1871-5532/$36.00

doi:10.1016/j.jchas.2009.03.003

Ask Alice H. . .

D ear Alice H,I have a number of samples to shipand when I went to our warehouse,

they told me I needed a UN number. What onearth is that and why do I need it?Trying to UN-derstand,

Dear Trying to UN-derstand,What a great question. Shipping of materials

has become much more complicated. Shippingof hazardous materials in the United States isregulated by the U.S. Department of Transpor-tation (DOT). Additionally, if the materials areshipped by air, they may also be covered underthe International Air Transport Association(IATA) regulations. These regulations requirematerials to be properly labeled and placardedfor easy identification and emergency responseif necessary. The materials must also be accom-panied by properly completed shipping paperswhich require the UN number. The UN num-ber is an identification number in the formatUNxxxx. The four digit number is assigned bythe United Nations Committee of Experts onthe Transport of Dangerous Goods and arepublished as part of their Recommendationson the Transport of Dangerous Goods. Thenumber may refer to a specific material or toa group of materials with similar properties.These numbers can be found in the UN’sOrange Book, material safety data sheets, orother references. Many common carriers, suchas UPS or FedEx, can help in finding the properUN number for some shipments.

Dear Alice H,We are in the process of revamping our safetydiscussion in preparation for the upcomingsemester. In this discussion, we discuss thedifferent routes of exposure – inhalation, inges-tion, absorption, and injection. For the mostpart, we have been able to provide good andunderstandable examples of inhalation, inges-tion, and injection – but are having a bit oftrouble elevating the hazard associated withabsorption. Can you help?Rubbing in Safety Awareness

Dear Rubbing in Safety Awareness,Changing the perception of risk is always a

challenge, and absorption is not necessarily

� Division of Chem

easily perceived. However, according to theOccupational Safety and Health Administra-tion (OSHA) skin exposure to chemicalsaccounted for 41,400 recordable skin diseasesin 2006, as reported by the Bureau of LaborStatistics. This is a rate of 4.5 injuries per10,000 employees. This is significantly greaterthan that of respiratory illnesses which had arate of 1.9 illnesses per 10,000 employees dur-ing the same time period. Chemicals can bereadily absorbed and can result in other healtheffects. The problem is that absorption may notbe noticed by the worker or they are falselyprotected (i.e., wearing the wrong types ofgloves). Another issue is that chemicals mayremain on work surfaces for long periods oftime resulting in a silent, non-visible hazard. Itis very important to continue your efforts incommunicating this potential hazard. Thehazard can be minimized by using the properpersonal protective equipment (PPE) and goodhousekeeping.

Dear Alice H, I am trying to set up our safetygoals for the organization for the next year. Ifwe were to pick one item to focus on, whatwould your recommendation be?Goal Seeker

Dear Goal Seeker,As we all know we can’t focus on everything,

but if we focus on a few things at a time we havethe opportunity to really make improvements.If I were to pick a focus item, I think it would bepersonal protective equipment. Proper selec-tion and use of PPE will minimize exposures,and a focus in this area also will provide a focuson the awareness of the hazards present in theworkplace or associated with a particular task.Additionally, on January 12, 2009, OSHA pub-lished a final rule that will significantly increasethe monetary penalties for PPE and hazardstraining violations. The rule is ‘‘Clarificationsof Employers’ Duty to Provide Personal Pro-tective Equipment and Train Each Employee’’.In this rule each violation of the PPE or trainingrequirement results in a per-employee penalty.Thus, not only will you raise awareness of thehazards, provide protection to your employees;you have the potential to eliminate a risk foryour organization.

ical Health and Safety of the American Chemical Society 51Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.