Bomb Disposal Squad in Coláiste Iosaef in Kilmallock

Most of you are probably aware at this stage of the controlled explosion that had to be carried out on Wednesday in the Sec­ondary School in Kilmallock. Just in case you are not aware, the science teacher discovered that a chemical called Dinitro­phenylhydrazine had crystallised. This chemical is normally in a liquid form. In its crystalline state it is very unstable and is sensitive to heat and friction. While we not aware of the ex­act condition of the chemical when it was located, it is safe to assume that it had been previously opened. Again we would not be aware of the expiry dates in this particular case but  there would have been one stamped on the bottle/label.

Given that many schools use this chemical, it is prudent for the science teachers to check their stocks and make sure your school does not have a similar situation. All schools should definitely check for Dinitrophenylhydrazine but should also go through all other chemicals and make a list of anything that has expired or is not stored in a suitable container with corre­rect labelling. Any expired substances should be disposed of.

A spokesperson for the Bomb Disposal Squad stated that it was the 167^th call out for the squad so far this year and the 17^th call to deal with a “substance of concern”. This event is bound to pique the curiosity of the HSA inspectors so don’t be surprised if you hear of them out and about.

Feel free to contact me with any questions.