Date: Tue, 28 Jun 2011 09:12:56 -0500
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: Beth Shepard <Beth.Shepard**At_Symbol_Here**SIAL.COM>
Subject: Re: Boston College incident follow up
In-Reply-To: <A6BDD774-2882-4C55-AF1D-9AA1A32F5A08**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org>

Another factor in the student's decision to go home to treat herself could 
be health insurance. I don't know what insurance grad students get/have 
from the colleges they are attending, but other countries have other 
systems for their emergency care. Some expect the patient to pay for 
treatment upfront.

Hypothetically, someone familiar with that type of system could make a 
decision to avoid hospital treatment for something they felt was minor.

Good luck in your investigation, Gail. 

Beth

Beth Shepard / Technical Compliance Specialist 
Regulatory Compliance 
6000 N. Teutonia Ave. / Milwaukee, WI 53209 / USA 
P: (414) 438-3850, x5471 
sigma-aldrich.com 



"Secretary, ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety" 
 
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[DCHAS-L] Boston College incident follow up




Gail asked me to pass this along to the list as background for some of the 
discussion occurring here. I would also note that there is a lot of 
speculation about the event in the media and blog-world; a summary can be 
found at
http://cenblog.org/the-safety-zone/2011/06/boston-college-student-injured-in-lab-explosion/

- Ralph 

From: Gail Hall 
Date: Jun 27 2011

The Chemistry Department and EHS at Boston College train every graduate 
student initially and annually to call Campus Safety in the event of an 
emergency. There are signs at every phone. There is even a question on the 
quiz that they have to take to get their keys. 

At the moment we are still collecting information and don't have a cause 
for the explosion or a reason that the student acted as she did.  We seem 
to have had our share of learning opportunities in the past 18 months, and 
I will share our hypotheses and/or conclusions on this one when we have 
been able to fully research the matter.  I hate to think I have enough 
material for an article in JCHAS, but it's beginning to look that way.

In the meantime, if anyone has any ideas about sources of pictograms to 
help communicate certain things to students for whom English is the second 
language, we'd appreciate the information.

Gail

Gail Hall
Director, EH&S
Boston College
gail.hall**At_Symbol_Here**bc.edu
617-552-0300


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Another factor in the student's decision to go home to treat herself could be health insurance. I don't know what insurance grad students get/have from the colleges they are attending, but other countries have other systems for their emergency care. Some expect the patient to pay for treatment upfront.

Hypothetically, someone familiar with that type of system could make a decision to avoid hospital treatment for something they felt was minor.

Good luck in your investigation, Gail.  

Beth

Beth Shepard / Technical Compliance Specialist
Regulatory Compliance
6000 N. Teutonia Ave.
/ Milwaukee, WI 53209 / USA
P: (414) 438-3850, x5471

sigma-aldrich.com


"Secretary, ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety" <secretary**At_Symbol_Here**DCHAS.ORG>
Sent by: DCHAS-L Discussion List <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU>

06/28/2011 06:57 AM
Please respond to
DCHAS-L Discussion List <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU>

To
DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU
cc
Subject
[DCHAS-L] Boston College incident follow up



Gail asked me to pass this along to the list as background for some of the discussion occurring here. I would also note that there is a lot of speculation about the event in the media and blog-world; a summary can be found at
http://cenblog.org/the-safety-zone/2011/06/boston-college-student-injured-in-lab-explosion/

- Ralph

From: Gail Hall <gail.hall**At_Symbol_Here**bc.edu>
Date: Jun 27 2011

The Chemistry Department and EHS at Boston College train every graduate student initially and annually to call Campus Safety in the event of an emergency. There are signs at every phone. There is even a question on the quiz that they have to take to get their keys.

At the moment we are still collecting information and don't have a cause for the explosion or a reason that the student acted as she did.  We seem to have had our share of learning opportunities in the past 18 months, and I will share our hypotheses and/or conclusions on this one when we have been able to fully research the matter.  I hate to think I have enough material for an article in JCHAS, but it's beginning to look that way.

In the meantime, if anyone has any ideas about sources of pictograms to help communicate certain things to students for whom English is the second language, we'd appreciate the information.

Gail

Gail Hall
Director, EH&S
Boston College
gail.hall**At_Symbol_Here**bc.edu
617-552-0300

This message and any files transmitted with it are the property of Sigma-Aldrich Corporation, are confidential, and are intended solely for the use of the person or entity to whom this e-mail is addressed. If you are not one of the named recipient(s) or otherwise have reason to believe that you have received this message in error, please contact the sender and delete this message immediately from your computer. Any other use, retention, dissemination, forwarding, printing, or copying of this e-mail is strictly prohibited.

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