Building a Solid Safety Defense: Guidelines for the Operation of Fume Hoods and Reactors in Chemical Laboratories

��发布时间：2019-08-03 ��浏览次数：500次

 

Introduction

Chemical laboratories are the vanguards of scientific and technological innovation. However, the potential safety risks they harbor cannot be overlooked. Statistics show that approximately 40% of global laboratory safety accidents are related to improper equipment operation, with issues concerning the use of fume hoods and reactors being particularly prominent. Shanghai Qingyan Chemical Laboratory has always regarded safety management as the lifeline of scientific research work. Through strict operating procedures and an intelligent monitoring system, it creates a safe and reliable experimental environment for researchers. This article will analyze the key points of safe laboratory operation centered around these two crucial pieces of equipment.

I. Fume Hoods: The “First Line of Defense” for Experimental Safety

As the most commonly used safety equipment in laboratories, fume hoods play a vital role in exhausting harmful gases and safeguarding the health of personnel. However, their effectiveness depends on a standardized operation process:

1. Pre - use Inspection

 - Confirm that the ventilation system is operating normally, with a face velocity reaching 0.3 - 0.5m/s (referring to the ACGIH standard).

 - Check whether the baffle plates, lighting, and power supply are in good condition to avoid operating the equipment with malfunctions.

2. Operating Specifications

 - Experimental items should be placed at the rear of the fume hood, maintaining a distance of at least 15 cm from the glass baffle to ensure smooth air flow.

 - Do not put your head into the hood for operation. Chemical reagents should be transferred through trays to avoid direct contact.

 - For highly volatile reagents, open the lids inside the fume hood, and keep the baffle height no more than 20 cm during the operation.

3. Routine Maintenance

 - Clean the baffle plates and filters weekly to prevent dust accumulation from affecting the ventilation efficiency.

 - Regularly entrust professional institutions to test the wind speed and airtightness to ensure they meet safety standards.

Case Warning: In a certain laboratory, due to the blocked filter of the fume hood not being replaced in time, toxic gases leaked, causing dizziness in three personnel. This incident highlights the importance of equipment maintenance.

II. Reactor Monitoring: Preventing Risks at the Source

As a core equipment operating under high - temperature and high - pressure conditions, the safety of the reactor is directly related to the success of the experiment and the safety of personnel. Qingyan Laboratory achieves risk control through a “three - comprehensive management” model:

1. Full - process Monitoring

 - Temperature Control: Equipped with a high - precision PID controller, with functions of automatic over - temperature alarm and power - off protection.

 - Pressure Monitoring: Install dual - pressure sensors to display real - time data and record curves, with a threshold alarm accuracy of ±0.1MPa.

 - Stirring Status: Monitor the load of the stirring shaft through a torque sensor to prevent equipment damage caused by material solidification.

2. Intelligent Early Warning

 - The Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) is linked with the reactor data, and abnormal data is automatically pushed to the mobile phones of management personnel.

 - Establish a historical data model to predict the equipment life cycle and replace vulnerable parts in advance.

3. Emergency Response Mechanism

 - Equipped with an emergency pressure - relief valve and an inert gas purging system, which can complete the pressure - reduction operation within 30 seconds.

 - Conduct reactor leakage simulation drills every quarter to ensure that personnel are familiar with the emergency plan.

Technical Highlights: The laboratory has introduced an AI - based visual monitoring system. Through cameras, it analyzes the appearance of the reactor (such as liquid leakage and bolt loosening), realizing non - contact safety inspections.

III. Building a Laboratory Safety Culture Ecology

Safety management is not just about the accumulation of equipment but also the integration of systems and awareness:

 - Hierarchical Training: New employees must pass the fume hood operation certification, reactor simulation training, and emergency plan assessment before they can take up their posts.

 - Double - person Verification: For high - risk experiments, a “operation - supervision” double - post system is implemented, and key parameters need to be confirmed and signed by both parties.

 - Safety Point System: Incorporate standardized operations into performance evaluations, and provide special rewards to personnel who discover potential safety hazards.

There is no shortcut to the safety construction of chemical laboratories. Only by internalizing rigorous operating procedures into habits and transforming cutting - edge monitoring technologies into safeguards can we truly build a “firewall” for scientific research safety. Shanghai Qingyan Chemical Laboratory will continue to optimize its safety management system, setting an innovative benchmark of “emphasizing both technology and safety” for the industry. This allows researchers to focus on exploration in a safe environment and accelerates the implementation of innovative achievements within a standardized framework.

—— Safety is of utmost importance, and responsibility weighs heavily. ——

(Data sources: “2024 Global Laboratory Safety White Paper”, Shanghai Qingyan Chemical Laboratory Safety Management Manual)