From: Nigel Beeley <nigel.beeley**At_Symbol_Here**GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Seeking subject expert
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2021 14:15:08 -0700
Reply-To: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU>
Message-ID: CAFXNUEmppa+J5N8d8QSm9KZW0_g5cdGEY0CpWOzHUMyuE24MQw**At_Symbol_Here**mail.gmail.com
In-Reply-To


Paul
What do you mean by "zero incident level". ? Have headed up the Safety Committees (usually a key responsibility for VP/C level department head) in 4 different industrial organizations in the past and have had zero "serious incidents" during my tenures .... a "serious incident" being when you have ambulances and/or the fire brigade called out, have to evacuate the building. Have also carried out some pretty dangerous chemistry over the years, such as large scale nitrations with tetranitromethane, phosgene chemistry, cyanations, hydrogenations etc. without ANY incidents (in my capacity as a synthetic organic chemist). On the other hand there is always a level of "minor incidents" such as brief exposure to potentially toxic chemicals, lab coat damage from acids and bases, cuts with bits of broken glass etc. BTW, the nuclear industry may appear to be safe on a day to day basis but when they have an incident it is BIG, people die eg Fukushima, Chernobyl, Three Mile Island etc. and, furthermore, the impacts last for years !!! Let me know if I can help.
Best
Nigel Beeley

On Wed, Mar 17, 2021 at 11:35 AM Harrison, Paul <pharriso**At_Symbol_Here**mcmaster.ca> wrote:
Dear list members:
At our University-wide safety meeting this morning, while we were reviewing incidents on campus, our VP (Admin) asked what I think is a critical string of questions:

How do some organizations achieve a zero incident level? Examples include the nuclear industry, and our local fire station. Clearly they have a strong safety culture. So, how do we enhance our safety culture to bring us towards that goal? Could we get an expert to advise us?

This is not a chemistry question, but an institutional one. But I immediately thought of the D-chas group, where there are so many experts on safety.

If there is anyone out there who would be interested in exploring this through giving us a seminar, and/or or spending perhaps a day with us, do please contact me off-list. Some knowledge of the Canadian safety landscape would be useful, but we are really looking at the bigger picture. We do not have an approved budget, but some compensation may well be possible. This could take place on-line, or perhaps in-person once the border re-opens.

Best wishes and safe work to all.

Paul


Paul Harrison, B.A. Hons. (Oxon), Ph.D.
Associate Professor and Associate Chair (Undergraduate)
Chemistry & Chemical Biology
Dept. of Chemistry & Chemical Biology
ABB-156
McMaster University
1280 Main St. West.
Hamilton, ON L8S 4M1
Map icon=E2=80=82location: ABB-418
Phone icon=E2=80=82phone: (905) 525-9140 x 27290
Envelope icon=E2=80=82email: pharriso**At_Symbol_Here**mcmaster.ca

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