3/3/09

Laboratory Chemical Fire Results in UCLA Student's Death

A staff research assistant who was seriously burned in a laboratory fire at UCLA died of her injuries Jan. 16. She was working with t-butyl lithium, a highly flammable compound that spontaneously burns upon exposure to air. She was extracting the compound when the syringe came apart. A mixture of t-butyl lithium and pentane sprayed her and caught fire. This tragic accident is a reminder to everyone at Berkeley Lab that we often work in hazardous situations involving chemicals, radiation, machinery, and other dangerous components. The primary goal of all Lab safety programs is to try and prevent accidents like this. To that end, the Lab’s EH&S Division has forwarded a description of this incident to all users of pyrophoric compounds, checked the inventory of such compounds, and reviewed procedures for using them. A formal “Lessons Learned” will be generated when more information is available. More>