Inherent Hazards Assessment and Classification Method for University Chemical Laboratories in China

Abstract

In recent years, chemical laboratory accidents have frequently occurred in Chinese universities. A three-year safety inspection by the Ministry of Education of China discovered many issues in university chemical laboratories, including inadequate hazards identification, limited risk awareness, and insufficient safety management. In view of these problems, this study established the inherent hazards assessment and classification (IHAC) method for university chemical laboratories. We quantitatively evaluated the materials, equipment, and processes of chemical laboratories for inherent hazards. To differentiate levels of supervision over inherent hazards, we separated chemical laboratories into four tiers: A, B, C, and D. We used IHAC in a Chinese university’s chemical laboratory to show that it can effectively identify and evaluate laboratory dangers. Simultaneously, splitting laboratories into multiple levels can result in more targeted laboratory safety management and accident prevention.