Dave,

I am strongly supportive of such a committee. I used to be (not very active) in the CHED division before I switched to CHAS. The reason that I switched was the lack of safety focus.

I would be willing to help in any way that I can. I saw another safety incident occurred in a Michigan K-12 school this week from having a stockroom full of old chemicals. Such a committee may be another step towards reaching out to prevent such incidents.

Please keep us posted.

Regards,

Monique Wilhelm

Laboratory Supervisor/Adjunct Lecturer/Chem Club Co-Advisor

Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry

University of Michigan-Flint

Flint, MI 48502

From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU] On Behalf Of David C. Finster
Sent: Friday, August 29, 2014 10:11 AM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Safety Committee forming (?) in CHED

To clarify my intent: this will be a committee within the CHED division.

(My expectation is that this would be open to CHED members. I will contact CHED about this to be sure.)

Dave

David C. Finster
Professor, Department of Chemistry
University Chemical Hygiene Officer
Wittenberg University
937-327-6441
http://userpages.wittenberg.edu/dfinster/index.html

From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU] On Behalf Of Patricia Redden
Sent: Thursday, August 28, 2014 3:06 PM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Safety Committee forming (?) in CHED

Are you talking about the division or committee? I'm interested but am not on the committee, but I am a member of the division.

Pat

On Thu, Aug 28, 2014 at 2:36 PM, David C. Finster <dfinster**At_Symbol_Here**wittenberg.edu> wrote:

DCHAS folks,

As a member of CHED, (along with CHAS, and also on the CCS,) I have been concerned that the issue of safety seems not to be high on the agenda of CHED concerns. I have approached the CHED leadership about establishing a Safety Committee in the Division. They are open to a proposal. So, I am now in the process of seeking out CHED members who would interested in participating in such a committee and, moreover, helping me construct a proposal (including mission statement and goals.)

For those of you who have colleagues in CHED (or may be in CHED yourselves) please consider spreading the word about this new venture. Interested persons should contact me directly at dfinster**At_Symbol_Here**wittenberg.edu.

As a tiny bit more information, my own sense of the purpose of such a CHED Safety Committee would be "to support appropriate strategies to include safety at all levels of chemistry instruction." In a quick response to the Exec Comm of CHED I asserted that (in my opinion) the Safety Committee would NOT be rendering judgments about safety matters/procedures that would invite liability on the part of CHED. We have safety experts in CHAS and CCS for that. My hope would be that a CHED group focused on safety would, among other things, smoothly intersect with other ACS Divisions (and the CPT) as appropriate on matters of safety instruction and education. Of course, these are my nascent ideas, and I seek CHED colleagues to improve and hone such notions.

Thanks.

Dave

David C. Finster
Professor, Department of Chemistry
University Chemical Hygiene Officer
Wittenberg University
937-327-6441
http://userpages.wittenberg.edu/dfinster/index.html