Believe it or not, often in K-12 academia (at least in our district) our students sometimes have the opposite response. 1) some students demand gloves regardless of what we're doing. Then, they change them 2-3 times in a lab session (even if they aren't working with chemicals) 2) Some students won't take the goggles or aprons off after lab. I guess they "look like scientists" 3) One of our prouder moments--I came to visit a seventh grade teacher in our district. A student greets me at the door with a pair of goggles and says, "you have to put these on before you come in." I did so, thanked the student, and said to the teacher (who was also wearing goggles) "Please give this person five points of extra credit for today!" 4) The food and gum rule--rather than tell them they could be poisoned, we tell the students they could get diarrhea. It is indeed a possibility, and it's one that most teenagers find offensive enough to avoid at all costs. Now I have a question about goggle cabinets. We disinfect our goggles with 15 minutes of exposure to UV light. But in all honesty--is there any record of a student contracting conjunctivitis from goggles? It seems the goggle cabinet is more of a "feel good" measure. I'm surprised we aren't expected to disinfect microscope eyepieces--seems that would be a more likely fomite for conjunctivitis. Thoughts? Edward J. McGrath Science Supervisor Red Clay Consolidated School District office: (302) 552-3768 -----Original Message----- From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**list.uvm.edu] On Behalf Of Eric Clark Sent: Tuesday, March 16, 2010 1:05 PM To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU Subject: [DCHAS-L] The Lab PPE Excuse List This was taken as a poll from the DCHAS listserve for PPE excuses from this discussion string: [DCHAS-L] 3 Re: [DCHAS-L] GLOVES IN STUDENT LABS I'm sure this is just a tip-of-the-iceberg list; send me some more and I'll keep the list going. Eric Clark, MS, CCHO, CHMM, Safety Officer Los Angeles County Public Health Lab Here's what we have so far: General PPE It is too hot to wear all of the PPE, Can I just wear this and this. Why are you always hassling me? Makeup/Food Then there are the people who apply lip balm because it is not make-up, which may not be applied in lab, and the people who maintain the cough drops are different from food, which may not be eaten in lab. I'm not eating - it's Excedrin. Gees! Can't even take medicine around here. Footwear Encountered repeatedly, comes from students who are wearing open-toed footwear: But, I'm wearing socks. I don't have any closed-toe shoes that go with this outfit. Safety goggles I can't breathe with something over my face. My dad mixes chemicals on the farm and he doesn't use them. That's a stupid rule. I can get head lice because someone else wore them. I have my splash goggles on - [he had them around his neck]. I was only watching the transfer operation. I am only in the area that I might be exposed for one minute. I just got a nose job and the doctor says I can't wear them (goggles). It'll mess up my hair. They're all scratched up. They're too expensive at the bookstore (so use one from the box of "house goggles") I don't want to get pink-eye. Lab aprons It's hot. My clothes are not that good. It's too big; it's too long {that's why we always have multiple sizes}. My dad mixes chemicals on the farm and he doesn't wear one. My friends will laugh at me because I look stupid. It's too hot to wear a lab coat. Gloves I have a latex allergy. My hands sweat too much. They don't fit. They will melt to my skin. I might get something inside them and then they won't help me. I can't see well with them on (gloves). >>> List Moderator3/9/2010 7:15 PM >>> From: ACTSNYC**At_Symbol_Here**cs.com Date: March 9, 2010 3:59:05 PM EST Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] GLOVES IN STUDENT LABS Kim, I'd like to see the form. I've trained in England and have used their risk assessment matrix and wish we used it over here. And the nicest thing about their form is that you sign the bottom. So if a project goes forward, you are the person that is atesting that in your opinion the risk, with the precautions you have suggested is minimal. Monona Rossol === From: "Moorefield, Mubetcel" Date: March 9, 2010 4:09:04 PM EST Subject: RE: [DCHAS-L] GLOVES IN STUDENT LABS While some of us are in process of lecturing to other people I would like to jump in and point out that what they say may also be incorrect. Here is an example: Is water hazardous? No? Well, try putting it on a water reactive material. I would like my comment also to be considered when hazard assessment for a chemical is made 1 trough 5. Since we don't purchase the chemicals to accessorize our labs, their hazard should be assessed depending on where they are used and where (next to which chemical) they are stored. Mubetcel === From: mtkleinm**At_Symbol_Here**uci.edu Date: March 9, 2010 6:48:54 PM EST Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] GLOVES IN STUDENT LABS You might want to include PPG and waste disposal recommendations too. Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
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