DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY
TEACHING LAB EXPERIMENT RISK ASSESSMENT FORM
Synthesis lab
This form must be completed jointly by the Lab Officer in charge and the Lecturer in charge. A
hardcopy of the completed form should be kept in a file together with the Project Risk
Assessment.
Name of Principal Investigator
Name of Lab Officer in Charge
Module / Expt No.
Dr. Ship Chee Peng
Mr. Yeo Boon Hee
CM2111 Expt 1
Activity being assessed:
1) Ethanol, 15ml used
Flammable liquid and vapour. Causes respiratory tract irritation. Causes severe eye irritation
and moderate skin irritation. Ingestion can cause nausea and vomitting. Chronic use can cause
serious liver damage.
2) Vanadium pentoxide, 2.0 g used
Causes eye irritation. May cause skin irritation. May be fatal if swallowed. High concentrations
may cause drowsiness, convulsions, unconsciousness and central nervous system damage.
May cause respiratory tract irritation and lung damage.
3) Acetylacetone, 6mL used
Flammable liquid and vapour. Very toxic. Causes immediate nausea, and severe irritation of the
upper respiratory tract. Can cause vomiting and headache. May be absorbed by skin in toxic
amounts with symptoms as in Inhaled. Liquid, vapour and mist are irritating to eyes. Ingestion
causes irritation of the mouth, throat, and stomach, with nausea, vomiting.
4) Hydated Sodium carbonate, 20g used
Irritation of the nose, and throat may occur due to the irritant nature of sodium carbonate.
Causes severe eye irritation and mild skin irritation.
5) Pyridine, 2mL used
Flammable liquid and vapour. Vapors cause eye irritation. Splashes cause severe irritation,
possible corneal burns and eye damage. Irritates respiratory tract. Affect central nervous
system, livers and kidneys. Causes severe irritation, possibly burns, to the skin.
6) Conc. Sulphuric acid, 6ml used
Danger! Extremely corrosive! Causes severe burns and eye damage. Strong inorganic acid
mists containing sulfuric acid are carcinogenic. Harmful if inhaled. Harmful or fatal if swallowed.
Reacts violently with water. Not flammable, but reacts with most metals to form
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explosive/flammable hydrogen gas.
7) Ether, 5mL used
Extremely flammable liquid and vapour. Slowly can forms explosive peroxides in the presence
of light and air and in the absence of inhibitors. May cause headache, nausea, dizziness,
drowsiness, and confusion. May be an aspiration hazard. Swallowing or vomiting of the liquid
may result in aspiration into the lungs.
Known or expected hazards associated with the activity:
Hazards of reagents, solvents and known reaction products.
State each substance and the approximate amounts to be used/produced.
Incompatible materials (special precautions):
1) Conc. sulphuric acid stores away from many materials including water, metals, metal
carbides, chlorates, picrates, nitrates, hydroxides, amines, carbonates and other alkaline
materials.
2) Pyridine stores away from perchromates, strong acids and strong oxidizers.
3) Chloroform stores away from strong caustics and chemically active metals such as
aluminum, magnesium powder, sodium, or potassium; acetone, fluorine, methanol, sodium
methoxide, dinitrogen tetroxide, tert-butoxide and triisopropylphosphine.
4) Ethanol stores away from acids, acid anhydrides, or acid chlorides, bromine pentafluoride,
disulfuryl difluoride or bromides, strong oxidizing agents, hydrogen peroxide, aqueous
ammonia, alkali metals and phosphorus (iii) oxide.
5) Vanadium pentoxide stores away from strong acids.
6) Hydrated Sodium carbonate stores away from acids, magnesium, phosphorus pentoxide,
magnesium, phosphorus pentoxide, ammonia and silver nitrate, aluminum, fluorine, lithium and
2,4,6-trinitrotoluene.
7) Acetylacetone stores away from strong oxidizing agents, halogens,
strong reducing agents and strong bases.
