David Weber
Unsafe fume hoods have been a legacy-problem that involves a dysfunctional relationship between those who design, manufacture, and sell fume hoods and those who design and engineer the mechanical ventilation systems. Because of this dysfunction, the user can be at risk of harm.
Through education, for all of the stakeholders, I look forward to bridging these gaps in disciplines to help create safer fume hoods for the users. We will amass our knowledge and experience to benefit others.
For more than 30 years, David has represented fume hood manufacturers both domestically and internationally. These manufacturing relationships have allowed him to have a front row seat to the introduction of many of the manufacturer’s latest designs of fume hoods. Over time, David has seen fume hood designs and functions that have been subject to the whims of special interest groups and concerns that have been more focused on so-called performance and energy conservation than safeguarding the operator from exposure to hazardous chemicals. He has also witnessed, first hand, the lack of understanding on behalf of those individuals mostly responsible for proper fume hood operation.
He has worked alongside lab planners, architects and engineers in specifying and designing applications for fume hoods for nearly every type of laboratory environment. During his career, he recognized the disservice which has often been provided to the fume hood user. Often, the fume hood selection never includes the user’s actual needs or the specific requirements that were required to keep the lab personnel as safe as possible. What he saw was well manufactured fume hoods that were mis-specified, incorrectly installed and/or connected to a lab ventilation system that was not designed for the hood provided.
David understands the interrelationship between the hood and the laboratory ventilation system and knows that this is the launching platform by which to assure improved fume hood safety.
FHC is an opportunity for David to educate fume hood users and all the people involved in the selection, design and maintenance of fume hoods to increase the overall safety of the lab and to earnestly reduce the amount of energy consumed while not sacrificing safety along the way.
My Contact Information
PO Box 71477, Phoenix, AZ 85050