Letter to the Editor: Ventilation in Surgical Areas
By Richard B. Huneke, DVM, MPH
Animal facility engineers and managers should be aware that making anesthesia areas slightly negative to surrounding areas is in conflict with the "Guide."
All Hands on Deck: a primer on protective gloves
By Vince McLeod, CIH
Given the myriad of glove types and materials it is imperative that both employees and supervisors know which gloves are suitable for the task at hand (no pun intended).
Get a Whiff: Recognizing, evaluating, and controlling potential exposures to anesthetic gases
By Vince McLeod, CIH
Anesthetic agents pose a potential exposure concern. In this article, we discuss who is at risk, the most commonly used agents and their health effects, signs and symptoms of exposure, how to determine if your anesthesia operations present exposure concerns, and, finally, what to do to minimize or eliminate exposures.
Ready for Your Close-Up?
By Vince McLeod, CIH
The How, When, and What for a Meaningful Lab Safety Audit
Wasting Away in Laboritaville
By Vince McLeod, CIH
Mixing incompatible chemical wastes can be hazardous to your health.
Take This Jar and Shelve It
By Vince McLeod, CIH
Good rules of thumb for chemical handling and storage in the lab
Lucy in the Lab with Diamonds
By Vince McLeod, CIH, Glenn R. Ketcham, CIH
Discussion on the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) hazard diamond, sometimes referred to as the fire diamond, and how to decipher the information it contains.
Making Sense of MSDS – the Foundation of Safe Chemical Management
By Vince McLeod, CIH, Glenn R. Ketcham, CIH
A few months ago an entirely preventable tragedy occurred when a UCLA research assistant was burned over 43% of her body and died eighteen days later in a hospital burn unit.
The Case For A "One Health" Paradigm Shift
By Bruce Kaplan, DVM, Mary Echols, DVM, MPH
The One Health concept calls for a merging of perspectives from within human and veterinary medical disciplines.
A Little Slice of Life
By Vince McLeod, CIH, Glenn R. Ketcham, CIH
The Safety Guys offer a few basic tips on safe use of cutting instruments and preventing accidents and close calls.
Stay Cool, No Pressure: Safe Use of Cryogenic Materials
By Glenn R. Ketcham, CIH, Vince McLeod, CIH
Cryogens are similar to other broad classes of chemicals. As with other chemicals in the lab, it should go without saying that the MSDS should be reviewed and SOPs developed for inclusion in your chemical hygiene plan.
Tidy Up! Managing Chemicals in the Animal Laboratory
By Glenn R. Ketcham, CIH, Vince McLeod, CIH
This column will provide fundamental information on managing chemicals in animal research facilities and offer initial suggestions and guidance for proper chemical handling.
Seeing Red? UV Exposures in the Workplace
By Vince McLeod, CIH, Glenn R. Ketcham, CIH
Hazards of UV do not distinguish between work and home, and the exposure guidelines for the general public for sun exposure are certainly applicable to the workplace as well.
Take the LEED®: Prevent Indoor Air Quality Issues After New Construction or Renovations
By Vince McLeod, CIH, Glenn R. Ketcham, CIH
Indoor air quality, and in a broader sense and perhaps more accurately, indoor environmental quality, IEQ, has risen to the top of the list for worker complaints over the last decade.
You've Got Me Under Pressure
By Glenn R. Ketcham, CIH, Vince McLeod, CIH
A research laboratory technician was sent to repair a valve in the tank room where the anesthesia/euthanasia holding tanks were located.
No Blood, No Foul? Bloodborne Pathogens - Part 3
By Glenn R. Ketcham, CIH, Vince McLeod, CIH
In our final article on our model program based on the OSHA standard for blood borne pathogens,2 we address waste handling, housekeeping and laundry, and personal protective equipment along with a few other issues.
Stuck on You: Bloodborne Pathogens - Part 2
By Vince McLeod, CIH, Glenn R. Ketcham, CIH
We want to delve into the OSHA BBP standard a little further by examining the elements of an ECP a little closer.
HASMAP Audit: Safety By Numbers?
By Gary Childs
An audit is an opportunity to positively examine and often challenge how an establishment is being managed and offer proactive solutions.
Implementing a Medical Surveillance Program for Animal Care Staff
By Debra Sharpe, MPH, CCHO, RBP
Medical surveillance programs protect both employees and institutions.
Needling You Can Handle: Bloodborne Pathogens - Part 1
By Glenn R. Ketcham, CIH, Vince McLeod, CIH
This issue, the Safety Guys aim to raise awareness and prevention of bloodborne pathogen (BBP) exposures beginning with an overview of the OSHA standard and discussion of the Center for Disease Control’s universal precautions.
A Gripping Tale of Prevention - Safe Operation and Maintenance of Automated Equipment
By Glenn R. Ketcham, CIH, Vince McLeod, CIH
This issue’s column discusses Lockout/Tagout, the procedures used to isolate and de-energize complex machinery so repairs or maintenance can be performed safely.
Here's Crud in Your Eye!
By Vince McLeod, CIH, Glenn R. Ketcham, CIH
For those in animal facilities or in support spaces, emergency showers and eyewash stations provide the means for immediate decontamination.
LEED the Way to Green - U.S. Building Council's Path to Better Buildings
By Glenn R. Ketcham, CIH, Vince McLeod, CIH
As the debates on climate change, energy, and protecting the environment heat up, building green is gaining more and more momentum. What does this mean for the research facility manager?
Health and Safety When Building Green
By Vince McLeod, CIH, Glenn R. Ketcham, CIH
How are green buildings built? And, what does this mean for the laboratory animal facility manager? This column will take a look at green building and touch on some of the potential health and safety issues involved.
NFPA 150 Animal Housing Facilities: The Road Ahead
By Timothy A. Hawthorne , Hossein Davoodi
It is ultimately the responsibility of the owners to provide a safe and stress free environment for their animals. NFPA 150 is only one instrument for the owner and the enforcing officials to provide an acceptable level of fire and life safety for the animals.
