Hi Kim,

I bet I can guess the answer, but wanted to confirm re: your "SB Guardian" alert system...

If a subscriber is in a location that has no or poor cellphone coverage (but there is WiFi available), does SB Guardian work in either mode? I am looking for a 'man/woman down' alert device that can send signals from areas where cellphones do not have reception..

Many thanks!
Margaret

On Wed, Sep 12, 2012 at 7:24 AM, Kim Auletta <kim.auletta**At_Symbol_Here**stonybrook.edu> wrote:

Since I started the discussion, I thought it best if I share what I've written so far. I also don't think we can prohibit work after a magic hour and I think the lab staff should plan on working after a set time, so I've mentioned that in the procedure. I can't include it as an attachment, so sorry for the lengthy cut & paste & I've skipped some of the less important details. (I'll send it as an attachment if you email me directly)

1. Policy:

High School Students: Never permitted to work alone in a research lab, even with non-hazardous materials. They must always have a mentor/supervisor present. The Supervisor, at a minimum, must be a Graduate student working as an RA, TA or GA. This person must have received all EH&S required safety training pertinent to the work that the supervised persons will be performing. The Supervisor must understand the hazards and risks of the student's project and reviewed the written SOP/safety protocol. The Supervisor must be approved by the PI. Minors can only work during "building hours". Review the Minors in Research Labs policy for additional information: http://www.stonybrook.edu/ehs/lab/minors.shtml

Undergraduate Students: Never permitted to work alone in a research lab with hazardous materials. Someone else with EH&S required safety training must be in the lab or adjacent to the lab and be able to check on their safety.

Graduate Students, Postdoctoral Fellows, Research Scientists, Technicians and Principal Investigators: These are considered full time laboratory workers, and laboratory training is integral to their professional training.. They have completed all EH&S training related to their laboratory work. They are permitted to work alone in a research laboratory after approval by the PI and following the lab=E2=80™s safety protocol for working alone.

Clinical Students, including Medical Students, Residents and Clinical Fellows: Since their laboratory training is only a portion of their professional training and work intermittently in a research lab, they are not permitted to work alone in a research lab with hazardous materials. They must use the "buddy system".

1. Definitions:

1.1. Buddy System: A "buddy system" establishes regular, routine checks on personnel working alone, such as every 15 - 30 minutes, to ensure no accidents have occurred. This could be accomplished by physically walking to the room where the lab worker is located. A system of visual checks ensures there are no problems and/or determines if help is needed.

1.2. Working Alone: A worker is considered as "working alone" if the individual is working by his/herself such that assistance is not readily available should some injury, illness or emergency arise. Alone is interpreted as being out of visual contact with another person for more than a few minutes. It includes working in physical isolation, e.g. as the sole occupant of a laboratory or during a site sampling activity, where no other person is in the vicinity, i.e. within a short direct range or earshot. It is possible for a worker to be on the same floor of a building or even in the same general area as others, yet be working alone. It can occur during normal working hours as well as in the evening, at night or at weekends.

7. Procedures:

Working Alone

7.1. Working alone, especially after hours, should be avoided whenever possible.

7.2. Conduct a Hazard Assessment of the work being performed and the risks and emergency requirements for working alone or after hours.

7.3. Prepare a written safety protocol identifying the hazards, risks and the methods for controlling the risks. (http://www.stonybrook.edu/ehs/lab/general-lab-safety/hazard-reviews.shtml)

7.4. Working alone and working after normal building hours requires supervisor/PI approval.

7.5. PI approval for working alone or after hours must consider:

=E2=80=A2 Tasks and hazards involved in the work.

=E2=80=A2 Consequences resulting from a worst=E2=80=90case scenario.

=E2=80=A2 The possibility of an accident or incident that would prevent the laboratory personnel from calling for help.

=E2=80=A2 The laboratory personnel's training and experience.

=E2=80=A2 Time the work is to be conducted (during normal business hours versus at night or on weekends/holidays).See Appendix for Laboratory Specific Working Alone Protocol Approval form.

7.6. Have a cell phone on person with University Policy Department phone number programmed in (631-632-3333). If no cell phone is available or there is no cell service, know where the campus phone is located and have the emergency number posted nearby.

7.7. Each lab must develop a safety protocol for working alone (or use the recommended form in this policy). This protocol must clearly state what hazardous materials (chemical, biological and/or radiological), equipment, and/or procedures must not be performed when working alone. Example requirements are:

The policy in this laboratory is:

The following chemicals will not be used while working alone:

=E2=80=A2 Pyrophoric Chemicals

=E2=80=A2 Water Reactive Chemicals

=E2=80=A2 Potentially Explosive Chemicals or Compounds

=E2=80=A2 Explosive Salts

=E2=80=A2 Acutely Toxic Chemicals or Gases

=E2=80=A2 Peroxide Forming Chemicals

=E2=80=A2 Strong Corrosives

=E2=80=A2 Strong Oxidizing Agents

=E2=80=A2 Strong Reducing Agents

=E2=80=A2 Regulated Carcinogens

Ex: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/6614355/UC_chemical_list.pdf

The following biological material will not be used while working alone:

=E2=80=A2 Select Agents (ex. Botulinum neurotoxins, Tetrodotoxin, Yersinia pestis)

(http://www.selectagents.gov/Select%20Agents%20and%20Toxins%20List.html)

The following procedures will not be conducted with only one person present:

=E2=80=A2 Use of machine shop equipment or lathes (see Machine Shop Policy http://www.stonybrook.edu/ehs/lab/general-lab-safety/machine-hazards.shtml)

=E2=80=A2 Procedures involving high-pressure equipment [identify specific equipment]

=E2=80=A2 Transferring large quantities [e.g., 10 liters or more] of hazardous materials

=E2=80=A2 Handling animals that could cause serious injury

=E2=80=A2 Other safety considerations for working alone in the laboratory:

Emergency requirements including, but not limited to:

=E2=80=A2 The person's ability to self-rescue

=E2=80=A2 "Check in" with someone (identify person and confirm they are available before beginning work)

=E2=80=A2 Door has a viewing window or other means of indicating someone is inside

=E2=80=A2 Use SB Guardian

=E2=80=A2 Turns your cell phone into a "personal blue light phone" in your pocket and can function in "Panic Call Mode" or "Precautionary Timer Mode".

