DCHAS-L Discussion List Archive
Date: Mon, 3 Aug 2009 14:48:00 -0400
Reply-To: List Moderator <ecgrants**At_Symbol_Here**UVM.EDU>
Sender: DCHAS-L Discussion List <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU>
From: List Moderator <ecgrants**At_Symbol_Here**UVM.EDU>
Subject: Lab Notebooks with risk assessment page
An interesting piece from the article that Debbis pointed out...
- Ralph
In an article in C&EN today (see:
http://pubs.acs.org/cen/science/87/8731sci1.html ) there is a link to an
Imperial College London form titled "Reaction Risk Assessment
Form" (see:
http://pubs.acs.org/cen/_img/87/i31/Imperial_College_London_hazard_assessm
ent_forms.pdf
).
Towards the end of the linked article above, one reads:
The end result for academic chemistry research in the U.K. was that risk
assessments have become an integral part of experiments. The assessments
don=92t apply just to chemical reactions but also to equipment such as
lasers.
The initial assessments were =93much like some kind of legal record
where if we
got sued we could say we=92d done this,=94 Welton says, but the
paperwork
has
evolved over the years into a simple table that is printed on one side
of every
page spread in his department=92s lab notebooks=97risk assessment on the
left,
experimental notes on the right. =93Twenty years ago, it was very much
about a
legal defense should it be necessary,=94 Welton says. =93Now it is about
making
the person engage in the risk management of what they=92re doing.=94
Chemistry students in the U.K. start doing risk assessments in their
very first
undergraduate lab, so the process is second nature by the time they
get their
bachelor=92s degree, Welton says. He adds that the training is critical
not just
from a safety perspective, but also for future employment. =93If we
don=92t train
students in risk management and safety procedures, then we=92re not
training
them for employment in modern industry,=94 Welton says. =93If we want
someone
to turn up in a job and be productive, they can=92t do that if they=92re
not safety
aware.=94
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