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7/30/2013

7/30/2013. EHS Issues with Taxidermy Specimens: Birds, Skeletons and Alligators Oh My. Prepared By: Dana Moracco MoraccoD@ripon.edu Jeffrey R. Sotek, PE, CSP, CIH Jeff.sotek@hrpassociates.com. Why do Colleges / Universities have Taxidermy Specimens?  Valuable educational tools?

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7/30/2013

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  1. 7/30/2013 EHSIssueswithTaxidermySpecimens: Birds,SkeletonsandAlligatorsOhMy PreparedBy: DanaMoracco MoraccoD@ripon.edu JeffreyR.Sotek,PE,CSP,CIH Jeff.sotek@hrpassociates.com WhydoColleges/Universitieshave TaxidermySpecimens? Valuable educationaltools? Rareglimpsesinto past? Curiosities? College/ Universityinherited themfrom Alumni? 1

  2. 7/30/2013 Taxidermy–ABriefHistory Greekorigin“taxi”and “derma”,whichmeans arrangementofskin Firstattemptsofstuffing andmounting–16th Century –Arhinocerosis reportedlyoldest museumspecimen 20thcenturybrought aboutthemodernerain taxidermy    –Posinganimalsandbirds 3 WhyShouldYouCare? Preservationmethodsused toxicchemicalstoprotect againstinsectinfestationand rodents…. –Arsenicalsoapsandpastes –Mercuricchloride –Organicpesticides(DDT, Dieldrin,,Alcohols,,manyy more) Mounts –Asbestoscontaining? 2

  3. 7/30/2013 HowManyofYouHaveSkeletonsin YourCloset? SampleID Alligator RedTailHawk Case(CanadianGeese) Case(InteriorWipe–Canadian Geese) Case(Mergansers) Case(InteriorWipe–Mergansers) SongBirds(StorageCase) Butterfly(storagecase) HorseSkulls Orangutan Arsenic 2,800ug/wipe 6,800mg/kg(dust) 970mg/kg(dust) 24,000mg/kg 860ug/wipe 19,000mg/kg 210ug/wipe 240,000mg/kg NonDetect NonDetect NonDetect Mercury 6.8ug/wipe 14mg/kg(dust) 2.7mg/kg(dust) 29mg/kg(dust) 1ug/wipe 80mg/kg 3ug/wipe 56mg/kg 0.42ug/wipe 0.49ug/wipe 0.39ug/wipe ObligationsandLiability….  OSHA –Obligationtoprovide safeworkplace –CompliancewithSafety Standards • • • HazardCommunication PersonalProtective Equipment AirborneContaminants Students  –Exposurerisk 6 3

  4. 7/30/2013 WhereDoWeStart? EvaluateRisk/Exposure InspecttheCollection –Lookforpowderyor crystallinedepositson: •Baseoffeathersandhair •Aroundeyes •Aroundmouthorbill •Atbaseoftail •Onfootpads •Alongventralincision Testing –WipeSamples –VacuumTrapCollection –X-rayfluorescence –TestStrips Testingonthecheap Riponfocusedonarsenic. –XRFconfirmednoother poisonsusedinour collection. Webertestvs.arsenictest strips*      GeneralRuleof Thumb: Allnaturalhistory specimensbeforethe 1980sshouldbetested 7 –UsedMacherey-Nagel arsenicteststrips.$0.75 perspecimen •$32for200strips.Cutin half.1200samplesX3 tests/sample=3600tests *“ArsenicinTaxidermy Collections:History,Detection, andManagement.”Marte,et al.,Collection Forum.2006 • 80studenthours@ $7.25/hr=$580 8 4

  5. 7/30/2013 Materials •25mLErlenmeyerflasks •Rubberstoppers •Zinc •ROwater •1MHCl •RubbingAlcohol •Wipes •Cottonswabs •10mLgraduatedcylinder •String&IDtags •Arsenicteststrips •Bagsforpositivespecimens •HazWastecontainers •PPE 9 Methods Swab3spotsonspecimen.Eyes, underlimb,body. Swabgoesin5mLH2O Addzinc,HClandstopperwith Hg(II)BrtestpaperAsH3 Workinfumehood.WearPPE.Disposeof liquidandsolidwasteasHW. 10 5

