Welcome Guest! The IOSH forums are a free resource to both members and non-members. Login or register to use them

Postings made by forum users are personal opinions. IOSH is not responsible for the content or accuracy of any of the information contained in forum postings. Please carefully consider any advice you receive.

Notification

Icon
Error

Options
Go to last post Go to first unread
abotto  
#1 Posted : 05 July 2024 15:22:29(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
abotto

Hi all. 

We use isoflurane as an anaesthetic. It comes in 250ml bottles (glass).

I'm currently doing the risk assessment for isoflurane/ anaesthesia procedures. One of the risks identified is a large spillage (a full glass bottle of 250ml dropped). There are WELs assigned to iso. For normal use we're well under the WEL (monitoring undertaken once a year). 

But if a bottle is dropped and smashed I’m struggling to understand when you'd deem that area safe to enter - and this will obviously change depending on the size of the room, ventilation/ extraction. But how would those on site (we ahve multiple sites) know when it's safe to go back into that area.  

Struggling a bit with the emergency spill procedure. Any comments are welcome. Thanks 

Kate  
#2 Posted : 06 July 2024 16:30:38(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Kate

The gold standard would be a device that measures the airborne concentration, even in a rough and ready way such as a Draeger tube.

However presumably someone will need to go in to clear it up.  For them you would ideally provide a suitable respirator.

I don't know this substance but you say it is an anaesthetic, so presumably you would be concerned about someone who went in losing consciousness.  That is more of an issue than exceeding the WEL.  Is there both a short term and a long term exposure limit?  In that case the short term limit would be relevant to the clean-up operation and the long term limit to reoccupation.

thanks 1 user thanked Kate for this useful post.
abotto on 02/08/2024(UTC)
A Kurdziel  
#3 Posted : 08 July 2024 09:13:56(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
A Kurdziel

If isoflurane is anything like halothane, then it is extremely volatile. This means if there is enough air changes in the room it will clear itself.  How quickly it disperses depends on air changes, size of the room it has spilt in and temperature.

If you really think that there is a serious risk of dropping the bottles you could put some transparent film around them to hold them together if they are dropped.

 

thanks 1 user thanked A Kurdziel for this useful post.
abotto on 02/08/2024(UTC)
Roundtuit  
#4 Posted : 10 July 2024 07:21:16(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Roundtuit

REPORTED AmandaWard hyperlink

thanks 2 users thanked Roundtuit for this useful post.
peter gotch on 10/07/2024(UTC), peter gotch on 10/07/2024(UTC)
Roundtuit  
#5 Posted : 10 July 2024 07:21:16(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Roundtuit

REPORTED AmandaWard hyperlink

thanks 2 users thanked Roundtuit for this useful post.
peter gotch on 10/07/2024(UTC), peter gotch on 10/07/2024(UTC)
Jonathan Bright  
#6 Posted : 11 July 2024 09:30:12(UTC)
Rank: New forum user
Jonathan Bright

I'm not famaliar with this substance, at our plant we have several flammable gasses and substances , we have fixed gas detection systems indicating safe to enter or not, with an audible and visual alarm. First point activation is 10% of the lower explosion limit and second at 20% , this could also be used as ppm. 

Have you got LEV to clear the room

thanks 1 user thanked Jonathan Bright for this useful post.
abotto on 02/08/2024(UTC)
abotto  
#7 Posted : 02 August 2024 15:47:39(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
abotto

Originally Posted by: Roundtuit Go to Quoted Post

REPORTED AmandaWard hyperlink


Originally Posted by: Roundtuit Go to Quoted Post

REPORTED AmandaWard hyperlink


@roundtuit - I'm not sure why you've reported my post? 
Roundtuit  
#8 Posted : 02 August 2024 16:03:29(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Roundtuit

@abotto I did not report your thread I reported a poster who saw it as opportunity to provide hyperlinks to matters unrelated to the discussion or general health & safety.

We let others know suspicious links have been reported to save the moderators getting an avalanche of reports.

When the moderators remove offending posts from a thread unfortunately there is a tendency to leave the report post behind.

To counter this inclusion of the name of the offending poster in your case AmandaWard lets the forum know who was reported.

So no I did not report abotto

Roundtuit  
#9 Posted : 02 August 2024 16:03:29(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Roundtuit

@abotto I did not report your thread I reported a poster who saw it as opportunity to provide hyperlinks to matters unrelated to the discussion or general health & safety.

We let others know suspicious links have been reported to save the moderators getting an avalanche of reports.

When the moderators remove offending posts from a thread unfortunately there is a tendency to leave the report post behind.

To counter this inclusion of the name of the offending poster in your case AmandaWard lets the forum know who was reported.

So no I did not report abotto

Users browsing this topic
Guest
You cannot post new topics in this forum.
You cannot reply to topics in this forum.
You cannot delete your posts in this forum.
You cannot edit your posts in this forum.
You cannot create polls in this forum.
You cannot vote in polls in this forum.