I am reminded of a story that my son told me from his college days.  He
majored in Chemistry and went on to get a M.S. in Chemical engineering. 
On the first day of his second year Organic Chemistry Laboratory the T.A.
was giving the class the basic ground rules and safety procedures for
their laboratory sessions.  The one thing that stuck in his mind is when
the T.A. explained what they would be dealing with on this level.

"Up until now, in your Freshman labs, and any labs that you may have had
prior in High school, the chemicals that you have handled could hurt you.=20
The chemicals that you will be dealing with throughout the course of this
lab can KILL you."

He never forgot that, as did all of his class mates, for the rest of the
semester,and thankfully so.  They are all still with us today.

~ Ford

Ford M. Royer, MT(ASCP)
Minnesota Medical, Inc.
Minneapolis, MN
> While we all seem to be concentrating on formalin, it should be remembered
> that combinations of different chemicals are often more damaging than
> exposure to a single chemical.
> It is therfore prudent to treat all chemicals with caution regradless of
> their known or perceived degree of possible damage and to stress this to
> all techs.
> Barry
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: histonet-bounces@lists.utsouthwestern.edu on behalf of
> Stephen.Eyres@sanofi-aventis.com
> Sent: Thu 5/25/2006 4:09 AM
> To: Histonet; Bryan Llewellyn
> Subject: Re: [Histonet] Formalin on skin
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Hi All,
>
> The key here is the amount of exposure over time. How many labs have a
> regular monitoring program which assesses formalin concentration whilst
> staff are working, grossing, tissue processor reagent changes, with or in
> an area where formalin vapours can build up, such as tissue store?  Our
> lab
> has been monitored periodically over the years and the levels have always
> been below the limit. In such a situation, the carcinogenic aspect is not
> seen as a problem.
>
> Cheers
>
> Steve
>
>
>
>                       Bryan Llewellyn
>                                            To:
> Histonet 
>                       Sent by:                               cc:
>                       histonet-bounces@lists.utsouth         Subject: Re:
> [Histonet] Formalin on skin
>                       western.edu
>
>
>                       23/05/2006 20:12
>
>
>
>
>
> Most of us old-timers have stuck our fingers in formalin or spilled it on
> ourselves on many occasions.  I have never heard of anyone developing a
> tumour from it, though.  It certainly doesn't appear to be common if it
> does
> happen.  In Canada some years ago we had a government program assisting
> people to inject urea-formaldehyde resin into the walls of houses as a
> retrofit insulation system.  A few years later it was decided the formalin
> fumes given off were carcinogenic, so we had another program to remove it.
> That's about the only link to tumours I have heard of.
>
> One of the pathologists I used to work with many years ago was fond of
> quoting a paper he had once read which compared naso-pharyngeal tumour
> rates
> among various groups.  Pathologists had a lower rate than other people.
> He
>
> always put that down to the formalin fumes they breathed in all the time.
>
> The real identified problem with formalin and skin contact is dermatitis.
> It isn't universal, but some people do get it with repeated contact, and
> once you develop the sensitivity to it, it doesn't go away.  So wear
> gloves.
>
> Bryan Llewellyn
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Charles.Embrey" 
> To: ; "Histonetliste (Histonetliste)"
> 
> Sent: Tuesday, May 23, 2006 10:56 AM
> Subject: RE: [Histonet] Formalin on skin
>
>
> You are 100% correct.  I have even reached a bare hand into formalin to
> pull out something before but washed with soap and water minutes after.
> I have not personally heard of formalin causing an increased risk of
> skin cancer however I am sure that there is a study somewhere that has
> probably associated some risk with L---O---N---G term exposure. Your
> labassistant should be perfectly safe.  Just don't drink it and keep it
> out of the eyes :)
>
> Charles Embrey Jr. PA(ASCP)
> www.greyrealm.com
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: histonet-bounces@lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> [mailto:histonet-bounces@lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Gudrun
> Lang
> Sent: Tuesday, May 23, 2006 12:32 PM
> To: Histonetliste (Histonetliste)
> Subject: [Histonet] Formalin on skin
>
> Hi,
> Today a labassistent asked me, what would happen to her skin, if
> formalin
> swallowed over her arm.
> I said, the formalin would harden the skin, but only on the surface. She
> should wash the arm with plenty of water, and there will reamain no
> negative
> reaction. It would not be dangerous for her health.
>
> Do you agree with me? Is there a cancer-risk after short contact with
> formalin?
>
> Greetings
> Gudrun Lang
>
> Histolab
> Akh Linz
> Austria
>
>
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>
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