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Previous by Date: Subject: [DCHAS-L] ACS ChemMatters Article on SDSs and methanol safety Date: Tuesday, November 3, 2015 10:05:13 AM Author: "Secretary, ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety" <secretary**At_Symbol_Here**DCHAS.ORG>

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The demo kits I feel are good - and something that should be distributed by somebody at some point. Whether it‰??s from Universities who get funding from various organizations or the ACS, I don‰??t care, but I do think a demo kit with safety links and info would be worthwhile.

My point about not having control of demos leaving my University stems to the fact that many people having influence in the school are NOT in chem club and thus don‰??t talk to me. They may be art students who took a chem class (I‰??m at a liberal arts college) or they could even be english majors who simply have a liking for science. Many of the chemicals they use in you tube videos can be purchased at amazon or the local hardware store, so they don‰??t need me to supply anything (or it‰??s possible the teachers have supplies the students can use). In any event, my point was I can‰??t control all students at our school. And it‰??s not like a generic email or policy will fix that.

One thing suggested was at the school level (we only have a handful of schools in our area, and I do know all of them). This involves asking the schools to not allow any demos unless the demo has been signed off by me using some form. We can do that, but in the nature of anything that involves people doing outreach there will always be a person doing something last minute that won‰??t get all the things that will somehow slide through - but hopefully we can make it work. My comment was just to imply that this is a daunting task, since I can‰??t even control what I feel might be a controlled environment.

