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Archives Lifestyles Using chemicals safely as important at home as at work Faculty diversity reaches new high On the air 1999-2000 official UK holidays Using chemicals safely as important at home as at work University of Kentucky safety programs stress the safe use of hazardous chemicals at work. We seldom stop to think, however, that many of the products used at home contain hazardous chemicals too. In fact, the variety of chemicals in your home could rival that of a small research laboratory. In a typical home, we are likely to find all the common hazard groups: corrosive materials (drain cleaners and lime), flammable liquids (gasoline, paint, paint thinner and stripper), and poisons (pharmaceuticals, insecticides and herbicides). By some measures, chemical use at home is more dangerous than at work. According to data from the National Poison Control Centers, more than 2 million poisonings are reported each year, 80 percent of which occur in residences and less than 2 percent in the workplace. Fortunately, the same practices that protect us from chemicals at work can be applied at home. Use the following guidelines to protect you and your family from hazardous household chemicals. 1. Know the hazards. The most important thing you can do to inform yourself about a product's hazards is to read the label. Responsible   By Harry Enoch manufacturers provide accurate information and instructions for the safe use of their products. The label can tell you the ingredients, important hazards, any special precautions and procedures for safe storage and disposal. Look carefully for warnings such as "Danger," "Flammable," "Avoid skin contact" and "Avoid ingestion." Follow the instructions! Heed the warnings! Additional information may be available on product inserts or manuals, through 800 numbers or on the Internet. 2. Apply engineering controls. Make sure you provide a safe work area. If you are using flammable solvents, remove sources of ignition. Cigarettes, open flames or sparks may ignite vapors. Many solvents also are poisons and must be used with adequate ventilation. Never use paint or mineral spirits in a closed room. 3. Use personal protective equipment. If there is any danger of splashing, you need eye protection. Goggles provide better protection than safety glasses. Appropriate protection should be used to prevent skin contact with chemicals. Be aware that many gloves are permeable to chemicals, so you may need to consult a glove compatibility chart. 4. Store safely. If possible, store the product in the original container, and keep the label readable. If you must use a secondary container, be sure to use one of appropriate material. For example, don't store acids in metal cans. Always label the secondary container. You may remember what's in it, but no one else will know. Never put hazardous chemicals in empty food containers. Get rid of excess or unneeded chemicals. 5. Dispose of chemicals properly. Improper disposal of chemicals can create a fire or safety hazard in your home. Improper discharge to sanitary or storm sewers can create a public health hazard. Improper dumping can cause environmental damage. Always follow manufacturer instructions for disposing of chemical products. For additional information, please check the Environmental Health and Safety Office Web pages at www.uky.edu/FiscalAffairs/ Environmental or contact the office by calling 257-3827. Faculty diversity reaches new high In a year when the University of Kentucky is honoring its African-American heritage with the commemoration of the 50 Years of the African-American Legacy, the University is celebrating great strides in meeting the goals of The Kentucky Plan for Equal Opportunities in Postsecondary Education. A recent report from UK's Office of Affirmative Action shows the University has met goals for African-American student enrollment and faculty employment. "This really shows the University's commitment to having a diverse campus," said UK Vice Chancellor for Minority Affairs Lauretta Byars. "Our president has made a commitment to diversity and has provided us with the support to reach those goals." The Kentucky Plan, created in 1982 to help remove vestiges of segregation from higher education in the state, seeks to provide greater access and equal opportunity for an increasingly diverse student population. Administered by the Council on Postsecondary Education Committee on Equal Opportunities, the plan's goals and each university's achievements are reevaluated annually. UK has had annual growth in African-American student enrollment. In 1998, first-time freshman African-American enrollment was 8.2 percent and undergraduate enrollment climbed to 6.3 percent. In 1990, African Americans represented only 3.9 percent of undergraduates at UK. The University also has made strides in graduate enrollment and faculty recruitment. In 1996, 6.1 percent of graduate students were African Americans, surpassing the goal of 5.3 percent. Numbers for 1998 indicate graduate enrollment is up to 6.4 percent. Faculty employment rates jumped over the 3 percent goal in 1993, hitting 4.1 percent in 1997. Of Kentucky's eight public universities, UK ranks second in terms of percentage of the state's African-American students enrolled. In 1997, UK enrolled 15.8 percent of the state's African-American undergraduates studying in the four-year college system and 19.7 percent of all resident Kentucky undergraduates. UK is the only one of the eight Kentucky universities that practices selective admissions. "I think African Americans are starting to look beyond the segregated history of higher education to the opportunities it offers," Byars said. "Faculty are excited to come to UK because they see tremendous opportunities for research as the University strives to become a top-20 school. Students come to UK because of our commitment to student success, diversity and cutting-edge knowledge." UK's success lies not only in bringing African Americans to the University, but retaining them, said Patty Bender, affirmative action technical coordinator for UK. "An important point is that our Kentucky resident African-American and white students are entering and staying at the University at nearly the same rate," Bender said. In 1997, the retention rate of resident first-year African-American students was 79.4 percent, compared to 80.4 percent for white students. Resident undergraduate retention was 78 percent for African-American students and 81.2 percent for white students. The graduation rate for Kentucky African-American students also has improved significantly. "Students are coming here and graduating at increasing rates, and a great deal of that has to do with the programs of the Office of Minority Affairs," Bender said. Programs such as the "Come See for Yourself" orientation for perspective students and the presence of the Martin Luther King Jr. Cultural Center attract many students and faculty, Byars said. The availability of offerings such as the William Parker Academic Scholarship and the Lyman T. Johnson Fellowship programs also provide incentives to top minority students. The 50 Years commemoration also has proved UK's dedication to diversity. However, the success of African-American students may serve as the best encouragement. In 1998, student Anthony Jones was named a Truman Scholar, Jimmy Glenn was elected president of the Student Government Association and alumnus Angelo Henderson was named a Pulitzer Prize winner. "Our students are seeing they can do anything they set their minds on," Byars said. "They are achieving great things and inspiring us all to do even better." - Selena Stevens On the air Doug Tattershall Sam Gordon, news operations manager at WLEX-TV, wires Richard Clayton, sociology professor and director of the Center for Prevention Research, for an national appearance on NBC's The Today Show via satellite from the WLEX newsroom. Clayton discussed a University of Kentucky study showing the DARE drug awareness program has no impact on drug usage. Clayton and psychology professor Donald Lynam, the lead author of the study, also spoke to reporters from the Boston Globe, CNN, USA Today, NPR, CBS and a number of other national and metropolitan media outlets about their findings. 1999-2000 official UK holidays - Sept. 6 - Labor Day - Nov. 25 - Thanksgiving Day - Dec. 24 - Christmas Day (Special holidays ­ Dec. 27-30) - Dec. 31 - New Year's Day - Jan. 17, 2000 - Martin Luther King Jr. Day - May 29, 2000 - Memorial Day - July 4, 2000 - Independence Day