Shiela,
While "common sense" is often anything less than common, this seem
s to have been a reasonable solution.
For example: under ADA, something as simple as some 4x4 wood block
s with drilled holes to safely raise a computer work station can be "reason
able accommodation" for a disabled wheelchair user who can otherwise do the
job just fine.
Please note, however, that certain chemicals (organophosphate pesticide
s and similar compounds) can leach into leather and can be nearly impossibl
e to decontaminate, such that if they are potent enough, the leather it
self provides a reservoir for skin penetration and toxicity. I'd suggest th
at certain metals, POCs, and some organic solvents might have similar p
roperties.
As an anecdote, an older rancher who had a pair of snakeskin cowboy boots
was life-threateningly-poisoned with a potent OP pesticide. He was
wearing pair of snakeskin boots at the time and wouldn't give them up, n
o matter what we said. When he was finally well and ready to be dis
charged from the hospital, he put those boots back on and made it as far
as the front door, when he again became life-threateningly poisoned. 
; After that, we made sure those boots were incinerated as hazardous wa
ste and the rancher went on to do well afterwards.
Kudos. Shiela
Alan
Alan H. Hall, M.D.
Medical Toxicologist
I=92m sorry for being late on this; I=92m read ing old SAFETY & DCHAS-L mail today.
We just had this situation in our Teaching Labs - student doing well in all respects except covering the toe that protrud ed from the orthopedic boot she needed. I purchased ballet slippers for her , which provided a thin layer of leather over the toes, giving her cut resistance and some splash protection without adding a lot of bulk. Sizing took some guesswork, but the cost was less than $15.
Sheila
--
Sheila M. Kennedy
, CHO
Safety Coordinator
Chemistry & Biochemistry Teaching La
boratories
University of California, San Diego
(858)
534-0221
On Mon, Mar 28, 2011 at 7:55 AM,
Brennan, Catherine (Environment Health & Sa fety) <CRBRENNAN**At_Symbol_Here**ehs.unc.edu< /A>> wrote:
We have a graduate student in our Chemistry Departm ent who broke her foot and is now wearing a boot that has open toes for the next 6-8 weeks (no crutches). Has anybody come up against this sit uation before and do you know of any protective devices that can be worn an d still allow the student to work in the lab while meeting the =93no open-t oed shoes in lab=94 requirements? Thanks for your help.
-Cathy
Catherine R. Brennan
Chemical Hygiene Officer<
BR>Environment, Health and SafetyCB#1650
1120 Estes Drive
Extension
University of North Caro
lina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill,
NC 27599-1650
(919) 843-5331
(919) 962-0227 FAX<
/P>
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