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Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Staying Safe During Stressful Times – Let’s Share Strategies
Date: Dec 9, 2025 14:53 UTC
Author: David EldrEdge <Dave.EldrEdge**At_Symbol_Here**NALTIC.COM>
Subject: [DCHAS-L] CHP Review Opportunity
Date: Dec 10, 2025 17:24 UTC
Author: James Kaufman <jkaufman**At_Symbol_Here**LABSAFETYINSTITUTE.ORG>
From: Emery, Paul <000022b311809bcc-dmarc-request**At_Symbol_Here**LISTS.PRINCETON.EDU>
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Staying Safe During Stressful Times – Let’s Share Strategies
Date: Dec 9, 2025 15:15 UTC
Reply-To: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU>
Message-ID: <PH7PR08MB82305480470991B2CD4F2313F1A3A**At_Symbol_Here**PH7PR08MB8230.namprd08.prod.outlook.com>
In-Reply-To: <BY5PR03MB5266C88CF17332F3FCB454F4B6A2A**At_Symbol_Here**BY5PR03MB5266.namprd03.prod.outlook.com>
Hi all,
First off - thank you all for what you do – as a recent safety convert and DCHAS member (4 years), I’ve spent a lot of time reading and not a lot of time writing on this ListServ.
I really appreciate the time you collectively take to ask your questions and the care with which you share your experiences and expertise with the community. This conversation is a particularly important one to me and certainly not something I’d ever think
to post myself… so I really appreciate the chance to discuss it with you all.
I’ve been trying to celebrate the wins. Not just my own, but my colleagues as well. We’re all so busy and siloed at times that the things we do well are largely unknown to anyone
but ourselves and the customer(2) we help. A small ‘thank you’ item for colleagues who step up has been one way I’ve tried to express my gratitude. A surprise breakfast sandwich on the morning after an after-hours call or spill response in my area (chemistry)
reminding people that they are appreciated more than the work they do.
I can’t tell you how much a peer’s “great catch” email changed my day or how a supervisor (not mine) pulling me aside to say others are noticing my efforts over the last year
really helped me get out of my head. I whole-heartedly recommend sending that email or text to someone immediately if the thought ever crosses your mind. It can be worth 10x the energy they take and you may forget to send it if you don’t in the moment.
Printing and posting emails and photos from positive EHS/lab situations and interactions have also helped me recenter when at my workstation when I can so quickly forget about the good things when dealing with the ever-growing backlog, looming or passing deadline,
or an emergent situation.
One Employee Assistance Program benefit we have access to grants free access to support for things like work stress, anxiety, or life changes that are affecting us. It’s limited
and not a replacement for a more regular mental health support system, but it is a rational third party which has helped a few times when it felt like I was just treading water.
That’s a lot of text, so I’ll stop there. Feel free to reach out directly if you’d like to chat further.
Keep doing great things!
Stay Safe,
-P
From: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU>
On Behalf Of Clark, Eric J
Sent: Monday, December 8, 2025 12:18 PM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Staying Safe During Stressful Times – Let’s Share Strategies
Plants are wonderful.
Also, please be aware that biosafety guidelines generally prohibit non-essential plants in clinical, microbiological, or biological laboratory areas due to the potential risk of infection from pathogenic microorganisms found in the soil
and water.
Eric
Eric Clark, MS, CCHO, CHMM
Environmental & Occupational
Health & Safety Specialist
Los Angeles Trade Technical College
400 West Washington Blvd.
Los Angeles CA 90015
T: 213-763-3632
F: 213-763-5392
From: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU>
On Behalf Of randyheald**At_Symbol_Here**icloud.com
Sent: Monday, December 8, 2025 8:09 AM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Staying Safe During Stressful Times – Let’s Share Strategies
Lorie,
I like your idea of using plants to reduce stress. Thanks for sharing.
Randy Heald
From: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU> on behalf of Lorie Kalivas
<loriekalivas**At_Symbol_Here**ISU.EDU>
Sent: Friday, December 5, 2025 2:45 PM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU>
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Staying Safe During Stressful Times – Let’s Share Strategies
Happy Holidays!
Plants serve as my destresser.
I work at Idaho State University Chemistry Department and I put plants throughout the building: in labs, in our student study room, in the lobby, in the hallways. In common spaces, we placed comfy chairs and moveable side tables for students
to use near plants. When I'm feeling extra stressed, I walk around and look at the plants. Our physical science building is home to math, physics, geosciences and chemistry. Students, faculty, and staff have told me how they love the plants.
In places where no natural light exists, our department purchased grow lights for the plants. Nobody has stolen them.
Sometimes we don't need to talk, we need to be quiet and breath, doing that near a plant is a perfect combination.
Cheers!
Lorie Kalivas
Chemistry Stockroom Manager
On Fri, Dec 5, 2025 at 12:24 PM Gmurczyk, Marta <00001fa03b1fa040-dmarc-request**At_Symbol_Here**lists.princeton.edu> wrote: