From:
Jeffrey Lewin <jclewin**At_Symbol_Here**MTU.EDU>
Subject:
Re: [DCHAS-L] How is chemical security managed at your institution?
Date:
Dec 15, 2022 17:51 UTC
Reply-To:
ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU>
Message-ID:
<CAEwQnqjDRyZXoTYd=s7CptV81UtV467k1Cstcze42F=ZPLDH2g**At_Symbol_Here**mail.gmail.com>
In-Reply-To:
<8427CE74-67D4-462F-BAD5-4B154B60C2F7**At_Symbol_Here**uconn.edu>
Thanks Jessica, that was an interesting read.
As I read it I wondered if we could apply our standard hierarchy of controls to the process
Elimination - do we need the chemical at all? Once the project is finished can we dispose of it?
Substitution - can we purchase in a form less likely to generate interest in diverting it? Buying denatured alcohol when it won't affect the process, for example. Obtaining it in smaller containers making less of an interest?
Engineering controls - this is the one I think most of us jump to first - is it in a locked room? Is it locked in a secure cabinet in the room? Camera, alarms, etc.
Administrative controls - who has access to the room/chemicals? This can be a sensitive subject sometimes, as well as a challenge to worker productivity. Something addressed in passing in the article, but how quickly would you notice if something was missing (or would you assume it just got used up?).
I don't have any good "PPE" equivalency..
I'm sure you could add to those categories....
Jeff
Hi All,
I was just reading the following paper in ACS Chemical Health & Safety: Identifying University Chemicals That Pose Security Risks: A Simple Qualitative Approach.
In this paper, Sandia Laboratories helps a university in Kenya do a security assessment of their chemical inventory. Just reading the description of the security measures that were already in place for getting onto this campus in Kenya, it made me think that they likely already had higher chemical security than any of the campuses I have been on in the US.
I’m curious what everyone’s experiences with chemical security are on this thread. After reading this paper, do you think your campus has it nailed? Is there room for improvement? Or do you have virtually no chemical security whatsoever? I’m curious how big of an issue this is on campuses around the US.
Best,
Jessica A. Martin, Ph.D.
NSF Graduate Research Fellow (2018-2021)
Joint Safety Team, Founding Member (2018-2021)
Pinkhassik Group, Department of Chemistry (2016-2021)
University of Connecticut
323-327-3974
ACS CHAS PEER-LED WORKSHOPS
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Jessica A. Martin, Ph.D.
NSF Graduate Research Fellow (2018-2021)
Joint Safety Team, Founding Member (2018-2021)
Pinkhassik Group, Department of Chemistry (2016-2021)
University of Connecticut
323-327-3974
ACS CHAS PEER-LED WORKSHOPS
The Workshop ACS CHAS Empowering Academic Researchers to Strengthen Safety Culture is being held next on
March 5, 2023!
Follow this link for more information and to register:
https://LSTWorkshopMarch2023.eventbrite.com
The Workshop ACS CHAS RAMP in the Research Lab is being held next on April 13, 2023!
--
Jeff Lewin
Director of Chemical Laboratory Operations
Research Integrity Office
Laboratory Operations
205 Lakeshore Center
Michigan Technological University
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