Good luck all. This is a good discussion

Dave

> On Nov 3, 2015, at 9:05 AM, Wilhelm, Monique wrote:
>
> 1. I agree with Dan that we need to do as much local reach as we can. I also still believe that there needs to be a national reach. The local reach through the university systems will only get those teachers that that particular university interacts with. This will do little for the rural schools who do not have close ties to a university or in communities where the university‰??s Outreach dept is so small that they do not have much reach.
>
> 2. I have already contacted the head of math and science curriculum at the ISD in my are many times to get the word out. But, I have learned that teachers ignore most emails that they get from the ISD because they get too many.
>
> 3. Someone else mentioned demo kits and demo training. Personally, I offer a FREE demo program for teachers in my area. I tried offering it annually. But, the same teachers kept coming and the program dwindled down as time passed. I will be offering it to teachers again this year. It is a 4 hour program, we provide them all instructions and materials to take back at least 12 low risk activities to their classrooms, and during the 4 hours that they are here, we show them how to do each activity or demo as if they were the students. Supplies for kits for 15 teachers runs about $500, I buy everything in bulk and divvy out. It takes 6 undergrads about 4 hours to build the kits if proper instruction is given.
>
> 4. Someone mentioned having little control over students at their schools doing demos. I have a demo program run by our chem club. I infiltrated myself into the chem club as a co-advisor once I learned that they were doing demos. In order to get to the demo supply area to get the materials they need, they have to have approval from me. To get approval they need to discuss their risk assessment with me. This has worked well. I know that not everyone has that kind of control over materials where they work. We are a primarily undergraduate institution. So, VERY few students have keys to labs or supply areas.
>
>
> Monique Wilhelm
> Laboratory Supervisor/Adjunct Lecturer/Chem Club Co-Advisor
> Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry
> University of Michigan-Flint
> Flint, MI 48502
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**med.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of Dan Kuespert
> Sent: Tuesday, November 03, 2015 8:43 AM
> To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU
> Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Chemistry classroom fire injures 6
>
> I‰??ve just skimmed through about 45 messages discussing how to raise awareness of the dangers of the rainbow demo, all good. I would like to point out a productive and easy method to help out that I didn‰??t notice anyone else raise (if you did, I apologize for lifting your idea‰?|). It has the advantage of being immediately actionable.
>
> Most of us in universities have K-12 outreach programs that run science/engineering camps, provide curriculum, etc. (Here at Johns Hopkins, it‰??s the Center for Educational Outreach--https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__engineering.jhu.edu_outreach_&d=BQIGaQ&c=lb62iw4YL4RFalcE2hQUQealT9-RXrryqt9KZX2qu2s&r=meWM1Buqv4IQ27AlK1OJRjcQl09S1Zta6YXKalY_Io0&m=9iiIs1j47uAQcMpiuyhIzjqNTv7K8se17Quk97G3XlQ&s=g0vjxBO7JF2jScFPUxKLgp9SFr0PTxMCf1zbujms6xs&e= ) These organizations are typically very good at distributing information to schools and are particularly experienced in working with school systems and state education departments.
>
> Yesterday, I stopped by CEO's offices and had a word with the director, who promised to insert a warning into their newsletter for schools, which is widely read within the school systems with which they work. This morning, I sent off a two-sentence blurb that cites the ACS warning and gives a link to the safer UC/Davis flame test procedure. I also sent a longer 6-sentence version, as she mentioned possibly doing a special warning a bit sooner.
>
> School administrators and science teachers are well-able to infer that they and their students are at risk, so belaboring the point is not really necessary. We just need to motivate them to look up more information on their own, and the words ‰??serious accident‰?? and ‰??injury to students and teachers‰?? will really get their attention well, I think.
>
> If all of those of us who have access to such resources can arrange for such messages to be distributed, we should be able to reach a decent percentage of the school science teacher population relatively quickly. I think it‰??s not so much the source of the message (DivCHAS, ACS president, CSB, etc.) but the distribution channel you use. The educational outreach folks have the ears of the school systems, while neither we nor CSB apparently do, so let‰??s team up with them.
>
> regards,
> dan
>
> =============================
> Dr. Daniel R. Kuespert
> dkuespert**At_Symbol_Here**jhu.edu
> 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 Nov 2, 2015, at 19:41, Chris A Jakober wrote:
