Date: Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:26:18 -0700
Reply-To: DCHAS-L Discussion List <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU>
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From: Laurence Doemeny <ldoemeny**At_Symbol_Here**COX.NET>
Subject: Re: Roof top exhaust fan maintenance Policy
In-Reply-To: <2AF1C47996B01E4AA1A8DE740C23536301C2E5E02A**At_Symbol_Here**EXCHANGE3.grove.ad.uconn.edu>

Previous responses were very helpful and I have very little to add but only reinforce:

·         Rooftops and facility areas such as boiler and chiller rooms, electrical switch gear rooms, elevator penthouses, and telephone and computer rooms should be restricted.

·         Maintenance should be coordinated with building tenants.

·         It may be worthwhile to conduct chemical monitoring in the area to determine the concentration of the metal organic vapor in the area where the workers have the potential of exposure.

·         Someday building occupants, neighbors or the community will want to know what is being released or re-entering the building and what their potential exposure could be.  Here tracer gas studies should provide an indication.  Be prepared. 

·         Regarding the lock out/tag out policy while I do not have any experience with the situation described it seems that if the system is shut down then the same policy should apply to the labs.

From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**list.uvm.edu] On Behalf Of Wawzyniecki Jr, Stefan
Sent: Friday, October 30, 2009 6:55 AM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Roof top exhaust fan maintenance Policy

In general, maintenance staff working on rooftop fume hood exhaust equipment have indicated their concerns about being on a roof, and possibly being exposed to whatever is being vented. 

 

In a more specific laboratory situation, involving MOCVD (metal organic chemical vapor deposition), we have a lock-out tag-out policy, due to the severity of the toxic gases involved.

 

Questions:

 

  1. Does anyone else have MOCVD labs, and to what extent are controls in place for protection of workers on roof tops?
  2. Does anyone else employ a LOTO policy?   
  3. Are roof tops key-accessible only?

 

Thanks for the feedback.

 

-Stefan Wawzyniecki, CIH, CHMM

 Univers ity of Connecticut

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