Understand, Master, Apply | Improve the level of safety management in laboratories

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In recent years, accidents in chemical and chemical engineering laboratories have been frequent. In December 2015, an explosion and fire broke out in a laboratory at Tsinghua University, resulting in the death of one postdoctoral researcher ； An explosion occurred in a laboratory at Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine in November 2018 ； An explosion occurred at the Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences in March 2021, resulting in the immediate death of one graduate student ； In July 2021, explosions and fires occurred in laboratories at institutions such as Southern University of Science and Technology and Sun Yat-sen University, injuring several teachers and students ； On April 20, 2022, an explosion occurred in a laboratory at Central South University in Hunan, resulting in one doctoral student suffering severe burns as a result of the incident ； In particular, the flash explosion in a laboratory at Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics in October 2021 and the explosion in a laboratory at Beijing Jiaotong University in December 2018 caused severe losses of life and property as well as negative social impacts, severely undermining people’s sense of safety. Chemical and chemical engineering laboratories (hereinafter referred to as laboratories) deal with toxic, flammable, and explosive hazardous chemicals, and may generate toxic, harmful, flammable, and explosive gases, waste liquids, and waste residues; some of the operating conditions involve high temperatures, high pressures, and strong corrosivity ； There may also be issues such as the aging of instruments, equipment, and facilities, all of which pose threats to the surrounding environment as well as the health and safety of the operators. The \"Five Understandings, Five Abilities, and Five Skills\" initiative currently promoted by chemical enterprises has gained the attention and favor of employees, as it significantly enhances their skills, safety knowledge, and ability to fulfill their responsibilities. The author believes that the “five understandings, five skills, and five capabilities” can also be applied in laboratories; without understanding, one cannot perform certain tasks, and without the necessary skills, it becomes difficult to properly prevent, avoid risks, and respond to emergencies that may occur in laboratories. Common hazards in a laboratory (1) Unsafe human behavior: Laboratory staff lack awareness of safety issues as well as the necessary safety knowledge and skills. An analysis of laboratory accidents in recent years shows that laboratory personnel do not pay enough attention to safety; they underestimate the risks associated with small experimental doses and ignore the dangers of chemicals. For example, in the December 2018 laboratory explosion at Beijing Jiaotong University, the instructor in charge of the experiment ignored the highly reactive chemical properties of magnesium powder and stored it in the laboratory in violation of regulations. Some laboratory personnel lack the necessary theoretical knowledge and have insufficient experimental skills; in particular, lab supervisors in universities participate in experimental activities infrequently, with senior students usually guiding junior ones, resulting in a lack of systematic experimental thinking and risk identification capabilities. It is mainly manifested in two aspects: first, the improper use of chemicals or the incorrect operation of instruments and equipment ； Second, the laboratory personnel did not wear protective equipment properly ； Third, in the event of an accident, it is unclear what emergency measures should be taken, which leads to an exacerbation of the consequences of the accident. (II) Unsafe conditions of objects 1. Improper management of chemicals and gas cylinders. There is a wide variety of laboratory chemicals, including ordinary reagents and hazardous chemicals. Due to the large number of laboratory staff, the consumption of these chemicals is high; reagents are taken freely, leading to chaotic storage and management, as well as gaps in reagent control ； Some chemical safety labels have fallen off ； Some chemicals have been stored for a long time, exceeding their expiration date. Furthermore, some laboratory spaces are limited, especially in the laboratories of \"Double First-Class\" universities, where space is scarce; in such cases, there are even situations where student workstations are on one side and high-pressure gas cylinders on the other. The storage locations for gas cylinders are not fixed; there are no dedicated areas designated for storing them. In some cases, they are simply placed next to equipment without any means of securing them. Moreover, these cylinders are not inspected or maintained on a regular basis. All of these factors pose serious safety risks to the laboratory personnel. 2. Improper management of experimental equipment, resulting in insufficient equipment integrity. There are a wide variety of experimental equipment, and they are difficult to maintain. 1) Inadequate safety protection measures. The safety protection factors of some experimental equipment are relatively low; this is especially true for pressure-bearing equipment. There are deficiencies in aspects such as routine maintenance and pressure relief measures, making accidents likely to occur in case of any misoperation. For example, in 2021, the explosion at the Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, on March 31 was caused by a high-temperature and high-pressure explosion in a reactor, resulting in the death of one student. 