Date: Thu, 7 Feb 2008 12:27:01 -0800
Reply-To: "Debbie M. Decker" <dmdecker**At_Symbol_Here**UCDAVIS.EDU>
Sender: DCHAS-L Discussion List <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU>
From: "Debbie M. Decker" <dmdecker**At_Symbol_Here**UCDAVIS.EDU>
Subject: Re: Fume hood flow indicators
Comments: To: "Harrington, Rachel"
In-Reply-To: <5E66C3A6359EA847A62F0DA23CE6D241035E2778**At_Symbol_Here**UHSEVS.UHS.local>

I'm sorry I didn't make this clear. This is a Cal/OSHA-only requirement. I just assume everyone's familiar with the regulatory quirks of California. Sorry to create consternation - my bad. Debbie -----Original Message----- From: Harrington, Rachel [mailto:rachel.harrington**At_Symbol_Here**rosalindfranklin.edu] Sent: Thursday, February 07, 2008 12:12 PM To: Debbie M. Decker; DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU Subject: RE: [DCHAS-L] Fume hood flow indicators Debbie, Do you have the regulatory reference for this requirement? Thanks! Rachel E. Harrington, MPH, CHMM Director - Environmental, Health, and Safety Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science 3333 Green Bay Road North Chicago, IL 60064 847-578-3420 LIFE IN DISCOVERY -----Original Message----- From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU] On Behalf Of Debbie M. Decker Sent: Thursday, February 07, 2008 1:11 PM To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Fume hood flow indicators Ralph: It is now a regulatory requirement that all fume hoods (no grandfathering) have a visual/audible alarm and that users are trained on what the alarms mean. We've been installing monitors on our fume hoods, here, for about 10 years so compliance hasn't been too onerous. But it is taking time to get old hoods retrofitted. About 250 to retrofit out of about 1600 hoods. I agree with the requirement myself. Though I have seen a pipette tip jammed into the "mute" button on the alarm to shut it up when the hood is operated incorrectly . Debbie -----Original Message----- From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU] On Behalf Of Ralph Stuart Sent: Thursday, February 07, 2008 7:40 AM To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU Subject: [DCHAS-L] Fume hood flow indicators We are reviewing our fume hood oversight program (we have about 400 on campus and 40+ more to be added in the next year) and are considering design requirements for new hoods. One idea we're talking about is to request that the electronic flow alarm systems NOT be installed on new hoods. Our experience is that these are not well understood by laboratory worker and the alarms are often silenced into uselessness in many laboratories. We would substitute a campus wide standard "tell tale" (i.e. a fancy Kimwipe) to be taped to the bottom of the sash so that people could assess flow in a quick, uninterruptible way. I wonder if other campuses have developed this idea and what your experience has been along these lines? Thanks for any information. - Ralph Ralph Stuart, CIH Environmental Safety Manager University of Vermont Environmental Safety Facility 667 Spear St. Burlington, VT 05405 rstuart**At_Symbol_Here**uvm.edu fax: (802)656-8682

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