Sheri Sangji's Story - UCLA Chemical Fire

Summary

Sherry Sanji, a 23-year-old chemistry graduate and aspiring law student, tragically died from burns covering 40% of her body after a laboratory accident at UCLA on December 29, 2008. While transferring a pyrophoric chemical, a syringe malfunction exposed the chemical to air, igniting it and causing a secondary fire. Despite UCLA's claims of safety training, California OSHA found no evidence and cited the university for inadequate protective measures. The incident has prompted UCLA to revamp its safety protocols, emphasizing the need for a strong safety culture to prevent future tragedies.

Takeaways

• 🎓 Sherry Sanji was a 23-year-old recent chemistry graduate working as a lab research assistant at UCLA.
• 🔬 She was passionate about making a difference in the world and was in the process of applying to law schools.
• 🧪 On December 29, 2008, a laboratory accident involving a highly reactive chemical led to her tragic death.
• 🔥 The accident occurred when tertiary butyl lithium, a pyrophoric chemical, sprayed onto her hands and ignited.
• 🚨 California OSHA cited UCLA's chemistry department for failing to require appropriate body protection for lab workers handling such chemicals.
• 👚 Sherry was not wearing a flame-resistant lab coat or the recommended protective clothing on the day of the accident.
• 📋 An internal safety inspection two months prior had already identified issues with personal protective equipment usage, which were not addressed.
• 📚 Dr. Jillian Kem reported on the incident extensively, highlighting the lack of documented safety training evidence.
• 🛠️ UCLA has since taken steps to improve safety, including better training, protective equipment, and unannounced inspections.
• 🏛️ Dr. James Gibson, director of UCLA's EHS office, emphasized the need for a multi-year process to change the safety culture.
• 💔 The incident had a profound impact on the campus, prompting a reevaluation of safety protocols and procedures.
• 🚨 The overarching message is the importance of safety as the first priority in any laboratory setting to prevent such tragedies.

Q & A

What was Sherry Sanji's age when she had her fatal accident at UCLA?

Sherry Sanji was 23 years old the day she went to work at UCLA for the last time.

What was Sherry Sanji's profession at the time of the accident?

Sherry Sanji was employed as a laboratory research assistant at the University of California, Los Angeles.

What degree had Sherry Sanji recently received before the accident?

Sherry Sanji had just received her bachelor's degree in chemistry.

What was Sherry Sanji's ambition at the time of the accident?

Sherry Sanji wanted to make a difference in the world and was applying to law schools.

What chemical caused the accident that led to Sherry Sanji's injuries?

The accident was caused by a highly reactive chemical called tertiary butyl lithium, which ignited spontaneously on contact with air.

What was the immediate cause of the chemical exposure to Sherry Sanji?

The plunger of the syringe came out while she was transferring the chemical, exposing it to air and causing it to catch fire.

What additional incident occurred during the accident?

Sherry knocked over an open flask of a flammable solvent in the hood, which also caught fire.

What was the reaction of the chemistry community to Sherry Sanji's death?

The entire chemistry community was shocked by the news of Sherry Sanji's death.

What were the findings of California OSHA regarding UCLA's safety measures?

California OSHA cited UCLA's chemistry department for failing to require appropriate body protection for laboratory workers handling pyrophoric materials.

What was the recommendation by pyrophoric chemical manufacturers regarding protective clothing?

The manufacturers of pyrophoric chemicals recommended more extensive protective clothing than what was provided to Sherry Sanji.

What steps has UCLA taken to improve safety following the accident?

UCLA has improved safety accountability, oversight, training, provided proper protective equipment, conducted unannounced safety inspections, and worked on improving the laboratory safety culture.

What is the long-term goal of the safety improvements at UCLA?

The long-term goal is to change the safety culture to prevent such accidents from happening again and to make safety the first priority in any laboratory.

Outlines

00:00

🔬 Tragic Laboratory Accident at UCLA

Sherry Sanji, a 23-year-old laboratory research assistant at UCLA, tragically lost her life on December 29th, 2008, due to a laboratory accident. Sherry, who had just obtained her bachelor's degree in chemistry and was applying to law schools, was transferring a highly reactive chemical, tertiary butyl lithium, when it ignited upon contact with air. Despite the university's claim of providing adequate safety training, California OSHA found no evidence of this and cited UCLA for failing to enforce proper protective measures. The incident led to a profound impact on the campus, prompting changes in safety protocols, including improved training, protective equipment, and a stronger safety culture. The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of safety as a top priority in any laboratory setting.

