The primary objective of an educational facility like a school is to teach. The general assumption is that the facility is safe for all occupants. However, of all classrooms within a school, perhaps none offer a range of hazards as wide as chemistry laboratories. Indeed, there are building codes and minimum design requirements that must be met within these settings.
When designing or retrofitting lab facilities, decisions range from the lowest first costs necessary to meet the minimum code requirements to state-of-the-art best practices that increase the safety level desired by a school district.
Regardless if the school is public or private, it takes an informed owner to appreciate the professional engineering and architectural decisions that go into a design that balances cost and safety. The lowest first-cost design and product selection options may increase the risk to those using the facility and laboratories within an educational facility.
Risks and Emergencies
Minimizing risks in the operation of a laboratory to prevent an emergency situation takes a great deal of experience and interaction with the users of a laboratory within educational facilities. The use of various utilities and chemicals must be taken into account. Water and electric are common in other spaces and our daily lives; however, combining those two with various chemicals and the use of open flames increases the risks. The users are mainly students ranging from high school ages to collegiate and graduate level ages.
We have five human “sensors” for hearing, tasting, seeing, smelling, and feeling. These basic sensors are essential in the operation of a lab. Generally, when experiments are being conducted, any or all of our five senses can be used to minimize a risk by triggering a response as needed. If gas is smelled, there is likely a safety procedure to manually shut off a valve, either at the specific experiment location or the room in total. If there is a fire or visual plume due to a chemical reaction, this, too, likely triggers a human response to mediate the risk and prevent a disastrous emergency.
Sometimes an incident of elevated risk requires quick evacuation of a classroom or an entire building. In those times, it is wise to have a protocol in place to quickly shut off any utilities, such as the gas or electric source, that could propagate the situation to a higher level of risk and destruction or cause harm to the occupants. The shutoff can be manual; however, automatic shutoffs may possibly minimize the risk more quickly and save lives.
Technology has advanced throughout the years to provide the opportunity to install early warning sensors that automatically shut off utilities, allowing the instructor and chemistry lab users to be in a safer environment and evacuate more quickly and safely. These technological advancements reduce risks and the likelihood of emergencies.
HVAC Design Considerations
In the spring of 2021, many districts are focused on getting students back in the classrooms. With the realization that COVID-19 and newer coronavirus strands can be airborne, much attention has shifted to update districts’ ventilation systems. In addition to minimum code requirements, many districts are openly discussing implementing technology designed to regulate the amount of outdoor air entering the facility as well as the “cleaning” of indoor air.
Many types of air-cleaning product manufacturers have seized the opportunity to educate potential customers and school districts on the benefits of their products. Whether it be enhanced air particulate filtration with higher MERV ratings; increased outside air volume; or other technologies, such as UVC, the focus is clearly on protecting students and teachers.
It is important to follow the science and engineering of products and not just look at the manufacturers’ warranties but also to look at the performance guarantee that backs up any marketing claim. In general, a warranty is written to limit liability of the manufacturer and not for the protection of the customer. The “Keep It Simple” (KIS) principle has been a cliché in HVAC applications in schools for years. Now is the time for Keep It Defendable (KID) principle in the evaluation of HVAC products and systems. Professional engineers must follow the minimum codes but also be aware of current technologies and best practices that are sometimes part of industry standards but not yet codified.
Design considerations must incorporate the input of all design team members, including the facility owner, those who use the spaces, and those who maintain them. A laboratory space in an educational facility requires an integrated approach during design and construction as well as operation with consideration of risks and potential emergencies.
Although this article focus is on utilities, there is also a need to understand and design for chemicals used within a chemistry lab. More often than not, chemicals used in a chemistry lab are stored in a ventilated cabinet or storage space. Chemical spills or leaks in chemical storage spaces can be problematic. These cabinets and spaces will generally have a dedicated exhaust fan that is of a material that is suited for use with chemicals similar to those used to exhaust from fume hoods (see Figure 1). Exhaust fans for chemistry classroom hoods, chemical storage rooms, and general classrooms are designed to discharge directly up, away from the building to minimize the possibility of the exhaust air entering back into the ventilation system through outside air intakes (see Figure 2).
“SAFE LAB – School Chemistry Laboratory Safety Guide” addresses design considerations. This document, which was published by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, covers many topics dealing with chemical storage and use safety as well as teacher responsibilities and do’s and don’ts for students. The document also discusses guidelines to follow in the event of a chemical spill. All incidences and emergencies can bring into focus liability for the schools in design decisions for chemistry laboratory classrooms.
The design of chemistry classroom laboratories requires consideration of normal operation and emergency situations. It’s necessary to have eyewash stations, safety showers, and fire extinguishers that are suitable for combustible materials and chemical and electric fires. Storage and access to basic personal protective equipment (PPE), like goggles, gloves, and first aid materials, is also a consideration in the design of laboratories. In general, whether a high school or university chemistry lab, the students need to be trained in proper use of the chemicals and what to do in case of emergencies.
Another design consideration is the use of leak detection sensors and cables that can be installed to give early warning of any liquid spills or leaks that may occur in the piping or chemical storage cabinets and spaces within a laboratory space.