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Chemical safety

Chemical safety aims to prevent risks to human health and the environment when handling chemical products. It is governed by both European and national legislation, such as REACH and the Swedish Work Environment Authority’s regulations (e.g. AFS 2023:10), which establish requirements for risk assessment, labeling, and safe handling. By complying with these regulations and adopting a systematic approach to safety measures, organisations can reduce accidents and ensure a safe working environment.

Risk assessment using KLARA

All risks related to chemical use must be investigated in a risk assessment. This assessment must be completed prior to beginning work with chemicals (AFS 2023:10 Chapter 7, Section 5). KLARA has a risk assessment module that provides an outline for risk assessment of work with chemicals.

Risk assessments can be completed digitally in KLARA and saved in a folder specific to your division. Contact the school's KLARA administrator or central KLARA administrator to obtain access to KLARA. The risk assessment must be signed by the responsible manager and be available to the employees concerned.

Labelling requirements for chemical substances

Containers containing dangerous chemical products must be marked with the product's name, hazard pictogram and text in certain cases (e.g., allergenic, carcinogenic, mutagenic, or toxic for reproduction). This also applies to containers that are not original packaging. New labels can be printed in KLARA if the label on the original container has become illegible or no longer valid.

Peroxide-forming chemicals

When storing peroxide-forming chemicals, especially if they lack stabilizers and/or are exposed to light and heat, potentially explosive peroxides may form. The higher the storage temperature, the greater the risk of peroxide formation. As the peroxide concentration increases, the risk of explosion also rises.

For opened containers that have been stored for an extended period, it should be assumed that peroxides have formed to some extent. This also applies to peroxide-forming chemicals that have been transferred to containers other than the manufacturer’s original packaging.

Examples of peroxide-forming chemicals common at KTH:

  • Diethyl ether CAS: 60-29-7

  • 1,4-Dioxane CAS: 123-91-1

  • Tetrahydrofuran (THF) CAS: 109-99-9

For more information on handling, preventive measures, testing and monitoring, as well as waste management, see the KTH document Instructions for handling peroxide-forming chemicals (pdf 179 kB) .

Perchloric acid

Perchloric acid is a potentially hazardous substance with strong oxidizing, corrosive, and toxic properties. When in contact with many other substances, especially organic compounds, it may cause fire or explosion. It is therefore important to also consider in the risk assessment the risk of hazardous chemical reactions with other substances; for example, mixtures of perchloric acid and organic solvents such as ethanol can result in vigorous and highly dangerous reactions (see further information in the Safety Data Sheet, Section 10 Stability and reactivity).

Perchloric acid must be handled in specially designed, ventilated fume hoods equipped with washable duct systems that are not used for other purposes. Requirements and guidelines for such equipment are provided in MCF’s (MSB) general recommendations SÄI 1983:1 concerning fume hood equipment for work with perchloric acid  (only in Swedish).

3D printing

3D printing involves several potential risks that should be properly managed to ensure a safe working environment.

The risks associated with 3D printers include exposure to potentially harmful ultrafine particles and chemical fumes released during the whole printing process, which can affect indoor air quality and cause health issues if ventilation is poor. There are also physical risks, such as burns from the heated nozzle or build platform, as well as a risk of fire if the printer is poorly maintained or when handling flammable substances, e.g. solvents or metal powders. Mechanical parts can also cause minor injuries if handled improperly.

The risks depend on the

  • Type of printer (e.g., FFF, SLA, metal powder)

  • Material used (e.g., PLA, ABS, resin)

  • Placement of the printer (e.g., enclosed or open workspace)

  • Ventilation conditions.

More information for use of Stereolithography (SLA) and Fused filament fabrication (FFF) see document Safe 3D printing (pdf 270 kB) .

School Contact Persons for Chemical Safety:

ABE

Viktor Brolund
tlf +46 8 790 86 85
Email: vbrolund@kth.se

EECS
Patrick Janus
tel. +46 8 790 82 76
Email: pjanus@kth.se

CBH
Daniel Tavast
tel. +46 70 465 81 08
Email: tavast@kth.se

ITM
Martin Edin Grimheden
tel. +46 8 790 77 97
Email: mjg@kth.se

SCI
Erik Edstam
tel. +46 73 765 84 92
Email: edstam@kth.se

For any questions regarding chemical safety, please contact your school’s contact person or chemicalsafety@kth.se .