[Histonet] Safety regs/Pathologists

[Bill Blank]

At 9:22 AM -0400 5/14/04, Fran Lemons wrote:
>Forcing a gross assistant to stand by while gross dissection is 
>performed without proper ventilation can cause death over time.
>Don't mean to be abrasive, but you sound like you are just plain stubborn.

I absolutely agree with this. Proper ventilation for formalin and 
xylene, among others, is essential for my and personnel safety. 
Proper ventilation does not interfere with patient care and is a 
reasonable precaution. In my lab we use industrial strength exhaust 
fans and wear formalin and xylene badges at the prescribed intervals. 
No one has ever come up over-exposed. If a grossing assistant were 
bothered by such fumes or even a leg with wet gangrene I would tell 
them to leave if necessary.

The main point I have tried to make in this brouhaha is that when one 
has to choose between a regulation and good health care for a 
patient, on should always choose the latter, IMO.

No rule or reg is black and white and there are always exceptions. I 
consider myself and my technical supervisors and staff to have enough 
common sense to ignore a rule or reg if necessary or if it makes no 
sense in a particular circumstance.

I also see some cultural differences in opinions about this. Not only 
UK, USA and Oz, but rural vs urban USA. There is also a generational 
gap apparent.

I know many people live by rules and regs, because they don't have to 
think for themselves and make sometimes difficult decisions. They 
allow the rules and regs to be the axe that drops. I would rather 
have my staff be more independent thinking and an abundance of common 
sense.
-- 
_____________________________
Bill Blank
http://kernunnos.com (Celtic studies and numismatics)
OBOD's Message board: http://www.druidry.org/board