1. Floods in the Lab “In nature, floods are acts of God, but in the chemical laboratory, floods are preventable accidents that still happen.” – Bruce D. Pollard Pollard, Bruce D. Flood Control. J. Chem. Ed. 1983, 60, p. A335-A336.

2. Seven Steps of Flood Control 1.Prevention 2.Minimization 3.Early Detection 4.Stopping the Flood 5.Evaluation 6.Clean-Up 7.Documentation 2 Pollard, Bruce D. Flood Control. J. Chem. Ed. 1983, 60, p. A335-A336. http://niameyflood.blogspot.com/p/b.html

3. Circulating Condensers DO Use braid-reinforced PVC hoses of appropriate diameter and thickness, or something equivalent (avoid rubber for long-term use as will crack) Secure with correct size of metal or plastic hose clamps Conduct a visual inspection of all cooling water hoses in your laboratory on a monthly basis and replace as necessary Avoid running water overnight or on weekends Install pressure-sensitive flow detector on water feed DO NOT Use rubber tubing or wire to make connections on water-cooled condensers, laser units, and circulators 3 Flood Prevention in the Lab. 2010, Lab Manager. http://www.labmanager.com/lab-health-and-safety/2010/06/flood-prevention-in-the- lab?fw1pk=2#.VBNNG_ldUlk

4. Flood Reaction DO Assess if there is an immediate safety hazard to you or others such as electrical sources near the water Stop running water as soon as safety possible Move sensitive materials and equipment away from water source Contain the water. Treat it as a chemical spill if there is possible chemical contamination Contact labs that are next to and below yours DO NOT Immediately start cleaning up water before assessing hazard or checking if water is contaminated 4 Flood Prevention in the Lab. 2010, Lab Manager. http://www.labmanager.com/lab-health-and-safety/2010/06/flood-prevention-in-the- lab?fw1pk=2#.VBNNG_ldUlk