1
Where do we go from here? (And how do we get there?) T he beginning of a new year al- ways brings about a certain amount of anticipation of what will be in store for us in the months ahead. Goals are made and plans are excitedly set in motion to achieve those goals. As we move into the new year at Chemical Health & Safety, I’d like to share some of the excitement the editorial staff has been experienc- ing concerning the future of the jour- nal. Knowing where we want to be in the next several years is paramount. The fundamental goal of the journal remains unchanged: Chemical Health & Safety is to be the premier resource for chem- ical safety professionals worldwide. Since its creation, Chemical Health & Safety has evolved into a resource for the Chemical Hygiene Officer, the principal safety professional in the laboratory. After nearly a decade of the laboratory standard, I have wit- nessed the position of Chemical Hy- giene Officer evolve into something much larger than a technical chemical safety expert. CHOs have become, out of necessity, “laboratory safety profes- sionals.” In many facilities, CHOs are responsible for radiation and biologi- cal safety, waste disposal, and many industrial hygiene functions, such as indoor air quality and even fork-lift safety! “Laboratory safety” now in- cludes topics such as hazardous waste management, laser safety, electrical safety, as well as many other topics not normally associated with chemis- try. Just as “chemistry” has evolved to include topics such as material sci- ence, biology, and physics, the chem- ical safety profession has evolved to include much more than chemistry. During the same ten years, I have also come to realize there is much more to “chemical safety” than “labo- ratory safety.” Many chemical safety issues occur outside the confines of the laboratory. Certainly we find our- selves needing chemical safety infor- mation in the pilot plant during scale-up work or during hazardous material clean-up operations. Ever in- creasingly however, we find it neces- sary to have chemical safety informa- tion—and more—in the field where samples are drawn for analyses, or even in our own homes on a spring weekend before we “weed and feed” our lawns. The line of demarcation between chemical safety and labora- tory safety has blurred as the profes- sion has developed during the last de- cade. The editorial board has recognized the evolution of the chemical safety profession. In order to be a more com- plete resource for all safety profession- als and chemical safety professionals in particular, CH&S has started to ex- pand coverage into areas such as chemical pilot plant safety, aspects of biological and radiation safety, facility remodeling and reconstruction, chem- ical toxicology, hazardous materials response, incident review and cri- tique, and any other area that is useful to the CHO or to any other person responsible for chemical safety. We eagerly anticipate addressing chemical safety issues in Europe and Asia as our readership increases outside of the North American continent. One of our most underdeveloped areas at CH&S is sharing the lessons learned from solving complex safety problems. I am positive there are a fair number of CHOs and industrial hy- gienists reading this editorial who have had experiences worth sharing with the rest of us. I would like to challenge you to share some of those experiences. As we read about how others have overcome difficult prob- lems and the lessons they have learned in the process, we become more efficient at what we do. A critical discussion of lessons learned is always win–win. Is CH&S moving away from the lab- oratory? In a word, no! However, the journal is maturing to include all areas of chemical health and safety, inside and outside the laboratory. So, where do we go from here? Forward, of course. How do we get there? To- gether. Harry J. Elston Editor Editor’s Note It’s dues time again at the American Chemical Society, and that includes Division dues as well. Timely payment of your division dues is the ticket to continuing your subscription to Chemical Health & Safety. Starting with the May/June issue, delinquent and other unpaid members of the division will no longer receive the journal. If you have any question as to your payment status, I would encourage you to contact the division secretary, Dr. Sung Moon. If you’re having problems receiving the journal, especially if you’re a division affiliate (non-ACS member), please contact the division as soon as possible. It is our sincere desire to insure prompt delivery to you. 3 1074-9098/00/$20.00 © Division of Chemical Health and Safety of the American Chemical Society PII S1074-9098(99)00072-6 Published by Elsevier Science Inc. EDITORIAL

Where do we go from here? (And how do we get there?)

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Page 1: Where do we go from here? (And how do we get there?)

Where do we gofrom here? (Andhow do we getthere?)

