DCHAS-L Archives, Apr 29 2013 - Re: [DCHAS-L] Chemistry Fume Hood Experience

To all:

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A key point I was trying to make is the need to look beyond the individual hood or multiple hoods and critically review ventilation in the entire building. My guess is that you may have a serious building ventilation problem with insufficient makeup air. I could be wrong. A rigorous and comprehensive review with associated measurements of key parameters by a qualified professional ventilation engineer will tell you if you have a problem and identify potential solutions. Achieving the right balance in a building housing multiple functions (laboratories, offices, class rooms, etc) with significant variation in use around the clock. is not a trival issue

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Many years ago I was visiting a major nuclear facility in India with a large building housing many research functions including radiochemistry laboratories. We stopped in one low level radiochemistry laboratory to chat. I sensed something was wrong. I asked my host if the ventilation system was mal-functioning. He cocked his head and thought for a minute and said-"Your right, this is Tuesday, we shut down the ventilation system on Tuesdays and Thursdays and weekends. That saves electricity needed to run the fans and minimizes the need to change out HEPA filters which are not manufactured here and need to be paid for with hard currency." The practice was apparently acceptable in India at that time. That was pre-Bhopal!!

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I want to re-emphasize that ignoring alarms of any kind is not an acceptable health and safety practice. The root cause needs to be identified or all who participate need to be held accountable when a serious accident occurs when a legitimate alarm is ignored. I purposefully did not use the word --if.

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University laboratories need to aspire to the same health , safety and environmental standards that are viewed as best practices in industry. I can assure all who read this memo that a research scientist who ignore alarms would have a short tenure in industry.

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Roger O. McClellan

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=0AFrom: Mary Ellen A Scott <mas35**At_Symbol_Here**CASE.EDU>
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU
Sent: Mon, April 29, 2013 7:43:15 PM
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Chemistry Fume Hood Experience

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We have performed the ASHRAE test on these hoods and they all passed. The alarms do go off frequently and so are ignored. So I am concerned about the wolf and have stated as much in writing. I have been asking for the monitors to be serviced. Starting with the monitors and followed with your suggestions may be enough to move through the block.

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On Mon, Apr 29, 2013 at 4:57 PM, Yung Morgan <pmorgan**At_Symbol_Here**ehs.umass.edu> wrote:
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For the new high efficiency hoods, require an Ashrae 110 test as manufactured(AM) and another one as installed (AI) for at least 10 or 20% of the hoods in your facility.
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Air flow alarm visible( with numbers) and audible are a requirement. When testing the hoods we have a required that the hoods pass at flow rate: 80 FPM(70-90FPM) at 18 inches opening and hood alarm set at 55FPM , sash response time at 60 sec or less. Ask for a balancing report also to be sure the supply is proper for the space as a VAV hood will not work without enough supplied air, hence the constant flow alarm which can be a nuisance to the occupants. Fume hoods sensors are not always useful as research hoods have to run overnight at optimum flow rates, a constant battle between the energy group and safety people. Room occupancy sensors are fine as long as the researchers know to not to work in the dark(with the light off) unless they want their hoods air flow to go down.
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Again, just my two cents.
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Yung Morgan, MsPH
Laboratory Safety
Industrial Hygiene Services
Environmental Health and Safety
117 Draper hall
UMASS,Amherst MA 01003
phone (413) 545-2682
Fax (413) 545-2600
email : pmorgan**At_Symbol_Here**ehs.umass.edu
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From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU] On Behalf Of Jim Johnson
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Sent: Sunday, April 28, 2013 6:35 PM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Chemistry Fume Hood Experience =0A
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Good Afternoon,
I would like to start a discussion on current experience with chemistry fume hoods related to overall quality, best value, interior construction, coatings/materials of construction, installation issues, air flow alarms, order lead time, energy saving features plus anything else that comes to mind.
Thank you,

James S. Johnson Ph.D., CIH, QEP
JSJ and Associates
Pleasanton, CA 94588

--
Mary Ellen Scott, PhD.
Safety Specialist II
Case Western Reserve University
EHS - Environmental Health and Safety
Service Building 1st Floor Rm 113
2220 Circle Dr.
Cleveland, OH 44106-7227
216-368-6077
216-368-2236 (Fax)
maryellen.scott**At_Symbol_Here**case.edu
"There is no science without fancy and no art without fact" - Vladimir Nabokov (1899-1977)

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