From mtang at stanford.edu  Tue May  8 17:32:51 2007
From: mtang at stanford.edu (Mary Tang)
Date: Tue, 08 May 2007 17:32:51 -0700
Subject: Beware of WET chemical bottles!
Message-ID: <464116B3.70305@stanford.edu>

Dear wet bench users --

The Stockroom staff has brought to our attention the fact that 
sometimes, when they remove the empty bottles from the chemicals 
passthrough, they are wet -- on the OUTSIDE of the bottles.  Sometimes, 
the liquid feels thick and viscous.  Sometimes, the liquid smells very 
sharp....  This is completely unacceptable.

It appears that some people are becoming careless in using chemicals.  
This careless behavior is endangering others -- not only our staff, but 
anyone who may be using the chemicals carts or chemicals passthrough 
which may also become contaminated by the wet bottles.

We only know too well that it is hard to find who is doing this -- and 
often the culprit doesn't even realize what he/she is doing.

So please, please, PLEASE make sure to pour chemicals slowly and 
carefully to avoid splashing.  If you do manage to drip chemical on the 
outside of the bottle,  take it to wbgaas, where there is a large sink.  
Place it on the holey deck and spray it down with the DI hand sprayer.   
Use pH paper, if you like, to ensure the bottle is thoroughly rinsed.  
If you have any questions about this, please ask a staff member.  
Remember that this is a shared facility -- everything you do has the 
potential to affect other lab and staff members.

So that was my plea for sanity....  Now, here's the threat...  The next 
time our stockroom staff is exposed to chemicals on the outside of 
bottle, I will randomly select two people from the labmembers who have 
enabled any wet bench using that chemical during the previous 24 hours 
-- who will help our stockroom staff run the bottle washer to clean 
empty bottles.  Yes, I will even qualify them to use the bottle wash on 
Coral....

Thanks for your attention --

Mary

-- 
Mary X. Tang, Ph.D.
Stanford Nanofabrication Facility
CIS Room 136, Mail Code 4070
Stanford, CA  94305
(650)723-9980
mtang at stanford.edu
http://snf.stanford.edu