This is the same crap I hear from some college administrators who think they have a brilliant concept for planning a new art building.  The ventilation systems, emergency equipment, level of fire safety, and a flock of other precautions vary from media to media making them incompatible.  For one, OSHA requires 35 feet between welding (and other spark-producing work) and combustibles or flammables such as solvents, wood dust, plastic, paper, etc.  

 

It's easiest for me to make the case to administrators by looking at the just the ventilation.  The general ventilation standards and their rates vary for wood dust, welding fume, ceramic clay dust, acid gases created during etching, solvent vapors for plate and brush cleaning, etc.  This just plain precludes all this airborne junk from being generated in the same open space.

 

So I can tell you if science students or researchers work out on the benches without good local capture, this open concept won't work.  But you people like to stick your nasties inside a chemistry fume hood.  And if you do this consistently enough, you may not even need a dilution system with a specific rate for the room.  But I'll be there are fire, chemical storage, incompatible activities and other issues I haven't thought of.

 

So I will be VERY interested in the objections you come up with other than noise and stress--two conditions that I personally embrace in my own life. 

Monona Rossol, M.S., M.F.A., Industrial Hygienist

President:  Arts, Crafts & Theater Safety, Inc.

Safety Officer: Local USA829, IATSE

181 Thompson St., #23

New York, NY 10012     212-777-0062

actsnyc**At_Symbol_Here**cs.com   www.artscraftstheatersafety.org

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Ralph B. Stuart <rstuart**At_Symbol_Here**CORNELL.EDU>
To: DCHAS-L <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU>
Sent: Fri, Feb 21, 2014 7:30 am
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Open plan research buildings

I noticed while scanning this morning's C&EN headlines this notice:
Are you in favor of the trend for open plan research buildings? Do they make for 
more collaboration and better science? Or are they noisy, distracting and 
stressful places to work? At C&EN we'd like to hear your opinion for an upcoming 
article. If you would like to participate please email Senior Editor Alex Scott 
at a_scott**At_Symbol_Here**acs.org.

I thought that DCHAS members might have some interesting thoughts on the matter 
and want to contact Alex...

- Ralph


Ralph Stuart CIH
Chemical Hygiene Officer
Department of Environmental Health and Safety
Cornell University

rstuart**At_Symbol_Here**cornell.edu