About This Archive  | DCHAS-L 2006 Index   | DCHAS-L Yearly Index
person wearing a disposable face shield and surgical style mask

Check out Safety Emporium for your N95, N99, and face shield needs.

Previous by Date:
Subject: Re: cell phones in labs
Date: Thu, 9 Mar 2006 14:19:33 -0600
Author: Harry Elston 		Next by Date:
Subject: Re: cell phones in labs
Date: Thu, 9 Mar 2006 20:09:35 -0800
Author: Laurence Doemeny


Date: Thu, 9 Mar 2006 16:55:00 -0600
Reply-To: Beltran Bustamante Reynaldo <rbeltranb**At_Symbol_Here**PEP.PEMEX.COM>
Sender: DCHAS-L Discussion List <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU>
From: Beltran Bustamante Reynaldo <rbeltranb**At_Symbol_Here**PEP.PEMEX.COM>
Subject: Re: cell phones in labs


There many reasons to avoid using cell phones in a laboratory:
- Ethical
- Security
- Hygiene

Talking about safety issues, this is my viewpoint:

Most of our labs are classified as Class 1 Division 1 or Class 1
Division 2 locations in the National Electrical Code, 2005 Edition (from
the National Fire Protection Association - NFPA).

Although that NFPA code is not specific for "portable equipment having
contained power supplies" (as the cell phones), it refers us to the
recommended practice ISA-RP12.12.03-2002, from The Instrumentation,
Systems, and Automation Society.

The above mentioned recommended practice states what kind of portable
products may be used in the classified locations:

Thus, in a Class 1 Division 1 location may be used:
a) Any product that is listed for use in the location

And in a Class 1 Division 2 location may be used:
a) PEP1 (PEP means Portable Electronic Product)
b) PEP2
c) Any product that is listed for use in the location

Since any cell phone meets the PEP1 criteria, only a few of them meets
the PEP2 criteria y probably no one is listed for use in such locations,
the use of cell phones should be prohibited in labs.

Reynaldo Beltran
EHS Management
Pemex Exploration & Production
Tabasco, Mexico
52-993-3521290

Previous post   |  Top of Page   |   Next post


The content of this page reflects the personal opinion(s) of the author(s) only, not the American Chemical Society, ILPI, Safety Emporium, or any other party. Use of any information on this page is at the reader's own risk. Unauthorized reproduction of these materials is prohibited. Send questions/comments about the archive to secretary@dchas.org.
The maintenance and hosting of the DCHAS-L archive is provided through the generous support of Safety Emporium.