CHEMISTRY 445-Chemical Health and Laboratory Safety
Dr. Gregory S. Kowalczyk
Jennings 330 (203) 392-6268
E-Mail:
KowalczykG1@southernct.edu
Web Page: WebCT (access through MySCSU)
Spring Semester 2004
Texts: There
will be no specific text book for this course. The material in this course will be presented primarily with
the use of overhead slides. There
will be handouts which will often be copies of the overheads. Students will be expected to supplement
lecture material, as required, from reference books available in the library or
from web sites on the internet related to laboratory safety and chemical
hazards.
Course Overview and
Learning Objectives: Upon satisfactory completion of this course, the
student will be familiar with hazards associated with specific classes of
chemicals, know where to find information on chemical safety and toxicity, know how to determine the relative toxicity of
chemicals, know what precautions to take when using a chemical, how to carry
out reactions safely, be able to recognize hazards associated with laboratory
equipment, know how to ensure minimum exposure to chemicals, know first aid
procedures, emergency procedures for spills and proper waste disposal
procedures. The course will also
introduce the student to chemical safety in an industrial, non-laboratory,
environment.
Course Evaluation:
Written Paper 30%
Mid-Term
Exam
35%
Final
Exam 35%
The written paper is to be
3-5 pages in length, properly referenced with a minimum of three references and
address some topic of chemical safety or toxicity. The topic can also address some aspect of laboratory or
industrial safety. The paper can
address the hazards of a specific chemical and cite accidents/exposures of it
in a laboratory or industrial setting.
The topic of the paper must be approved by the instructor by 3/11/04. Some examples of a topic for the paper
are:
Proper
selection of fire extinguishers
Precautions for using perchloric acid (or some other
specific chemical that requires extensive special precautions)
Permeation
rates of various PPE
What's
the difference between an explosive and pyrophoric material?
Specific
criteria for respirator (glove) selection and use.
The
applicability of animal studies to humans
COURSE OUTLINE
Within this outline, I plan
to have an outside speaker, Mr. Hugh Plunkett of Fleet Environmental, to
address the class regarding chemical spill response and PPE. The date will be determined by his
availability.
Date Topic
1/29 Nature
and Scope of Chemical Hazards and Toxicity
Responsibility
for safety
Basic
types of hazards
Sources
of information on chemical hazards
Types
of accidents
2/5 Regulations
Federal
and state agencies
Specific
regulatory references
Requirements
and enforcement
2/12 Material
Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)
Federal
requirements
Definition
of terms
Interpretation
2/19 MSDS
continued
2/26 Chemical
Labeling
Regulatory requirements
Types
of labels
3/4 Safe
Handling of Chemicals
Personal
Protective Equipment (PPE)
Laboratory
Safety Equipment
Flammability
Hazards/Extinguishers
Proper
chemical storage
Ventilation
First
Aid
Emergency
Response
Proper
Waste Disposal
3/11 Safe
Handling of Chemicals continued
3/18 Mid-Term
Exam
3/25 Spring
Break
4/1 Chemical
Reactions
Incompatibilities
Factors
affecting rates of reaction
Pyrophorics
Water-reactives
Acids
Oxidizers
Explosives
Peroxides
4/8 Chemical
Reactions continued
4/15 Chemical
Reactions continued
4/22 Non-chemical
hazards
Gas
cylinders
Cryogenics
Glassware
Electrical
Equipment
Syringes
4/29 Radiation
and Biohazards
Types
of Radiation
Protective
Measures
Personal
Monitors
Safe
techniques and procedures
5/6 Industrial
Toxicity
Risk
Assessment
Chemical,
Physical and Physiological Properties
Transport
of Toxic Substances in the Body
Relationship
between Dose and Response
5/13 Industrial
Toxicity continued
Papers
Due
5/20 Final
Exam
10:15 - 12:15
Attendance: Regular
and prompt attendance is expected.
Accommodating Students
with Disabilities: If any student has a particular disability-related
need in order to participate in this course, such as, special seating,
note-taking assistance, use of tape recorders, or modified examination
conditions, please let me know as soon as possible so that appropriate
accommodations can be made.
Inclement Weather: When
inclement weather threatens, call the universityıs WeatherChek voice mail
message line (203-392-SNOW) to hear the latest official information on possible
delayed openings, class cancellations, or the closing of the university.
Some Final Thoughts: Unfortunately,
the question of academic honesty occasionally becomes an issue between an
instructor and a student. The best
way to avoid this is to be sure that no suspicions arise. This also applies to plagiarism so see
to read the information regarding this on the web page. If you are not sure what constitutes
plagiarism, ASK. Cheating on
exams or any phase of this course will not be tolerated. The student handbook outlines the
various prerogatives of the instructor in cases of academic dishonesty.