From a safety perspective, I have actually had to use this in an emergency response.. I was called into a lab to investigate an unknown spill after hours.. Luckily, the researcher (who was not answering his phone) had properly labeled his flask with a notebook identification number. I was able to find his notebook at his desk, and reference the starting materials and products in order to determine what had actually spilled and the best method to clean it up.
As far as someone leaving, we make it very clear to our labs that if a post-doc or graduate student leaves, and EHS has to play Sherlock Holmes for sample identification, the lab will be charged for the identification, which is not cheap. The labs are pretty good about making sure their people clean up on the way out. In the case of faculty members that are retiring or leaving, there is a pretty intense laboratory checkout procedure that starts months before they leave. These checkouts include multiple EHS walkthroughs to identify and troubleshoot problem areas. They also include escorted walkthroughs with our third party waste vendors to identify their areas of concern. We cover everything from labeling, waste management, instrument decontamination, hazardous materials shipping, DOT regs for moving labs containing HazMat to other campuses, etc. It seems to work pretty well.
Thanks,
Brandon S. Chance, M.S., CCHO
Program Manager, Chemical Safety
Environmental Health and Safety
Princeton University
262 Alexander Street
Princeton, NJ 08540
609-258-7882 (office)
609-955-1289 (mobile)
609-258-1804 (fax)
"The second I feel like I made it, the second I feel like I've arrived, that's the second someone will take my spot. And I like my spot." J.J. Watt - Houston Texans
I've discovered in my travels that synthetic labs always have some sort of scheme for labelling their lab-produced products. They are usually teeny samples - a few milligrams, typically. Workers treat those
synthesis products as if they were toxic, in the absence of information to the contrary. I've been asking researchers to include in their lab-specific CHP a descriptor of the research lab naming convention. It varies from group to group and I WILL NOT get
into the business of telling anyone how they should name their samples! They need to tell me how they name their materials.
HTH,
Debbie M. Decker, CCHO
Safety Manager
Department of Chemistry
University of California, Davis
122 Chemistry
1 Shields Ave.
Davis, CA 95616
(530)754-7964
(530)304-6728
dmdecker**At_Symbol_Here**ucdavis.edu
Birkett's hypothesis: "Any chemical reaction
that proceeds smoothly under normal conditions,
can proceed violently in the presence of an idiot."
From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU]
On Behalf Of Kohler, Christopher E
Sent: Friday, February 28, 2014 7:53 AM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Labeling synthesized chemicals in vials
Dear DCHAS Listers,
We are interested in how various colleges and universities label synthesized chemical materials in small quantities in vials.
Some of our organic chemists have hundreds of samples in small vials labelled with structures only. Some samples may or may not be novel substances.
This becomes a problem when someone retires or leaves and our hazardous waste group is tasked with identifying hundreds of samples for disposal purposes.
What do you require?
Actual chemical names? Associated hazards? Can they be grouped and stored in similar chemical groups.
Any information is very much appreciated.
Thanks,
Chris
Christopher E. Kohler
Laboratory Safety Manager
University Environmental Health and Safety
Indiana University
1514 E Third Street
Bloomington, IN 47405
(812) 855-5454
cekohler**At_Symbol_Here**iu.edu
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