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Storage of Hazardous Substances in Educational Establishments
Overview
There is the potential for school evacuations and disruption to local communities due to the discovery of hazardous materials used in science lessons. For example, Army bomb disposal teams may be called upon to deal with situations where the inappropriate storage of 2,4-DNP (2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine) can lead to the materials becoming potentially unstable with a significant risk of explosion.
As well as the direct risk to school pupils and staff, it is worth considering that the bomb disposal service teams may seek to recover their costs from the local authority.
2,4-DNP (2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine) is a hazardous material with several industrial uses, but in schools and colleges 2,4 -DNP is used as an indicator to determine the chemical identity of aldehydes or ketones. It usually appears in a solid form but needs to be kept from drying out otherwise it becomes explosive.
A failure to maintain and monitor the necessary storage arrangements for 2,4 -DNP is often the cause of the problem.
Depending upon the material’s characteristics and the situational context e.g. supply, transportation, storage, use or disposal, hazardous substances can fall under several pieces of regulation, including: The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002, The Dangerous Substances Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002, and The Explosives Regulations 2014.
If you are in any doubt as to the condition of stored hazardous substances including 2,4 -DNP you are advised to contact CLEAPSS (formerly known as the Consortium of Local Education Authorities for the Provision of Science Services) as one of the Department of Education’s key recognised sources of guidance along with the Health and Safety Executive.
Thankfully cases so far have not resulted in any serious injury, however, each case serves as a timely reminder that the risks of hazardous materials need to be carefully and systematically managed.
Managing hazardous substances can seem complex, but by applying good risk management principles based around the central practice of risk assessment can still ensure that most practical experiments in science lessons can still go ahead.
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How can we help you?
For more advice on how we can help lower the cost of your risk, please email contact@rmpartners.co.uk
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