DCHAS-L Discussion List Archive
Date: Tue, 23 Feb 2010 07:35:12 -0500
Reply-To: DCHAS-L Discussion List <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU>
Sender: DCHAS-L Discussion List <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU>
From: Fred Simmons <fred.simmons**At_Symbol_Here**SRS.GOV>
Subject: Re: Lab Coat Options
In-Reply-To: <45B73916-0363-43CF-87FC-5990F8D26931**At_Symbol_Here**uvm.edu>
I'm sure we all know that providing a safe and comfortable working
environment is important, however as the saying goes "If you can't take
the heat then......."
Also, a four letter word comes to mind; UCLA! There has never been a
better example of why PPE is so important. I would work with that
individual to try and find a solution, but if a reasonable one can't be
found then he would be out of my lab.
Fred
From: List Moderator
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU
Date: 02/22/2010 03:46 PM
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Lab Coat Options
Sent by: DCHAS-L Discussion List
From: "Norwood, Brad"
Date: February 22, 2010 1:41:52 PM EST
Subject: RE: [DCHAS-L] Lab Coat Options
>There is possibility that the chemist is really uncomfortable by the
temperatures even they are set to a ‘comfortable’ level for most. There
are some individuals that require lower temperatures or higher
temperatures to be comfortable because of their individual body needs.
Maybe HR could request the chemist to see the company doctor to determine
of there is a medical condition underlying is causing him to be hot. Of
course confidentiality of any medical information is a must but maybe if
anything is discovered or not , the doctor may have a recommendation to
help the ‘overheated feeling’. This also protects you and the company if
he ended up being fired and had a condition that was later discovered, but
the company did not rule that out before terminating him from the company.
Chris,
In the litigious environment of the US, I think we’d be hard pressed to
find anything that ‘trumps’ worker safety as being THE key responsibility
of any company – and, as a previous poster mentioned, there is NO
requirement for ‘reasonable accommodation’ for comfort.
I think to do anything more than to require the individual to comply with
the most foundational, rudimentary requirement of ANY lab gives this one
person too much power and ‘special treatment’.
If working in the vicinity of stirrers, hotplates, GC ovens, etc. is
causing this individual a problem (and six others do NOT have any
complaints), then this individual chose unwisely in his profession. He
needs to re-think his priorities, and maybe go back to an academic
environment.
Dr. Bradley K. Norwood
Laboratory Director
Arista Laboratories
1941 Reymet Road
Richmond, VA 23237
(804) 271-5572 ext. 307
(804) 641-4641 (cell)
brad.norwood**At_Symbol_Here**aristalabs.com
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