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Chemical Inventory, continued
Next assign compatible chemical family designations and hazard data to each
listing. Our online chemical inventory system has established 15 alpha designations
to identify hazards. You may wish to use this same system to code your list. The
designations follow.
Flinn Hazard Caution Codes
A — Flammable
B — Volatile
C — Toxic
D — Strong oxidizer or reducer
E — Carcinogenic
F — Produces peroxides
G — Skin and/or eye irritant
H — Contains harmful impurities
I — Unpredictable explosive
J — Harmful dust or vapors
K — Avoid contact with water
L — Avoid contact with air
M — Corrosive
N — Allergen
O — Avoid contact with organic material
If you do not know either the hazardous character or compatible chemical family
of a substance, you need look no further than the individual listings of any chemical
in the Flinn Scientific Catalog/Reference Manual.
Your next step would be to decide what stays and what goes in this total
inventory. We urge you to be ruthless in ridding your premises of these unused
and unneeded chemicals. In fact, when you have made the decision about ridding
yourself of many substances, then consider getting those items off your shelf first.
Do not simply acquire some cartons and pile bottle upon bottle into cartons and
create a new problem. Rather, use your conventional wisdom and ask yourself if the
item is hazardous and then investigate its hazardous character.
Be able to call for help in the
event help is needed.
Should a chemical be physically isolated? Let’s assume you find a 500-gram
bottle of aluminum chloride, anhydrous, and you wish to rid yourself of this
substance. You do not know how to achieve this, but you want it off the shelf and
yet protected and safe for later disposition. Place the bottle in three thicknesses
of baggies. You can get baggies at your local grocery store. Flinn has heavy-duty
plastic bags called Chem-Saf ™ Bags for this purpose. You will find Chem-Saf ™ Bags
listed on page 653 in this catalog/reference manual. Next, acquire some clean,
never-used, one-quart and one-gallon paint cans. Flinn has such containers called
Saf-Stor™ Cans. These are also listed on page 653 in this catalog/reference manual.
You can acquire similar cans (less heavy duty) at a local paint or hardware store.
SAFETY REFERENCE CHEMICAL INVENTORY
One kilogram
plastic bottle of
sodium carbonate
monohydrate…
about half full.
CHEMICAL INVENTORY continued on next page.
Now line the bottom of the can with just enough vermiculite or cat litter (cat litter
is bentonite) to cushion the plastic bag–enclosed bottle. Place the plastic bag–
enclosed bottle in the center of the can. Fill the remaining empty void of the can
with vermiculite or cat litter. Place the friction lid on the can and label the outside
of the can with the chemical formula of the substance contained therein. By using
the chemi cal formula rather than the full name, you can thwart the potential vandal
intent upon securing or using a hazardous chemical. The vandal simply will not be
able to read the formula.
You have now provided a secure container for this unwanted substance. You
may now assign an area in the storeroom where such hazards will be safe until
you investigate and ultimately exercise your disposal or removal options. You will
find that plastic bags and cans can be among your best friends for isolating and
containing hazards during your investigation.
The cans will serve to protect against breakage and even act as a miniature fire
cabinet to prevent these hazards from being directly involved in a conflagration.
Substances that remain on your shelves can now be reorganized into their
compatible chemical families. We urge that you review all the details of appropriate
and safe storage in the section of this catalog/reference manual dedicated to that
subject.
Avoid distractions.
For the first time, you know exactly the substances and their quantities in your
chemical stores area. It is from this base of knowledge that you can begin to
manage this matter of chemicals on school premises. You needed to take this first,
important step. You may need further help and advice. If you do, call Flinn.
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