Submarines and Research Safety

Submarines and Research Safety

Does the OceanGate Titan disaster (18 June 2023) have anything to teach research safety professionals?  I think it does. There are two axioms in safety that we will need to keep in mind for this post: · Nature is an indiscriminate executioner: Nature does not...
Walking Away

Walking Away

Last week I did something that I don’t do often: I walked away from a (potentially) large and intellectually stimulating contract that was well within my company’s wheelhouse. It was not an easy decision. In late 2021, I was approached by a very large...
GHS-type labels and Laboratory Chemicals

GHS-type labels and Laboratory Chemicals

I get the question at just about every workshop and just recently got it again a few weeks ago. “Do I have to put GHS-type labels on all of my in-use chemicals – even the 10 mL dropper bottles? So, in the spirit of “It’s better to be reminded than...
In Research- Sometimes Things Just Go Sideways

In Research- Sometimes Things Just Go Sideways

Sometimes things just go sideways I was working with a client conducting cutting-edge research recently when they experienced something completely unexpected.  A slight over-pressure in a glass reaction vessel caused one of the ground glass joints to unseat...