To (somewhat) address Jennifer Guzman's question regarding other types of headdress in general;

I taught at an all-women's university in South Asia that had many students of muslim faith as well as many women wearing scarves (dupatta) around their neck/torso as part of their normal everyday attire. 

We provided/required lab coats and all loose clothing was to be tucked into the lab coat and it was buttoned to contain any loose/draping fabric.  In my experience teaching and working with Muslim women scientists, it's quite easy to secure headscarves to be safe in a chemistry lab.  A simple statement that says any loose clothing should be secured within a lab coat should suffice without calling out any specific cultural or types of clothing.  We also included information about polyester clothing and organic solvents vs. cotton/natural-fiber so students could make their own choice about what types of fabrics they chose to wear to class.  The lab coats we provided were heavy-duty 100% cotton.

I also taught at a VERY diverse university in San Francisco as well as a Minority-Serving institution (primarily Black/African American students) and inadvertently discovered that requiring lab coats is a great way to cover all manner of questionable 'fashion' while at the same time reducing stigma for someone who might dress differently than others.  Midriff-baring shirts, low-rise jeans (I almost had a student accidentally pour acid down someone's butt crack due to poorly-fitting pants), tank tops, mesh shirts (yes, seen this in lab), offensive language on T-shirts.....whatever new-wave fashion is next.....all is covered with a lab coat-the Great Equalizer!  

Hopefully that's helpful to you

Amber

On Fri, Sep 2, 2022 at 2:56 AM Alvin Bopp <afbopp**At_Symbol_Here**gmail.com> wrote:

Just yesterday we had a baggage handler killed when her hair got caught in a piece of equipment. Depending on the hair length and task at hand, hair containment (hats) might be a good idea.

Alvin Bopp

New Orleans, LA

On Thu, Sep 1, 2022 at 8:29 AM Garry Haacke <Garry.Haacke**At_Symbol_Here**gordon.edu> wrote:

Very interesting discussion.

 

Hats off to all participants!!

 

Prof. Garry Haacke

Science Division Lab Manager

Gordon College

Wenham, MA 01984

 

Garry.haacke**At_Symbol_Here**gordon.edu

Office: 978 867 4124

Mobile: 617 872 8596

 

From: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU> On Behalf Of Hugo Schmidt
Sent: Thursday, September 1, 2022 1:55 AM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Hats in lab

 

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My two cents on this: be careful.  If there isn't a good reason to remove it, you could find yourself having to answer why culturally determined headcoverings - hijabs, turbans etc. - are okay.

 

Hugo 

 

 

Sent: Wednesday, August 31, 2022 at 9:59 PM
From: "Monona Rossol" <0000030664c37427-dmarc-request**At_Symbol_Here**LISTS.PRINCETON.EDU>
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Hats in lab

By their brims ye shall judge them.  Monona

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Jeffrey Lewin <jclewin**At_Symbol_Here**MTU.EDU>
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU
Sent: Wed, Aug 31, 2022 9:44 am
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Hats in lab
 

You can actually buy a Vulcan® Cowboy Style Hard Hat.  I second having a private conversation with the student...but it does beg the question if you ask that student to remove their cowboy hat should you ask anyone wearing a trucker's/baseball style cap to remove it as well....and when does a hat get "too big?"  Presumably you don't want people wearing sombreros in the lab?

 

Jeff

 

 

On Wed, Aug 31, 2022 at 9:30 AM Shawn Helmueller <schelmueller**At_Symbol_Here**gmail.com> wrote:

Another approach if it’s determined that the safety risk is low relative to other common headdress is this, no one in industry is going to tell the CEO or CSO they can’t wear a cowboy hat in their own lab. As long as he’s on pace for exceptional performance in the class maybe the hat can stay??

 

I’m quibbling a bit, lab safety is paramount and your lab conditions may be unique. But students can respond well to low risk challenges like this, and it could serve as a valuable authentic experience he remembers long after leaving your class. 

 

Regards,

Shawn Helmueller

 

On Wed, Aug 31, 2022 at 8:58 AM Gilman, Lisa <00001730fb194cb8-dmarc-request**At_Symbol_Here**lists.princeton.edu> wrote:

Hi Nora:

 

 I agree with Richard. Peripheral vision is not likely to be blocked by a cowboy hat. Laboratory work with Hard Hats/Full Face shields/Baseball caps have never been an issue in our laboratory here in Montana. If students are in such close proximity that the hat is an issue, in my opinion, you have a class density that is more of a safety concern and much more important to address than a cowboy hat.

 

I would simply ask the student in a private conversation to remove his hat during the laboratory class. Keep it simple. Your concern about knocking over glassware or reagents is an appropriate reason if he asks for one.

 

Lisa Gilman Silver Bow Montana IND - Environment Rehabilitation T (406) 782-1215   |  www.solvay.com   Mailing Address: PO Box 3146 Butte MT 59702-3146   Physical Location: 119130 German Gulch Road Silver Bow MT 59750-9732

 

On Wed, Aug 31, 2022 at 6:35 AM Richard Palluzi <000006c59248530b-dmarc-request**At_Symbol_Here**lists.princeton.edu> wrote:

Hats, mostly baseball caps or knit caps, are very common in industry in my experience. Hard hats are also very common in plant labs both for visitors and often for folks who are in and about a lot. Cowboy hats are pretty rare. I have never heard of an accident. 

 

On Aug 30, 2022 2:09 PM, Nora Dunkel <noradunkel51**At_Symbol_Here**WEBSTER.EDU> wrote:

Does anyone have guidance on wearing hats in lab?  An instructor for sophomore organic chemistry at my institution reports that a student has repeatedly come to lab wearing a cowboy hat.  The student is otherwise appropriately dressed, but we wonder about visibility (will the student's peripheral vision be obstructed?), whether people might bump into the hat, and whether the hat might knock over glassware.  (It's a pretty crowded room when everybody is setting up their apparatus.)

 

Is this something others have encountered?  Are hats in lab acceptable from a safety perspective?   

 

Nora Dunkel, CHMM

Chemical Safety Officer--Webster University

ISB/Browning Hall 314

314-246-2244 (desk)

661-348-1445 (cell)

noradunkel51**At_Symbol_Here**webster.edu

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