Dear folks:

Given the recent floods of this building, and the fact that our group was involved in one flood within the past year, I am instituting the following policy IMMEDIATELY.

We will have daily evening inspections assigned by Abhay and Bing, in which one group member is assigned each week to make a daily walking tour of our labs sometime between 7 and 10 PM.

ALL OVERNIGHT OPERATIONS (i.e after 7 PM) MUST BE PROPERLY LABELED. This “safely inspector” will check all chemical reactions, condensors and other water-using items that should be clearly labeled, named, phone numbered, and dated for overnight or night operation. The quality of all water connection set ups should be checked, including proper clamps and condition of tubing, even if these are not being used at that moment. Chemical reactions for which cooling is essential should be so labeled. Inspections will also be made on Saturday and Sunday evenings. Cooling systems that are not being actively used should be shut off.

Labels should be computer printed, clearly posted in duplicate near the item in question, and have:

If water is on and there is no label, inquiries should be made to find out who is responsible. If there is an outdated label, the person named on the label should be phoned immediately and is required to take immediate action. If it seems that water to an incorrectly labeled condensor can safely be shut off, the inspector is authorized to do so.

I am asking Bing and Abhay to hold a short group meeting this week to assign these weekly safety inspector duties. Assignments should be made through September, and then a new list generated and so on. There will be one inspector per week; it there are conflicts it is the assigned inspector’s duty to find a substitute from our group.

 Each night’s inspection should be documented in a short weekly report, e.g.

These reports will be emailed to me, Abhay, and Bing on the day after that week for which the inspector is responsible. I will also be making unscheduled inspections of my own.

Since this will take a little time to organize, the first inspection is assigned as follows:

June 9-15       Bing Wang

I hope we can avoid future accidents and damage in this way. Future damage may be charged by the Chemistry department to the individual groups responsible.

Thanks to everyone for their co-operation.

Best wishes,

Jim