Date: Fri, 7 Nov 2008 08:40:14 -0500
Reply-To: List Moderator <ecgrants**At_Symbol_Here**UVM.EDU>
Sender: DCHAS-L Discussion List <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU>
From: List Moderator <ecgrants**At_Symbol_Here**UVM.EDU>
Subject: 4 more re: Removing PPE When Leaving Chem Labs

From: "heinz and inge trebitz" 
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Removing PPE When Leaving Chem Labs
Date: Thu, 6 Nov 2008 16:09:24 -0500

In answer to Larry McLouth' policy question, I'd like to offer a few  
thoughts:

The activities to be covered are manifold and reach into different  
working/living environments. Writing a fit-all policy may be very  
difficult. Enforcing a policy which may reach into the home of a lab  
worker (i.e. to cover laundering the PPE at home) may be altogether  
impossible. Unless an instituition takes over the cleaning of used  
PPE, work related hygiene is out of the institution's control. At  
best, good work place practice recommendations can address common PPE  
issues.

Below is a (incomplete) list of factors to be considered when making  
decisions, offering advice or writing policies:

1.    What kind of lab activities, what chemicals/agents involved
2.     Duration of lab work
3.     Whom do you want to protect: students, professionals, janitors,
maintenance workers?
4.     Whose PPE is involved: employer provided, employee owned?
5.     When is a lab coat deemed due for cleaning?
6.     How about one time splashes requiring immediate cleaning?

I consider a strict separation of soiled/ready for cleaning/laundering  
PPE from personal clothes an absolute must.

Industry routinely uses clean/dirty systems of lockers/washrooms. If  
PPE is allowed to be taken home for cleaning it must be laundered  
separate from any personal clothing.

Lab hygiene must be part of periodical lab safety training.

Heinz H. Trebitz, Ph.D.
GBK/TRE SERVICE
480 Colby Road N
Thetford Center, VT 05075
Tel: 802-785-2129
Fax: 802-785-2124

e-mail: iht63**At_Symbol_Here**valley.net

==

Subject: RE: [DCHAS-L] 5  RE: [DCHAS-L] Removing PPE When Leaving Chem  
Labs
Date: Thu, 6 Nov 2008 16:13:59 -0500
From: "Rigel Lustwerk" 

As a consultant, I've noticed that there are three kinds of companies   
when it comes to PPE.  1) Those that actually follow the guidelines  
as  to where PPE should be worn and where it should not; 2)  those  
where I  can't get people to put on their lab coats;  3) those where I  
can't get  them out of their lab coats!

If there is good infrastructure as far as coat hooks, personalized  
lab  coats, easily accessible areas for changing, easily accessible  
hazardous  waste containers for contaminated gloves etc., compliance  
is generally  MUCH easier to achieve.  Other facilities related issues  
include labs  that are too hot, office areas that are too cold, which  
tempt people to  not wear the coats in the lab or to wear them in the  
office.

With regard to coat hooks/coat racks, it is very important to have   
enough coat hooks to avoid hanging 2 coats on one hook, which means  
that  the inside of one (which one wants to keep clean) is in direct  
contact  with the outside of the other (which is likely contaminated),  
and enough  space between them so that there isn't cross  
contamination.  Having the  hooks personalized helps, so people don't  
have to take the time or touch  the outside of every coat on the rack  
to find their own

Rigel Lustwerk
Safety Consultant
Safety Partners, Inc.
Hands-On Workplace Safety

==

From: lucydillman**At_Symbol_Here**comcast.net
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] 5  RE: [DCHAS-L] Removing PPE When Leaving Chem  
Labs

Hmm, I always have more problems convincing people to put their PPE on.

My facility is very small, and it is stressed in training that we  
change our gloves often, wash our hands often, take off your PPE in  
the gowning area , and wash your hands before you leave the lab.  
Senior lab personnel  are very good about this, and new people follow  
their lead. In almost  4 years here, I only remember seeing someone  
bolt out of the lab with his/ her lab coat on twice, and one of those  
only got about one step out the doo r before remembering to go back  
and take off her coat.

Lucy Dillman

==

Date:         Thu, 6 Nov 2008 22:21:20 -0500
From: pzavon**At_Symbol_Here**ROCHESTER.RR.COM

 >Our parent company has had
 > tremendous success in promoting the removal of PPE, and has
 > said that it is just a matter of changing the culture

Changing the culture is what is required, but doing that is rarely  
easy and ALWAYS requires sustained, high-level support.  Sounds like  
you are on the right track.

Did your parent company representatives actually say "just a matter of  
changing the culture" or did you read the "just" into it on the basis  
of your reading their "body language?"

Peter Zavon, CIH
Penfield, NY

PZAVON**At_Symbol_Here**Rochester.rr.com

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