X-Message-Number: 2139
Date: Wed, 21 Apr 93 10:24:12 CDT
From: Brian Wowk <>
Subject: CRYONICS Worker Safety

        It occurs to me that there is a worker safety advantage in 
having ballast stacked up two feet short of the ceiling.  If someone 
fell into the room, it is not far to fall, and they could just step 
(scramble?) right out.  (It would just be a small step up to the room 
ceiling edge, and a one meter climb up the adjacent foam block.)  
Since we are not using nitrogen anymore, there is also no risk of 
asphyxiation.  At worst you end up with burn injuries.
 
        In fact, you can remove the burn risk entirely by laying down 
1 inch Styrofoam panels on top of the ballast.  (A bit of thought 
shows that this does not impair the functioning of the ballast)  It 
may even be practical to stand on the ballast during patient handling 
operations.  (Although perhaps this should be discouraged.)
 
        With cryonics being the politically and legally sensitive 
endeavour that it is, any improvements that can be made in personnel 
safety will go far in ensuring the safety of cryonics generally.
 
                                                --- Brian Wowk 

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