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Engineering | Safe Engineering

Research Laboratory Chemicals, New Processes, and Process Changes

Before the first time a Particularly Hazardous Substance (PHS) is used in your lab space, certain safety documentation and review requirements must be met. The two following lists sum up current PHSs at ASU:

EHS Particularly Hazardous Substances

FSE Particularly Hazardous Substances

Any process that uses a PHS, and any process that uses a toxic or flammable gas, must follow the Chemical Approval Process before the process can be started and before equipment can be started up.

If a process has received approval before, and a change is made to the process, apparatus, or materials / concentration of materials, then the changes must be reviewed and approved before the process change can be implemented.

How to Receive Approval for a New Chemical, New Process, or for Changes to an Approved Process

Chemical/Process Review for Lab Managers

Hazard Pages & Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)

FSE’s existing resources for safely using a specific chemical or chemical hazard class, including SOP templates, are summed up on our Hazard Pages. Use the search bar below to search for a specific chemical, or use the slider to browse our database.

If a Hazard Page or chemical-specific SOP template has not yet been created for a chemical, use FSE’s general SOP templates to make something that fits your lab’s needs:

FSE Blank SOP Template (Liquids & Solids)

FSE Blank SOP Template (Gases)

Anesthetic Gases

Long-term expsosure to these gases can cause serious health effects. Acute exposures can cause loss of consciousness in the lab. Nitrous Oxide, and halogenated anesthetic gases such as: enflurane (CAS# 13838-16-9) desflurane (CAS# 57041-67-5) halothane (CAS# 151-67-7)...
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Chloroform, Dichloromethane, and Other Halogenated Organic Compounds

Chloroform, dichloromethane, and many other halogenated organic compounds readily pass through nitrile gloves. This means that the disposable gloves most people wear every day in laboratories provide no protection from chloroform and dichloromethane, and small...
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Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO)

DMSO decomposes with heating, and the decomposition products catalyze further decomposition, resulting in a runaway reaction that has caused explosions resulting in injuries and deaths. A wide range of other reagents (oxidizers, reducers, bases, and especially acids)...
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HF Acid, Ammonium Bifluoride, and Other Soluble Fluorides

The chemicals below, and related soluble fluoride salts, release fluoride ions (F-): ammonium fluoride (CAS# 12125-01-8) ammonium bifluoride (CAS# 1341-49-7) hydrofluoric acid (CAS# 7664-39-3) potassium bifluoride (CAS# 7789-29-9) sodium bifluoride (CAS# 1333-83-1)...
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Hydrogen Gas

Hydrogen gas (CAS# 1333-74-0) is not toxic to breathe, although it can function as an asphyxiant if it displaces enough breathable air. Hydrogen gas has a low LEL and a broad flammability range, so the flammability/explosivity hazard becomes a risk before hydrogen can...
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Thiols, Mercaptans, and Other Stench Chemicals

Stench chemicals have an extremely foul smell that is detectable by the human nose in parts-per-billion amounts, depending on the compound. While the stench may not be known to have toxic effects, it can still negatively impact laboratory workers and people outside...
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