Safety in the sciences, in particular in the Department of Chemistry, is the responsibility of all stakeholders and we must actively work together to ensure a safe working environment for everyone within the Department.
It is the responsibility of all supervisors and lab workers to know the properties of the chemicals that they are working with and the hazards associated with their lab environments.
The information contained herein is designed to serve as a guideline for safety concerns within the Department of Chemistry. These guidelines are designed to act in accordance with the policies and procedures outlined by the Brock University Environment, Health, and Safety Office, and Provincial and Federal laws.
In the event of an emergency contact Campus Safety
Services at ext. 3200 or dial 9-1-1.
For further information contact:
Dr. Paul Zelisko
Safety Officer – Department of Chemistry
Cairns 520
905 688 5550 x4389
pzelisko@brocku.ca
Safety information
Campus Safety should always be the first contact in the case of an emergency; they will then initiate contact with external emergency responders. Remember, when contacting emergency services it is important to provide them with a detailed description of your location and the emergency situation.
Campus Safety Services – ext. 3200
Emergency Services – 9-1-1
Niagara Regional Police – (905) 688-4111
St. Catharines Fire Department – (905) 684-4311
Thorold Fire Department – (905) 227-6613
St. Catharines General Hospital – (905) 684-7271
Poison Control Centre – 1-800-268-9017
Andy Prankevicius
Research Health & Safety Officer
905 688 5550 x5390
aprankevicius@brocku.ca
Dan Pozzobon
Occupational Health & Safety Officer
905 688 5550 x5994
dpozzobon@brocku.ca
Rick Fraser
Interim Manager, Environment, Health & Safety
Emergency and Life Safety Officer
905 688 5550 x3284
rfraser2@brocku.ca
Leila Vistorte
Biological & Laboratory Safety (Technical) Officer
905 688 5550 x5153
lvistorte@brocku.ca
Please refer to the following safety policies:
Please refer to the following sites for additional safety information.
Health, Wellness, & Safety at Brock University
Brock University requires that health and safety be a primary objective in every area of operation and that all persons utilizing University premises comply with procedures, regulations and standards relating to health and safety.
Ontario Health and Safety Act
The Provincial Act governing safety in Ontario workplaces.
Ontario Ministry of Labour
The Provincial Ministry responsible for overseeing safety in the workplace.
Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System
Provides a guide to the WHMIS legislation.
Science Stores – Waste Disposal Information
Additional information pertaining to hazardous waste disposal at Brock University.
Canadian Centre of Occupational Health and Safety
A wealth of safety information including access to material safety data sheets (MSDSs).
Ontario Fire Marshall’s Office
The Fire Marshall’s site contains links to many fire-related references as well as the Ontario Fire Code.
Frequently asked questions
It is the responsibility of every member of the Department of Chemistry to ensure that a safe work environment is available for all faculty, staff, and students be it in a laboratory or office space.
It is every laboratory supervisor’s obligation to ensure that the personnel operating in their lab environments have the necessary skills and training to ensure that they can work safely.
It is not necessary, nor recommended, that acids/bases be neutralized prior to disposal. Not only will the neutralization process generate larger quantities of waste, neutralizing substances could in itself pose a safety concern.
The minimum PPE required in a chemistry lab consists of safety glasses and closed toed shoes. The use of lab coats is highly recommended. It is recommended that contact lenses not be worn in chemistry labs as they can trap chemicals close to the eyes causing serious damage. Individual lab supervisors do have the right to require additional PPE above and beyond the minimum requirement.
Organic solvents should also be segregated into halogenated and non-halogenated containers since these two classes of solvents require different disposal considerations by RPR Environmental. Containers of chemical waste should be stored in a vented solvent cabinet or in a fume hood. Waste containers must be intact and suitable for holding the chemical with a tightly fitting lid to prevent leakage. Twenty liter pails must be sealed. Pour-spout containers must have an intact cap. These containers should be stored in an area with secondary containment in case of a leak or breach of the original container. No waste container should ever be filled beyond 80% of its capacity. List the content(s) of the container on the Chemical Waste Label and their approximate volumes (percentages) – do not use short forms or abbreviations – full chemical names are required.
Liquid and solid chemical waste should be segregated where possible as should any incompatible compounds. It is the responsibility of the lab personnel, including the lab supervisor, to ensure that incompatible chemicals are not combined in the waste containers. Acids and bases should not be stored in the same waste container, nor should they be stored with organic solvents. Organic solvents should also be segregated into halogenated and non-halogenated containers since these two classes of solvents require different disposal considerations by RPR Environmental. Containers of chemical waste should be stored in a vented solvent cabinet or in a fume hood.
No chemicals, including aqueous solutions, are to be disposed of down the sinks no matter how dilute.
For optimal fume hood operations the sash should opened to a height of approximate 15.25 cm (6 inches).
