A Fresh Look at Your Old Lab: The People
Yoga instructors often say we should close our eyes and open them as a child to see the world anew. We ask that you take a walk through your lab, observing your staff, looking at all with the eyes of a child, with unprejudiced honesty of all you see.
A Fresh Look at Your Old Lab: the Facilities
Does the lab you manage represent the message you would want to pass on to those entrusted to you? Take a walk through your lab, looking at all with the eyes of a child, with unprejudiced honesty of all you see.
Making Sense of MSDS: The Foundation of Safe Chemical Management
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. A quick glance at the compound’s MSDS might have prevented this terrible loss.
Don't Get Burned: UV Exposure in the Workplace
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.
Planning Chemical Management for the Forensic Laboratory
This column will provide fundamental information on managing chemicals in forensic facilities and offer initial suggestions and guidance for proper chemical handling.
Job Hazard Analysis: An Important Process in the Lab and in the Field
One of the cornerstones of a successful safety and health program is the inclusion of a process called job hazard analysis (JHA) or job safety analysis (JSA).
Earth(movement), Wind, and Fire: Emergency Preparedness is the Key!
Let’s briefly touch on each of the four phases of emergency management. The approach described is scalable from the management of a large county forensic facility to a small independent crime lab or an individual lab.
In this column, we will take a closer look at the hazards of formaldehyde and how to safely use this common preservative.
When Things Go Boom in the Night: An Issue of Compatibility
When incompatible materials contact each other, the result can lead to explosion, we thought we would focus on some of the issues, situations, and consequences of materials coming into contact with one another.
Keeping Cool: Cryogen Safety in the Forensic Lab
Cryogenic materials of one sort or another are used in most of the forensic labs across the country. As with most things in the lab, all of these can be used safely if we recognize the hazards and work diligently to control them.
