Comments on: Lab safety and chemical hygene in acadamia blows

By: Kibbey Stovall

Kibbey Stovall — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 03:19:55 +0000

The reason there are often no drains under the safety showers is to prevent the possible chemical cocktail made when one of them is used from flushing chemicals into the sewage system. The same laws that prevent you from pouring chemicals down the sink apply to the floor drains, since they generally just flow to the same system.

By: Chemjobber

Chemjobber — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 04:34:58 +0000

I’ve put some of my thoughts down about this incident here, after the interesting LA Times article from the weekend about the incident:

http://chemjobber.blogspot.com.....angji.html

By: Kyle Finchsigmate

Kyle Finchsigmate — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 04:02:16 +0000

labor? that comes and goes. Snails is forever.

By: Willow

Willow — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 01:01:41 +0000

Let me tell you something from personal experience.

If you report unsafe conditions to your PI, or even your university and nothing is done, then NEVER EVER EVER call OSHA. If you think someone will show up on a white horse I can assure you that is not the case. OSHA works hand in hand with university administrators and local county officials to ‘keep things quiet’. OSHA is a do-nothing organization.

Should you witness large numbers (or even several) unlabled bottles, unrefrigerated reactives or large amounts of chemicals outside of flame-proof cabinets then CONTACT THE EPA. EPA prosecutes and fines on a regular basis under a mandate called RCRA. Most academic labs fail at least one RCRA requirement. Even generally hazardous conditions (not fitting specific criteria can be fined and prosecuted). Note only the Professor and administrators will be fined.

http://www.epa.gov/epahome/violations.htm

It’s funny that all this is done under the aegis of protecting the trees and snails.

By: MC

MC — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 00:30:24 +0000

Safety in a lab is not a matter for senators. It is a personal matter. If you feel unsafe, fix it. Either make yourself safe, talk to the person who is making you unsafe, or take it up with your boss. Then take it up with his boss if need be.

All crying to senators will do is give us yet another law that won’t be enforced consistently.

By: Jack Smith

Jack Smith — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 05:24:57 +0000

The problem I have is everyone around me is unsafe! I’m paranoid to the bone about everything, so I read the MSDS sheet, transfer dangerous shit to tared flasks in the hood. We don’t have a balance in the hood because the boss said the air flow would give incorrect readings. I’m not sure if that’s true, but being off a few milligrams is much less a big deal then someone breathing in toxic fumes! Just today someone wanted to show me the “pretty” color of some toxic volatile osmium compound. Red toxic fumes in an uncaped flask right in my face. OK! The people around me are going to kill me!!!!!!!

By: Phil

Phil — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 23:12:23 +0000

I went to UIUC, and would wholeheartedly recommend avoiding the place. This is also based on what happened to my friends (several had worse experiences in grad school than I did). I’ve been out long enough not to hate it with passion anymore, but I’ve also been working in industry (with much higher safety standards) long enough that the story about the kid at UCLA really pissed me off – if these profs cared about safety and not just publications and professional accomplishments, this might not have happened.

I don’t think professors are evil enough to intentionally kill a kid, but I do think they’re evil enough to not give a crap about the safety of grad students. I can’t speak for the individual involved in this incident, but that’s my assessment based on what I’ve seen.

By: uncle sam

uncle sam — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 07:06:52 +0000

Where the hell did you and afid go to gradschool!? Because I want to avoid that place now. I heard that the City of Dis University chemistry program wasn’t all it was made out to be, but man, I never would have thought it got that bad over the years.

Sure, the place I went to wasn’t all roses all the time, but I don’t hate it with a passion and the profs generally weren’t a bunch of psychos as far as I could tell.

Maybe you just need to wait another year or more until the negative emotions fade away…

By: Phil

Phil — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 15:07:46 +0000

You ever been to grad school, Sam? I have, and unfortunately, Afid is right on.

By: Kyle Finchsigmate

Kyle Finchsigmate — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 04:10:56 +0000

I suppose it depends upon what you mean by third world. Limited to what is generally considered “poor” by American or Western European standards, Iran, Pakistan and India have federally funded research programs that don’t involve making shit that melts the skin off babies. BUT that was obviously hyperbole…