The beginning of a new year al-ways brings about a certainamount of anticipation of what

will be in store for us in the monthsahead. Goals are made and plans areexcitedly set in motion to achievethose goals. As we move into the newyear at Chemical Health & Safety, I’dlike to share some of the excitementthe editorial staff has been experienc-ing concerning the future of the jour-nal.

Knowing where we want to be in thenext several years is paramount. Thefundamental goal of the journal remainsunchanged: Chemical Health & Safetyis to be the premier resource for chem-ical safety professionals worldwide.

Since its creation, Chemical Health& Safety has evolved into a resourcefor the Chemical Hygiene Officer, theprincipal safety professional in thelaboratory. After nearly a decade ofthe laboratory standard, I have wit-nessed the position of Chemical Hy-giene Officer evolve into somethingmuch larger than a technical chemicalsafety expert. CHOs have become, outof necessity, “laboratory safety profes-sionals.” In many facilities, CHOs areresponsible for radiation and biologi-cal safety, waste disposal, and manyindustrial hygiene functions, such as

indoor air quality and even fork-liftsafety! “Laboratory safety” now in-cludes topics such as hazardous wastemanagement, laser safety, electricalsafety, as well as many other topicsnot normally associated with chemis-try. Just as “chemistry” has evolved toinclude topics such as material sci-ence, biology, and physics, the chem-ical safety profession has evolved toinclude much more than chemistry.

During the same ten years, I havealso come to realize there is muchmore to “chemical safety” than “labo-ratory safety.” Many chemical safetyissues occur outside the confines ofthe laboratory. Certainly we find our-selves needing chemical safety infor-mation in the pilot plant duringscale-up work or during hazardousmaterial clean-up operations. Ever in-creasingly however, we find it neces-sary to have chemical safety informa-tion—and more—in the field wheresamples are drawn for analyses, oreven in our own homes on a springweekend before we “weed and feed”our lawns. The line of demarcationbetween chemical safety and labora-tory safety has blurred as the profes-sion has developed during the last de-cade.

The editorial board has recognizedthe evolution of the chemical safetyprofession. In order to be a more com-plete resource for all safety profession-als and chemical safety professionalsin particular, CH&S has started to ex-pand coverage into areas such aschemical pilot plant safety, aspects ofbiological and radiation safety, facility

remodeling and reconstruction, chem-ical toxicology, hazardous materialsresponse, incident review and cri-tique, and any other area that is usefulto the CHO or to any other personresponsible for chemical safety. Weeagerly anticipate addressing chemicalsafety issues in Europe and Asia as ourreadership increases outside of theNorth American continent.

One of our most underdevelopedareas at CH&S is sharing the lessonslearned from solving complex safetyproblems. I am positive there are a fairnumber of CHOs and industrial hy-gienists reading this editorial whohave had experiences worth sharingwith the rest of us. I would like tochallenge you to share some of thoseexperiences. As we read about howothers have overcome difficult prob-lems and the lessons they havelearned in the process, we becomemore efficient at what we do. A criticaldiscussion of lessons learned is alwayswin–win.

Is CH&S moving away from the lab-oratory? In a word, no! However, thejournal is maturing to include all areasof chemical health and safety, insideand outside the laboratory. So, wheredo we go from here? Forward, ofcourse. How do we get there? To-gether.

Harry J. ElstonEditor

Editor’s Note

It’s dues time again at the American Chemical Society, and that includes Division dues as well. Timelypayment of your division dues is the ticket to continuing your subscription to Chemical Health &Safety.

Starting with the May/June issue, delinquent and other unpaid members of the division will no longerreceive the journal. If you have any question as to your payment status, I would encourage you tocontact the division secretary, Dr. Sung Moon.

If you’re having problems receiving the journal, especially if you’re a division affiliate (non-ACSmember), please contact the division as soon as possible. It is our sincere desire to insure promptdelivery to you.

31074-9098/00/$20.00 © Division of Chemical Health and Safety of the American Chemical SocietyPII S1074-9098(99)00072-6 Published by Elsevier Science Inc.

EDITORIAL