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From: Yaritza Brinker <YBrinker**At_Symbol_Here**FELE.COM>
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Query about eye protection policy in academia
Date: Nov 8, 2019 22:25 UTC
Reply-To:
ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety
In-Reply-To: Re: [DCHAS-L] Query about eye protection policy in academia
You're not confused Monona. The reality is that safety goggles in industrial settings have become default. Unless you are working in a setting doing "hard science" and have a chemist for a boss, you are handed a pair of safety glasses rather
than goggles. Heck, during my internship in a chemistry food laboratory there was no eye protection required! And it wasn't the 60's� we're talking after Y2K!
Wanna hear more? Back during my internship in a steel mill, I did titrations. My boss was a biology major. He handed me a pair of safety glasses for my PPE. No gloves for handling the HCl either! But he was the boss and I was just the chem
student intern.
Which is the primary reason I support the idea of instructing students on how to choose PPE, and doing so in the general chemistry class. Engineering students, biology, physics, etc. usually all science students have to take a general chemistry
course along with your chemistry students. Teach them all at the same time while you can!!!
Thank you,
Yaritza Brinker
260.827.5402
From: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU>
On Behalf Of Monona Rossol
Sent: Friday, November 8, 2019 4:24 PM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Query about eye protection policy in academia
** External Email **
I'm confused. Safety glasses are for impact. Chemical splash goggles are for chemical splash. While you can get chemical splash googles in which the eye piece
is also rated for impact, safety glasses provide no protection from chemical splash.
Safety glasses cannot be used as the default when eye hazard chemicals are being used. And that's that.
Monona
-----Original Message-----
From: Yaritza Brinker <YBrinker**At_Symbol_Here**FELE.COM>
To: DCHAS-L <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU>
Sent: Fri, Nov 8, 2019 3:32 pm
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Query about eye protection policy in academia
I have been splashed waist-up by a sulfuric acid volcano which erupted while pouring left over acid in the designated waste bottle. The bottle had been "tampered"
with by another student who mistakenly put zinc metal in said bottle. I wore goggles by departmental policy.
It is true that safety glasses are default in many industrial settings, but goggles are still required when needed. I support the idea of having students buy both
and having them learn when to choose each one. However, you would have to ensure the experiments are truly suitable for safety glasses. I can't recall a single college chem experiment that would have been suitable for safety glasses. However, I do recall several
physics experiments that should have required safety glasses.
So, maybe the answer lies in getting together with other disciplines and ensuring PPE is congruent across campus. If all departments enforce it, then it will become
second nature for the students.
The NSTA has a good article about eye PPE selection
https://www.nsta.org/safety/eyeprotection.aspx
Selection tools are also available at
Thank you,
Yaritza Brinker
260.827.5402
From: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU>
On Behalf Of David C. Finster
Sent: Thursday, November 7, 2019 11:15 AM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Query about eye protection policy in academia
** External Email **
I would like to query the group about eye protection. As I understand it, the current and long-standing position taken by the ACS is the recommendation for the use
of splash goggles and that using safety glasses is discouraged.
As a starter, Prudent Practices (2011) states: