DCHAS-L Discussion List Archive
From: ILPI Support <info**At_Symbol_Here**ILPI.COM>
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Hood shut down
Date: Mon, 30 Mar 2020 11:34:02 -0400
Reply-To: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU>
Message-ID: 554CF957-F4CB-4A91-9274-4053E8DFA5F1**At_Symbol_Here**ilpi.com
In-Reply-To <1585580373454.93405**At_Symbol_Here**bridgewater.edu>
1. It's a Bad Idea if there is any chance that anyone will be performing work that requires a hood and is unaware of the shutdown or chooses to ignore the shutdown. In 2009, a Canadian worker DIED because he performed work with trimethylsilyldiazomomethane during a fume hood shutdown. I can't find an article that actually confirms the cause of death:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/protective-fume-hoods-turned-off-before-lab-worker-s-death-1.798585 Likewise, workers may not be skilled or informed enough to understand that a shut down hood provides no protection. At the very least you would have to put huge signs on each hood and tape them shut. But I still would not underestimate the will of a student intent on finishing their dissertation etc. to bypass these signs nonetheless.
2. Chemicals or waste stored in the hoods (yes, yes, we all know about proper hood use vs. how they are actually used), may emit vapors, develop a leak, or undergo a spontaneous reaction/explosion that releases toxic or flammable vapors or liquids. A functioning hood could prevent such releases.
Rob Toreki
======================================================
Safety Emporium - Lab & Safety Supplies featuring brand names
Fax: (856) 553-6154, PO Box 1003, Blackwood, NJ 08012
=E2=80=8BI've received the following from a colleague at another school.
The powers that be want to save money by shutting down the hoods in our building. That doesn't seem like a good idea to me and I have asked others and they agree, but no one can tell me why we shouldn't shut them down. Do you have any insights on this? Should I be concerned if all the hoods get shut down? If so, why?=E2=80=8B
I agree with the department, not the PTB, but would like more feedback
Joe C
|  | Joseph M Crockett
A LeRoy and Wanda H Baker Chair of Science
Professor of Chemistry
Department of Chemistry
Bridgewater College
Phone: 540-828-5431 | bridgewater.edu |
| |
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