All the safety controls in the world won't stop accidents. They can only
reduce them and reduce their severity. There is no way to stop people from
making mistakes or making a dangerous person safe.

I would much rather work in dangerous environment with safe people than a
safe environment with a dangers person. I know a fellow that has managed to
saw off all the fingers of one hand, blow up two guns with reloads, burn up
two tractors and the only time he had good luck was when he looked back and
caught a one inch nut in the teeth that had broken off a piece of machinery
he was pulling. Had he been looking forward it would have hit him in the
base of the skull and probably killed him or worse. He has also managed to
mess up his back rather badly.

Safety is not a program its a way of life. You don't elimnte risks but you
minimise useless risks and when two paths present themselbe that have no
othe differace take the safe one. Don't be afraid of risk just know what
they are and why you are taking them. All a safety program can do is educate
people and reduce the hazards around you. You are the one responsible for
your safety. Some careless people leave a trial of broken equipment, blood
and injuries in their path. I expect most of you know one or two. They also
tend to have car accidents, marital problems and difficulties in life in
general.

If you ever find your self working with one of these find a place that
limits you exposure to them. If you are their supervisor pass them on to
your worst enemy. If you get one like my friend it can infect others.

Gordon Couger
Stillwater, OK
www.couger.com/gcouger


----- Original Message -----
From: "louise renton" 
To: ;

Sent: Monday, March 31, 2003 4:01 AM
Subject: RE: Fires in Histology Laboratories


: Years ago, in the days of scary lab practises such as doing cut-up without
: gloves, I managed to singe off my eyebrows and nose hairs in an unexpected
: fire. This I acchieved by flaming some Ziehl Neelsen slides with a wodge
of
: cotton wool soaked in alcohol and held beneath the slides with forceps.
: Unbeknownst to me, some acetone had spilled into the sink and the fumes
: ignited with a whoosh when the flame was lit. I had a bad smell in my nose
: for weeks. This of course, would not happen today(?) as laboratory
: discipline  and safety controls are  much greater, and sadly open bunsen
: flames are no more.
:
: Louise Renton
: Bone Research Unit
: MRC
: Johannesburg
: South Africa
: Tel & fax +27 11 717 2298
: "Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana"
:
:
:
:
:
: >From: Andrew Shand 
: >To: histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
: >Subject: RE: Fires in Histology Laboratories
: >Date: Mon, 31 Mar 2003 08:15:33 +0100
: >
: >Tom
: >
: >Some years ago a British lab had an explosion. It was caused by ether
being
: >ignited in a fridge.  Unfortunately I cannot remember any details.
: >Somebody
: >out there in histoland will I'm sure.
: >
: >Andy Shand
: >
: >-----Original Message-----
: >From: Tom Wells [mailto:tomers@shaw.ca]
: >Sent: 28 March 2003 17:16
: >To: histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
: >Subject: Fires in Histology Laboratories
: >
: >
: >Is anyone aware of a significant fire occurring in a Histology
laboratory?
: >I
: >am looking at safety in histology labs and specifically fire prevention.
: >Thanks. Tom
: >
: >Tom Wells
: >Supervisor, Immunohistochemistry
: >Lions Gate Hospital
: >North Vancouver, BC, Canada.
: >
:
:
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