E-News for January 2001
Greetings ALMA Members,
Most laboratories have a staff member designated as Chemical Hygiene Officer as either a secondary or full-time responsibility. This position is mandated by the OSHA Laboratory Standard which requires that the individual be “qualified by training or experience to provide technical guidance….” Duties defined in the Standard include:
- development, implementation, and improvement of the Chemical Hygiene Plan,
- monitoring the procurement, use, and disposal of chemicals,
- knowing the legal requirements of regulated substances in the lab,
- conducting audits and performing evaluations, and
- developing a safe working environment.
This function carries a legal responsibility as the company’s representative for laboratory safety and the individual assigned should be given full management support to develop as a safety professional. A thorough knowledge of OSHA’s general industry standards is essential in ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local regulatory requirements. It is also important for the lab manager to provide staff resources to assist in this function and to react positively to any safety issues uncovered during the audits or evaluations. As we plan for the year, make sure that the importance of this function is not overlooked—reinforce your expectations and the legal obligations by defining objectives with your Chemical Hygiene Officer.
Dee Hock is a retired banker who was the driving force behind the creation of the Visa card. He is viewed as one of the most original thinkers on the subject of organizations. Some of his management principles expressed in his own words are listed below:
- “Make a careful list of things done to you that you abhorred. Don’t do them to others, ever. Make another list of things done for you that you loved. Do them for others, always.”
- “Hire and promote first on the basis of integrity; second, motivation; third, capacity; fourth, understanding; fifth, knowledge; and last and least, experience. Without integrity, motivation is dangerous; without motivation, capacity is impotent; without capacity, understanding is limited; without understanding, knowledge is meaningless; without knowledge, experience is blind. Experience is easy to provide and quickly put to good use by people with the other qualities.”
- “Never hire and promote in your own image. It is foolish to replicate your strength. It is idiotic to replicate your weakness. It is essential to employ, trust, and reward those whose perspective, ability, and judgement are radically different from yours. It is also rare, for it requires humility, tolerance, and wisdom.”
- “Money motivates neither the best people, nor the best in people. It can move the body and influence the mind, but it cannot touch the heart or move the spirit; that is reserved for belief, principle, and morality. As Napoleon observed, ‘No amount of money will induce someone to lay down their life, but they will gladly do so for a bit of yellow ribbon’.”
If you have any comments, cost saving suggestions, opinions, etc. let me hear from you .
Wayne