13 november 2018 (Tuesday) - Elf and Safety


Here’s something from the Lablogatory people that made me think. A little essay on dangers in the workplace.

“Steve and Josh were bored during the night shift and they created a ball made from rubber bands to toss around. When Josh didn’t catch the ball, it hit the open tray of formaldehyde on the gross bench, and it splashed into Josh’s eye. He rinsed his eyes in the eyewash station for a couple of minutes, but both men were afraid to report the incident for fear of getting in trouble. Josh’s eye irritation continued to worsen, and he had to go to the eye doctor for treatment… There are obvious consequences for injuries that occur in the laboratory..”

When I was seventeen years old I got a bollocking for playing cricket in the microbiology laboratory. I didn’t want to – I felt I had to through peer pressure. And all the other trainees felt they had to as the chief was egging us on to do so. And he too got a bollocking when his deputy caught us all red-handed.

Nearly forty years later I may be somewhat flippant and irreverent but I’m not so irresponsible as to play cricket in the lab. And *certainly* not so irresponsible as to make the trainees feel they should do so…

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