Very sad story. Things like this do happen.
Our safety director sent out this e-mail:
===
UW Chemistry Department
I want to bring your attention to a recent tragedy at UCLA where a a
young chemist died in a laboratory accident. She was badly burned when
making a syringe transfer of t-butyl lithium/pentane solution. Details
can be found at
http://www.chemistry-blog.com/2009/01/20/tert-butyllithium-claims-fellow-chemist-at-ucla/
and
http://www.newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/ucla/lab-assistant-dies-of-injuries-78543.aspx
Please be careful in your work!!
===
So scary to think of a 23 yo grad student just doing a fairly standard transfer of air-sensitive material and to have it go this wrong.
I'm a little sad that the article mentioned 'limited english proficiency'... I know that foreign students get less safety training (in some countries, such as India)... I would think that your ability to speak english does not keep you from being able to spot someone on fire and figure out that they should be doused in the shower.
Very sad.
===
UW Chemistry Department
I want to bring your attention to a recent tragedy at UCLA where a a
young chemist died in a laboratory accident. She was badly burned when
making a syringe transfer of t-butyl lithium/pentane solution. Details
can be found at
http://www.chemistry-blog.com/2009/01/20/tert-butyllithium-claims-fellow-chemist-at-ucla/
and
http://www.newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/ucla/lab-assistant-dies-of-injuries-78543.aspx
Please be careful in your work!!
===
So scary to think of a 23 yo grad student just doing a fairly standard transfer of air-sensitive material and to have it go this wrong.
I'm a little sad that the article mentioned 'limited english proficiency'... I know that foreign students get less safety training (in some countries, such as India)... I would think that your ability to speak english does not keep you from being able to spot someone on fire and figure out that they should be doused in the shower.
Very sad.