2 boys. The 15 year old
took his shirt off right away so only his torso was burnt. The 14 year
old was in shock and fell to the ground rolling around trying to get the
fire out (as we learned STOP, DROP, and ROLL in elementary school). So
the teacher tackled him with a towel and patted the fire out. By the time
the fire was out he was burned all over his body. MY TEACHER RISKED HIS
LIFE to save the boys. His hands were burned and blistered but all he cared
about was saving my fellow students. So put those rumors behind you and
pray for the ones involved in the accident, their families, and the students
who witnessed the tragic accident. Thank you 



When the teacher went to repeat the
experiment, he added additional isopropyl alcohol to the dish that already
had a flame. This caused a flare up. Its an accident that has happened
before & will again until people realize that you can't see the flames
too well from a "weak" alcohol fire & you can't add additional
flammable liquid to a fire. Think of the bar-b-q and adding additional
lighter fluid. It always flares up. It would also help to have a shield
between the fire & the students.  How do we get this info out
to the teachers?



Kim Auletta

Lab Safety Specialist

EH&S    Z=6200

Stony Brook University

kauletta**At_Symbol_Here**notes.cc.sunysb.edu

631-632-3032

EH&S Web site: http://www.stonybrook.edu/ehs/lab/


Remember to wash your hands!






From:
List Moderator <ecgrants**At_Symbol_Here**UVM.EDU>

To:
DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU

Date:
11/20/2009 02:53 PM

Subject:
[DCHAS-L] Lab Incident (Indiana): Two
students hospitalized with burns

Sent by:
DCHAS-L Discussion List <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU>






http://www.wlfi.com/dpp/news/local/2-wainwright-middle-school-students-hospitalized-with-burns


Excerpt:


LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - Two students and their teacher were burned in
an accident Wednesday morning at Wainwright Middle School in Lafayette.


Sheffield Township Volunteer Fire Medical Officer Brian Waller said the
students were a 14-year-old boy and a 15-year-old boy.


Tippecanoe School Corporation (TSC) Superintendent Scott Hanback said the
students were burned when an alcohol chemical flared up in an 8th grade
science experiment. 


The 14-year-old boy was airlifted to Riley Children's Hospital in Indianapolis.


The 15-year-old was transported to a Lafayette hospital by ambulance.


Sheffield Township emergency responders said that the teacher was treated
at the scene for minor burns to the hands.


TSC spokesperson Christy Fraley said 16 other students were in the classroom
at the time of the incident. She also said two other classes had performed
the same science experiment earlier in the day.

Previous post   |  Top of Page   |   Next post