[Taxacom] OSHA requirements

[Robin Leech]

And just how is it that you have safety glasses on while peering down 
through a dissecting microscope?
Robin
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "John Grehan" <jgrehan at sciencebuff.org>
To: <taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu>
Sent: Thursday, February 17, 2011 8:49 AM
Subject: [Taxacom] OSHA requirements


I have a question directed to those on this list who are involved in 
dissection work with invertebrates where one may be working with specimens 
stored in alcohol or being macerated in KOH (5%) and work in a facility that 
follows OSHA regulations in the US. Our institution is moving to being 
compliant with OSHA and so I am checking on the requirement for working with 
the above chemicals when dissecting bugs (moths in my case). I have been 
informed that when working with any chemicals that OSHA requires handing 
procedures to follow the specifications on the MSDS sheets for each 
chemical.



According to the MSDS sheets for 70% ethyl alcohol I should be wearing 
appropriate protective eyeglasses or chemical safety goggles as described by 
OSHA's eye and face

protection regulations in 29 CFR 1910.133 or European Standard EN166, 
wearing protective gloves to prevent skin exposure, and appropriate 
protective clothing to prevent skin exposure. For 70% isopropyl alcohol the 
requirements are Safety glasses, lab coat, dust respirator and gloves loves 
(impervious).



The requirements for KOH appear to be similar.



I am new to all of this so please excuse my naiveté. In all my years I have 
never seen any entomologist working with dissections, even in federal 
institutions, wear protective gloves (not sure how that will work with 
handing forceps, micro scissors etc), eyeglasses, protective clothing etc. 
This being the case it would appear that the regulations are being ignored 
(which I would presume to be unlikely) or there is some kind of caveat about 
the use of these and similar chemicals when working with small amounts in 
this context. I would be very grateful if someone working in an OSHA 
compliant institution can explain how it is possible for researchers to 
dissect and examine preserved material without having to go to the lengths 
indicated on the MSDS sheets.



Thanks in advance,



John Grehan



Dr. John R. Grehan
Director of Science and Research
Buffalo Museum of Science
1020 Humboldt Parkway
Buffalo, NY 14211-1193

email: jgrehan at sciencebuff.org
Phone: (716) 896-5200 ext 372
Fax: (716) 897-6723

Panbiogeography
http://www.sciencebuff.org/biogeography_and_evolutionary_biology.php

Ghost moth research
http://www.sciencebuff.org/systematics_and_evolution_of_hepialdiae.php

Human evolution and the great apes
http://www.sciencebuff.org/human_origin_and_the_great_apes.php



_______________________________________________

Taxacom Mailing List
Taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
http://mailman.nhm.ku.edu/mailman/listinfo/taxacom

The Taxacom archive going back to 1992 may be searched with either of these 
methods:

(1) http://taxacom.markmail.org

Or (2) a Google search specified as: 
site:mailman.nhm.ku.edu/pipermail/taxacom  your search terms here