Question

Make a diagram of each case
using root cause analysis

Case #1: Gas tap without burner
Two-way gas taps are commonly installed in school science laboratories. For one reason or another, not all gas taps are connected to Bunsen burners. In an attempt to light a Bunsen burner, a student mistakenly turned on the adjacent gas tap not connected to the burner. Gas emitted from the gas tap burst into flames. Fortunately, the student was able to turn off the tap immediately but still she sustained a minor heat burn in her hand and hair charred.
Case #2: An accident caused by improper heating
A student was heating a test tube containing a mixture of chemical liquids. Instead of heating the mixture gently, he heated it strongly without shaking. After heating, he immediately put the test tube under the nose of a girl student standing next to him for her to smell the gas evolved. Both students were not wearing safety spectacles. The hot mixture of chemical liquids suddenly squirted out of the test tube onto the left eye and face of the girl student, who screamed consequently for help. The laboratory technician immediately took the injured student to the preparation room and washed her left eye and face with distilled water continuously until the ambulance personnel summoned by the school arrived. The injured student was taken to the hospital and given medical treatment. Fortunately, the student's injuries were not permanent, but she had suffered a great deal of pain and had to take sick leave for a week.
Case #3: An accident involving phenol
A student tested the solubility of phenol in water by heating a phenol-water mixture in a stoppered test-tube over a boiling water bath. The stopper of the test-tube suddenly popped out and the contents spurted onto the face of the student. The affected area was burnt.
Case #4: An eyes accident
Some students were performing an experiment on oxidation of cyclohexanol to cyclohexanone using Quickfit apparatus (a laboratory glassware). The accident happened when a group of students were assembling Quickfit apparatus to a retort stand using boss and clamps. Due to incorrect use of the boss head, a clamp loosened and a flask containing the reaction mixture dropped onto the bench. Some of the mixture, which contained cyclohexanol, sodium dichromate and sulphuric acid, splashed onto the eyes of a girl student. The student was wearing contact lenses but not any other spectacles, though the class had been instructed to wear safety spectacles in the lesson. The teacher and laboratory technician immediately washed the student's eyes with water. The contact lenses were removed. As the student did not reported discomfort in her eyes, the school had not sent the girl to hospital for treatment but had advised her to seek medical consultation should there be any discomfort in her eyes. The student went to a private clinic afterwards and found that her eyes suffered no injury.


Case #5: Phosphorus burns
A teacher cut up a stick of yellow phosphorus into small pieces for group experiment. He turned to write on the blackboard, while a student mischievously stole a piece of phosphorus and hid it in the pocket of his trousers. After a while, his trousers caught fire. The upper thigh of the student was seriously burnt. His hand was burnt too when he tried to remove the piece of burning phosphorus from his pocket.
Case #6: An accident involving sulphur dioxide
A class of students was performing an experiment on investigation of elements and compounds in groups of 4 students. Small amount of sulphur/iron mixture was heated strongly in the experiment and a certain amount of sulphur dioxide was produced. The teacher had instructed the class to use minimum amount of chemicals and to heat the mixture for about five minutes only. He had turned on the ceiling fans and the windows of the laboratory. However, he had forgotten to turn on the exhaust fans. Apparently, some students used more than enough sulphur and heated the mixture for too long. A student felt discomfort on his respiratory tract and reported to the teacher. The student was quite sensitive to effects of sulphur dioxide and his thyroid gland swelled to an extent that it made him difficult to breathe. The student received tonsillectomy few days after the accident. It was only informed after the accident that the student had been suffering from infectious problems in his thyroid glands.
Case #7: A fire caused by calcium carbide
A laboratory attendant working in the Chemistry laboratory noticed that white fumes and flame emerged from a locked wooden cupboard containing hazardous chemicals. He instinctively tried to put out the fire by using a bucket of water. After he had poured the water onto the cupboard, more white fumes and flame came out from the cupboard. He then informed the principal and subsequently the fire brigade was summoned for help. The firemen quickly put out the fire on arrival. The laboratory attendant felt ill after inhaling the fumes and was sent to the hospital. It was later found that the chemical causing the accident was calcium carbide.
Case #8: Ethanol on fire
A group of students tried to test the flammability of ethanol by burning it in a watch glass. When the ethanol was about to burn off, one of the students attempted to add more ethanol from a test-tube. In doing so, the ethanol in the test-tube got ignited and the burning ethanol spurted out. The student on the opposite side of the bench had his face and upper arm burned and his hair charred.
Case #9: Laboratory Explosion
This report details an explosion in a laboratory fume hood. A student was reproducing a published experimental technique requiring the use of nitric acid. This was the labs first time working with nitric acid and no protocols were in place before hand. Before experimentation, safety and handling protocols were discussed informally among lab members but no formal procedures were written up or established. A new waste container was made for the nitric acid. The experiment called for soaking material in nitric acid to remove a polymer layer and then rinsing with ethanol to remove the debris. Assuming it to be safe, the student rinsed the material directly into the new waste container. After rinsing, the student emptied the used nitric acid into the waste container, capped the container, closed the fume hood glass, and walked away. Seconds later the waste container exploded. Fortunately, no one was in the immediate area. Two panes of the fume hood glass were severely damaged, glass shards were scattered throughout the hood and the surrounding area, and the general area was contaminated with nitric acid. During the experiment the stock solution on nitric acid remained in the hood. The hood also had waste containers for biohazard waste and saturated potassium hydroxide solution. The explosion damaged the stock nitric acid container, compromising its integrity and shattered the top of the potassium hydroxide waste container. Chemical spill team was contacted immediately to assess the situation and clean-up and the lab was evacuated until an all clear was given.

