November 22, 2022
Washington — In response to a recent fire in a high school chemistry laboratory that resulted in multiple injuries, the Chemical Safety Board is calling on schools and educators to review agency guidance for lab and classroom work involving flammable liquids.
CSB states that although it isn’t investigating the Oct. 12 incident at Dinwiddie High School in Virginia, it’s reminiscent of past instances that prompted an incident investigation. In those cases, an individual, as part of a lab demonstration, poured the flammable chemical methanol from a bulk container onto flames. A flashback to the bulk containers led to fires that caused injuries.
Tips from the agency:
- Don’t use bulk containers of flammable chemicals in educational demonstrations when small quantities are sufficient.
- Implement strict safety controls when demonstrations