DEAS/Physics Safety Committee

Meeting Minutes

Wednesday, January 12, 2005
Noon-1:00PM

1. Video - "Chemical Storage Hazards " (11 minutes)

Lenny reminded the committee that they can borrow any of the many training videos we have.

2. 2004/2005 Lab Inspection Schedules - Team Chairs

Team chairs reported the following lab inspection schedules:

1. Team # 1 (McKay bsmt-2nd flr) -- John Chervisky - January 2005
2. Team # 2 (McKay 3-5) -- Daniel Blair - January 18, 2005
3. Team # 3 (Cruft/Pierce) -- Rob Jenks - December 20 , 2004
4. Team # 4 (Lyman) -- Kyle Alvine - unscheduled - Kyle was not present at the meeting.
5. Team # 5 (Jefferson) -- Alex Donohue - 1st week in April
6. Team # 6 (ESL/HEPL) -- Dick Co - February 2, 2005
7. Team # 7 (Link) -- Jeremy Munday - January 19, 2005
8. Team # 8 (Maxwell/Dworkin) -- Xuan Liang - January 11, 2005
9. Team # 9 (ART Shop) -- Lenny Solomon - April 11, 2005
10. Team # 10 (McKay Cleanrooms) -- Kristen Bearce - January 26, 2004
11. Team # 11 (HEPL) -- Parisa Fallahi - April ?
12. Team # 12 (Hoffman bsmt-2nd fl) -- Steve Shepard - February 9, 2005 @ 10:30am
13. Team # 13 (Hoffman 3rd fl & Museum) -- Eric Brandin - March 7, 2005

REMINDER: It is a good idea to inform labs of their impending inspection, so that we do not disturb their experiments.

3. Lab Inspection Reports

A) Maxwell/Dworkin Building - (Xuan Liang)

1. Rm-338 - The following items were found under the sink:
   • 1.Red Biohazards collection bottle,
   • 2.Silicon RTV6156A and B "product generates flammable gas on contact with acidic, basic or oxidizing agents"
2. Rm-B133:
   • Ethyl alcohol was in the fume hood. (It has been corrected)
   • An unmarked clear light blue bottle was in the fume hood (may be water), (being corrected)
3. Rm-313 - The fume hood was open, IPA, dIH2O, used tips were stored in the hood.
4. Rm-316 - An 110(C Oven was on the bench with paper next to it

B) Cruft/Pierce Labs - Rob Jenks

1. Pierce G16 (machine shop) - cluttered
2. Pierce G11:
   • update emergency numbers
   • cluttered/messy
   • compressed air on cart
   • some toxic chemicals temporarily out
3. Pierce G7C
• need chem spill kit
• some toxic chemicals not stored
4. Pierce B2-6 (Thaddeus group)
• Fume hoods B4-A and B4-B out of inspection
• many small gas cylinders not tied down, mostly in one room that seems dedicated for this purpose
• lots of unlabelled junk in one of the flammable cabinets
• cylinder outside in loading area not secured
• cylinder on wall near laser setup not secured
• SAA has containers without secondary containment
• waste needs to be picked up
• need high voltage signs
• need better laser interlock signs
• cords on floor and at head level
• pile of dirty razor blades sitting out
• general clutter
5. Pierce G6 (Stone)
• cylinders secured with plastic ties
• some toxic chemicals out and leaking
• unlabelled squeeze bottles
• general clutter
• no emergency contact info
6. Pierce G7A
• cords
• general clutter
• SAA not labelled, no secondary container
• waste needs to be picked up
• cylinders secured with plastic ties
• sharps container overflowing
7. Cruft 219 (Capasso)
• clean bench: no label or inspection
• cords
• painfully bright yellow floor and walls
8. Cruft 115 (Hau Group) - fine
9. Cruft 116 (chem room)
• hood needs to be inspected
• update emergency contact forms
• SAA unlabelled
10. Cruft 110 - unlabelled squeeze bottle
11. Lyman 23
• update emergency forms
• hood 022 needs to be inspected
• SAA has no secondary containment
12. Lyman 24 - cords

4. EH&S Report

• EH&S had a meeting regarding machine shop safety procedures. They will bring in an outside group of advisers to consult on making the machine shops safer places to work.
• They will be looking at mechanical rooms at Harvard, specifically safety signage. Primarily concerned with signage regarding asbestos and warnings placed on doors.
• Fire drills in Hoffman area:
  • The fire screen in the lobby did not close properly during drill.
  • Some people didn't leave the building - they just went into a neighboring building, which should not be done.
  • Two alarm-pulls did not work.
  • Many contractors did not leave the building

5. Hazardous Waste Training Report - Rob Stanhope

Rob reported on several people needing retraining.

6. Old Business

• Edwards Lab - they are using antibiotics and needed to determine if there are an safety hazards. EH&S has been contacted and they will give them some recommendations for safe procedures. Also, a worker in the lab is pregnant and they needed to know if the lab was potentially hazardous to her. It was determined that it is safe for her to work there.
• Cyanide antidote (Westervelt Lab) - Although the lab does notuse cyanide gas, an accident might produce it given the materials they have in the lab area. Do they need to have a cyanide antidote on hand? Lenny suggest that they get a prescription for it and keep it in their lab area.

7. New Business

• Ed Jackson mentioned the labs at 60 Oxford Street are now working. They need emergency access info sheets posted on their doors and Bill Irwin needs to inspect the fume hoods.

Next Meeting: Wednesday, February 9, 2005, 12:00 noon, Maxwell/Dworkin 119