>
> Addressing the new requirements of NFPA 45 - 2015 would've gone a long way towards prevention as well:
>
> "Laboratory Operations
>
> 12.1 General. This chapter provides fire protection and safety requirements for new and existing educational and instructional laboratories where experiments are conducted or demonstrations are performed using hazardous materials.
>
> 12.2* Instructor Responsibilities. Where instructors are performing demonstrations or students are conducting experiments using hazardous materials, the instructor shall be required
> to perform a documented hazard risk assessment, provide a safety briefing to students, provide adequate personal protective equipment (PPE), and place a safety barrier (as required) between students and the demonstration or experiment to prevent personal injury.
>
> 12.2.1* Instructors in teaching labs shall be trained and knowledgeable in fire safety procedures, emergency plans, the hazards present in the lab, the appropriate use of PPE, and how to properly conduct a hazard risk assessment."
>
> Chris
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Sat, 31 Oct 2015 10:04:06 -0700
> From: Laurence Doemeny
> Subject: Re: Chemistry classroom fire injures 6
>
> While training is helpful the real need is getting the information about the hazard to the teachers and administrators. Apparently some instructors don't know there is a problem.
>
>
>
> My suggestion is for the ACS and teacher organizations to jointly contact local and national news media to have a segment on the dangers of some of these demonstrations and how to perform them safely. That should get parent and school administrators attention. This would make a nice PBS Frontline or 60 Minutes segment.
>
>
>
> The Chemical Safety Board makes outstanding videos and excellent reports but their reach appears limited.
>
>
>
> Laurence Doemeny
>
>
>
>
>
> From: DCHAS-L Discussion List
> [mailto:dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**med.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of Casadonte, Dominick
> Sent: Friday, October 30, 2015 1:42 PM
> To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU
> Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Chemistry classroom fire injures 6
>
>
>
> This continues to beg for training for
> demonstrators...
>
>
>
> From: DCHAS-L Discussion List
> on behalf of
> "'sigmannsb**At_Symbol_Here**appstate. edu'"
>
> Reply-To: DCHAS-L
> Date: Friday, October 30, 2015 at 3:18 PM
> To: "DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU"
>
> Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Chemistry classroom fire injures 6
>
>
>
> I just showed the CSB video to our preteachers this week!
> S-
>
> On 10/30/2015 4:00 PM, Harry J. Elston wrote:
>
> Bang Head Here ---> (Rainbow Experiment)
>
>
>
> Harry
>
>
>
> On Fri, Oct 30, 2015 at 2:13 PM, Jyllian Kemsley wrote:
>
> "She was demonstrating the experiment ... with the different elements causing the fire to change color, and as the fire was dying down she added more alcohol"
>
>
>
> https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__twitter.com_mattacklandfox5_status_6601493&d=BQICAg&c=lb62iw4YL4RFalcE2hQUQealT9-RXrryqt9KZX2qu2s&r=meWM1Buqv4IQ27AlK1OJRjcQl09S1Zta6YXKalY_Io0&m=JjvqpzCrmr_-cDzzkfDnbUrtAX2Kv4kFNNM9tFqA5DI&s=VMP_-QAdVQ8hu5fh-bTOpQhUu6pc3pltxo3vD8u3oQ0&e=
> 72412366848
> <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-
> 3A__twitter.com_mattacklandfox5_status_66014937241
> 2366848&d=BQMFaQ&c=lb62iw4YL4RFalcE2hQUQealT9-RXrr
> yqt9KZX2qu2s&r=meWM1Buqv4IQ27AlK1OJRjcQl09S1Zta6YX
> KalY_Io0&m=CbehrvD8q5vQGKSKjcxqRKpWvKxObvDqG9NNMQo
> yzXU&s=5Wjk0akwrg-vDROBwkZpv5oV6uQ_Jenr1a0YUpJXjlU
> &e=>
>
>
>
> On Fri, Oct 30, 2015 at 9:25 AM, ILPI Support wrote:
>
> Figured this one couldn't wait for Monday's
> headlines:
>
>
>
> https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.washingtonpost.com_local_public-2Dsafety_&d=BQICAg&c=lb62iw4YL4RFalcE2hQUQealT9-RXrryqt9KZX2qu2s&r=meWM1Buqv4IQ27AlK1OJRjcQl09S1Zta6YXKalY_Io0&m=JjvqpzCrmr_-cDzzkfDnbUrtAX2Kv4kFNNM9tFqA5DI&s=wSUzDqzP1RVqkIqctMK2PPTHeW0FnoE95LgLKvd_ba0&e=
> three-injured-after-fire-at-woodson-high-school-in
> -fairfax/2015/10/30/7f6b6aac-7f10-11e5-afce-2afd1d
> 3eb896_story.html
> <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3
> A__www.washingtonpost.com_local_public-2Dsafety_th
> ree-2Dinjured-2Dafter-2Dfire-2Dat-2Dwoodson-2Dhigh
> -2Dschool-2Din-2Dfairfax_2015_10_30_7f6b6aac-2D7f1
> 0-2D11e5-2Dafce-2D2afd1d3eb896-5Fstory.html&d=BQMF
> Ag&c=lb62iw4YL4RFalcE2hQUQealT9-RXrryqt9KZX2qu2s&r
> =meWM1Buqv4IQ27AlK1OJRjcQl09S1Zta6YXKalY_Io0&m=0gn
> S-MjkwGV0goYHHwE0QZLajqLviC_oENvLJlboBQM&s=LlNVuEE
> G2GxFftpPxrCiH2oAKNu_ogJm8sJifnbbVuo&e=>
>
>
>
> Two are in serious condition (presumably with
> burns). No chemistry details yet. I think we
> all have a good guess at what was involved based on unfortunate past experiences, but let's sit tight until there is confirmation.
>
>
>
> Rob Toreki
>
>
>
>
> ==================================================
>

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