Spotlight on Safety
Quarterly Newsletter for Safety and Loss Prevention
Spring 2004, Vol. 6; No. 1
Spring...
Open the windows and let in that warm air! Spring is finally
here. With the lengthening days and exploding greenery, new
safety concerns surface here on campus. This issue will discuss
such safety concerns as mercury, lifting, cleaning agents, and
headaches.
As Mad as a Hatter
As the temperature climbs back out of its hiding place, be
careful! Don't forget to consider the safety factors involved
with that metallic liquid beginning to surface inside your thermometer.
Being one of the most common pieces of laboratory equipment,
mercury thermometers present risks. Their fragile glass tubing
makes quite a mess when dropped. Spilled mercury, when not properly
cleaned up, contaminates both lab facilities and personnel.
Mercury is a heavy metal, liquid at room temperature. It is highly toxic to the central nervous system, especially for younger children, unborn babies, and pets. Unsuspecting researchers with contaminated clothing put others at risk when they track it home to a child anxiously waiting for a hug. Traces of this killer can even be passed through breast milk.
Prolonged exposure to mercury results in memory loss, emotional disturbances, tiredness, shaking, headaches, and/or weight loss. Its liquid form can enter the body directly through the skin or become ingested via the mouth. It also forms a highly toxic vapor when exposed to air, which is easily inhaled. Hatters during the nineteenth century coined the term "mad", because of over-exposure to mercurous nitrate in the top hat making process.
If mercury is spilled in a laboratory, contact Safety and Environmental
Health at 777-3341. Individual cleanup may take place only with
proper equipment and training. If mercury spills in a hot oven
or heated surface, dangerous levels of mercury vapor could result
in the air. Evacuate the room and contact the Safety Office immediately.
It is great to finally see things are warming up around campus.
The change in temperature is nice, but warmer air also means
moisture in those clouds. Rain makes up an integral part of our
ecosystem. Falling from high above, it cascades over the landscape.
It then trickles into small streams, eventually flowing into
larger bodies of water. When rain falls onto developed land,
organized storm drain systems funnel it out of the area. Everything
works like a charm, until those storm drains become polluted.
These pollutants can be anything from fertilizers, grass clippings,
and pet waste, to automotive fluids, construction materials, and
soaps. Contaminants that end up in the storm drains are carried
off, untreated, to water bodies used for drinking, swimming, or
fishing. Here are ten helpful habits to reduce the amount of
harmful pollutants entering storm drains this spring season:
- Use fertilizers sparingly and sweep up driveways, sidewalks,
and roads.
- Never dump anything down a storm drain.
- Vegetate bare spots in your yard.
- Compost your yard waste
- Avoid pesticides; learn about Integrated Pest Management (IPM).
- Direct downspouts away from paved surfaces.
- Take your car to the car wash instead of washing it in the driveway.
- Check car for leaks and recycle motor oil.
- Pick up after your pet (except for fish).
- Have your septic tank pumped and system inspected regularly.
Cleaning Agents
Cleaning this spring will certainly mean pulling out some common household chemicals. Most household cleaning agents used for offices or homes pose serious safety concerns. Often overlooked, these chemicals quickly can endanger the health of others.
Be sure to store all cleaning products out of the reach of
children and pets. Never mix different chemicals together. Always
keep cleaning products in the original containers they came in.
Discard empty product containers, either in the trash or recycle
bin. Never use empty containers to hold something else. Wear
gloves to protect hands from products that could irritate skin.
Use goggles if there is the chance a chemical could enter the
eyes. Work in a well ventilated place, since fumes can become
toxic in an enclosed area. Educate, both yourself as well as
small children, about the dangers that exist when using cleaning
agents.
Final exams are around the corner and many students and faculty are cramming for all that needs to get done. All of this cramming can cause stress. Headaches can result from all of this added pressure. Headaches can be light and manageable or heavy and paralyzing. Here are some good suggestions for preventing headaches:
- Be sure to set aside 30 minutes a day relaxing.
- Eat healthy. Certain foods can actually trigger headaches,
such as coffee (caffeine), citrus fruits, lentils, cheese, chocolate,
and processed meats.
- Sitting in the same position for long periods can tighten muscles
in the neck, back, and face. Try shifting positions regularly,
or performing work while moving around if possible.
- Too much or too little sleep can also cause headaches. Make
sure to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day, even
on weekends.
- Wisdom teeth can be the culprit. If wisdom teeth are a suspect,
visit a dentist.
- Make sure to get plenty of exercise to help relieve stress.
- Alcohol, smoking, and drugs can all provoke headaches. This
includes over-the-counter diet pills.
*****Safety Update*******
The following revision and addition to the General Safety section
of the UND Safety and Lost Control Manual has been approved by
the Loss Control Committee:
Drugs and Alcohol
Americans with Disabilities Act
