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How safe is your lab?

The New York Times ran an interesting story yesterday about safety in biology research labs. The reporters were clearly hamstrung by the lack of real data on the issue, but the anecdotes – which include a University of Chicago scientist who died of the plague he was studying – make for troubling reading.

The bottom line, at least according to a 2006 survey by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, seems to be that there are fewer injuries and illnesses in industry research labs than in the average workplace. But some worry that biology labs have fewer federal regulations than a typical factory, despite the variety of chemicals and pathogens that can be found there. Among the worried: the new director of the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration, who told the NY Times: “We have inadequate standards for workers exposed to infectious materials.”

What to do about it? The article suggests that OSHA is contemplating action. But even if OSHA beefs up regulations, its 2000 inspectors will likely have trouble enforcing them, the director cautions. With over 130 million workers in 7 million workplaces to oversee, they’re already pretty busy.

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    st said:

    Ironically, on the same day the New York Times article, “Safety Rules Can’t Keep Up With Biotech Industry” broke, the scientific watchdog group, The Council for Responsible Genetics-GeneWatch Magazine submitted the electronic version of the print subscription; March-April 2010 issue titled, “BioLab Safety”.

    The Editor of GeneWatch, Sam Anderson stated in the Editorial Section, ” This may be one of the most important GeneWatch issue in recent memory”.

    The electronic version of GeneWatch magazine; BioLab Safety is available free online at https://issuu.com/genewatchmagazine/docs/genewatch23-2?mode=embed&layout=http%3A%2F%2Fskin.issuu.com%2Fv%2Flight%2Flayout.xml&showFlipBtn=true This 28 page electronic version can be read as you would a “printed” magazine issue.

    March-April 2010 issue; “BioLab Safety” articles:

    A Cruel and Unusual Corporation

    By Ralph Nader

    A Roach in the Kitchen

    By CRG staff – interview with Becky McClain

    Commentary: GM Crops

    By Eric Hoffman

    Dedication: Tony Mazzocchi

    By Jeremy Gruber

    Give Them an Inch…

    By Michael Siciliano

    One Bug, One Drug

    By Lynn Klotz, Edward Sylvester

    The Lab in My Backyard

    By Beth Willis

    Teatime in the Lab

    By Sam Anderson

    Book Review: Breeding Bio Insecurity and Germs Gone Wild

    By Andrew Thibedeau

    Flushing It Down the Rabbit Hole

    By Andrew Thibedeau

    Topic: Genetic Discrimination

    By Jeremy Gruber

    Topic: Forensic DNA Databanks

    By CRG Staff

    The Case of Dr. Malcolm Casadaban

    By CRG Staff

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