Take a piece of tubing just a little longer than the knife and slit it open.
Then slip the  tubing over the knife edge after you are finished using the
cryostat.  The edge is protected and the knife stays cold.  Also you are not
likely to cut yourself when cleaning the cryochamber.  This should satisfy
the safety officer.

Cheryl Rehfeld
Meyer Instruments, Inc.
-----Original Message-----
From: Becky Scholes <raws43@hotmail.com>
To: dellav@musc.edu <dellav@musc.edu>; histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
<histonet@pathology.swmed.edu>
Date: Wednesday, June 28, 2000 11:58 PM
Subject: Re: Cryostat knives


>
>Vinnie,
>
>I'll bet the Safety Officer has never done a frozen section, and does not
>know the frustration of a knife blade that is dull or warm.  If the
employee
>knicked her thumb when cleaning up, maybe knife guards in the form of corks
>should be placed on the ends.  Makes more sense to me than having to remove
>the blade every time.  Emphasize to your Safety "expert" that the vital
>turn-around time that CAP requires will not allow you to fiddle around with
>the blade every time.  Besides that, emphasize to her that more injuries
>will result from constant handling of the knife that leaving it stationary.
>I would definitely put some guards on the blade instead of removing it.
>Also...you might have to change the method and/or freqency that the unit is
>"tidied up".  We use disposable blades, and remove them only when
defrosting
>or moving out of a dull area.
>
>Good luck!
>Bec the Tec
>
>
>>From: Vinnie Della Speranza <dellav@musc.edu>
>>To: histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
>>Subject: Cryostat knives
>>Date: Mon, 26 Jun 2000 13:08:32 -0400
>>
>>in the aftermath of an employee injury, our safety officer is insisting
>>that we remove cryostat knives at the end of the shift (leaving no blade
in
>>the cyrostat over night) and change blades in between patients. She claims
>>that failure to do so would be a violation of OSHA's requirements for safe
>>work practices. The employee nicked her thumb while tidying up the
interior
>>of one of our units.
>>
>>We commonly juggle frozen section specimens from more than one patient
>>simulataneously. We are a busy facility with a very large transplant
>>program. It is not uncommon for pathologists to be called to do frozens at
>>odd hours, hence the need for a cold knife that is ready to go at all
>>times.
>>
>>I would like to hear your thoughts on this matter and from facilities who
>>might be using practices similar to that being asked of us. Thanks
>>
>>Vinnie
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>Vinnie Della Speranza
>>Manager for Anatomic Pathology Services
>>Medical University of South Carolina
>>165 Ashley Avenue
>>Suite 309
>>Charleston, SC  29425
>>ph:  (843) 792-6353
>>fax: (843) 792-8974
>>email: Dellav@musc.edu
>>
>>
>
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