Date: June 7, 2010 11:28:03
AM EDT
Subject: RE: [DCHAS-L] FW:
Ear Bud Radio Use in labs
One other
interesting consideration about media of this sort in a lab
situation: not only
might a person not hear alarms, but they might not notice that a piece
of machinery is not operating properly. Maybe the fan on the
freezer is straining, or (heaven forbid) the centrifuge is
unbalanced. The
statement that =93this machine is making a weird noise=94 may be an
early warning signal that something is going wrong. If we hear the =93weird
noise=94 early on, repairs can begin before any significant damage has
occurred.
Besides
all that, I personally find background music distracting when I=92m
working in a lab. I
can=92t even read when the radio is on.
Edward J.
McGrath
Science
Supervisor
Red Clay Consolidated School
District
office:
(302) 552-3768
===
Date: June 7, 2010 10:18:22
AM EDT
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] FW:
Ear Bud Radio Use in labs
It does
seem that this situation depends very much on the culture and
experience in the lab. We have not addressed ear buds
in our chemical
hygiene plan (but now it will). In our industrial lab,
the staff is very
experienced in laboratory procedures and safety and
they are mature adults
as opposed to young adults, They know to keep the
volume down and also to
run the wire inside their lab coats. No one instructed
the staff on this.
As for the radio, it is never loud enough to prevent
hearing the phone or
an alarm.
An
interesting perspective also on the hearing impaired in the
laboratory.
However, in a lab that disability would have
accommodated in any case. For
instance, if there is a flashing light that is used as
an alarm as an
accommodation,. I think that would change the way ear
buds and radios are
handled as well. CHPs are supposed to be flexible,
after all.
Ujjvala (Vaiju) Bagal
Methods Development Chemist
Phone: 01-912-964-9050 ext.53236
Fax:
01-912-966-5917
EMD Chemicals
110 EMD
Blvd
Savannah, GA
31407
===
Date: June 7, 2010 12:29:24 PM
EDT
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] FW:
Ear Bud Radio Use in labs
Aside from all of the valid reasons against personal
music players in any laboratory setting previously mentioned, there is
also the issue of potential transfer (by either direct (touch) or
indirect (fumes/vapors)) of chemicals onto the device, which then
carries that outside the lab.
Beth
Beth
Shepard / Technical Compliance Specialist
Regulatory Compliance
6000 N. Teutonia Ave. / Milwaukee, WI 53209 / USA
P: (414) 438-3850, x5471