10) Ether
Stores away from strong oxidisers, halogens, interhalogens, sulfur or sulfur compounds, methyl
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lithium, peroxyacetic acid and non-metal azides.
The risk of injury and its severity likely to arise from these hazards:
Spillage and accidental breakage of flasks containing the reagents.
Who is at risk?
Persons directly in contact with the above stated chemicals.
Measure to be taken to reduce the level of risk:
Proper laboratory attire and safety measures must always be used in order to reduce the level
of risk.
.
Training prerequisites:
Advise students on the hazards of reagents used. Refer to prepared risk assessments on use
of glassware, use of fume hoods and use of standard electrical equipment.
Use of Glassware
Use of Standard Electrical Equipment
Level of risk remaining:
Low
Emergency action if :
Spill:
1) Conc. sulphuric acid
Neutralise on a dry basis with suitable alkali such as lime follow by flushing with
water.
2) Vanadium pentoxide
Use a vacuum to collect it and place into container for proper disposal.
3) Pyridine
Collect liquid in an appropriate container or absorb with an inert material (e. g. dry sand,
earth), and place in a chemical waste container.
4) Ether
Eliminate ignition sources. Absorb with solvent absorbent.
Fire:
1) Conc. sulphuric acid
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Use dry powder fire extinguisher.
2) Vanadium pentoxide
Use dry powder fire extinguisher.
3) Pyridine
Use dry powder fire extinguisher.
4) Acetylacetone
Use dry powder fire extinguisher.
5) Ethanol
Use dry powder fire extinguisher.
6) Ether
Use dry powder fire extinguisher.
Is the experiment suitable for out-of-hours operation?
Yes
No
References if any:
Signature of Lab Officer in Charge::………………………………………………………………..
Date:…………………………
Signature of Lecturer in Charge:………… ……………………………………..
Date:… ……………………..
Prepared Risks Assessments for standard equipment and operation are with the kind permission of Dr. Ken MacNeil,
School of Chemistry, University of Bristol.
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Activity being assessed:
Note any activity to be used which entail risk (e.g. use of glass vacuum apparatus, high pressures, high
voltage, radiation, high temperatures). Give reference to any special protocols to be followed, and if
appropriate attach copies to the risk assessment form. State any additional precautions taken to minimise
risk.
Known or expected hazards associated with the activity:
FOR EACH CHEMICAL, read the MSDS and note:a) Particular hazards (e.g. highly toxic, carcinogenic, corrosive, flammable, pyrophoric, explosive, volatile,
dust hazard). Note any dangerous combinations of properties (e.g. volatile and toxic).
b) Requirements for safe handling (e.g. fume cupboard, inert atmosphere, low temperature).
c) How to dispose of residuals
 Dispose to drain, with water dilution
 Neutralise, then to drain with suitable dilution
 To flammable liquid waste receptacle
 To non-flammable liquid waste receptacle
 Keep for recovery/recycling
 Keep for special disposal later (e.g. heavy metals)
 Double bag and dispose to dry waste
 Special procedure (specify)
Incompatible materials (special precautions)
Note any dangerously incompatible materials and hazards arising from contact of any reagents and
substances used with common materials such as paper, benches, hoses, etc.
Measures to be taken to reduce the level of risk
Include hazards of previously unknown products.
Location of work – laboratory, open bench, fume cupboard
Level of risk remaining:
Likelihood and consequences of any accident or unforeseen events whilst carrying out the activity. When
this has been done, choose the appropriate procedure:a) Close supervision and/or attendance of trained first-aider needed.
b) Specific approval of supervisor needed.
c) Training is needed prior-to or during the operations specified.
d) Training is complete and only general laboratory competence required.
e) No risk perceived.
Emergency action:
a) Any special requirements to deal with accidental spillage or leakage.
b) What to do in the event of accidental exposure (skin contact, inhalation, etc.).
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