| ials that are extremely hazardous to property, health | | | | engineering controls and a special permit from the |
| or the environment (highly toxic gas, explosive, highly | | | | Seattle Fire Department. |
| water reactive, and pyrophoric materials for example) | | | | Incompatible Materials: Incompatible materials are |
| must not be procured until the necessary permits, | | | | materials which, when in contact with each other, |
| administrative, engineering and environmental controls | | | | have the potential to react in a manner that |
| are in place. | | | | generate heat, fumes, gases, or byproducts which |
| Hazardous materials must be stored and used in | | | | are hazardous. For quantities of greater than 5 |
| accordance with numerous regulations including, but | | | | pounds or 1/2 gallon, separation by not less than 20 |
| not limited to, the Uniform Fire Code and local | | | | feet, approved cabinets, or a noncombustible |
| amendments. | | | | partition is required. Smaller quantities should also be |
| Permits are required for any quantity of highly | | | | isolated whenever practical. A common violation is |
| hazardous material, and for small to moderate | | | | flammable liquids stored with oxidizers. |
| quantities of other materials. (For example, a permit is | | | | Flammable Liquids and Basements: The International |
| required for any quantity of highly toxic or unstable | | | | Fire Code prohibits storage of flammable liquids in |
| material and for flammable liquids in quantities in | | | | basements. However, there are two general |
| excess of five gallons in a building). | | | | exceptions as follows that apply to the University of |
| Contact the Fire Department directly or EH&S | | | | Washington: |
| Facility Safety office (206.543.0465) for assistance. | | | | Existing grandfathered Class H Occupancy rooms (i.e., |
| Rooms where hazardous materials are stored or | | | | chemical stockrooms design specifically for bulk |
| used in quantities that exceed certain thresholds, and | | | | storage of flammable liquids). New Class H occupancy |
| rooms dedicated to storing hazardous materials are | | | | rooms for flammable liquids are not allowed in |
| required to have a National Fire Protection Association | | | | basements. |
| (NFPA) diamond sign on all doors. Call EH&S | | | | Your waste will be picked up in two to four weeks. |
| Facility Safety office at 543-0465 for further | | | | Please plan ahead and be patient. Each waste item |
| information and signs. | | | | must be tracked from the point of generation to |
| Flammable Liquids: The quantity of flammable liquids in | | | | incineration, and we do the paperwork for hundreds |
| a single laboratory stored outside of an approved | | | | of containers of waste every week. Chemicals that |
| flammable liquids cabinet must not exceed 10 gallons. | | | | are corrosive, flammable, toxic, or explosive are by |
| All 10 gallons, unless in use, must be stored in | | | | legal definition "hazardous". Some additional chemicals |
| approved containers as indicated in the table below. | | | | are handled as hazardous waste because they are |
| Peroxide Forming Chemicals: Peroxides may form in | | | | carcinogenic, persistent in the environment, or are |
| some organic compounds by autoxidation. Peroxides | | | | not allowed in the trash because they generate dusts |
| can cause serious accidents and, in some | | | | or other hazard. Large volumes of waste or numbers |
| circumstances, become low power explosives that | | | | of containers may take longer to collect due to the |
| can be set off by shock, sparks or other forms of | | | | long time it takes to process the chemicals (it usually |
| ignition. Some organic compounds form peroxides in a | | | | takes an hour to process one Chemical Collection |
| matter of months under the right circumstance. Be | | | | Request) and the limited space on our trucks. Routine |
| aware of organic compounds in your lab and | | | | collection requests are faster because much of the |
| remember to mark the expiration date on each | | | | paperwork is done already. If your waste is |
| container and review them periodically for disposal. | | | | accumulated improperly (according the above |
| Ether is an example of peroxide forming chemical. | | | | guidelines), we will stop to discuss the problem with |
| Pyrophoric Material: Pyrophoric material is a material | | | | you if you are present. We will not pick up your |
| that will spontaneously ignite when it comes into | | | | waste until the problem has been corrected. |
| contact with air. This material is only permitted in fire | | | | All new employees as well as anyone rusty on the |
| sprinkler protected laboratories in very small quantities | | | | basics of hazardous waste management should take |
| (4 pounds aggregate per zone). Potassium metal is an | | | | this training. It covers hazardous waste definitions, |
| example of a pyrophoric material. Extreme precaution | | | | labeling, storage, and disposal and includes a short |
| is required when working with this type of material. | | | | quiz, all of which should take only ten to twenty |
| Highly Toxic Material: Materials classified as highly toxic | | | | minutes to complete. If you pass the quiz, you may |
| are only permitted in small quantities in University | | | | request a certificate of completion for your training |
| buildings (Up to 10 pounds per zone). Highly toxic gas, | | | | records at any job that you are working at. |
| like Arsine, is not allowed in any quantity without | | | | |