From: Monona Rossol <actsnyc**At_Symbol_Here**cs.com>
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Thought question: Chemical safety for biologists
Date: Wed, 23 Mar 2016 13:11:14 -0400
Reply-To: DCHAS-L <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU>
Message-ID: 153a4757611-64ee-e78b**At_Symbol_Here**webprd-a35.mail.aol.com
In-Reply-To


Very interesting.  The technical concepts are there, but there are two problems:  


1) the material is directed to people who will not correctly interpret the terminology used in many cases. They talk a good game so you may think they are getting more than they actually are.  That's why it is important to also include a test at the end of the training.   But I think you will find they need a bit of remedial training on terminology used in the curriculum.

2) no examples are in the written material taken from actual pigments, dyes, solvents, acids and products they use.  Unless the written material includes some products that illustrate the hazards, they will just not make that connection.  This is especially true because their product labels use the word "nontoxic" and other terms in a very misleading ways.  And their MSDS and SDSs are equally misleading.   The art and theater material manufacturers are NOT at all like Sigma Aldrich. 


Thanks for the Yale comment since I wrote the curriculum. I'm sure Bill Reynolds has upgraded it since 2007 and I'm trying to find a break in my schedule to see how they have upgraded the facility since 2007 as well. 

Monona


-----Original Message-----
From: Robin M. Izzo <rmizzo**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU>
To: DCHAS-L <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU>
Sent: Wed, Mar 23, 2016 12:23 pm
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Thought question: Chemical safety for biologists

 
Princeton has a pretty robust program for art and theater safety.  Every student concentrating in visual arts and all faculty and staff in Visual Arts (and most are part-time, dropping in from NYC) must attend Art Safety Training.  It includes hazard communication topics, managing wastes, PPE, etc, then gets into potential hazards for each medium practiced in our Visual Arts department. 
 
For Theater, all theater students, anyone working in theater shops, theater faculty and anyone involved in theater (except the actors) must attend Theater Safety Training. 
 
You can see more on our website. https://ehs.princeton.edu/health-safety-the-campus-community/art-theater-safety  I'd be happy to share our training program.
 
 I started working with our arts departments more than 20 years ago.   We are fortunate that the staff managing the program were early adopters, buying into the concept of art safety quickly.  I'm amazed at how many faculty come to our training and had never considered half of the issues we discuss.
 
Yale has an outstanding program.
 
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Robin M. Izzo
Director
Environmental Health and Safety
Princeton University
609-258-6259 (office)
Visit the EHS website at ehs.princeton.edu
 
 
From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU] On Behalf Of Chance, Brandon
Sent: Wednesday, March 23, 2016 11:04 AM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Thought question: Chemical safety for biologists
 
Monique and Monona,
 
I  would also be interested in this.  As my lab safety programs reach a manageable state, art and theatre are my next projects to tackle.  Monona, I am sure everyone on the listserv would love if you could share any advice or programs to help all of us lab rats get on the same page with our art and theatre groups.
 
 
Regards,
 
Brandon S. Chance, M.S., CCHO
Associate Director of Environmental Health and Safety
Office of Risk Management
Southern Methodist University 
PO Box 750231 | Dallas, TX  75275-0231
T) 214.768.2430 | M) 469-978-8664
 
"- our job in safety is to make the task happen, SAFELY; not to interfere with the work-" Neal Langerman
 
From: DCHAS-L Discussion List on behalf of "Wilhelm, Monique"
Reply-To: DCHAS-L
Date: Wednesday, March 23, 2016 at 8:09 AM
To: "DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU"
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Thought question: Chemical safety for biologists
 
Monona,
 
You raise a very valid point.  I was just speaking with the Staff Coordinator for our Art Dept yesterday.  He has only been with us for a couple of years, was originally only hired to check out equipment, and is really nervous about the lack of chemical safety in his dept, especially as he is anticipating having to move the dept to a new building soon. 
 
Do you have any suggestions for someone new to this role to start implementing safety in an academic lab dept?  Did I mention that he is also only part-time?...uuuggghh
 
Monique Wilhelm
Laboratory Manager
Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry
University of Michigan - Flint
 
From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**med.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of Monona Rossol
Sent: Tuesday, March 22, 2016 3:32 PM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Thought question: Chemical safety for biologists
 
Everybody seems to be doing a good job of this.  Is anyone taking a look at the art and theater departments?
 
Monona Rossol, M.S., M.F.A., Industrial Hygienist
President:  Arts, Crafts & Theater Safety, Inc.
Safety Officer: Local USA829, IATSE
181 Thompson St., #23
New York, NY 10012     212-777-0062

 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Norm Bell <nbell**At_Symbol_Here**WILLIAMS.EDU
>
To: DCHAS-L <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU>
Sent: Tue, Mar 22, 2016 2:36 pm
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Thought question: Chemical safety for biologists
I also do the complete lab safety training for anyone working in a lab where chemicals are used. As part of our hazard communication plan, I include those people who are not actively working with chemicals but working in a lab where others are using chemicals (this is not unusual in Physics and Geoscience labs with multiple lines of research).
 
I try to create broad categories for general PPE use and then expand for specific instances. For example, all organic and corrosive chemicals require gloves, all liquid chemicals require eye protection etc.
 
Norm Bell
 
Science Coordinator and CHO
Williams College
Williamstown, MA
 
 
 
From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**med.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of Penny Manisco
Sent: Tuesday, March 22, 2016 2:05 PM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Thought question: Chemical safety for biologists
 
I do the complete lab safety training. They do need to know about the Chemical Hygiene Plan, PPE, haz waste, storage, etc. Anyone working with hazardous chemicals must be trained on recognizing hazards and risk mitigation.
Cheers,
Penny
Penny Manisco
Chemical Hygiene Officer
Harvey Mudd College
 
On Tue, Mar 22, 2016 at 10:56 AM, Funck, Steven <sfunck**At_Symbol_Here**messiah.edu> wrote:
My biggest issue with biologist is convincing them of the necessity of goggles!!

Steven S. Funck, MS, CSMM
Natural Sciences Laboratory Program Manager
Messiah College
One College Ave.
Suite 3049
Mechanicsburg, PA 17055

Phone:  (717) 796-1800 (ext. 2079)
Fax: (717) 691-6046
SFunck**At_Symbol_Here**messiah.edu

-----Original Message-----
From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**med.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of Stuart, Ralph
Sent: Tuesday, March 22, 2016 1:29 PM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Thought question: Chemical safety for biologists

I have a question that I'd like input from the DCHAS community on:
The quick version is:
What information about chemical safety do biologists need to know?

The longer version of the question is that I'm working with the KSC undergrad biology lab coordinator to develop introductory lab safety training for biology research students who work with a relatively limited suite of chemicals, some of which are flammables, others of which are significantly toxic, many of which are neither.
- For example, do these students need to hear about all of the GHS hazard classes in the 1.5 hours available for the training?
- What kind of information do they need about chemical resistance of lab gloves?
- How much detail do they need to understand best practices for chemical storage cabinets and use of other lab ventilation devices?
etc.

Thanks for any help with thinking this through.

- Ralph


Ralph Stuart, CIH, CCHO
Chemical Hygiene Officer
Keene State College

ralph.stuart**At_Symbol_Here**keene.edu



--
Penny Manisco,
Chemical Hygiene Officer
Harvey Mudd College

(909)6074217

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