NO - the caustic went over the top of the GLASSES!!! The person was not wearing goggles. Evidently there are still people who don't know the difference? Barbara Barbara O'Keeffe Director, Environmental Health & Safety University of Texas at Tyler email: bokeeffe**At_Symbol_Here**uttyler.edu voice: 903-566-7011 fax: 903-565-5829 web site: www.uttyler.edu/safety/ chemcon**At_Symbol_Here**juno.com 11/18/2004 03:24 To PM bokeeffe**At_Symbol_Here**uttyler.edu cc Subject Re: [DCHAS-L] Goggles and Contact Lenses On Thu, 18 Nov 2004 14:55:21 -0600 bokeeffe**At_Symbol_Here**uttyler.edu writes: > Why would you have to remove the contact lenses if the correct > goggles were > being worn? > >Because in the incident at Monsanto, the caustic got passed the goggles somehow and into the eyes. (Read the incident that stimulated my response; it's copied below) > > Jay Young > > > > > > On Mon, 15 Nov 2004 16:34:25 -0600 "BOTNICK, ERIC L [AG/1560]" >writes: > > I agree that contact lens use should be allowed in chemical and > > industrial environments, with one warning. > > Fellow workers and emergency personnel should be made aware of > > contact lens usage by other people in the area. > > > > I had an incident in a chemical laboratory where an analyst had > > contacts in, was wearing safety glasses with side shields and was > > working with a 50% caustic solution. The caustic splashed and > went > > over the top of the glasses and dripped into one eye. The > analyst > > did not tell anyone it happened, they just went into a restroom > and > > tried to remove the lens and rinse out the eye. The caustic made > > the lens very slippery and it could not be removed easily or > > quickly. The delay caused a small burn on the cornea. > > Of course the person should have yelled for help and should have > > gone to an eye-wash, but even if they had - would anyone know to > > remove the contact lens? How do you grab a slippery contact lens > > without a suction cup? > > > > Eric L. Botnick, CIH > > IH Lab Director / IH Chemist > > 'B' Building > > 12501 South River Road > > P.O. Box 174 > > Luling, LA 70070-0174 > > > > > > > >
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