2) Insufficient equipment integrity. Laboratory equipment is usually imported from abroad; when such equipment develops defects, the maintenance costs are high. Moreover, there is a shortage of skilled technicians in China who can perform repairs, which affects the equipment’s lifespan ； Even some laboratory personnel do not know how to operate the experimental equipment; they try to use the instruments based on their own understanding, which accelerates the wear and tear of the equipment. There is a lack of proper management throughout the equipment’s life cycle, resulting in insufficient equipment integrity. Therefore, strengthening the management of laboratory equipment and ensuring proper daily maintenance are particularly important for conducting experiments safely. (III) Management deficiencies: The laboratory safety management system and mechanisms are inadequate. This is manifested in a severe shortage of full-time personnel responsible for laboratory safety in universities, as well as a lack of professional competence; such individuals do not know how to carry out safety management tasks ； The role of laboratory safety management agencies is not effectively fulfilled; in chemistry and chemical engineering laboratories, there is a strong emphasis on research while safety issues are neglected. Most researchers focus on producing research results and ignore safety management, with routine laboratory safety inspections remaining merely theoretical rather than being put into practice ； The safety responsibility system is inadequate; responsibilities are not clear or specific, and in particular, there is some overlap in the duties of various departments, resulting in gaps in safety management ； The safety operating procedures for chemistry and chemical engineering laboratories are not specific enough and lack practicality; some laboratory personnel do not know how to operate the equipment, safety training is inadequate, risk identification is insufficient, control measures are not implemented, and the risk factors present in these laboratories are ignored. 2. Safety management requirements for chemical and chemical engineering laboratories: 1. The \"Safety Requirements for Laboratories Conducting Physical and Chemical Tests on Chemicals and Assessing Their Hazards\" (GB/T 24777-2009) specify the procedures for handling hazardous chemicals and waste in laboratories. 2. The \"Safety Management Specifications for Chemical and Chemical Engineering Laboratories\" (T-CCSAS 005-2019) sets out specific requirements regarding laboratory personnel management, chemical management, instrument/equipment management, facility management, environmental management, identification, assessment, and control of safety risks, as well as emergency management. 3. The \"Guidelines for Safety Assessment of Chemical and Chemical Engineering Laboratories\" specify the procedural rules to be followed by those involved in the safety assessment of such laboratories, covering aspects such as the assessment criteria for safety management systems, the assessment process, assessment standards, as well as rights and obligations. 4. \"Safety in Testing Laboratories – Part 1: General Principles\" (GB/T 27476.1-2014) establishes safety standard requirements for the various hazards present in laboratories, such as electrical, mechanical, chemical, ionizing radiation, and non-ionizing radiation. 5. The \"Design Code for Automatic Analyzer Rooms\" (HG/T20516-2014) specifies the design requirements for automatic analyzer rooms in chemical processing plants, covering aspects such as the location of these rooms, their structure and layout, lighting, heating, ventilation and explosion protection, utility systems, as well as the installation of pipelines and cables. 6. \"Technical requirements for the design and construction of inspection and testing laboratories – Part 1: General requirements\" (GB/T 32146.1-2015) specifies the classification of inspection and testing laboratories, the design concepts, the design process, planning and design considerations, system design, and requirements for detailed design. 7. Some regions have introduced local standards regarding the safety of chemical and chemical engineering laboratories. For example, in April 2018, the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Quality and Technical Supervision issued the local standard \"Specifications for the Safe Management of Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories – Part 2: Institutions of Higher Education\" (DB11/T 1191.2—2018). Some provinces and cities have introduced local regulations for the management of laboratory safety in higher education institutions. For example, in 2013, Zhejiang Province issued the \"Regulations on the Management of Laboratory Safety in Higher Education Institutions\" ； In 2014, the Anhui Provincial Department of Education issued the \"Regulations on Laboratory Safety Management in Higher Education Institutions in Anhui Province\" ； In January 2021, the Education Bureau of Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province, together with five other departments including the Guangzhou Public Security Bureau, issued the \"Guiding Opinions on Comprehensively Strengthening the Safety Management of School Laboratories in Guangzhou City\". Three improvement measures: 01. The “five understandings” constitute the theoretical foundation for enhancing laboratory safety. These five understandings include understanding the principles of experiments and the reaction processes involved, being aware of the hazardous properties of dangerous chemicals, knowing the functioning of laboratory instruments and equipment, understanding the relevant policies and regulations applicable to laboratories, and being familiar with the laboratory’s safety management systems. To understand the principles of experiments and the process reactions