Important Information for Anyone who Works with Liquid Nitrogen or Systems under +/-Pressure
An accident resulting in a serious injury occurred last week to a biomedical research scientist on campus. While “flash” freezing yeast samples in 50 ml conical polypropylene tubes, liquid nitrogen caused the tube to explode and resulted in a traumatic eye injury. The cause of the accident is being investigated. The scientist was not wearing eye protection.
The other occupants in the laboratory provided immediate assistance and called 911.
EHS urges each laboratory at Dartmouth College to carefully review any protocols that (1) involve the use of liquid nitrogen; (2) any system that may be under positive or negative pressure; or (3) may become pressurized unintentionally. The institutional requirements for personal protective equipment (PPE) are found under “Essential Information” on the EHS Web Site.
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~ehs/hazard.html
Additionally, PPE requirements and approved safety glasses are provided by EHS at all our laboratory safety training programs. PPE is also readily available at all our scientific stockrooms. If you have any questions about PPE or eye protection in particular, please contact us.
Thank you for your help and please share this with everyone in your laboratory.
Environmental Health and Safety
November 10, 2003
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