Eyewear standards in Academic Laboratories?

[k309er]

Dear All,

     I previously left a silane research and production laboratory to serve as a safety specialist for Princeton University Environmental Health and Safety.  Though departments (such as Chemistry, Chemical Biological Engineering) have their own policies about Personal Protective Equipment and Environmental Health and Safety strongly recommends wearing safety glasses in labs at all times, departmental policy enforcement is difficult; lab managers and department managers don't feel empowered to enforce the policy and EHS staff can't be in every lab at all times.  This is a far cry from working in an industrial lab where failure to wear your required eye protection would result in termination.

     Can anyone who works in a higher education laboratory, is a department manager, safety technician, or has any innovative ideas reply about what your institution does or what you think institutions should do?  Thank you for your consideration in advance.

Best,

Kyle

[ewarik]

Hi Kyle,

I've been an educator for about 12 years in Argentina and We're very stricts about Coat, hair, and eyewear in the lab. The attendance is obligatory and if the students don't respect the safety in the lab they must leave and make up the class at the end of the term (Sorry for my english)

Best,

Erica

[juan_toledo]

It is a matter to change the safety culture from a 'weak' one into a 'stronger' one. That means that 'safety' must be the priority; would be difficult if people do not cooperate or have the attitude of "it is not a big deal, nothing can happen, etc...".

Also, why the lab managers are not feeling empowered to apply safety rules?

But in the end, nobody wants a bad experience from an accident that could be prevented.

Try to speak with all the deparments and settle some basic rules/agreements.

And everybody from students to faculty/safety/lab staff should follow the guidelines.