EH&S E-News and Notes
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Fall '02, No. 4

Stanford University
Environmental Health and Safety
480 Oak Road
Stanford, CA 94305-8007
650-723-0448

C o n t e n t s

• October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
  
  
• Evacuation Drills and National Fire Prevention Week
  
  
• Clean Agent Fire Suppression
  
  
• Emergency Preparedness Exhibit at Oakland Museum
  
  
• Reproductive and Developmental Health Protection Program
  

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Contributed by
Associate Vice Provost, Larry Gibbs and
Training and Communications Specialist, Susie Claxton

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM). The Board of Sponsors of this campaign includes 19 professional medical and community based volunteer associations dedicated to increasing awareness of breast cancer issues, especially the importance of early detection.

In an effort to support this awareness campaign, Piatti's Restaurant (at the Stanford Shopping Center) is hosting a number of fundraising events in October. To help this important cause, our very own Larry Gibbs, Associate Vice Provost for Environmental Health and Safety, will be serving as a Happy Hour "Celebrity Bartender" at Piatti's on Wednesday, October 9th, from 5:30 7:30 pm. Larry reports that he is a graduate of the Harvard Bartending School (Class of '74). You will certainly want to challenge him with your exotic drink requests. Please mark your calendars, and tell your friends and colleagues who may be interested in this important cause. Twenty (20)% of all proceeds (AND ALL OF LARRY'S GENEROUS TIPS!!!) will be donated to the. CBHP has a single mission - to improve the lives of those touched by breast cancer.

Evacuation Drills and National Fire
Prevention Week

Contributed by
Training & Communications Specialist, Susie Claxton

The week of September 30 - October 3, the Stanford University Fire Marshal's Office (SUFMO) will conduct Evacuation drills for every student housing unit on campus.

The following week, October 6-12 is National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Fire Prevention Week. This is a public education campaign to help people join in the teamwork necessary in fire safety. Please visit the (NFPA) Fire Prevention Week web-site to learn about fire prevention strategies and tips for home and work including:

• Sparky the Fire Dog® - Every kid's favorite Safety Hero
• "Team Up for Fire Safety™" - This year's theme
  
• Installing and testing smoke alarms
  
• Practicing home escape plans
  
• Hunting for Home Hazards
  

Clean Agent Fire Suppression

Contributed by
Fire Protection Engineer, Robert Porterfield

Halon 1301, a nontoxic gaseous fire suppressant, became widely used in the 70's and 80's to protect computer rooms and other occupied spaces where sprinkler systems were not desirable. In 1992, the Montreal Protocol established a plan for industrialized nations to phase out production of ozone depleting substances that included the popular fire suppressant Halon 1301. At that point terms like "Zero O.D.P. and G.W.P" (ozone depleting potential and Global Warming Potential) in addition to nontoxic, electrically non-conductive and non-corrosive became criteria for selecting fire suppressants. No restrictions have been placed against the continued use of Halon 1301 systems; only the production of new materials has been restricted by the Montreal Protocol

Three products have emerged over the past decade as the leading contenders for Halon 1301 replacement:
Inergin (trade name) is a combination of non-toxic, inert gasses (52% N2, 40% A, 8% CO2) that work by diluting the oxygen concentration to 12-13.5% (a level that won't support combustion of ordinary materials but will not asphyxiate personnel in the space).
FM-200 (link currently unavailable) (trade name), generically known as HFC-227ea or heptafluoropropane, is a gas that interferes with the combustion process when sprayed into the room.
Fine water mist is another effective alternative that is being installed in marine and rail industries and is popular in Europe but it has not been widely used in USA.

Clean agent fire suppression has been installed at various campus locations as part of Stanford University's commitment to personnel safety, property protection, and environmental conservation. Halon 1301 systems are installed in several communications hubs that are critical to campus operations. The newest clean agent installations on campus have used FM200. If you have any questions regarding these installations, contact the Stanford University Fire Marshal Office.

For additional information see: National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard 2001.

Emergency Preparedness Exhibit at Oakland Museum

Contributed by
Emergency Planning Manager, Roni Wade and
Training and Communications Specialist, Susie Claxton

You may have seen the article in the Sunday September 29th issue of the San Jose Mercury News about the new Emergency Preparedness exhibit at the Oakland Museum.

The web pages about the exhibit, State of Emergency: Disaster Response in California, explain its content "The exhibition begins with a survey of California disasters since the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire and then chronicles, in 45 dramatic color photographs by independent photographer Maggie Hallahan and the Governor's Office of Emergency Services photographer Robert Eplett, the past decade of disaster in California. The exhibition presents vivid images of this period, starting with the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, during which every county in California has experienced at least one declared disaster."

In this period California experienced floods, storms, freezes, fires and earthquakes. As a result, California and the Office of Emergency Services (OES) have one of the most extensively developed emergency preparedness, response and recovery programs in the country. This exhibit has something for everyone, from professionals to families.

Reproductive and Developmental Health Protection Program

Contributed by Industrial Hygienist, Esther Luckhardt

As a major research and medical university, some Stanford facilities contain chemicals known to the State of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm. The objective of the Reproductive & Developmental Health Protection Program is to protect the health of employees and students from occupational exposures to chemical, biological, radiological, or physical substances known or suspected of being reproductive or developmental hazards, by identifying these potential hazards and implementing appropriate exposure control measures. More information about our program can be found at our program website link. Any employee or student who is interested in speaking with EHS regarding this program should contact the Occupational Health and Safety group at 725-3209.

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