means to comprehend the principles behind the reaction equations and the sequence of reactions. A laboratory is a place where researchers conduct scientific experiments; most scientific activities involve exploring unknown areas based on scientific principles. It is precisely because of the unpredictability that it is even more necessary to be familiar with the reaction process and operational steps, to accurately control the parameters related to the reactants such as pressure, temperature, flow rate, concentration, and other experimental parameters, as well as to determine whether it is an endothermic or exothermic reaction. Understanding the experimental principles and process reactions is the foundation for correctly analyzing experimental results and controlling risks. Understanding the hazardous properties of chemicals means that laboratory personnel need to be aware of the hazard labels, physical and chemical properties, first aid measures, fire-fighting procedures, health hazards, as well as the requirements for handling and storage of these chemicals in the laboratory. The laboratory contains explosives, oxidizing gases, gases under pressure (gas cylinders), flammable liquids, flammable solids, self-igniting liquids, substances that release flammable gases when in contact with water, metal corrosives, toxic and harmful substances, etc. Each reagent and chemical should come with a safety data sheet, and laboratory technicians must be aware of their hazards, storage requirements, and emergency response procedures. Chemicals that may catch fire, explode, or undergo chemical reactions that produce toxic gases in the presence of fire, heat, or moisture should be protected from fire, heat, moisture, and water ； **It should be handled with care to prevent explosion due to friction, vibration, or impact ； Cylinders in the laboratory building should be stored centrally in a cylinder room, with flammable gases, oxidizing gases, and non-flammable gases kept separate from each other. The cylinders must be equipped with safety relief devices, pressure gauges, emergency shut-off devices, and other safety accessories, and they require regular inspection; overfilling is strictly prohibited ； Corrosive substances must be tightly packaged to prevent leakage, and must not be stored together with liquefied gases. For the specific procedures regarding the disposal of waste, refer to the \"Technical Specifications for the Collection of Laboratory Waste Chemicals\" (GB/T 31190-2014). Understanding the hazardous properties of the substances involved in experimental processes is crucial for accurate operations and emergency response, and it helps prevent laboratory safety accidents. Understanding the principles of experimental instruments and equipment means mastering the skills for starting and stopping them. There is a wide variety of equipment in the laboratory, including pressure-bearing devices, reactors, separation equipment, heating devices, etc. Pressure-bearing devices operate at high pressures, while separation instruments rotate at high speeds; even a single mistake by the laboratory staff can lead to unimaginable consequences. Experimenters must be familiar with the safe operating procedures for the equipment and avoid violating these procedures, in order to effectively prevent any abnormalities in the equipment from posing a threat to them. Understanding the relevant policies, regulations, and requirements for laboratories means having a grasp of the regulations pertaining to laboratory management. Although there are currently no **standards specifically addressing the safety aspects of university laboratories, there are industry-specific group standards for chemical and biochemical laboratories, namely the \"Safety Management Specifications for Chemical and Biochemical Laboratories\" (T-CCSAS 005-2019), as well as certain standard requirements for laboratories and analysis rooms that can be used as a reference. The personnel involved in the experiment, based on their review of the standards, master the safety management requirements related to this experiment and implement them. Understanding the safety management system in a laboratory means formulating management systems that meet regulatory standards and are suitable for laboratory safety management, and ensuring their effective implementation. A safety management system is the fundamental framework that regulates the work processes and requirements of laboratory personnel; therefore, such a system must be practical and enforceable. At the university level, laboratory safety management systems should be established focusing on three aspects: management systems, inspection systems, and responsibility systems ； At the department level, attention should be paid to management systems, self-inspection, and admission procedures ； At the laboratory level, attention should be paid to the establishment of management systems, inspections, and operating procedures for laboratory equipment, such as the management of hazardous chemicals, gas cylinders, waste disposal, and facilities and equipment management systems. 