Subject: RE: [DCHAS-L] New Chemistry Laboratories Date: Sat, 13 Sep 2003 12:04:11 -0500 From: "Ashbrook, Peter"Some general thoughts.... There has to be an architect. Put together a list of things you would like the laboratories to do for you. Be as specific as possible to help the architect. I wouldn't think you would need to worry about the design or codes, but the more detail you can provide the architect about what you want, the more likely you are to get something that works well for you. For example, how many students will be in the laboratory at once, how much space does each student need, how many fume hoods do you want/need, what kind of special equipment will you have, how many sinks, do you want to have house gas, house vaccuum, water lines to every lab station, etc... Peter Ashbrook Director, EHS University of Missouri-Columbia == Date: Sat, 13 Sep 2003 17:05:31 -0400 Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] New Chemistry Laboratories From: richard rydza You may have input into your new plans but as far as design and use, if you are not a qualified, registered architect or engineer, as code requires as your expert in the design of your new building, then the issue is dead in the water. You need to ask your architect who designed the facility. They are more than willing to work with you on intended use. Others offering opinions need to be cautious. Richard Rydza, mrsafetyman 19 Wintergreen Place Lackawanna, NY 14218 716-826-1747 phone / fax Safety is Good Business == From: ACTSNYC**At_Symbol_Here**cs.com Date: Sat, 13 Sep 2003 23:16:21 EDT Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] New Chemistry Laboratories Your school has hired an architect that doesn't know what she/he is doing. I do a lot of building planning. Here's how it should go down: The architect, their mechanical engineer, and a consulting industrial hygienist (or other expert in the safety aspects of laboratories) should have been sitting down with you and other faculty members several times to find out exactly what chemicals and equipment your curriculum requires, how often you used various materials and in what amounts, how many students in each class, and MANY other factors. Once they have all this information and thoroughly understand your needs, then THEY design the facility--not YOU. Next, they submit their preliminary plans and meet with you again so you can look over what they propose to check to see if there is anything they missed or didn't understand. My advice is that you give them a curriculum outline, a list of materials and equipment, the number of students you will be teaching, and tell them to come and talk to you. Make them do their job. It really irks me to hear they have put the onus on you. Architects that do this then have a way to avoid their responsibility for bad planning. When things to wrong, they defend themselves by saying they built what you asked for. Don't put yourself in that position. Even worse, you don't know all the recent changes in OSHA and EPA regulations, ventilation standards, and so on, that can impact the lab's design. And knowing all these regulations is not your job either. To summarize--you asked: "Where, or to whom can I go for good, recent information, plans and/or designs for a freshman general chemistry laboratory and for an organic undergraduate laboratory? " The answer is "Go to the architects." That's their damn job. Monona Rossol, M.S., M.F.A., industrial hygienist Arts, Crafts & Theater Safety, Inc. and Safety Officer, United Scenic Artist's, Local 829 International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employes (IATSE) 181 Thompson St., #23 New York NY 10012-2586 212/777-0062
Previous post | Top of Page | Next post