05:02

🛡️ Prioritizing Safety in Laboratories

The narrative emphasizes the paramount importance of safety in laboratory environments. It underlines the need for absolute priority to be given to safety measures to prevent accidents like the one that occurred at UCLA. The summary of the incident involving Sherry Sanji highlights the profound effect it had on individuals, families, and the university community. It calls for a collective responsibility to ensure that safety is not compromised and that no one else endures the loss experienced by Sherry's family and friends. The focus is on the necessity of a strong safety culture and the implementation of robust safety protocols to protect researchers and staff in laboratory settings.

Keywords

💡Sherry Sanji

Sherry Sanji is the central figure of the video, a young woman who tragically died in a laboratory accident at UCLA. The video emphasizes her aspirations and the impact of her loss, making her a symbol of the importance of safety in laboratories. She is mentioned as being 23 years old and having recently received her bachelor's degree in chemistry.

💡UCLA

UCLA, the University of California, Los Angeles, is the setting of the video's main event. It is where Sherry Sanji worked as a laboratory research assistant and where the fatal accident occurred. The university's response and subsequent safety improvements are discussed in the script.

💡Laboratory accident

The term 'laboratory accident' refers to the unfortunate incident that led to Sherry Sanji's death. It is the pivotal event of the video, highlighting the dangers of working with hazardous chemicals and the need for stringent safety protocols.

💡Tertiary butyl lithium

Tertiary butyl lithium is a chemical mentioned in the script as the causative agent of the accident. It is a pyrophoric chemical, meaning it ignites spontaneously upon contact with air, which underlines the risks associated with handling such substances in a laboratory setting.

💡Personal protective equipment (PPE)

PPE refers to the protective clothing and equipment that should be worn to minimize exposure to hazards. The script notes that Sherry Sanji did not have appropriate PPE, such as a flame-resistant lab coat, which could have potentially mitigated the severity of her injuries.

💡California OSHA

California OSHA is the state's department responsible for the enforcement of safety standards. In the video, it is mentioned as having cited UCLA for failing to require appropriate body protection for laboratory workers handling pyrophoric materials, emphasizing the regulatory aspect of laboratory safety.

💡Safety culture

Safety culture is the overarching concept of how safety is valued and integrated into the daily operations of an organization. The script discusses UCLA's efforts to improve its safety culture following the accident, indicating the need for a systemic change in attitudes and practices.

💡Safety training

Safety training is a critical component of ensuring that individuals are aware of and can respond to potential hazards. The script mentions that despite UCLA's claims of providing adequate safety training, California OSHA found no documented evidence of this, pointing to a gap in preparedness.

💡Unannounced safety inspections

Unannounced safety inspections are a method of ensuring ongoing compliance with safety standards without giving individuals the opportunity to prepare for inspection. The script mentions that UCLA has implemented such inspections as part of its safety improvement measures.

💡Chemical and Engineering News

Chemical and Engineering News is a publication that reported on the UCLA accident, as mentioned in the script. It is an example of how the incident received attention from professional and scientific communities, further emphasizing its significance.

💡Preventable accident

The term 'preventable accident' is not explicitly used in the script but is implied throughout. It refers to the idea that the accident could have been avoided with proper safety measures, equipment, and training, which is a central message of the video.

Highlights

Sherry Sanji was a 23-year-old laboratory research assistant at UCLA, passionate about making a difference in the world.

Sherry had just received her bachelor's degree in chemistry and was applying to law schools.

On December 29, 2008, Sherry suffered a fatal laboratory accident while transferring a highly reactive chemical.

The chemical sprayed onto Sherry's hands and sweater, igniting and causing severe burns over 40% of her body.

Sherry tragically passed away 18 days after the accident due to her injuries.

UCLA was cited by California OSHA for failing to require appropriate body protection for workers handling pyrophoric materials.

An internal safety inspection two months prior had already found personal protective equipment not fully utilized.

Sherry was not wearing a flame-resistant lab coat or the recommended extensive protective clothing on the day of the accident.

