Free e-Newsletters

Lab Safety Advisor

A FREE e-mail newsletter that offers tips, advice, and Q & As from Terry Jo Gile, MT (ASCP), MA, Ed.

2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005

Lab Safety Advisor

Issue 52, December 27, 2005

• Emergency responders hold strong in NYC transit strike

  New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg praised the city's first responders for doing a "great job" during...

Issue 30, December 27, 2005

• Legal Issues and Laboratory Waste

  Companies that supply the lab industry, she says, often fail to report the hazardous chemical...

Issue 29, December 20, 2005

• Employee Use and Handling of Consumer Products

  On April 11, 2005, OSHA published a letter of interpretation that discussed the exemption of...

• Employee Use and Handling of Consumer Products

  On April 11, 2005, OSHA published a letter of interpretation that discussed the exemption of...

Issue 27, December 7, 2005

• Recent Sentinel Events Stemmed from Lab Errors

  Two major news stories about errant lab results shed light on planned changes in the inspection...

Issue 25, November 18, 2005 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Noise pollution a safety concern, even in the lab

  Are laboratorians obligated to protect workers against hearing loss? Yes, they are. The...

Issue 24, November 14, 2005

• Keeping Cool Amid the Hype

  Electrical safety is often overlooked in the laboratory setting--figuratively as well as literally...

Issue 23, November 9, 2005

• What is OSHA's requirement for emergency lighting in a facility?

  There are no specific OSHA requirements that emergency lighting be provided. OSHA regulation...

Issue 22, November 4, 2005

• CDC Recommends Bleach to Lessen Risk of HBV Decontamination

  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) can...

Issue 21, October 24, 2005

• Gloves are the first line of defense against infection.

  It is important to train employees in the proper method of glove selection, fitting, and aseptic...

Issue 20, October 18, 2005

• Your best defense against fire damage

  The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) states that 93% of all fire-related deaths and 95...

Issue 19, October 7, 2005 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

Issue 17, September 26, 2005

• How close should eyewashes be from hazardous chemicals?

  Eyewashes should require no more than a 10-second walk to reach and be within a travel distance of...

Issue 16, September 21, 2005

• Web sites to help ensure your lab compliance program is effective

  Welcome, readers of Laboratory Compliance Insider. This page features live links to various free...

• Know the difference between Haz-Com and Chemical Hygiene

  The Hazard Communication Standard was published in 1987 and applies to all industries.

Issue 15, September 14, 2005

• Laboratorians can’t do their jobs if they’re not sharp-eyed. Here’s some help.

  If you have sore, dry eyes, it could be that you’re wearing prescription eyewear not designed...

• Laboratorians can’t do their jobs if they’re not sharp-eyed. Here’s some help.

  If you have sore, dry eyes, it could be that you’re wearing prescription eyewear not designed...

Issue 14, September 6, 2005

• Are the OSHA Standards and the (ANSI) standards the same?

  OSHA Standards are the law and must be followed. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI...

Issue 13, August 30, 2005

• Store lab chemicals according to compatibility, not name

  All chemicals must be stored appropriately. Labs may be tempted to store them in a cabinet...

Issue 12, August 22, 2005

• Lab design a maze of building codes, regulations

  Whether you are designing a new lab or remodeling an existing one, many safety standards come into...

Issue 11, August 16, 2005

• Know the control categories in your lab

  What is the difference between an engineering control, an administrative control and a work...

Issue 10, August 8, 2005

• Lab Regs for Footwear Laced Up Tight

  Matters of personal hygiene are a hot-button issue in any workplace, but especially in the lab...

Issue 9, August 1, 2005

• Avoid a PPE Fashion Emergency!

  In the laboratory, items of personal protective equipment (PPE) are no minor consideration...

Issue 7, July 20, 2005

• When it comes to ergonomics, prevention is the name of the game.

  Minor musculoskeletal problems do not need become full-blown injuries before they are addressed. By...

Issue 6, July 12, 2005

• Compressed gas cylinders can be very hazardous projectiles

  Compressed gas cylinders can be very hazardous projectiles in the laboratory if they are left...

Issue 5, July 1, 2005

• Eye injuries easily preventable, says National Safety Council

  Whether an employee wears safety glasses, a face mask or works behind a Plexiglas shield is up to...

Issue 4, June 28, 2005

• NFPA: storage cabinets for flammables don't need to be vented

  According to NFPA Code 30 A-4-3.2, a flammable storage cabinet is not required to be vented...

Issue 3, June 22, 2005

• Lab Safety Q&A: Emergency Showerheads

  How high off the floor should emergency showerheads be positioned?

Issue 2, June 14, 2005

• Lab Safety Q&A: Lab Coats

  Q: Is it possible to designate a lab aisle as clean if staff wearing lab coats and carrying samples...

• Lab Safety: Lab Coat Requirements

  Did you know that OSHA has criteria for fabric that must be met before a lab coat can be declared...

Issue 1, June 7, 2005

• Lab Safety Q&A: Safety Audit

  What is a safety audit and why do I need to do one?

• Lab Safety: National Safety Month

  June is National Safety Month and what better way to introduce Lab Safety Advisor than to launch it...