Date: Thu, 1 Sep 2011 18:58:08 -0400
Reply-To: DCHAS-L Discussion List <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU>
Sender: DCHAS-L Discussion List <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU>
From: Ernest Lippert <ernielippert**At_Symbol_Here**TOAST.NET>
In-Reply-To: <B06FE04AACB936438D57258499897CD91630D119FD**At_Symbol_Here**phxe2k7.tusa.tkinet.com>

How did it happen? I would suspect through carelessness. In most laboratory situations one should not be handling enough HF for it to splash - and why just the ear, so what happened? There are unusual things that happen that are hard to predict. less alone t o prevent. Several years ago one of our women chemists received from a truck delivery a small cardboard box containing 4-500 ml bottles of HF. a fairly common scenario since HF was a commonly used reagent. After walking less than 50 feet to the lab, she noticed that the bottom of the box and her lab coat were wet. She immediately disrobed as far as possible and then, in the ladies room, washed herself well. A safety shower was available but the circumstances did not dictate its use. At the hospital she was found to hav e a couple of areas that needed calcium gluconate injections. Full recovery ensued. Investigation revealed that the box and one of the bottles had been punctured by a nail or other object just above the fill line so that when the package was tipped during transport, some HF leaked out. It was assumed that this puncture happened for some unknown reason in the truck. The trucking line was immediately contacted and the driver alerted. No contamination was found. Can you protect yourself and your employees from such an unforeseen situation? Maybe, but then work would never get done. It is better to have your employees be alert for unforeseen situations and know how to react. Ernest Lippert On Thu, Sep 1, 2011 at 5:42 PM, Michael Hojjatie wrot e: > Several years ago there was an incident of somebody got splashed with > hydrofluoric acid in one of his ears. The ear was as black as ebony wood for > several days and very painful. He had to get calcium glutamate by injecti on > as well as orally. In almost all of the safety advises and guidelines eye s > and face protection is discussed. I have rarely seen recommendations for > =93ear protection=94 beyond the noise protection. Please comment.**** > > ** ** > > ** ** > > Michael Hojjatie, Ph.D. **** > > ** ** > > *From:* DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**list.uvm.edu] *On Behalf > Of *ILPI > *Sent:* Thursday, September 01, 2011 9:06 AM > *To:* DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU > *Subject:* Re: [DCHAS-L] Burka and safety**** > > ** ** > > Safety needs to be applied equally and consistently. Loose clothing or > clothing that obscures peripheral vision in a chemistry laboratory (or > machine shop - think Yale) is a safety hazard and is not acceptable. *Sa fety > is agnostic*.**** > > ** ** > > The real issue here is whether your institution is willing or required to > make some sort of accommodation such as permitting the student to do her lab > time without the burka when only females are around. And that answer wil l > obviously vary from state to state.**** > > ** ** > > You should immediately consult your college's legal counsel **in writing* *, > and be sure to impress on them from the start that safety can not be > compromised under any circumstances. You will no doubt want to come up w ith > a standard written policy to address this issue.**** > > ** ** > > Rob Toreki**** > > ** ** > > ======================= ========================= ======**** > > Safety Emporium - Lab & Safety Supplies featuring brand names**** > > you know and trust. Visit us at http://www.SafetyEmporium.com**** > > esales**At_Symbol_Here**safetyemporium.com or toll-free: (866) 326-5412**** > > Fax: (856) 553-6154, PO Box 1003, Blackwood, NJ 08012**** > > ** ** > > ** ** > > On Sep 1, 2011, at 10:27 AM, Yaeger, Mary Ann wrote:**** > > > > **** > > Could others tell me how you deal with a student who wears a Burka taking > an organic chemistry class, or any lab class for that matter? We certain ly > don=92t want to discriminate religiously, so how do we deal with the safe ty > issues of that. Surprisingly this is the first time this situation has > arisen for us.**** > > **** > > Thanks,**** > > MaryAnn**** > > **** > > MaryAnn Yaeger, MS**** > > Supervisor of Laboratory Services,**** > > Chemical Hygiene Officer**** > > Wesley College**** > > 120 N. State Street**** > > Dover DE 19901**** > > Ph. 302-736-2389**** > > Fax 302-736-2301**** > > **** > > ** ** >

