Date: Mon, 12 Jul 2010 09:01:11 -0700
Reply-To: DCHAS-L Discussion List <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU>
Sender: DCHAS-L Discussion List <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU>
From: Eric Clark <erclark**At_Symbol_Here**PH.LACOUNTY.GOV>
Subject: Re: Emergency Action Plan for science labs
In-Reply-To: <BBFA6832756A874D89D201416246904006E7B7BA**At_Symbol_Here**exchng2k.dom.edu>
Kathleen, 
Most emergency power generators typically don't service the entire 
building, just the critical systems, and those are the ones with the red 
plugs or otherwise hard-wired into the building grid.  Even that might not 
suffice for your needs, a typical emergency power generator requires 6 or 
7 seconds before it actually restores power.  But as we all know, that 
kind of power interruption can disrupt hundreds of sensitive automated 
laboratory analyses that took hours to set up.  As Arnold would say:  
Beeeg Problem (especially if you have insufficient samples for re-runs!). 
 
That's where the Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) comes in.  It's 
basically a bank of several dozen continually-charging car batteries that 
will provide sufficient continuous AC power for 10 - 15 seconds to 
ultra-critical systems until the emergency power generator kicks in.  And 
there are no moving parts.  There are lots of different kinds out there.  
We happen to use the Eaton Powerware 9390 - actually two of them, set up 
side by side.  
One more thing about the UPS.  Don't forget to report the lead and 
sulfuric acid on the annual Community Right To Know forms AND tell the 
local fire department about them and show them where they are!  
Eric 

Eric Clark, MS, CCHO, CHMM 
Safety & Compliance Officer
Los Angeles County Public Health Laboratory   

>>> "Schmidt-Nebril, Kathleen"  7/8/2010 5:34 PM 
>>>
My university recently was hit with a four day power outage due to severe 
storms.  Our science building is recently new and has a back up generator 
however none of the main lab instruments or equipment were backed up to 
it. Hoods, lights and ventilation were.  In the end we are looking at a 
huge insurance claim and are now trying to prepare  an action plan for 
each of our labs in the event we go through something like this again.  I 
am the CHO for the department and was asked to put this together.  Does 
anyone know what OSHA standard, if any, I should be looking at for this?  
They want to incorporate a "what to do" list for example if none of the 
scientists were around someone from maintenance could follow it to turn 
off sensitive equipment in our absence.  My thought on that is would we 
need to train and document  anyone who might have to respond and use our 
action list?   


Kathleen 

Previous post   |  Top of Page   |   Next post



The content of this page reflects the personal opinion(s) of the author(s) only, not the American Chemical Society, ILPI, Safety Emporium, or any other party. Use of any information on this page is at the reader's own risk. Unauthorized reproduction of these materials is prohibited. Send questions/comments about the archive to secretary@dchas.org.
The maintenance and hosting of the DCHAS-L archive is provided through the generous support of Safety Emporium.