COMSTOCK HALL—Last week, Cornell received an OSHA complaint for improper use of personal protective equipment, following many students refusing to wear gloves in an Investigative Biology Laboratory. Some cite having a severe latex/nitrile allergy, others claim the glove sizes are woefully inadequate, and many blame it on an extreme downturn in pleasure.
One student, Richard Garcia ‘29, cannot conceive how anybody manages to wear gloves, holding that he “just can’t feel anything with them on.” He emphasizes that in an investigative laboratory, the focus should be on experimenting–a major pillar of the scientific method–but stopping to put on gloves kills his inquisitive mood and proves to be “a barrier to finishing [lab] on time.”
Although other methods of protection are available–saftey goggles, lab coats, and closed-toe shoes–graduate TA Julia Taylor notes that, “even though [she tries] to assure the lab is sterile, gloves are still the most effective mechanism to protect against infection.” Garcia, though, maintained that he is “clean”–having just washed his hands.
However, Garcia’s negligent, care-free attitude dissipated when his partner, Lisa Johnson ‘29, missed her regular lab period. Luckily, she was able to make it up later that week, but it was enough to persuade Garcia into giving gloves another try. Although he disliked the ribbed and flavored varieties, he is now regularly using ultra thin gloves. Despite this resolve, friction between Garcia and Johnson has increased since the incident.
