DCHAS folks,

As a member of CHED, (along with CHAS, and also on the CCS,)  I have been concerned that the issue of safety seems not to be high on the agenda of CHED concerns.   I have approached the CHED leadership about establishing a Safety Committee in the Division.  They are open to a proposal.   So, I am now in the process of seeking out CHED members who would interested in participating in such a committee and, moreover, helping me construct a proposal (including mission statement and goals.)  

For those of you who have colleagues in CHED (or may be in CHED yourselves) please consider spreading the word about this new venture.  Interested persons should contact me directly at dfinster**At_Symbol_Here**wittenberg.edu.

As a tiny bit more information, my own sense of the purpose of such a CHED Safety Committee would be “to support appropriate strategies to include safety at all levels of chemistry instruction.”  In a quick response to the Exec Comm of CHED I asserted that (in my opinion) the Safety Committee would NOT be rendering judgments about safety matters/procedures that would invite liability on the part of CHED.  We have safety experts in CHAS and CCS for that.  My hope would be that a CHED group focused on safety would, among other things, smoothly intersect with other ACS Divisions (and the CPT) as appropriate on matters of safety instruction and education.  Of course, these are my nascent ideas, and I seek CHED colleagues to improve and hone such notions.

Thanks.

Dave

David C. Finster
Professor, Department of Chemistry
University Chemical Hygiene Officer
Wittenberg University
937-327-6441
http://userpages.wittenberg.edu/dfinster/index.html