DCHAS-L Archives, Mar 23, 2016 - Re: [DCHAS-L] Thought question: Chemical safety for biologists

UAB has been doing safety audits for art and theater for the last 10 - 12 years or so. The chair of our art department is very proactive, and has developed a safety manual geared specifically for that department.

Art is one of our largest generators of nitric acid waste (etching), not to mention photographic chemicals, paint thinners and silica (clay). A few of the ceramic glazes and oil paints contain toxic heavy metals. The sculpture shop uses oxy-acetylene torches for welding. The theater department is less of a chemical user, mostly glues and latex paint, but they occasionally use blanks in stage guns.

Judith B. McBride, MSPH, CIH

Director of Laboratory Health and Safety

Department of Occupational Health and Safety

University of Alabama at Birmingham

Suite 445 933 19th Street South

Birmingham, AL 35294-2041

Phone: (205) 934-2487

FAX: (205 934-7487

Cell: (205) 586-6200

email: jmcbride**At_Symbol_Here**uab.edu

Web: www.uab.edu/ohs

How are we doing? Please take a minute to complete our survey: http://www.uab.edu/ohs/customer-survey

From: DCHAS-L Discussion List <dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU> on behalf of Monona Rossol <actsnyc**At_Symbol_Here**CS.COM>
Reply-To: DCHAS-L <dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU>
Date: Tuesday, March 22, 2016 at 1:31 PM
To: "DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU" <dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU>
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Thought question: Chemical safety for biologists

Everybody seems to be doing a good job of this. Is anyone taking a look at the art and theater departments?

Monona Rossol, M.S., M.F.A., Industrial Hygienist

President: Arts, Crafts & Theater Safety, Inc.

Safety Officer: Local USA829, IATSE

181 Thompson St., #23

New York, NY 10012 212-777-0062

actsnyc**At_Symbol_Here**cs.com www.artscraftstheatersafety.org

-----Original Message-----
From: Norm Bell <nbell**At_Symbol_Here**WILLIAMS.EDU>
To: DCHAS-L <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU>
Sent: Tue, Mar 22, 2016 2:36 pm
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Thought question: Chemical safety for biologists

I also do the complete lab safety training for anyone working in a lab where chemicals are used. As part of our hazard communication plan, I include those people who are not actively working with chemicals but working in a lab where others are using chemicals (this is not unusual in Physics and Geoscience labs with multiple lines of research).

I try to create broad categories for general PPE use and then expand for specific instances. For example, all organic and corrosive chemicals require gloves, all liquid chemicals require eye protection etc.

Norm Bell

Science Coordinator and CHO

Williams College

Williamstown, MA

From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**med.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of Penny Manisco
Sent: Tuesday, March 22, 2016 2:05 PM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Thought question: Chemical safety for biologists

I do the complete lab safety training. They do need to know about the Chemical Hygiene Plan, PPE, haz waste, storage, etc. Anyone working with hazardous chemicals must be trained on recognizing hazards and risk mitigation.

Cheers,

Penny

Penny Manisco

Chemical Hygiene Officer

Harvey Mudd College

On Tue, Mar 22, 2016 at 10:56 AM, Funck, Steven <sfunck**At_Symbol_Here**messiah.edu> wrote:

My biggest issue with biologist is convincing them of the necessity of goggles!!

Steven S. Funck, MS, CSMM
Natural Sciences Laboratory Program Manager
Messiah College
One College Ave.
Suite 3049
Mechanicsburg, PA 17055

Phone: (717) 796-1800 (ext. 2079)
Fax: (717) 691-6046
SFunck**At_Symbol_Here**messiah.edu

-----Original Message-----
From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**med.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of Stuart, Ralph
Sent: Tuesday, March 22, 2016 1:29 PM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Thought question: Chemical safety for biologists

I have a question that I'd like input from the DCHAS community on:
The quick version is:
What information about chemical safety do biologists need to know?

The longer version of the question is that I'm working with the KSC undergrad biology lab coordinator to develop introductory lab safety training for biology research students who work with a relatively limited suite of chemicals, some of which are flammables, others of which are significantly toxic, many of which are neither.
- For example, do these students need to hear about all of the GHS hazard classes in the 1.5 hours available for the training?
- What kind of information do they need about chemical resistance of lab gloves?
- How much detail do they need to understand best practices for chemical storage cabinets and use of other lab ventilation devices?
etc.

Thanks for any help with thinking this through.

- Ralph

Ralph Stuart, CIH, CCHO
Chemical Hygiene Officer
Keene State College

ralph.stuart**At_Symbol_Here**keene.edu

Penny Manisco,
Chemical Hygiene Officer
Harvey Mudd College

(909)6074217

Interactive Learning Paradigms, Incorporated

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