tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9633767.post1649451214642437067..comments2024-03-18T06:11:04.848-07:00Comments on The Curious Wavefunction: Is it too early to ask for automation in lab safety?Wavefunctionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14993805391653267639noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9633767.post-27843312107215585422012-01-13T05:14:01.381-08:002012-01-13T05:14:01.381-08:00I like the idea of securing the doors and rigging ...I like the idea of securing the doors and rigging them to activate an annoying alarm in the absence of a lab coat.Wavefunctionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14993805391653267639noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9633767.post-48792455758592850312012-01-04T14:12:49.707-08:002012-01-04T14:12:49.707-08:00Luckily I am a theoretician so do not worry about ...Luckily I am a theoretician so do not worry about lab coats. However putting roadblocks in front of intelligent and educated people is counter productive. Simply have the lab director enforce the rule. By analogy, no pirated software is allowed on any of my computers. If it happened that some is discovered, then I am financially responsible for it. You can be sure that I make it clear to students that pirated software will not be tolerated.<br /><br />By the same token, if inspectors appear and someone is guilty of a safety infraction, the lab director should be held responsible. This will make him/her insist that safety protocols are followed. Ultimately safety is the responsibility of the director, and that includes communicating the rules and enforcing them.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9633767.post-62417054921787292082012-01-02T04:13:56.120-08:002012-01-02T04:13:56.120-08:00I think this is a great idea. And, it is not diffi...I think this is a great idea. And, it is not difficult to come up with a system that detects whether the user is wearing the lab coat. For example, a cheap temp sensor connected to the sensor in the lab coat will quicly tell whether the coat is worn or just hanging there from a hook.<br /><br />But why restrict the system to fume hoods? I think it is better to secure the doors to the labs so that whoever enters the lab will hear an alarm if he/she is not wearing the lab coat. Many industrial labs mandate _all people_ (yes, even the bosses) to wear personal protection whenever they enter the lab - even if they are far away from the fume hoods.<br /><br />Also, in emergencies it might be necessary to open the fume hood anyway. Locking them is not safe. However an alarm that sounds when someone enters the lab without lab coat is annoying but does not prevent someone from entering in an emergency.PMPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16625022840174919532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9633767.post-79172584992483112912012-01-01T09:53:03.729-08:002012-01-01T09:53:03.729-08:00I am all for automation but I doubt that despite a...I am all for automation but I doubt that despite all these news of 'chemical accidents' (including your point about availability bias) there have been enough serious accidents to wake up chemistry departments around the world to take note. Even if it's an inexpensive addition, the will to make such change on a large scale will need an extraordinary driving force. I don't think there is one.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03113103322464783385noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9633767.post-61769558533472652012011-12-31T09:15:59.070-08:002011-12-31T09:15:59.070-08:00Anon: The argument about having a false sense of s...Anon: The argument about having a false sense of security has been played out in other contexts. But there's always room for the right balance of automation and periodic human training. Automation certainly shouldn't do away with the need for safety drills for instance.<br /><br />"Mr. Fixit:" The relatively modest price of things like RFID tags and sensors (relative to the total research budget) and the possible benefits for safety may compensate for price.Wavefunctionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14993805391653267639noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9633767.post-73034232764674061422011-12-31T04:20:03.283-08:002011-12-31T04:20:03.283-08:00Mr fix it says...
1) automation is not cheap, m...Mr fix it says...<br /> 1) automation is not cheap, most academic labs and startups can not afford<br /> 2) automation is best for repetitive tasks, like DNA or peptide synthesis, generally speaking not an array of reaction conditions optimize yield.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9633767.post-3941202889564022302011-12-30T12:52:51.358-08:002011-12-30T12:52:51.358-08:00In most cases, lax safety is a direct result of a ...In most cases, lax safety is a direct result of a lack of awareness of risk. I'd worry that automation of any kind would only serve to give a false sense of security to many, and may even increase the number of accidents.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9633767.post-51424275848416185302011-12-30T12:07:57.732-08:002011-12-30T12:07:57.732-08:00I did think about eliminating the coat hanger hook...I did think about eliminating the coat hanger hooks next to the hood. One could also have personalized RFID tags and coats but that might make general emergency override procedures more inaccessible. In general one just needs to have a seat-belt type system which beeps annoyingly when certain protocols have not been followed.Wavefunctionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14993805391653267639noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9633767.post-53842681212503235452011-12-30T11:19:51.065-08:002011-12-30T11:19:51.065-08:00Heh, one idea for automated lab safety: keep the l...Heh, one idea for automated lab safety: keep the lab cold. Then everyone wears the lab coat to keep warm.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9633767.post-7384818851734815772011-12-30T10:52:40.558-08:002011-12-30T10:52:40.558-08:00I like the RFID tag on a lab coat, but just hangin...I like the RFID tag on a lab coat, but just hanging it up next to your hood would then activate it.<br /><br />My experience has shown that habit - as in enforcing good habits - are the best way to make good practice the standard practice.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com