From:
Craig Merlic <merlic**At_Symbol_Here**CHEM.UCLA.EDU>
Subject:
Re: [DCHAS-L] PPE Question
Date:
Feb 21, 2023 20:13 UTC
Reply-To:
ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU>
Message-ID:
<301F258D-57D2-467C-AB0A-5D619CCB93E3**At_Symbol_Here**chem.ucla.edu>
In-Reply-To:
<607722115.2314627.1676917432598**At_Symbol_Here**mail.yahoo.com>
Amy,
Researchers should not need to wear PPE when transporting chemicals to waste collection points or from storerooms back to their labs.
Here are the reasons: PPE is used to protect from exposures while working with chemicals. In contrast, chemicals being moved around the building should be sealed and in secondary containment to make them safe for transport. Hence, there is no need for PPE by the researchers OR members of the public also walking through the same buildings. Similarly, UPS and USPS workers do not wear PPE when delivering shipped chemicals. Finally, the researchers can carry PPE with them for an emergency, but they should not need to wear it.
Craig
Craig A. Merlic
Professor of Chemistry, UCLA Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Executive Director, UC Center for Laboratory Safety
From: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU> on behalf of Amy Lea Moore <000015f7fb7ee9f7-dmarc-request**At_Symbol_Here**LISTS.PRINCETON.EDU>
Date: Tuesday, February 21, 2023 at 11:42 AM
To: <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU>
Subject: [DCHAS-L] PPE Question
I have learned a lot from this group. Thank you! I would like to ask how your institution deals with PPE.
In most of our buildings, the lab areas are not contiguous. So, researchers, will travel from one lab room to another wearing their PPE in the hallways (primarily research spaces, not classroom areas) They do not wear gloves when touching door handles or elevator buttons.
Graduate students also must carry waste from their lab down to our waste rooms on the 1st floor of the building. When elevator travel is necessary, they use the freight elevators.
Another department in one of our buildings does not want our students to wear PPE when transporting waste or other chemicals from one space to another. Our students know not to go into the lobby, bathroom, lunchrooms, and other common areas when wearing PPE.
How do you handle a situation like this at your institution? This is the first time that I have ran into this issue in a chemistry department and want feedback from other academic institutions. Feel free to email me at my work email address: moore.4061**At_Symbol_Here**osu.edu
Amy
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