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Previous by Date: Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Stirrer Hot Plates Date: March 27, 2013 4:45:14 PM EDT Author: Naomi Kelly |
Next by Date: Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Training program feedback survey? Date: March 27, 2013 4:53:05 PM EDT Author: Hadden, Susan |
John,
I also find "near misses" seem difficult for our faculty to remember to
record. Sometimes just getting them to remember to record student lab
incidents (spills, breaks, exposures) is difficult. I also supervise the
departments lab assistants and part of their training is to fill out the
tally sheets, especially when Instructors don't remember to. We tally
everything from general small spills and breaks by students to large
incidents (including injuries of course). We have a lab class cap at 24
students for lower level courses and smaller caps for upper level courses
which typically may not have a lab assistant.
In the 10 years that I've been here we had one fellow try to put a piece
of glass tubing through his hand and 2 large 3L container breaks. Most
(but not all) of our research is not hazardous chemistry. Hazard
assessments are completed before research begins and are part of the
proposal process. We have roughly 125-150 students taking chem labs per
semester.
Just out of curiosity I went to the OSHA site to define a "near miss" and
this is what I found:
OSHA DEFINITIONS
ACCIDENT - The National Safety Council defines an accident as an undesired
event that results in personal injury or property damage.
INCIDENT - An incident is an unplanned, undesired event that adversely
affects completion of a task.
NEAR MISS - Near misses describe incidents where no property was damaged
and no personal injury sustained, but where, given a slight shift in time
or position, damage and/or injury easily could have occurred.
Still somewhat vague as a spilled chemical may not cause damage or
personal injury but there would still be property loss (the chemical) and
adverse effects on completion of the task.
Anyway....have a good evening all.
Mel
Mel Charlton-Smith
Chemical Hygiene Officer, Lab Coordinator, Lecturer
BS-CHO program
Department of Chemistry
WV Wesleyan College
Buckhannon, WV 26201
charltonsmith**At_Symbol_Here**wvwc.edu
304-473-8355
-----Original Message-----
From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU] On Behalf
Of Nail, John
Sent: Wednesday, March 27, 2013 12:39 PM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Training program feedback survey?
One of our (Oklahoma City University Chemistry Department's) departmental
assessment objectives is laboratory safety. The only quantifiable way of
assessing this objective is to record incidents and near misses. I note
that there is a problem defining what is a 'near miss' and also a problem
remembering to record the near misses.
For what it's worth, we've had one incident in the past 10 years (a cut
due to broken glassware). I note that the department is 3 faculty members,
none of which do any hazardous chemistry research, and, we've never had
more than 100 students taking chemistry labs during a semester.
Any suggestions regarding quantifiable measurements of laboratory safety
would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
John
John Nail
Chemistry Professor
Oklahoma City University
-----Original Message-----
From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU] On Behalf
Of Melissa Charlton-Smith
Sent: Wednesday, March 27, 2013 9:21 AM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Training program feedback survey?
Along these same lines Ralph, I am keeping a running tally of
incidents/near misses etc in our teaching labs including what type of
incident and what it involves. Is anybody else doing this and would you
be willing to share your data with me?
Thanks
Mel
Mel Charlton-Smith
Chemical Hygiene Officer, Lab Coordinator, Lecturer BS-CHO program
Department of Chemistry WV Wesleyan College Buckhannon, WV 26201
charltonsmith**At_Symbol_Here**wvwc.edu
304-473-8355
-----Original Message-----
From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU] On Behalf
Of Ralph B. Stuart
Sent: Wednesday, March 27, 2013 9:04 AM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Training program feedback survey?
I wonder if anyone in the academic portion of DCHAS-L has conducted a
survey of people who have taken lab safety training for feedback on strong
points and opportunities for improving the experience for participants. I
would like to take on such an effort here and thought it would be good to
know if other people have developed such tools and possibly what the
results were as a benchmark.
Thanks for any information on this.
- Ralph
Ralph Stuart CIH
Chemical Hygiene Officer
Department of Environmental Health and Safety Cornell University
rstuart**At_Symbol_Here**cornell.edu
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