7. Dealing with Chemicals   (See also Chemistry)

7.1 Responsibilities and Authorization for Working with Chemicals

The Poison Monitor approves purchase orders for chemicals listed in the "Heter Realim" (List of Toxic Chemicals: Ministry of the Environment). The Safety Commissioner, Uzi Beitler (ext. 3988) also serves as the Poison Monitor. Persons ordering hazardous chemicals are responsible for their proper and select distribution to authorized personnel (approval by Poison Monitor). Permission to order, transport, or receive any hazardous chemicals must be obtained from the Poison Monitor (Section 2.1.9), even if the chemicals are not listed in the List of Toxic Chemicals.

The safety of every chemical is the responsibility of the individual who orders it, from the receiving date until any risk involving its presence is eliminated, or until the chemical is handed over to a different person. Any person ordering chemicals must understand the potential hazards, guidelines and regulations for their transfer, use, storage and disposal. They must train, or ensure that any other person in their unit wishing to handle these chemicals has a good understanding of potential hazards and proper safety procedures. The Chemical Safety Manual and chemical safety training, information and guidance are available from the Safety Unit.

7.2 How to Recognize and Protect Yourself and Others from Chemical Hazards

Before procuring or working with a chemical, the individual must receive suitable general and chemical-specific safety training, be familiar with the hazardous properties of chemicals he or she wishes to use (having considered a less hazardous alternative) and ensure that appropriate safety measures are available and will be applied. Chemical hazards and safety information must be obtained from a reputable source, including:

1. Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) or other information sheets (e.g. HESIS). These can be ordered with or separately from the chemicals.
2. Labels or placards on the containers.
3. State Law effective September 1998: Anyone working with hazardous chemicals should possess the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) of that material in a place accessible to all workers. The MSDS can be obtained from the following:
   1. the supplier of the chemical.
   2. The Internet (see Links).
4. Hazardous chemical literature is available in the Wix Library, Safety Unit, and elsewhere. The Safety Unit Library publications include:
   1. "Handbook of Laboratory Safety", N.V. Steere.
   2. "Guide on Hazardous Materials", NFPA
   3. "Guide for Safety in Chemical Laboratories", MCA.
   4. "Compendium of Safety Data Sheets for Research and Industrial Chemicals, Vol. I - VI", Lawrence H. Keith and Douglas B. Walters, VCH Publishers, 1985.
   5. "Prudent Practices for Handling Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories", National Research Council, 1983.
   6. "Cancer Causing Chemicals", N. Irving Sax, Litton Educational Publishing Inc., 1981.
   7. "Fire Protection Guide - Hazardous Materials, 8th edition", NFPA, 1984.
   8. "Handbook of Compressed Gases, 2nd edition", Compressed Gas Association Inc., Van Nostrand Reinhold Company Inc., 1981.
   9. "Dangerous Properties of Industrial Materials", sixth edition, N. Irving Sax, Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, 1984.
   10. Royal Society of Chemistry Information Services, Chemical Safety Data Sheets.
           Volume 1: Solvents (1989)
           Volume 2: Main Group Metals and their Compounds (1989)
           Volumes 4a, 4b: Toxic Cemicals (1991)
   11. Chemical Catalogues (Merck, Sigma Aldrige, etc.)

Every material must be labeled and stored in accordance with hazard characteristics, and in segregated hazard storage areas placarded with appropriate warnings. Any solutions or mixtures made up in laboratories must also be labeled (chemical, user, date).

The most common chemical hazards are flammability, reactivity, health hazards (including acute and chronic reactions, carcinogens, mutagens and tetragens), radiation hazards, and biohazards. The hazard characteristics may also depend on the physical state or containment, such as compressed (e.g. nitrogen) or cryogenic (e.g. ammonium) gases.

Chemical or waste-chemical areas should be easily recognized, and unauthorized persons should avoid potential contact with these materials, including eating or make-up application in their vicinity.

7.2.1 Chemical Hazard Warning Signs, Placards or Labels

There are several hazardous chemical warning-label schemes, depending on the purpose and origin. Labeling schemes and codes were developed independently in North America, European and Commonwealth countries, and by commercial suppliers. Labels originally designed for transport are highly graphic and highlight the most significant hazard. Storage or packaging labels may even include specific safety instructions, codes for hazard class, packaging, transport or emergency response. The Institute purchases chemicals from many countries, with labels in many languages (e.g. English, Hebrew, German, French). It is important to research the chemical hazard properties. Some common labels come from:

1. U.S. National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA)
2. U.S. Department of Transport (D.O.T.) Warning Labels
3. Private or Commercial Systems

7.3 General Protection: Medical Profile, Engineering Controls, Protective Clothing, Housekeeping, and Personnel Hygiene

The protective measures taken to prevent exposure to hazardous chemicals depend on many factors, including the chemicals' properties, local environment, research work and safety training. The actions range from understanding the warning placard and avoiding an area, to arranging for special storage facilities and protective clothing when using the chemical. Further particulars are available in the Chemistry section.