On May 11, 2018, at 10:25 AM, James Kaufman <jim**At_Symbol_Here**LABSAFETY.ORG> wrote:

There have been fatalities that have resulted from not following the prudent practice.  Use the elevator as a dumbwaiter.  .... Jim

James A. Kaufman, Ph.D.

President/CEO
The Laboratory Safety Institute (LSI)
A Nonprofit Educational Organization for Safety in Science, Industry, and Education

192 Worcester Street, Natick, MA 01760-2252
508-647-1900  Fax: 508-647-0062 
Cell: 508-574-6264  Res: 781-237-1335
Skype: labsafe; 508-401-7406 

jim**At_Symbol_Here**labsafety.org  www.labsafety.org

Teach, Learn, and Practice  Science Safely

On Fri, May 11, 2018 at 9:33 AM, Meschewski, Brian D <bmesche2**At_Symbol_Here**illinois.edu> wrote:

Hi Martin,

 

Our policy is to simply not travel in an elevator with liquid nitrogen. We tell personnel to place the container inside the elevator and place this sign on it facing the door: http://www.drs.illinois.edu/site-documents/LiquidNitrogenSignElevator.pdf. We include this information in our cryogen guidance document: https://www.drs.illinois.edu/SafetyLibrary/CryogensAndDryIce.

 

Brian Meschewski

Research Safety Professional

Division of Research Safety

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

(217)333-2423

bmesche2**At_Symbol_Here**illinois.edu

 

From: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU> On Behalf Of Bell,Martin
Sent: Friday, May 11, 2018 7:54 AM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Elevator Entrapment while Transporting a Liquid Nitrogen Dewar

 

 

Good morning,

 

We recently had an incident where a researcher was momentarily trapped in an elevator while transporting a 230 liter Dewar of liquid nitrogen. Thankfully the researcher walked out of the elevator a few seconds later.

 

This incident raised a concern about the potential for asphyxiation if an entrapment occurred and the Dewar released nitrogen gas into the elevator cab (unlikely but need to prepare). We have elevator rescue protocols in place but the response time depends on the time of day.

 

Has anyone addressed this type of concern?

 

Martin W. Bell, M.S. CIH CSP 

Director, Environmental Compliance

Department of Environmental Health and Safety

 

Drexel University

400 North 31st Street

Philadelphia, PA 19104

Tel: 215.895.5892 | Fax: 215.895.5926

Mobile: 215-778-4278

drexel.edu/facilities/healthsafety

 

 

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