Hello Safe Ones,

I have a question related to the recent ACS meeting: Are live demos performed at ACS meetings reviewed for safety before they are approved to be done? I know there was an approval process for the Demo Exchange this year, but do not know if safety was part of it.

I ask because this is the second year in a row where my students have come back to tell me the horror they felt seeing what others were doing. Last year it was liquid nitrogen explosions with only safety glasses as PPE during a workshop. This year it was a video of "Flaming Snowballs" being presented as a demo at the Demo Exchange. I do not have the exact video or know what chapter was showing it. You can see an example of these Flaming Snowballs here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Krh2VJ_WTpI. I have not personally seen the exact video that was shown at this year's meeting. However, my students did specifically point out lack of PPE, even though my bigger concern was throwing a flaming ball around. I am glad that my students can identify the problems with such things, but do worry about the influence on other students who may not have as much safety knowledge (especially considering I will have a new group of chemists in training to take with me when my current gr!
oup graduates next year).

Has anyone else seen these demos being done or shared these concerns?

Thanks,
Monique Wilhelm
Laboratory Manager/Adjunct Lecturer/Chem Club Co-Advisor
Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry
University of Michigan-Flint
Flint, MI 48502

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