{"title":"Applying Hazardous Area Classification in Laboratories","authors":"Jeremy Lebowitz","doi":"10.1021/acs.chas.4c00041","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"Laboratories contain many common sources of flammable gas and vapor which can pose a fire or explosion hazard in the presence of a competent ignition source. While all facilities handling hazardous materials should follow the hierarchy of process safety controls, the nature of research laboratories is often such that flammable vapors or gases are unavoidable. Accordingly, the use of hazardous area electrical classification is a key component of an overall ignition source control strategy. This article outlines major concepts associated with area classification for vapors and gases in the context of the hierarchy of controls, and offers practical suggestions for how to limit risk in research laboratories.","PeriodicalId":12,"journal":{"name":"ACS Chemical Health & Safety","volume":"150 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9000,"publicationDate":"2024-08-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"ACS Chemical Health & Safety","FirstCategoryId":"1","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chas.4c00041","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Laboratories contain many common sources of flammable gas and vapor which can pose a fire or explosion hazard in the presence of a competent ignition source. While all facilities handling hazardous materials should follow the hierarchy of process safety controls, the nature of research laboratories is often such that flammable vapors or gases are unavoidable. Accordingly, the use of hazardous area electrical classification is a key component of an overall ignition source control strategy. This article outlines major concepts associated with area classification for vapors and gases in the context of the hierarchy of controls, and offers practical suggestions for how to limit risk in research laboratories.
期刊介绍:
The Journal of Chemical Health and Safety focuses on news, information, and ideas relating to issues and advances in chemical health and safety. The Journal of Chemical Health and Safety covers up-to-the minute, in-depth views of safety issues ranging from OSHA and EPA regulations to the safe handling of hazardous waste, from the latest innovations in effective chemical hygiene practices to the courts'' most recent rulings on safety-related lawsuits. The Journal of Chemical Health and Safety presents real-world information that health, safety and environmental professionals and others responsible for the safety of their workplaces can put to use right away, identifying potential and developing safety concerns before they do real harm.