Lucy,

You are exactly correct!

Jay Young
*********************************
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "List Moderator" 
To: 
Sent: Sunday, May 10, 2009 2:16 PM
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] : Legal aspects of CalOSHA & UCLA/Change Focus

> From: lucydillman**At_Symbol_Here**comcast.net
> Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] : Legal aspects of CalOSHA & UCLA/Change Focus
> Date: May 8, 2009 5:11:41 PM EDT (CA)
> 
> In my experience, it is the culture of safety cultivated from the  
> highest
> levels that creates a safe working environment.
> 
> This means, when someone says "I don't choose to wear a lab coat  
> because it
> is too hot," that management intervenes to stop the work until the  
> person
> wears their PPE and, or, the heating is adjusted.  When a technician  
> says,
> "I won't wear safety glasses because they give me a headache," he/she is
> worked with to supply safety glasses that work for them.  And if the
> employees do not comply when management is eager and willing to help  
> them
> comply then there will be consequences of non-compliance.
> 
> I worked in a facility that had a similar incident to the one at UCLA,  
> and
> because the person was following company procedures, was fully trained  
> and
> the area supervisor was in the area, all that resulted were some frayed
> nerves, broken glassware that was contained to the hood and very good
> lessons learned.
> 
> The keys are:  management commitment and good oversight, including  
> frequent
> informal walk-throughs of the labs to make sure there is compliance  
> insofar
> as is possible, and consequences for non-compliance.
> 
> I am very sad that this bright young person was killed.  I know that  
> it has
> generated some very worthwhile discussion and thought on this board.
> 
> Lucy Dillman
> lucydillman**At_Symbol_Here**comcast.net
>

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