How did it happen? I would suspect through carelessness. In most labor atory situations one should not be handling enough HF for it to splash - an d why just the ear, so what happened?
=A0
There are unu sual things that happen that are hard to predict. less alone to prevent. Se veral years ago one of our women chemists received from a truck delivery a small cardboard box=A0containing 4-500 ml bottles of HF. a fairly common sc enario since HF was a commonly used reagent. After walking less than 50 fee t to the lab, she noticed that the bottom of the box and her lab coat were wet. She immediately disrobed as far as possible and then, in the ladies ro om, washed herself well. A safety shower was available but the circumstance s did not dictate its use. At the hospital she was found to have a couple o f areas that needed calcium gluconate injections. Full recovery ensued.
=A0
Investigation revealed that the box and one of the bottl es had been punctured by a nail or other object just above the fill line so that when the package was tipped during transport, some HF leaked out. It was assumed that this puncture happened for some unknown reason in the truc k. The trucking line was immediately contacted and the driver alerted. No c ontamination was found.
=A0
Can you protect yourself and your employees from such=A0 an unforeseen situation? Maybe, but then work would never get done. It is b etter to have your employees be alert=A0for unforeseen situations and know how to react.
=A0
Ernest Lippert
=A0


=A0
On Thu, Sep 1, 2011 at 5:42 PM, Michael Hojjatie <mhojjatie**At_Symbol_Here**tk inet.com> wrote:

Several years ago there was an incident of somebody got splashed with hydrofluoric acid in one of his ears. The ear was as black as ebony wood f or several days and very painful. He had to get calcium glutamate by inject ion as well as orally. In almost all of the safety advises and guidelines e yes and face protection is discussed. I have rarely seen recommendations fo r =93ear protection=94 beyond the noise protection. Please comment.< u>

=A0

=A0

Michael Hojjatie, Ph.D. =A0

=A0

< div style="border-width: 1pt medium medium; border-style: solid none none ; border-color: rgb(181, 196, 223) currentColor currentColor; padding: 3pt 0in 0in;">

From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**list.uvm.edu ] On Behalf Of ILPI
Sent: Thursday, September 01, 2011 9:06 AM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Burka and safety

=A0

Safety needs to be applied equally and consistently. =A0Loose clothing o r clothing that obscures peripheral vision in a chemistry laboratory (or ma chine shop - think Yale) is a safety hazard and is not acceptable. =A0Sa fety is agnostic.

=A0

The real issue here is whether your institution is willing o r required to make some sort of accommodation such as permitting the studen t to do her lab time without the burka when only females are around. =A0And that answer will obviously vary from state to state.

=A0

You should immediately consult your college's legal coun sel **in writing**, and be sure to impress on them from the start that safe ty can not be compromised under any circumstances. =A0You will no doubt wan t to come up with a standard written policy to address this issue.

=A0

Rob Toreki

=A0

< div>

=A0 =======================================================

Safety Emporium - Lab & Safety Supplies featuring brand na mes

you know and trust. =A0Visit us at http://www.SafetyEmporium.com

esales**At_Symbol_Here**safetyemporium.com =A0or toll-free: (866) 32 6-5412

Fax: (856) 553-6154, PO Box 1003, Blackwood, NJ 08012

=A0

=A0

On Sep 1, 2011, at 10:27 AM, Yaeger, Mary Ann wrote:



Could others tell me how you deal with a student who wears a Burka taking an organic chemistry class, or any lab class for that matter?=A0 We certainly don=92t want to di scriminate religiously, so how do we deal with the safety issues of that. =A0 Surprisingly this is the first time this situation has arisen for us.

=A0

Thanks,

MaryA nn

=A0

MaryAnn Yaeger, MS

Supervisor of Laboratory Services,

Chemical Hygiene Officer

Wesley College

120 N. State Street

< p class="MsoNormal"> Dover DE 19901

Ph. 302-736-2389

Fax 302-736-2301< span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;">

=A0

=A0


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