=E2=80=A2 A recorded message for those individuals working alone in laboratories should include the following:

=E2=80=A2 Name

=E2=80=A2 Building name/number, floor number, room/lab number

=E2=80=A2 Any highly hazardous processes/chemicals being used

Instructions for accessing SB Guardian: http://www.stonybrook.edu/commcms/emergency/guardian.html

Situations where working alone may occur include:

=E2=80=A2 Periodic attendance to check laboratory equipment/experiments

=E2=80=A2 Cleaning and maintenance activities in laboratories

=E2=80=A2 Working with analytical equipment

=E2=80=A2 Working in storage areas and temperature-controlled rooms

=E2=80=A2 Working in offices, libraries and at computer workstations

7.8. A Laboratory Emergency Plan must be posted near the lab phone. The names and phone numbers for the lab and building contacts must be up to date. (http://www.stonybrook..edu/ehs/lab/general-lab-safety/signs-and-labels.shtml)

Kim Gates Auletta

Laboratory Safety Specialist

Environmental Health & Safety

Stony Brook University

Stony Brook, NY 11794-6200

kim.auletta**At_Symbol_Here**stonybrook.edu

631-632-3032

FAX: 631-632-9683

EH&S Web site: http://www.stonybrook.edu/ehs/lab/

On Tue, Sep 11, 2012 at 10:20 PM, Melissa Charlton-Smith <charltonsmith**At_Symbol_Here**wvwc.edu> wrote:

Rob,

I agree with you on addressing what to do if an experiment unexpectedly "run's over" and not starting new experiments during the "overtime" period. If we are going to define acceptable work hours, we should certainly advise people on how to wrap things up safely, and what to do if work run's overtime.

I don't feel any of us are trying to shoehorn everything into one box, which is why you will find many "buddy system" clauses, to take into consideration such things as poor time management or simply experiments that took longer than expected.

But I do agree completely that we need to include "what to do if-" policies/guidance as well as setting the work hours.

Mel

From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU] On Behalf Of ILPI
Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2012 3:48 PM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Academic Facilities: Undergrads in research labs - restrictions?

I have found the hour restrictions in this thread to be quite interesting. I just wanted to chime in from the "user" side of the policies that folks have described or posted. I'm a former professor and my undergrad and grad school years were full of late night activity.

I think the reason a lot of the policies have "sketchy" or loose descriptions is because the nature of research is such that you can't shoehorn everything into one box. Few academic laboratory research projects ever finish in the amount of time that you think. There are some processes that you just can't shut down when 5 PM or 8 PM or the appointed Official Hour is reached. Even with good planning and an experiment you've done before, researchers routinely take a lot longer to finish tasks than originally planned - ask any grad student how many times they have had to call/text their significant other that they wouldn't make dinner/date/whatever on time.

I fear that a time that appears set in stone by definition or enforcement language will encourage folks to rush through finishing up, thereby increasing the chances of an accident. And, in my personal experience, most accidents happen when you're cleaning up, so hurrying up at the end when you're "all done" is even more dangerous.

If you do have specified "regular" or "preferred hours" then you also need to come up with policies that reflect the realities of research. It should address what to do if an experiment unexpectedly takes you beyond the normal hours, explain that no new experiments/procedures should be started once you're in the "overtime" period etc. In other words, some performance-oriented language rather than black and white one size fits-all for this one aspect.

Rob Toreki

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From: "Kim Auletta" <kim.auletta**At_Symbol_Here**STONYBROOK.EDU>
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU
Sent: Monday, September 10, 2012 11:49:15 AM
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Academic Facilities: Undergrads in research labs - restrictions?

We are working on updating our Chemical Hygiene Plan. I'm clarifying/strengthening the "working alone" section. I've separated the requirements into 4 groups - HS students, undergrads, grads and above and clinical fellows (MDs in labs). When working with hazardous materials, I've restricted HS students to constant supervision, UG to someone else (fully trained) within lab/earshot, grads+ can work alone w/ PI approval & clinical to "buddy system" (someone who will check on them, but they don't have to be in lab).

I'm getting some comments from PIs on the draft policy about the undergrads that is surprising.

I'd like to know what other universities have in writing for "working alone" policies, and specifically for UG students conducting independent research in labs with hazardous materials (chem, bio, rad). I'm looking for something more than the "working alone should be avoided" statements - we all have that & know its an unsafe condition & industry would never allow it.

I appreciate your insight & guidance as usual!

I'll compile responses that come directly to me.

Kim Gates Auletta

Laboratory Safety Specialist

Environmental Health & Safety

Stony Brook University

Stony Brook, NY 11794-6200

kim.auletta**At_Symbol_Here**stonybrook.edu

631-632-3032

FAX: 631-632-9683

EH&S Web site: http://www.stonybrook.edu/ehs/lab/

--
Margaret A. Rakas, Ph.D.
Manager, Inventory & Regulatory Affairs
Clark Science Center
413-585-3877 (p)