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Previous by Date: Subject: [DCHAS-L] Perchloric acid-organic mixtures Date: Thursday, June 5, 2014 10:20:36 AM Author: Dan Kuespert <dkuespert**At_Symbol_Here**JHU.EDU> |
Next by Date: Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] first aid for HF Date: Thu, 5 Jun 2014 11:49:30 -0400 Author: David Roberts |
Everyone handling HF should know how dangerous it is. In the last several years our union has had two serious accidents involving HF. One was in a plant making
chemicals for the aluminum smelting process; the other in an oil refinery with an HF alkylation unit. Both were sprayed with a couple of hundred cc’s. Both got rapid treatment, including calcium gluconate. One died, the other came close.
In fact, if we calculate the hazard of a chemical in terms of the number of people who could be affected by full release from an existing facility, HF tops
the list. Fifty US refineries have HF alkylation units. They vary in size between 5,000 and 870,000 lbs of HF on site. Many are in urban areas. Altogether, more than 26 million people live in a potential impact area (by EPA’s estimate).
Michael J. Wright
Director of Health, Safety and Environment
United Steelworkers
412-562-2580 office
412-370-0105 cell
See us on the web at www.usw.org
From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU]
On Behalf Of Dan Kuespert
Sent: Thursday, June 05, 2014 10:11 AM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] first aid for HF
It’s not just the bony materials. Ca2+ is a critical ion for various signaling and metabolic processes, and HF in sufficient quantity can disrupt metabolism extensively.
We recently began planning for the use of gallon quantities of HF in one of our nano fabrication labs. One precaution we took was to contact the emergency room that would be receiving any injury and assure ourselves that they were equipped
to quickly handle an HF exposure. (Despite our being part of Johns Hopkins, JH Hospital is not the university's nearest emergency department.)
My experience with emergency rooms is that corrosive handlers should be trained to inform the triage nurse that they have a *chemical burn*, not a thermal burn. Otherwise, if it doesn’t look extensive, the nurse will hand them a tube of
burn gel and sit them in the corner for 6 hours until somebody gets some free time. If you tell them it’s a chemical burn, at least they’ll probably provide you with irrigation facilities while you wait.
regards,
dan
=============================
Dr. Daniel R. Kuespert
Homewood Laboratory Safety Advocate
Krieger School of Arts & Sciences/Whiting School of Engineering
The Johns Hopkins University
103G Shaffer Hall
3400 North Charles St.
Baltimore, MD 21218
(410) 516-5525
On May 16, 2014, at 12:07 AM, Patrick Cruver <camp4**At_Symbol_Here**PULLMAN.COM> wrote:
Sheila-
Yes, and they should be taken to the local hospital ER very quickly. The patient should be kept for observation in case some of the HF still remains. It can continue to
drill down in to find bony materials and cause damage---including death. These are instructions I received from the ER Director of our local hospital when I was doing safety and IH for Washington State University.
Regards,
Patrick Cruver
We keep a tube of calcium gluconate gel in the lab first aid kit; it’s the recommended immediate treatment (following water wash). Never been used & (according to
expiration date) needs to be replaced annually.
Sigma Aldrich MSDS:
FIRST AID MEASURES
General advice
Consult a physician. Show this safety data sheet to the doctor in attendance. Hydrofluoric (HF) acid burns require
immediate and specialized first aid and medical treatment. Symptoms may be delayed up to 24 hours depending on the
concentration of HF. After decontamination with water, further damage can occur due to penetration/absorption of the
fluoride ion. Treatment should be directed toward binding the fluoride ion as well as the effects of exposure. Skin
exposures can be treated with a 2.5% calcium gluconate gel repeated until burning ceases. More
serious skin exposures
may require subcutaneous calcium gluconate except for digital areas unless the physician is experienced in this
technique, due to the potential for tissue injury from increased pressure. Absorption can readily occur through the
subungual areas and should be considered when undergoing decontamination. Prevention of absorption of the fluoride
ion in cases of ingestion can be obtained by giving milk, chewable calcium carbonate tablets or Milk of Magnesia to
conscious victims. Conditions such as hypocalcemia, hypomagnesemia and cardiac arrhythmias should be monitored for,
since they can occur after exposure. Move out of dangerous area.
SMK
_________________________________
Sheila Kennedy, C.H.O.
Safety Coordinator | Teaching Laboratories
UCSD Chemistry & Biochemistry |MC 0303
Office: (858) 534-0221 | Fax: (858) 534-7687
_________________________________
From: DCHAS-L
Discussion List [mailto:dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU] On Behalf Of Kim Gates
Sent: Thursday, May 08, 2014 5:55 AM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Question on trifluoracetic acid & emergencies
One of the labs on campus asked about having an HF emergency kit for trifluoracetic acid use.
I need the collective wisdom of his group - yes? no? references? (the SDS doesn't mention anything about this)
Thanks
Kim Gates
Laboratory Safety Specialist
Environmental Health & Safety
Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, NY 11794-6200
Kim.Gates**At_Symbol_Here**stonybrook.edu
631-632-3032
FAX: 631-632-9683
EH&S Web site: http://www.stonybrook.edu/ehs/lab/
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