The extinguishers in most of the research and teaching labs are carbon dioxide extinguishers. Although they can be used on a wide variety of fires they are never to be used on fires caused by reactive metals. In lieu of a Class D fire extinguisher, sand should be used to smother metal fires
The following is a list of some common chemicals encountered in chemistry labs and their associated incompatibilities. This list is by no means exhaustive. It is the responsibility of the lab supervisor and lab personnel to be aware of the hazards associated with the chemicals in their labs.
- Chemical Is Incompatible With…
- Acetic acid Chromic acid, nitric acid, hydroxyl compounds, ethylene glycol, perchloric acid, peroxides, permanganates
- Acetone Concentrated nitric and sulphuric acid mixtures, chlorinated solvent/alkali mixtures
- Acetylene Chlorine, bromine, copper, fluorine, silver, mercury
- Alkali & alkaline earth metals Water, carbon tetrachloride or other chlorinated hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide, halogens
- Ammonia (anhydrous) Mercury, chlorine, calcium hypochlorite, iodine, bromine,hydrofluoric acid (anhydrous)
- Ammonium nitrate Acids, powdered metals, flammable liquids, chlorates, nitrites, sulphur, finely divided organic or combustible materials
- Aniline Nitric acid, hydrogen peroxide
- Arsenical materials Any reducing agent
- Azides Acids
- Bromine Ammonia, acetylene, butadiene, butane, methane, propane (or other petroleum gases), hydrogen, sodium carbide, benzene, finely divided metals, turpentine
- Calcium oxide Water
- Carbon (activated) Calcium hypochlorite, all oxidizing agents
- Carbon tetrachloride Sodium
- Chlorates Ammonium salts, acids, powdered metals, sulphur, finely divided organic or combustible materials
- Chromic acid & Chromium trioxide Acetic acid, naphthalene, camphor, glycerol,alcohol, flammable liquids in general
- Chlorine See bromine
- Chlorine dioxide Ammonia, methane, phosphine, hydrogen sulphide
- Chloroform Strong bases, ketones and strong bases, alkaline metals, aluminium, strong oxidizers
- Copper Acetylene, hydrogen peroxide
- Cyanides Acids
- Flammable liquids Ammonium nitrate, chromic acid, hydrogen peroxide, halogens
- Hydrocarbons Fluorine, chlorine, bromine, chromic acid, sodium peroxide
- Hydrocyanic acid Nitric acid
- Hydrofluoric acid (anhydrous) Ammonia (aqueous or anhydrous)
- Hydrogen peroxide Copper, chromium, iron, most metals or their salts, alcohols, acetone, organic materials, aniline, nitromethane, combustible materials
- Hydrogen sulphide Fuming nitric acid, oxidizing gases
- Hypochlorites Acids, activated carbon
- Iodine Acetylene, ammonia (aqueous or anhydrous), hydrogen
- Mercury Acetylene, fulminic acid, ammonia
- Nitrates Sulphuric acid
- Nitric acid (concentrated) Acetic acid, aniline, chromic acid, hydrocyanic acid, hydrogen sulphide, flammable liquids, flammable gases, copper, brass, any heavy metals
- Nitrites Acids
- Nitroparaffins Inorganic bases, amines
- Oxalic acid Silver, mercury
- Oxygen Oils, grease, hydrogen, flammable liquids, flammable solids, flammable gases
- Perchloric acid Acetic anhydride, bismuth and its alloys, alcohol, paper, wood, grease, oils
- Peroxides, organic Acids (organic and mineral), avoid friction, store cold
- Phosphorus (white) Air, oxygen, alkalies, reducing agents
- Potassium Carbon tetrachloride, carbon dioxide, water
- Potassium chlorate Sulphuric and other acids
- Potassium perchlorate Sulphuric and other acids (see also chlorates)
- Potassium permanganate Glycerol, ethylene glycol, benzaldehyde, sulphuric acid
- Selenides Reducing agents
- Silver Acetylene, oxalic acid, tartaric acid, ammonium compounds, fulminic acid
- Sodium Carbon tetrachloride, carbon dioxide, water
- Sodium nitrite Ammonium nitrite, and other ammonium salts
- Sodium peroxide Ethyl or methyl alcohol, glacial acetic acid, acetic anhydride, benzaldehyde, carbon disulfide, glycerin, ethylene glycol, ethyl acetate, methyl acetate, fufural
- Sulphides Acids
- Sulphuric acid Potassium chlorate, potassium perchlorate, potassium permanganate (similar compounds of light metals such as sodium and lithium)
- Tellurides Reducing agents
Section 4.12.4.1 (4) of the Ontario Fire Code requires that laboratory doors remain closed at all times so as to act as a physical barrier against the spread of fire.
According to Section 4 of the Ontario Fire Code , 50 L of flammable materials and 250 of combustible materials can be stored in open areas of a lab.
A combustible compound has a flash point that is greater than 37.8°C but less than 93.3°C while a flammable compound has a flash point less than 37.8°C and a vapour pressure of 275.8 kPa at 37.8°C.
