DEAS/Physics Safety Committee

Meeting Minutes

Wednesday, December 10, 2003
Noon-1:00PM

1. Video - "Using Hand and Power Tools" (16 minutes)

2. 2003/2004 Lab Inspection Schedules - Team Chairs

Team chairs reported the following lab inspection schedules:

1. Team # 1 -- Kristen Bearce (McKay 1-3) - January 20, 2004
2. Team # 2 -- Roberto Martinez (McKay 4-5) - January 23, 2004
3. Team # 3 -- Matt Eisaman (Cruft/Pierce) - January 28, 2004
4. Team # 4 -- Andrew Howard (Lyman) - unscheduled (poss. February)
5. Team # 5 -- Steve Cronin (Jefferson) - not present at meeting, unscheduled
6. Team # 6 -- Ben Peirce (ESL/HEPL) - January 7, 2004
7. Team # 7 -- Iva Maxwell (Link) - January 13, 2004
8. Team # 8 -- Jennifer Sage (Maxwell/Dworkin) - January 7, 2004
9. Team # 9 -- Lenny Solomon (ART Shop) - unscheduled
10. Team # 10 -- Marc Durand (McKay Cleanrooms) - January 26, 2004

Steve Shepard suggested it is a good idea to inform labs of their impending inspection, so that we do not disturb their experiments.

3. Shipping Hazardous Materials and the Patriot Act - Lenny

Shipping regulations for hazmats are becoming more and more intricate and demanding since the Patriot Act was enacted. So much so that it has become difficult to provide enough up-to-date training to cover every possible type of shipment at Harvard. Lenny is looking into the possibility of centralizing the process of hazmat shipping into one office, where a few people would be trained well in the regulations and would be responsible for all hazmat shipments.

4. Laser Safety Training Online - Rob Stanhope

Rob and Lenny reported that the online laser safety training module is available to be tested by members of the Safety Committee. Rob emailed to everyone a link to the module. He reminded the Committee that the module is still in the "alpha" phase of development.

5. Summer Lab Inspection Reports

• The reports of the Summer Lab Inspections have been posted on our website in PDF format. Everyone should print them out and read the section that pertains to their group/lab. Lenny asked the Committee to try to remedy any issues in the reports before the lab inspections in January and February. The Summer inspection reports can be found at this link:
  http://www-safety.deas.harvard.edu/Summer2003_Inspect_Report.pdf
• Someone commented that the issues in McKay 502 and the cleanroom in McKay 222 have been fixed or resolved.
• It was also mentioned that anyone who works with hoists or cranes has no where to turn for safety training. Active hoists need to be rated and people who use them should have some training. Lenny said he would post some information on the safety website.

6. EH&S Report

• Lasers - University Services Radiation Committee has taken over the responsibility of monitoring laser registrations.
• Disturbing event: Recently in the Doyle Lab, someone used a bottle which was erroneously labeled as containing isopropyl alcohol. The bottle actually contained something else that caused a chemical reaction. The chemical is being analyzed to determine what it is. The bottle was in a fume hood in a hallway, so there is no way to know how it became mislabeled. The problem is disturbing--we have no way of knowing how it happened, whether someone in the lab made a mistake or the vendor. Lenny suggested that someone in the group send a note to everyone in Physics about the event and remind people not to mix labels.

7. Hazardous Waste Training Report - Rob Stanhope

Rob reported on several people needing retraining.

8. Old Business

• Emergency Forms - Norton Allen and Lenny Solomon are working on a database, which is almost finished. This database will contain emergency information and will be accessible to all safety committee members. People will be able to print emergency forms from the website.
• Safety training for cleanroom users - Safety Training for Cleanrooms is now included in the monthly Lab Safety Training seminar.
• Laser Training lecture - There will be a live lecture on laser safety at 1:00-3:00pm on 12/18/2003 in Pfizer Auditorium, Mallinckrodt Hall.
• Eye-wash Stations - Lenny commented that many eye-wash stations will need to be replaced to make them double-head and tempered. He also said that everyone must test their eye-wash stations now! See if there is an inspection tag that you can put on it. Lenny will hand out inspection tags at the next meeting.
• Kyle Alvine has a flush hose that needs to be fixed.
• People should email Lenny about problems with eye-wash stations.

9. New Business

• Gasoline leak - Someone worked on a motorcycle in the Maxwell/Dworkin building and either permitted gasoline to leak or dumped gasoline. This is absolutely not permissible. Gasoline is not allowed in any of our buildings. It creates an extremely dangerous safety hazard.

Next Meeting: Wednesday, January 14, 2004, 12:00 noon, Maxwell/Dworkin 119