My sincere thanks to all of you who provided public and/or private responses
on the lab ventilation issue.  

I am optimistic we will be able to influence the design engineers to change
their thinking so as to provide adequate protection for students and staff.

 

Thanks again.

 

Russ

 

 

Russ Phifer

WC Environmental, LLC

1085C Andrew Drive

West Chester, PA  19380

610-696-9220x12/ fax 610-344-7519

  rphifer**At_Symbol_Here**wcenvironmental.com

 

P Please consider your environmental responsibility before printing this
e-mail or any other document

-----Original Message-----
From: Rominski, Hank [mailto:Hank.Rominski**At_Symbol_Here**dhs.gov] 
Sent: Thursday, December 11, 2008 8:25 AM
To: rphifer**At_Symbol_Here**wcenvironmental.com
Subject: FW: [DCHAS-L] laboratory ventilation question

 

Russ,

 

There is so much wrong with your room.

It would be easier to call if you still need help.

 

Regards

 

Hank

 

 

Henry G. Rominski, CIH

Industrial Hygiene / Safety

Plum Island Animal Disease Center

Safety and Health Office

P.O. Box 848

Greenport, N.Y.  11944

Ph: 631.323.3347

Fx: 631.323.3335

 

 

 

________________________________

 

From: Floyd, Karon

Sent: Wed 10-Dec-08 14:30

To: Rominski, Hank

Subject: FW: [DCHAS-L] laboratory ventilation question


Karon L. Floyd,

Microbiologist

USDHS, S&T, TAD

Plum Island Animal Disease Center

Direct: (631) 323-3332

Fax: (631) 323-3097

Email: karon.floyd**At_Symbol_Here**dhs.gov

 

 

________________________________

 

From: DCHAS-L Discussion List on behalf of Russ Phifer

Sent: Wed 12/10/2008 2:17 PM

To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU

Subject: [DCHAS-L] laboratory ventilation question

 

 

 

A community college has a laboratory room where biology classes are held.

The building is brand new, and the ventilation system for these rooms is not

operating properly - it is not operating at all.  There is zero air

movement, and it gets quite hot in the room when full of students.  Among

the labs held in this room is one where cats are dissected.  The cats are

initially "fixed" in a formaldehyde solution, then transferred by the

biological supply house to a non-formaldehyde solution containing primarily

isopropanol. 

 

 

 

The design engineers for the building claim "these rooms are designed for

increased outside air to accommodate issues such as this.  All they need to

do is to operate the fume hood with the sash open when they are working with

cat dissection.  By operating the fume hood with the sash open it will

provide approximately 5 air changes per hour which should be sufficient."

 

 

 

There is one small (6' long) fume hood in a corner of the room, pulling

approximately 100 linear feet per minute in a 50' X 20' room.  Dissections

take place on open lab benches throughout the room.  I can't believe this is

an acceptable fix.  Any comments?  Does anyone have a formula for estimating

the actual air exchange rate from the hood?

 

 

 

Russ Phifer

 

 

 

Russ Phifer

 

WC Environmental, LLC

 

1085C Andrew Drive

 

West Chester, PA  19380

 

610-696-9220x12/ fax 610-344-7519

 

  rphifer**At_Symbol_Here**wcenvironmental.com

 

 

 

P Please consider your environmental responsibility before printing this

e-mail or any other document


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