OSHA Investigating Yale Lab Death

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by Gwyneth K. Shaw | Apr 13, 2011 4:24 pm

(5) Comments | Commenting has been closed | E-mail the Author

Posted to: Health, Higher Ed

Facebook. (Updated) The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the chemistry lab where Yale senior Michele Dufault died Tuesday night, an agency spokesman said Wednesday.

OSHA spokesman Ted Fitzgerald said the agency will look at whether there were safety or health rules broken. In an email to the campus Wednesday morning, Linda Koch Lorimer, Yale’s vice president and secretary, said Dufault had been killed in “what appears to have been a terrible accident involving a piece of equipment in the student machine shop in Sterling Chemistry Laboratory.”

Dufault was a senior in Saybrook College.

Fitzgerald said that OSHA officials were initially unsure whether the agency has jurisdiction over the Yale lab, since Dufault was a student, not a paid employee. But OSHA has determined that it can launch an investigation, since the lab does employ technicians and faculty members also work there.

OSHA inspectors would be at the lab beginning Wednesday, Fitzgerald said. While he couldn’t discuss the specifics of the case, a typical OSHA investigation of an accident—particularly a death—involves a combination of on-site inspections and a review of documents and records. These investigations must be wrapped up within six months, he said.

If OSHA finds violations, the agency could cite Yale, and potentially fine the university.

According to the chemistry department’s website, access to the “state-of-the-art” machine shop is “strictly limited to those who have completed the shop course.”

In an email Wednesday, Yale President Rick Levin said he is conducting his own review of safety protocols.

“I have initiated a thorough review of the safety policies and practices of laboratories, machine shops, and other facilities with power equipment that is accessed and operated by undergraduates. This includes arts as well as science facilities.”

Steven Girvin, Deputy Provost for Science and Technology, will head up the review, Levin said. “Until the review is completed, Yale College will limit undergraduate access to facilities with power equipment to hours that will be specified by the end of the week; monitors will be present at these times in all such locations.”

Levin filled in a few more details about Dufault’s death.

“Last night, Michele’s hair got caught in a lathe as she worked on a project in the student machine shop in the Sterling Chemistry Laboratory,” Levin wrote. “Her body was found by other students who had been working in the building. They called the police, who responded immediately.”

Dufault was pursuing a B.S. in astronomy and physics, according to Levin. “She also had keen interest in oceanography and was intending to undertake work in that field after graduation. She was an enthusiastic saxophonist in the Yale Band, and a widely admired member of the Saybrook College community.”

The state medical examiner told the New Haven Register that the cause of death was asphyxiation.

Click here for the latest report from the Yale Daily News, and look for university updates here.

Comments

posted by: gardengirl6 on April 13, 2011 8:53pm

Thank Heaven OSHA - make sure no one works alone

posted by: Robert Kowalski on April 14, 2011 12:52am

This is a very sad occurrence and my condolences go out to her family.

Having worked in a machine shop for 44 years, I was always aware of the dangers around heavy machinery. The wearing of eye protection and proper shoes was especially essential. Also, in the case of women or men with long hair, it had to be tied up with a hairnet or hat. I am not sure what protocol was used at Yale. Since OSHA overseas mostly commercial operations, there must be a state agency that should regulate safety procedures at any school where students are concerned. I would think that Yale, being a major university, would have it’s own safety standards organization.

posted by: Robert Kowalski on April 14, 2011 1:01am

It is standard practice in many machine shops, that there must be at least two people in a machining area, in case of an emergency. Unfortunately, many companies do not enforce the rules.

posted by: Antoinette on April 14, 2011 5:04pm

@Robert Kowalski : Those are the very thoughts that crossed my mind. She should not have been working alone (or with her hair unpinned) at any time, and that seems to be the case here and unfortunately the outcome is tragic.

posted by: gardengirl6 on April 14, 2011 8:37pm

they will be investigating. They are making a special exception because the machine shop employs people who actually work there. Technicality - Thank Heaven.
But now they are putting the ‘blame’ on the girl saying she attented a safety class.
She is about 22 - does anyone remember when they were around that age. The need watching whether they think they don’t or not. We are the experienced ones and they should be protected - even in school - after all the are still - inexperienced.

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