DCHAS-L Archives Mar 18 2010 - Re: Laboratory medical oversight

We purchased a cyanide antidote kit online - I believe it's from Taylor Pha rmaceutical. It looks like you have to fill out an authorization form prior to purchasing items from their site.

Our bio group uses a low concentration of sodium cyanide solution on an inf requent basis (once a quarter or less). We set up a policy that they have to notify EHS in advance and we coordinate with our campus EMT group to make sure that one of the EMTs is standing by while the bi o group completes their procedure. We did a joint training with the EMTs and the bio group about the hazards and effects of sodium cyanide and engineering controls/PPE requirements prior to bringing the cyanide solution on campus. I can imagine that more frequent use of cyanides by mul tiple groups on a campus/in an industrial setting might require a different kind of procedure or different method of oversight.

Luckily, we haven't had to use the antidote kit so I don't have any "real -time" experience working with it! As far as checking for expired solutions and things, we have a shared EHS expiration checklist set up on a n Excel sheet for all of our "expiration date items" - eyewash bottles in o ne tab, epi pens in a second tab, AED pads and batteries in a third, etc. etc., so we just added another tab for the cyanide kit.

Hope that helps!

Cat

Cat Conley, CHMM
Chemical Hygiene Officer
Department of EHS
Roger Williams University
cconley**At_Symbol_Here**rwu.edu

On Wed, Mar 17, 2010 at 7:46 AM, List Mod erator <ecgrants**At_Symbol_Here**u vm.edu> wrote:

From: Andrew Gros s <gross.drew**At_Symbol_Here**gmail.com> ;

Date: March 17, 2010 8:28:26 AM EDT

Subject: Re: [DCH AS-L] Laboratory medical oversight

In the fire service, our trucks carry medical kits for the rare

instance we may not have an ambulance supporting our efforts. Our< /FONT>

trucks are a lso checked daily for working equipment. When the

inspection i s done, the person initials a calandar. The daily ch ecks

calls for th e person checking to acknowledge the medical kit. One day

I realized n o one checks inside of the kit. I opened it, replace d all

of the expir ed stuff (50%ish) and on the calendar I marked off the day

that the nex t item is to expire so someone knows to actually open the

bag up and l ook.

If you haven 't realized where I was going, you should assign people to

check you fu me hoods daily or weekly. To be honest, your working with

stuff that r equires atropine, you should do that anyway. Check t he

flow, clea nliness, all the equipment inside works, the door seals etc.
On the calen dar that the inspector will have to initial, mark the day

that the dru gs will have to be replaced and not just looked at with a

smile and sa y...its there.

Andrew

About This Archive \|	DCHAS-L 2010 Index \|	DCHAS-L Yearly Index
Search All Posts: Advanced Search Disclaimer