Question

Scenario 2 William Thompson keeps a close watch on all chemicals that go in and out of the chemical lab. He accidently spilled hydrogen peroxide and bleach. He was recently cleaning with bleach when he accidentally knocked over a small portion of hydrogen peroxide. The lab is now filled with smoke and the smoke has caused the fire alarm to go off. All 500 employees left the building. When the fire chief arrived and did not see a fire, he questioned William. William explained what happened. He mentioned that it was a complete accident and that he was sorry. When you meet with William, what would you say?

Answer 1

It was due to William’s negligence that the chemicals had spilled in the chemical lab. Moreover he was in a critical job and hence needed to be extra cautious in performing the same. When I would have met William, I would have discussed with him about OSHA safety guidelines. Some of the major points regarding chemical handling are as follows:

• Usage of general SOPs for using or handling chemicals at the lab
• Having adequate ventilation in labs dealing with chemicals as chemicals can get poisonous and choky
• Ensure adequate cleaning and maintenance of the lab to avoid any accidents
• Chemical waste must be disposed following SOP of disposal
• The chemicals must be kept in spacious storage racks so that any kind of accident can be avoided