  6. 7/30/2013 ResultsandOtherStuff Ofknowndatesof+’smany≤1900’s Mostareunknownage Latest+preparedin1994 Noclearpatternof+’sor–’s Wilson’sPhalarope got3+’s Sensitivity wasn’tas + 1ppm greatasM-N testclaim (0.1ppm) +++++ ++ ++++10-3 +++ 11 FurtherConsiderations   Decontaminatesamplesandtrays withrubbingalcohol.Tag Containerize+samples     Bags VisipakorClearTec Taxidermydisplaycases www.birdtaxidermist.com.Buy baseanduprightsupportsper meterandgetglasscutlocally Postwarnings Warning! TaxidermySpecimens MayybeContaminated withArsenic Use4letterbirdabbreviations http://www.birdpop.org/alphacodes.htm •Weargloveswhenhandlingany specimen •Noeatingordrinking •Washhands,utensils,andworking surfaceafterhandlingspecimens  Migratorybirdact 12 6

  7. 7/30/2013 MoreConsiderations Storage – – – Museumcases Individualcases Drawers –Other Consider: – – – – Accessibility Security Training Communication •Labeling 13 MoreConsiderations GoodHousekeeping  – – – Keepstorageareasand workareascleanandfree fromdustanddebris Usewetmethodsto minimizedustgeneration andairborneexposure wheneverpossible Whenvacuumingis necessary,useaHEPA vacuum • Note:airpurifying respiratorrecommendedas vacuumexhaustcan circulatehazardous particulates 14 7

  8. 7/30/2013 MoreConsiderations AdditionalExposureRisks  – – – – CustodialStaff Facilities Faculty Thepossibilityofarsenic-contaminateddust beingtransferredtootherareasofthe building,eitherbyfoottrafficorother means,isofhighconcern 15 MoreConsiderations PersonalProtectionEquipment  – – Nevertouchwithbareskin Lessevasivetasks(e.g.,testing) • • Nitrileglovesandprotectivesmockorapron ConsiderationforairpurifyingrespiratorwithHEPAfilter – Moreevasivetasks(e.g.,deconning,remounting) • • • Performincontainmentorlabhood Nitrilegloves Tyvekandprotectivesmockorapron,dependingonlocation •AirpurifyingrespiratorwithHEPAfilter Monitoring  – Needtodocumentemployeeexposure(i.e.,personalair monitoring 16 8

  9. 7/30/2013 MoreConsiderations PersonalHygiene  – – – – – Arseniccontainingspecimensshouldnotused inhand-onpresentations Washlabcoatsandotherprotectiveclothing frequentlyandseparatefrompersonalaffects Ifhomeclothesmaybecontaminateddonot bringthemhometopassalongtofamily members. Washhandsoften Nosmoking,eating,applyinglipbalm,etc. 17 MoreConsiderations PostDecontaminationSampling –Wipesamples •Noregulatorylimitforarsenic,mercury •Residentialwipescreeninglevels* –Arsenic:36ug/ft2or387ug/m2 –Mercury:15ug/ft2or157ug/m2 •Industrialwipescreeninglevels** –Arsenic:100ug/100cm2or929ug/ft •WorldTradeCenterIndoorAirTaskForceWorkingGroupContaminatesofPotential ConcernCommittee.May2003.“WorldTradeCenterindoorenvironmental assessment:Selectingcontaminatesofpotentialconcernandsettinghealthbased benchmarks.” **MethodologyusingSemiconductorsHandbookbyWilliamsandBaldwin 9

  10. 7/30/2013 MoreConsiderations Waste –Specimens –Dust/filters –Washwaters Options –Presumedhazardouswaste –Usegeneratorknowledge –AnalyzeviaToxicLeachingCharacteristicProcedure 19 FinalConsiderations MigratoryBirdTreatyof1918 –1,007birdslistedandgeneraldividedbetweenGameandNon-Game –Permitsarerequiredtotake,possess,transport,sell,purchase,barter, import,orexportallspeciesofbirdsprotectedbytheMBTA,aswellas theirfeathers,parts,nests,oreggs.Takemeanstopursue,hunt,shoot, wound,kill,tap,capture,orcollect,orattempttopursue,hunt,shoot, wound,kill,trap,capture,orcollect(50CFR10.12) –Certainpermitexceptionsapplyto...publicscientificoreducational institutions –FWSrecommendslettertoRegionalMigratoryBirdOfficer EndangeredSpeciesAct 20   10

  11. 7/30/2013 QUESTIONS? ThankYou DanaMoracco BiologyLaboratoryCoordinator,RiponCollege Tel:920-748-8398 E:MoraccoD@ripon.edu JeffreySotek RegionalManager,HRPAssociates,Inc. Tel:855-866-3934 E:jeff.sotek@hrpassociates.com 11

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