UCLA: Professor Charged in Connection to Student’s Death

On December 29, 2008, a 23 year old research assistant at the University of California, Los Angeles, named Sheharbano “Sheri” Sangji was badly burned in what, at the time, was perceived to be a freak laboratory accident.  During the course of her research, she was transferring t-butyl lithium by means of a syringe, when the syringe broke.  The chemical, which readily reacts and catches fire when exposed to air, spilt down the front of Sangji and caused severe burns that, ultimately, killed her eighteen days later. 

The professor for whom Sangji was performing the experiment, Patrick Harran, a professor of organic chemistry at UCLA, has been ordered to stand trial for several charges, including failing to correct unsafe work practices in a timely manner, failing to require appropriate clothing for the work being performed, and failing to provide proper chemical safety training.  If convicted, he could face up to four and a half years of imprisonment. 

This incident highlights the importance of proper laboratory safety standards and procedures.  In the wake of this incident, laboratory safety training was reexamined at Montclair State University, soon after this incident occurred.  “We have been following this incident very closely,” said Amy Ferdinand, Director of Environmental Health, Safety, and Sustainability at Montclair State University.  According to Ferdinand, “…all of our [College of Science and Mathematics] laboratory safety training and inspections are based on the case at UCLA.”  Best practices, with a special consideration for lessons learned in the past, have been incorporated into the safety training provided to the students and faculty at Montclair State University.   This training has been made possible by the College of Science and Mathematics faculty, who have embraced the establishment of safe work practices at Montclair State University.

Nevertheless, it is important that our students follow the procedures that they have been taught.  Personal protective equipment has little benefit to a student or to an employee if it is left sitting on a shelf or hanging on a coatrack.  Whether Professor Harran was negligent or Sangji was complacent, the courts will decide; but, at a certain point one, must consider that an individual is responsible for following safety procedures just as the faculty is responsible for ensuring that those safety procedures are being followed.