From the LA Times: On Dec. 29, 2008, Sheharbano"Sheri" Sangji, 23, was severely burned over nearly half of her bodywhen air-sensitive chemicals burst into flames during an experiment and ignitedher clothing. Sangji, who was not wearing a protective lab coat, died 18 days later. Her death raised questions about lab safetypractices at UCLA and about Sangji's training and supervision by ProfessorPatrick Harran, a prominent researcher who joined the faculty in July 2008.
On Tuesday, the LosAngeles County district attorney's office charged Harran and the UC regentswith three counts each of willfully violating occupational health and safetystandards, resulting in Sangji's death. Harran and UCLA are accused of failingto correct unsafe work conditions in a timely manner, to require clothingappropriate for the work being done and to provide proper chemical safetytraining. An arrest warrant wasissued for Harran, 42, who faces up to four and a half years in state prison,according to a district attorney's spokeswoman…
On Tuesday, the LosAngeles County district attorney's office charged Harran and the UC regentswith three counts each of willfully violating occupational health and safetystandards, resulting in Sangji's death. Harran and UCLA are accused of failingto correct unsafe work conditions in a timely manner, to require clothingappropriate for the work being done and to provide proper chemical safetytraining. An arrest warrant wasissued for Harran, 42, who faces up to four and a half years in state prison,according to a district attorney's spokeswoman…
UCLA could be fined up to $1.5million on each of the three counts. In separate statements Tuesday, UCLA andthe regents called the charges unwarranted. UCLA's statement blasted them as"outrageous" and "appalling."…
In response to Sangji's death,UCLA instituted a host of safety improvements, including more rigorous lab inspections,more flame-resistant lab coats and enhanced training in the use of safety gearand the handling of air-sensitive chemicals. UCLA also established a Center forLab Safety…
Full article at http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-1228-ucla-death-20111228,0,7543387.story
Official UCLA statement at http://www.newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/ucla/campus-statement-regarding-criminal-221248.aspx
Technical details on the 2008 accident with updates and links at http://www.chemistry-blog.com/2009/01/20/tert-butyllithium-claims-fellow-chemist-at-ucla/
Official UCLA statement at http://www.newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/ucla/campus-statement-regarding-criminal-221248.aspx
Technical details on the 2008 accident with updates and links at http://www.chemistry-blog.com/2009/01/20/tert-butyllithium-claims-fellow-chemist-at-ucla/
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