The Hockaday School in Dallas, Texas, learned about disposing hazardous chemicals the hard way this summer. CBS reported that the school’s Science Department Head found a small amount of acetone peroxide while cleaning up a classroom. Acetone peroxide can explode in even small quantities when confined in a container like a beaker, so the school was evacuated and emergency personnel contacted. A local bomb squad detonated the explosive substance in the vacant lot across the street.
While no one was hurt, the incident was certainly a wake-up call for The Hockaday School and for everyone who thinks hazardous waste is glowing green barrels of nuclear byproduct. Hazardous chemicals exist at your school and require adequate management policies and practices to protect your school, faculty, and students.
In the Classroom
Chemical safety is vital in the science laboratories, of course, where students learn about the various compounds and mixtures in a hands-on environment. Knowing which substances your teachers are using for experiments helps ascertain if specialized storage or disposal methods are needed for safety reasons. Anne Wallingford with The Science Tool Box also advises keeping a log of the chemicals in your chemical storage rooms. This log must be available in the storage room itself and the main office.
Art studios, too, require special attention, as their many supplies—paints, glazes, soldering equipment, and even rubber cement—contain toxic chemicals or fumes which, handled or disposed of improperly, can be dangerous for all involved. If you’re concerned about your current supplies, the Art & Creative Materials Institute’s (ACMI)’s toxicology team actively evaluates art supplies for hazardous potential and seals them accordingly for immediate evaluation. (You can search a list of ACMI certified products here.)
Specific Chemicals and Safety Checklists
The Local Hazardous Waste Management Program in Seattle, Washington, offers a variety of tips on managing potentially dangerous materials in their “Rehab the Lab” program, as well as in a searchable online database containing information on common hazardous chemicals found in schools. Your local regulatory agency might have similar information available, and might provide customized feedback on your current policies and procedures. Some common chemical dangers you might already have in your classrooms are:
- Copper powder—toxic by inhalation; ingestion can cause ulcers in students’ mouths and stomachs
- Acetic acid—explosive in both liquid and vapor forms; toxic if touched by naked skin
- Triethyl phosphate—can lead to uncontrollable twitching and possibly seizures
- Kerosene—explosive combustible, used as both fuel for lab equipment and in various demonstrations including the “flame tornado” and while examining ionic versus molecular compounds
- Calcium phosphate—can damage a student’s corneas if it comes into contact with the eyes
- Potassium oxalate—corrodes the body’s soft tissues and is considered a poison, with a toxic dose at 5 to 15 grams
Facility’s Impact on Hazardous Material Management
It’s not just proper handling of hazardous chemicals that prevents injuries. Good ventilation helps disperse fumes and prevents people from inhaling dangerous substances, too. The University of Vermont’s safety guidelines for art classes recommend avoiding powders and aerosol sprays to eliminate inhalation of chemicals, for example. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) publishes guidelines on how to use fume hoods in laboratories, saying that the devices are “often the primary control device for protecting [people] when working with flammable and/or toxic chemicals.”
What happened at The Hockaday School could easily happen at your own school. Even if you don’t have a robust science or art program, common cleaning supplies can be just as deadly if stored or used improperly. Old batteries, leftover paint and pesticides, and common cleaners like bleach and ammonia can cause serious damage to school property and affect the health and well-being of your school community. Take hazardous material handling and disposal seriously, and you can avoid a deadly tragedy.
Additional ISM resources:
Private School News Vol. 8 No. 7 Pesticides on Your Floors?
ISM Monthly Update for Risk Managers Vol. 2 No. 6 Spring Cleaning Safety Tips
Additional ISM resources for Gold Consortium members:
I&P Vol. 36 No. 13 Green Strategies for Pest Control
I&P Vol. 35 No. 12 Does Your Crisis Plan Really Protect Your Students (And School)?
