Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2011 16:34:43 -0500
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From: "Osterby, Meg" <OsterbyM**At_Symbol_Here**WESTERNTC.EDU>
Subject: Re: Portable Gas Detectors
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We had a Òstrange, noxious odorÓ today in one of our fourth floor classrooms.  The fourth floor is where, among other things, there are A&P and cadaver labs and biology classrooms with plants and pets and various other things that might cause an odor, so they came to me, the chemistry teacher, because I was lecturing on that floor, to inquire if I was making any noxious odors.  I mentioned that the bio lab was having trouble keeping their pet mice in their cage, and sure enough, one of the mice had died in the classroom where the odor was.  I thought it was funny that their first thought is to check to see if the chemist is making any fumes in an ordinary classroom.  (I never use smelly chemicals anywhere except the chem lab.  ThatÔs what fume hoods are for.)

Meg Osterby
Chemistry Instructor
Western Technical College
400 7th St. N.
LaCrosse, WI 54601
osterbym**At_Symbol_Here**westerntc.edu
608-789-4714

"It's  better to be careful 100 times, than to be killed once."
                                                    Mark Twain


From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU] On Behalf Of 8524828hau**At_Symbol_Here**COMCAST.NET
Sent: Monday, October 31, 2011 3:02 PM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Portable Gas Detectors

This is to address detection of CO, a lethal but odorless gas, with a low occupational exposure limit.

DO NOT depend in CO detectors designed for residential use.  They have a slow response time, and an alarm threshold much greater than the OSHA workplace limits.  For those laboratories/shops that use CO (even if appropriate ventilation is in place and personnel are well trained), it is prudent to have an industrial CO-specific detector near the most likely route(a) of escape.  Lapel detectors are available for those who work with CO in a hood or glove bag/box.

We experienced an adverse exposure to CO because the researchers were depending on a residential detector.

David Haugen
Argonne National Laboratory

________________________________
From: "Garcia-Rios Mario" >
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU
Sent: Sunday, October 30, 2011 6:47:27 PM
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Portable Gas Detectors

Hello Everyone,

I recently became the first CHO at my institution and joined the ACS DCHAS.  The LISTSERV has already provided me with valuable information.  Our institution is small and Chemistry is a "service" area to the rest of the College (including a small Biology Program).  Last week we had a report from a staff member of a "strong and ugly odor" coming from a chemistry lab.  The staff member called Public Safety and they called me. It turns out that the lab tech had just prepared reagents containing cyclohexane.  After the incident was determined to be "minor", the Public Safety Chief told me that his office used to have a Portable Gas Detector, but that said detector was lost. Can any of you recommend such a device? Brand? Detectors?

Thanks in advance for any assistance,

Mario

Mario G. Garcia-Rios, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Biology and Chemistry
Chemical Hygiene Officer
Mount Ida College
777 Dedham Street
Newton, MA 02459
(617) 928-4061

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