02 The “five skills” represent the capability requirements for enhancing laboratory safety. These five skills are abilities that laboratory personnel need to master. The five skills refer to experimental operation, fault troubleshooting, equipment inspection, risk analysis, and emergency response. Capable of experimental operations; that is, able to accurately control the entire reaction process of an experiment. In particular, it is necessary to clearly determine the order of adding reactants, the amounts of materials used, accurately grasp the timing and duration of the reaction, as well as precisely control the experimental parameters (high temperature, high pressure, etc.). Before the experiment, the experimental steps must be written accurately, ensuring that the content is clear and easy to understand. Troubleshooting, that is, handling unexpected situations during the experiment and equipment malfunctions. The experimenters are aware of the consequences resulting from interruptions in water, electricity, gas, etc., during the experiment, and take prompt action to address them. There should also be procedures for dealing with sudden interruptions during experiments, as well as safety measures for handling unexpected equipment failures (such as abnormal noises or sudden increases in temperature). Furthermore, the experimenters possess the ability to conduct a proper analysis of the products, as well as to explain cases where the expected experimental results are not achieved and to identify the underlying causes. It checks the equipment, that is, it checks the experimental equipment. There is a wide variety of laboratory equipment, and each type of equipment has its own operating procedures. In daily management, it is necessary to strengthen the inspection of experimental equipment, conduct regular inspections and maintenance in accordance with the key points and requirements for such inspections, and keep records of the specific contents, locations, and inspection criteria. Risk analysis involves using appropriate risk assessment methods to analyze the hazard sources in the laboratory and the risks associated with the experimental process. During the experimental process, there may be hazards such as mechanical issues, electrical problems, extreme temperatures, fires and explosions, noise, vibrations, and poisoning. It is necessary to conduct a systematic identification of potential hazards in terms of personnel, equipment, materials, and the environment, and to use appropriate risk analysis methods for risk assessment, in order to ensure the safety of the experimental process. Risk assessment shall cover all operations, facilities, and areas in the laboratory; for guidelines on conducting such assessments, reference can be made to Clause 5.1.3 of \"Safety in Testing Laboratories – Part 1: General Principles\" (GB/T27476.1-2014). It can handle emergency situations, that is, it can address any abnormalities that occur during the experimental process. The experimenters handle any dangerous incidents that occur during the experiments in accordance with the relevant plans, knowing emergency evacuation methods, first-aid procedures for injured persons, as well as how to use emergency equipment such as fire extinguishers and gas control devices. The laboratory should be equipped with safety devices such as fire extinguishers, fire hydrants, eyewash stations, and emergency spray systems, as well as first-aid kits, all of which must be in good condition. Since ordinary laboratories are at risk of fire or explosion, automatic alarm systems should also be installed, along with fire extinguishing equipment and appropriate types of fire extinguishers. Whenever any automatic, manual fire or gas monitoring, protection, or alarm device is activated, the mechanical ventilation system shall exhaust air to prevent circulation. The ventilation capacity of the laboratory should be appropriate to the current operating conditions of the laboratory and shall meet the requirements of GB50736. Regularly, emergency training and drills should also be strengthened to ensure that abnormal situations can be dealt with promptly. 03 The “five capabilities” are behavioral requirements for enhancing laboratory safety. These five capabilities include the ability to abide by process and reaction protocols, the ability to follow safety rules, the ability to comply with labor discipline, the ability to stop others from performing illegal operations, and the ability to resist giving illegal instructions. It is necessary to adhere to the protocols for experimental procedures, which requires laboratory personnel to follow the experimental steps strictly and not to alter the experimental parameter values or reaction conditions arbitrarily. At the same time, certain basic behavioral guidelines must be followed to ensure the safe conduct of the experiment. Being able to abide by safety regulations means following the basic safety management systems, such as those related to the handling of hazardous chemicals, gas cylinders, waste disposal, and facility and equipment management. It also involves taking proper precautions during experiments by wearing appropriate personal protective equipment. Be able to abide by labor discipline, that is, avoid doing anything unrelated to the experiment during the testing process, such as using a smartphone or dozing off. Being able to stop others from performing illegal operations means being able to halt the experimenter’s unlawful actions. For example, adding reagents or chemicals with your hands, eating or drinking in the laboratory, etc. Be able to resist illegal orders, and firmly refuse to carry out any actions that violate the laboratory’s safety management regulations and operational requirements. Some chemistry and chemical engineering laboratories, in an effort to improve experimental efficiency, carry out operations in violation of safety regulations without controlling associated risks; laboratory personnel must resolutely oppose such behavior. Finally, building on the foundation of understanding, competence, and capability, specialized safety management departments for chemical and chemical engineering laboratories should be established to ensure that these departments can fulfill their roles effectively. Efforts should also be made to provide more education and training for the personnel working in such laboratories, thereby improving the level of safety management and ensuring the safe operation of these laboratories.