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Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Colorado methanol fire case
Date: Saturday, October 25, 2014 9:46:08 AM
Author: Peter Zavon <pzavon**At_Symbol_Here**rochester.rr.com> 		Next by Date:
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Colorado methanol fire case
Date: Sat, 25 Oct 2014 21:12:06 +0000
Author: "Wilhelm, Monique"

From: Samuella Sigmann <sigmannsb**At_Symbol_Here**APPSTATE.EDU>
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Colorado methanol fire case
Date: Sat, 25 Oct 2014 12:38:38 -0400
Reply-To: DCHAS-L <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU>
Message-ID: 544BD20E.10804**At_Symbol_Here**appstate.edu
In-Reply-To <20c16224fe764f078e52e53e35fcfb5b**At_Symbol_Here**BN1PR0401MB1059.namprd04.prod.outlook.com>


Blame the Worker or Fix the Safety Hazard? 

This comes from the following article - http://www.ueunion.org/stwd_safetyblame.html

While not everything is relevant to this discussion, there are numerous excellent points made in this short article.
Sammye

On 10/25/2014 9:13 AM, Ellen M. Sweet wrote:
I was left wondering why the school wasn't held responsible. That this charter school wasn't required to have trained and licensed teachers is a lame excuse for cutting a brand new teacher loose without some basic classroom safety training.
Accidents happen. But, there have been numerous, recent events with methanol in the news. I'll be interested to see if the lawyers for the ex-teacher try to shift the blame back on the school.
Here's something I noticed in a letter to the parents earlier this month:

"We are also bringing on an independent company to perform a school safety evaluation of our
entire program, including science labs. Once we have the full report, we will move quickly to
implement recommendations and ensure that students are safe and able to focus on learning
when they are here at school."

Once again, reactionary improvements.

Harry, they haven't hired you have they?

-----Original Message-----
From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU] On Behalf Of Ralph Stuart
Sent: Friday, October 24, 2014 1:13 PM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Colorado methanol fire case

I was struck the story in this morning's headlines that the Former Colorado Teacher was charged  with four counts of third-degree assault, a Class 1 misdemeanor in the methanol demonstration lab explosion that occurred last month.

http://denver.cbslocal.com/2014/10/22/former-teacher-charged-in-lab-explosion-that-injured-students/

This seems much more likely to set a precedent than the UCLA fire, which was based on labor law specific to California. I hope that people who are in Colorado will let us know how this case proceeds, as it's not uncommon for these stories to fall off the press's radar.

- Ralph

Ralph Stuart
rstuartcih**At_Symbol_Here**me.com

--

********************************************************************************************
We, the willing, led by the unknowing, are doing the impossible for the ungrateful.  We have done so much, for so long, with so little, we are now qualified to do everything with nothing. Teresa Arnold

Samuella B. Sigmann, NRCC-CHO
Lecturer/Safety Committee Chair
A. R. Smith Department of Chemistry
Appalachian State University
525 Rivers Street
Boone, NC   28608
Phone: 828 262 2755
Fax: 828 262 6558
Email: sigmannsb**At_Symbol_Here**appstate.edu

 

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