We just went through the routine of writing an exception report for OSHA.
Each pathologists had to evaluate and document the scalpels available. - All
very small and not workable.  Then I wrote and exception report to have on
hand so the inspectors would know we did our due diligence.  Since there is
nothing out there that works this is supposed to do the trick.

Karla Carson HT/HTL (ASCP)
Regional Pathology Supervisor
Mercy Health Care Sacramento
916-453-4494
e-mail kcarson@chw.edu <mailto:kcarson@chw.edu> 

		-----Original Message-----
		From:	RSRICHMOND@aol.com [mailto:RSRICHMOND@aol.com]
		Sent:	Friday, November 17, 2000 11:44 AM
		To:	HistoNet@pathology.swmed.edu
		Subject:	Re: safety scalpels

		Rick Viprino at St Joseph Medical Center in Reading,
Pennsylviania asks:

		>>Does anyone have any suggestions for complying with OSHA
regulations 
		concerning the sharps issue (scalpels and blades) in the
pathology lab? Are 
		there any safety scalpels that are recommended more than
others for pathology 
		labs?<<

		Uh-oh - do the Herrn Inspektors now prescribe dull blades
for pathologists? - 
		Back to the old single-edge safety razor blades, I guess.

		Indeed, there are blades with rounded ends made for
pathologists. I've used 
		them a time or two and they're an abomination. Next thing
they'll want us 
		using dull-ended kindergarten style scissors.

		One of the biggest hazards of disposable blades is taking
them off the blade 
		handles when they get dull. Whatever Lipshaw is called this
week used to have 
		a $7 widget that greatly facilitated this process. I had one
of them for a 
		while but left it with a client in my travels.

		Bob Richmond
		Samurai Pathologist (still with a sharp blade)
		Knoxville TN