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Subject: [DCHAS-L] University of Utah Chemistry Building - small explosion
Date: Friday, April 17, 2015 9:55:11 AM
Author: Dean Lillquist <lillquistd**At_Symbol_Here**GMAIL.COM> 		Next by Date:
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] University of Utah Chemistry Building - small explosion
Date: Fri, 17 Apr 2015 11:47:33 -0400
Author: r.sidor**At_Symbol_Here**verizon.net

From: George D. McCallion <medchem**At_Symbol_Here**COMCAST.NET>
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] University of Utah Chemistry Building - small explosion
Date: Fri, 17 Apr 2015 14:59:55 +0000
Reply-To: DCHAS-L <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU>
Message-ID: 26919760.7335377.1429282795368.JavaMail.zimbra**At_Symbol_Here**comcast.net
In-Reply-To


DCHAS members,

From what I could decipher, it seems like a possible delayed exotherm from a storage container (flask, bottle). What was the material, etc.? Cannot say at this point, and speculation would be moot.

It does seem that the cabinetry did perform effectively, which is always a good thing.

The vapors identified may not have been emulating from the point-of-incidence; hopefully a follow up will be forthcoming that we can all read and discuss.

Thanks for posting this, Dean.

Cheers!

-George

From: "Dean Lillquist" <lillquistd**At_Symbol_Here**GMAIL.COM>
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU
Sent: Friday, April 17, 2015 9:55:11 AM
Subject: [DCHAS-L] University of Utah Chemistry Building - small explosion

http://www.ksl.com/?sid=34263740&nid=148&title=u-chemistry-building-evacuated-after-small-explosion&s_cid=queue-19

 

The take-home message from them:

 

Overall, he said, the safety measures that were in place did what they were designed to do.

"The cabinet did its job," he said. "It's proof that those safety measures work."

 

I would like to seen their  after action investigation report.

Their engineering controls did appear to work.  But-

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."

                                             Benjamin Franklin

I wonder about their administrative controls in place =E2=80" especially their chemical storage and inventory program. 

I might speculate a chemical storage issue: incompatibility and/or chemical expiration issue. 

If this was the root cause, it would have been preventable.


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