Hydrogen Fluoride Hydrogen Fluoride Pyridine Incident Pyridine Incident 25-June-2010 EHS Coordinator Meeting 14 December 2010
Dec 14, 2015
Hydrogen Fluoride Hydrogen Fluoride Pyridine IncidentPyridine Incident
25-June-2010
EHS Coordinator Meeting14 December 2010
Basic InformationBasic Information24 June, 6:30 PMBiological researchThree individuals work in lab
◦Heard a loud bang◦Saw under-hood chemical storage cabinet
doors fly openSensed acid-like odorNo visible smoke or haze
Basic InformationBasic InformationWaited about five minutes after hearing
bang to investigate areaDonned nitrile gloves and safety glassesLooked into cabinet and containers within
to determine if any were damagedFound metal canister with a dislodged
cover and bowed-out bottom (likely ruptured and caused noise, door movement)
Basic InformationBasic InformationLabel on container indicated
◦ 70% hydrofluoric acid◦ 30% pyridine◦ Mixture is called Olah’s Reagent
Lab occupants were not trained in HF use and were not aware HF was in lab
Occupants moved damaged container into nearby fume hood
Powdery substance coated other containers within cabinet
Moved many coated containers to fume hoodNo other containers were damaged
ReportingReportingLab occupants did not report at time of
incident ◦Did not want to cause alarm or building evacuation
at time of incident, so did not reportContacted lab EHS Rep the following dayEHS Rep contacted Coordinator after thatCoordinator contacted EHS Office at
approximately 10:30 AM the next dayIHP on-call representative arrived on-scene at
approximately 10:45 AM
Response & Initial InvestigationResponse & Initial Investigation
IHP rep examined MSDS for HF pyridine◦Appeared to mimic effects of HF
Tested residue within ruptured canister and on surfaces of other canisters in cabinet (now in hood) for HF with Spilfyter strips.◦Fluorine present
Response & Initial InvestigationResponse & Initial InvestigationIHP rep contacted EMP on-call rep to help
with clean-up◦Triumvirate called in
IHP rep spoke to lab occupants about potential effects of HF exposure◦Recommended that they visit MIT Medical
Urgent Care – all did, but weren’t seen right away
◦Contacted Occupational Health Nurse & Physician at MIT Medical via email to alert them to incident
Response & Initial InvestigationResponse & Initial Investigation
Occupational Health Physician contacted Chemistry professor (R. Danheiser) for additional info on HF Pyridine◦Determined that pyridine binds HF and is not as
biologically active as HF◦Physician transmitted this info to IHP rep via
email the next day◦Medical did not directly relay this information to
lab occupants - timing issue?
Initial Lessons LearnedInitial Lessons LearnedDon’t store what you don’t need
◦Incident may have never happened◦Many, many containers became contaminated
and complicated clean-upKnow what you are storing in your labReport incident right away
◦Although no one was hurt, results could’ve been more serious if HF compound was more biologically active
Initial Lessons LearnedInitial Lessons LearnedCommunication between EHS, MIT
Medical, & involved individuals needs to be better
Do not clean up spills without proper PPE◦ Lab occupants wanted to do the right thing by
handling spill/rupture themselves, but this may have required more PPE than they had available
Things Done Well
Lab used opportunity to get rid of unneeded chemicals and improve housekeeping
Communication lines, once established, were very strong between lab occupants, EHS Rep, & EHS Coordinator
Questions? Comments? Discussion?