Date: Fri, 4 Apr 2008 08:51:06 -0400
Reply-To: Ralph Stuart <rstuart**At_Symbol_Here**UVM.EDU>
Sender: DCHAS-L Discussion List <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU>
From: Ralph Stuart <rstuart**At_Symbol_Here**UVM.EDU>
Subject: Chemical spill frequency?

Talking with a colleague the other day, the general question of how  
many chemical spills routinely occur in laboratories came up. This is  
in the context of deciding how to plan for response to these spills.  
In order to put some fact into our speculation, I thought I would ask  
the list to send me the following information:

1. The number of labs included in the statistics below (e.g. the UVM  
campus as a whole covers 500 labs)?
2. How often does a minor spill occur (i.e. one that interrupts work,  
but is handled by the person who spilled it)?
3. How often does a bigger spill occur (i.e. one that is handled by  
staff internal to the organization, but not the person who spilled it)?
4. How often does a significant spill occur (i.e. one that requires  
external assistance in assessment and clean up)?

If you could send me gut level responses to these 4 questions, I will  
compile the information into anonymous statistics and share it with  
this list.

Thanks for any help.

- 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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