Dr. Jillian Kem reported on the accident, emphasizing the lack of documented evidence for safety training provided by UCLA.

A flame-resistant lab coat could have given Sherry more time to react and potentially lessened the severity of her injuries.

UCLA has since taken steps to improve safety accountability, oversight, training, protective equipment, and laboratory safety culture.

Dr. James Gibson, director of UCLA's EHS office, acknowledges the need for a multi-year process to truly change the safety culture.

The accident has had a profound impact on the campus, prompting changes from the administration down to individual researchers.

Dr. Gibson urges other universities to improve their education, training, and safety culture to prevent similar accidents.

The main aim is to ensure such accidents do not happen again and that no one else endures the loss experienced by Sherry's family.

Safety must be the absolute priority and the first priority for any laboratory to protect lives and prevent tragedies.

Transcripts

we'd like people to remember that Sherry

was 23 years old the day she went to

work at UCLA for the last time um that

she was a young girl living her life to

the fullest she really really wanted to

make a difference in the world she

really wanted to change it sheah

harbanos Sanji Sherry to her friends was

employed as a laboratory research

assistant at the University of

California Los Angeles she had just

received her bachelor's degree in

chemistry and was applying to law

schools on December 29th 2008 Miss Sanji

was transferring a highly reactive

chemical when some of it sprayed onto

her hands and synthetic sweater and

spontaneously ignited sher's older

sister Navin Sanji now a surgical

resident at Harvard recalls the day of

the accident when my phone rang

unexpectedly um and I saw that Sheri was

calling me I thought she was call to

tell me about another law school that

she had heard from and um it turned out

to be a social worker from the UCLA

Medical Center who told me what happened

and I was in shock she had deep thir Dee

Burns to over 40% of her body Sheri

Sanji died from her injuries 18 days

after the laboratory accident there was

a life ahead that that she was really

looking forward to that was cut short by

what happened to her at

[Music]

UCLA on December 29th 2008 when most of

the campus was closed for Holiday

Vacation Sherry Sanji was working on a

research project at the uccla chemistry

Department according to a report by

California state OSHA Miss s was using a

syringe to transfer a solution of

tertiary butal lithium a dangerous

pyrophoric chemical that ignites

spontaneously on contact with air

somehow the plunger came out of the

syringe Barrel the chemical is exposed

to air it caught on fire she also had an

open flask of a flammable solvent in the

hood where she was working she knocked

that over that caught fire as well

chemist Dr Jillian Kem

reported extensively about the UCLA

accident for chemical and Engineering

news using documents obtained under

California open records laws my reaction

to the news of uh Sherry's death was

just shock um and I think pretty much

the entire chemistry Community was

shocked California OSHA cited UCLA's

chemistry department for failing to

require appropriate body protection for

Laboratory workers handling pyrophoric

materials an internal UCLA safety

inspection of the same laboratory just 2

months prior to the accident found that

personal protective equipment was not

fully utilized by laboratory Personnel

yet on the day of the accident M Sanji

had neither a flame resistant lab coat

nor the much more extensive protective

clothing recommended by manufacturers of

pyrophoric chemicals Dr kemsley believes

that even a flame resistant lab coat

would have helped the flame resistant

lab coat would

have given more time to react it would

have slowed the progress of the fire um

and probably would have meant that her

injuries were less severe and though the

university said it provided adequate

safety training for workers California

OSHA found no documented evidence of

this this accident has affected the

campus in a profound way U from from my

office

to the pis to the chancellor and the

upper Administration and we all

recognize that we had to make some um

changes to our program to further

strengthen it Dr James Gibson director

of UCLA's environment health and safety

office says UCLA has taken steps to

improve safety accountability and

oversight improve training provide

proper protective equipment conduct

unannounced safety inspections and

improve laboratory safety culture it's

not going to happen overnight that is

something that's going to be a multiple

year process to really change the safety

culture to where we think we should be

and Dr Gibson urges other universities

to take steps to improve their education

training and safety culture once we get

people to do that we're going to see a

dramatic decrease in the number of

accidents that occur one of our main

aims is to try and make sure that this

doesn't happen again and that no one has

to go through what we went through a

lost life is not just an anonymous loss

of life but real people and families are

profoundly affected safety has to be an

absolute priority and the first priority

for any Laboratory