Hi Ralph:

I have what is probably a different audience (grade 6-12 science teachers) and generally, about an hour to give an effective lab safety training each year. However, last year I re-vamped the training to walk the teachers through hazard analysis, risk assessment, and safety actions. I incorporated a pyramid of safety actions (that I saw in a CDC post), and figured a way to bring in the recent safety incidents.

Since this is part of a powerpoint, I pull in some clever graphics, but using this hierarchy:

Level 1: Elimination

Level 2: Substitution

Level 3: Engineering controls

Level 4: Administrative controls

Level 5: Personal Protective Equipment

I'll mention (next training) that most of the Rainbow demo incidents resulted from failure of elimination or substitution (there are safer ways in the K-12 world to illustrate this concept). The UCLA incident was a failure of administrative controls (lack of training) and PPE. The recent U of Hawaii incident was a failure of engineering controls and administrative controls. I also pull in some more local incidents that my people would remember.

Given more time, I might provide participants with a narrative of the various incidents and allow them to decide where safety actions failed. Because it would involve having them discuss the material, it would be my preference.

Most importantly, the one take-away that anyone who hears my safety talks (sometimes referred to as "McGrath's Messages of Doom and Gloom") needs is to believe, "this COULD happen in my classroom."

Eddie McGrath

Edward J. McGrath
Supervisor of Science
Red Clay Consolidated School District
1502 Spruce Avenue
Wilmington, DE 19805

(302) 552-3768

We did not inherit the Earth from our parents. We borrowed it from our children.

-----Original Message-----
From: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety [mailto:DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU] On Behalf Of Stuart, Ralph
Sent: Tuesday, March 07, 2017 9:18 AM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU
Subject: [DCHAS-L] CSB report and lab safety training

Random Tuesday question:
I wonder how many DCHAS members include a discussion of the 2011 Chemical Safety Board report on safety in research laboratories or their 2013 "After the Rainbow" video in their general lab safety training? I'm preparing a presentation for lab communities at a couple of diverse institutions and time is tight. I wonder whether the audiences will need details about what the incidents at Dartmouth, UCLA, Texas Tech or with rainbow demonstrations involve or whether I can just refer the audience to the reports for more detail?

Thanks for any thoughts on this.

- Ralph

Ralph Stuart, CIH, CCHO
Environmental Safety Manager
Keene State College
603 358-2859

ralph.stuart**At_Symbol_Here**keene.edu

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This e-mail is from DCHAS-L, the e-mail list of the ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety.
For more information about the list, contact the Divisional secretary at secretary**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org

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