Needed ASAP.Thank you

Case #2: An accident caused by improper heating
A student was heating a test tube containing a mixture of chemical liquids. Instead of heating the mixture gently, he heated it strongly without shaking. After heating, he immediately put the test tube under the nose of a girl student standing next to him for her to smell the gas evolved. Both students were not wearing safety spectacles. The hot mixture of chemical liquids suddenly squirted out of the test tube onto the left eye and face of the girl student, who screamed consequently for help. The laboratory technician immediately took the injured student to the preparation room and washed her left eye and face with distilled water continuously until the ambulance personnel summoned by the school arrived. The injured student was taken to the hospital and given medical treatment. Fortunately, the student's injuries were not permanent, but she had suffered a great deal of pain and had to take sick leave for a week.
Case #3: An accident involving phenol
A student tested the solubility of phenol in water by heating a phenol-water mixture in a stoppered test-tube over a boiling water bath. The stopper of the test-tube suddenly popped out and the contents spurted onto the face of the student. The affected area was burnt.
Case #4: An eyes accident
Some students were performing an experiment on oxidation of cyclohexanol to cyclohexanone using Quickfit apparatus (a laboratory glassware). The accident happened when a group of students were assembling Quickfit apparatus to a retort stand using boss and clamps. Due to incorrect use of the boss head, a clamp loosened and a flask containing the reaction mixture dropped onto the bench. Some of the mixture, which contained cyclohexanol, sodium dichromate and sulphuric acid, splashed onto the eyes of a girl student. The student was wearing contact lenses but not any other spectacles, though the class had been instructed to wear safety spectacles in the lesson. The teacher and laboratory technician immediately washed the student's eyes with water. The contact lenses were removed. As the student did not reported discomfort in her eyes, the school had not sent the girl to hospital for treatment but had advised her to seek medical consultation should there be any discomfort in her eyes. The student went to a private clinic afterwards and found that her eyes suffered no injury.

Case #5: Phosphorus burns
A teacher cut up a stick of yellow phosphorus into small pieces for group experiment. He turned to write on the blackboard, while a student mischievously stole a piece of phosphorus and hid it in the pocket of his trousers. After a while, his trousers caught fire. The upper thigh of the student was seriously burnt. His hand was burnt too when he tried to remove the piece of burning phosphorus from his pocket.
Case #6: An accident involving sulphur dioxide
A class of students was performing an experiment on investigation of elements and compounds in groups of 4 students. Small amount of sulphur/iron mixture was heated strongly in the experiment and a certain amount of sulphur dioxide was produced. The teacher had instructed the class to use minimum amount of chemicals and to heat the mixture for about five minutes only. He had turned on the ceiling fans and the windows of the laboratory. However, he had forgotten to turn on the exhaust fans. Apparently, some students used more than enough sulphur and heated the mixture for too long. A student felt discomfort on his respiratory tract and reported to the teacher. The student was quite sensitive to effects of sulphur dioxide and his thyroid gland swelled to an extent that it made him difficult to breathe. The student received tonsillectomy few days after the accident. It was only informed after the accident that the student had been suffering from infectious problems in his thyroid glands.
Case #7: A fire caused by calcium carbide
A laboratory attendant working in the Chemistry laboratory noticed that white fumes and flame emerged from a locked wooden cupboard containing hazardous chemicals. He instinctively tried to put out the fire by using a bucket of water. After he had poured the water onto the cupboard, more white fumes and flame came out from the cupboard. He then informed the principal and subsequently the fire brigade was summoned for help. The firemen quickly put out the fire on arrival. The laboratory attendant felt ill after inhaling the fumes and was sent to the hospital. It was later found that the chemical causing the accident was calcium carbide.
Case #8: Ethanol on fire
A group of students tried to test the flammability of ethanol by burning it in a watch glass. When the ethanol was about to burn off, one of the students attempted to add more ethanol from a test-tube. In doing so, the ethanol in the test-tube got ignited and the burning ethanol spurted out. The student on the opposite side of the bench had his face and upper arm burned and his hair charred.
Case #9: Laboratory Explosion
This report details an explosion in a laboratory fume hood. A student was reproducing a published experimental technique requiring the use of nitric acid. This was the labs first time working with nitric acid and no protocols were in place before hand. Before experimentation, safety and handling protocols were discussed informally among lab members but no formal procedures were written up or established. A new waste container was made for the nitric acid. The experiment called for soaking material in nitric acid to remove a polymer layer and then rinsing with ethanol to remove the debris. Assuming it to be safe, the student rinsed the material directly into the new waste container. After rinsing, the student emptied the used nitric acid into the waste container, capped the container, closed the fume hood glass, and walked away. Seconds later the waste container exploded. Fortunately, no one was in the immediate area. Two panes of the fume hood glass were severely damaged, glass shards were scattered throughout the hood and the surrounding area, and the general area was contaminated with nitric acid. During the experiment the stock solution on nitric acid remained in the hood. The hood also had waste containers for biohazard waste and saturated potassium hydroxide solution. The explosion damaged the stock nitric acid container, compromising its integrity and shattered the top of the potassium hydroxide waste container. Chemical spill team was contacted immediately to assess the situation and clean-up and the lab was evacuated until an all clear was given.

Answer 1