Laboratory Safety - Chemicals

Question 1

What are the two types of hazards that IVF chemicals pose in the lab?

Answer 1

1. Hazards that cause changes in a person’s health

2. Physical hazards

Question 2

What are the two types of chemical hazards that cause changes to a person’s health in an IVF lab?

Answer 2

1. Acute

2. Chronic

Question 3

What are examples of acute health changes caused by chemical hazards in an IVF lab?
(Hint: Mnemonic “I Can’t Smell Lab Nasties”)

Answer 3

1. Irritation
2. Corrosion
3. Sensitization
4. Lethal dose
5. Narcosis

Question 4

What are examples of chronic health changes caused by chemical hazards in an IVF lab?
(Hint: Mnemonic “Cats Take My Lab Book”

Answer 4

1. Carcinogenic
2. Teratogonecity
3. Mutagenicity
4. Liver atrophy
5. Bronchitis

Question 5

What does “teratogenicity” refer to?

Answer 5

Mutations/malformations SPECIFICALLY in a developing embyo/fetus

Question 6

What are examples of physical hazards posed by chemicals in an IVF lab?
(Hint: Mnemonic “Fun Getting Exciting; OP OP Rawr!”

Answer 6

1. Flammable
2. Compressed gases
3. Explosives
4. Organic Peroxides
5. Oxidizers
6. Pyrophoric
7. Reactive

Question 7

What are examples of flammable chemicals found in a lab?

Answer 7

1. acetone
2. ethyl acetate
3. ethanol
4. methanol

Question 8

What are examples of compressed gases found in a lab?

Answer 8

1. CO2 (incubators in an IVF lab)
2. Nitrogen (N2)
3. propane (C3H8)

Question 9

What are examples of explosive chemicals found in a lab?

Answer 9

1. TNT
2. Diazo compounds
3. Metal azides
4. Picric acid

Question 10

What are examples of organic peroxides found in a lab?

Answer 10

1. Ethyl ether
2. Dioxane
3. 2,4-dinitrophenol

Question 11

What chemicals are examples of oxidizers found in a lab (lose electrons quickly in the presence of reducers)?

Answer 11

1. Nitrates (NO3-)
2. Nitrites (NO2-)
3. Peroxides (O2(-2))
4. Permanganates (MnO4-)

Question 12

What are pyrophoric materials?

Answer 12

Finely ground metals (can get in eyes, etc.)

Question 13

What are examples of highly reactive elements or compounds found in a lab?

Answer 13

1. Any alkali metal (pure sodium, lithium, potassium)

2. Sulfides (any compound ending with S with a -2 charge)

Question 14

What are four ways to identify chemical hazards in a lab?

Answer 14

1. The manufacturer’s or lab technician’s label
2. The MSDS
3. Substance specific monitoring
4. Your senses

Question 15

What are the two types of labels on a chemical substance in a lab?

Answer 15

1. Primary (manufacturer)

2. Secondary (lab technician who prepared it)

Question 16

What is the MSDS?

Answer 16

Material Safety Data Sheet; comes from BioRAFT or EH&S

Question 17

What is the National Fire Protection Agency labeling system?

Answer 17

1. Blue = Health hazard
2. Red = Fire hazard
3. Yellow = Reactivity hazard
4. White = Other specific concern

• On scale of 0 to 4 (4 = extreme)

Question 18

What is the most common route of exposure to hazardous chemicals in a lab?

Answer 18

Skin and eyes