UCLA researcher to stand trial related to lab assistant’s death

A chemistry professor at the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) has been ordered to stand trial on three felony counts of violations of occupational health and safety standards that led to the death of research assistant Sheri Sangji in 2009.

Sangji died from injuries sustained while working with the pyrophoric substance tert-Butyllithium, in early 2009. She had suffered third degree burns over 40 per cent of her body. Patrick Harran chaired the chemistry and biochemistry department and was in charge of the lab where Sangji worked. He was originally charged by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office back in January 2012 with three felony counts of causing the death of an employee by willfully violating occupational health and safety standards.

In a statement issued on 26 April, the LA District Attorney’s Office noted that Sangji died of severe burns stemming from a fire that occurred in Harran’s organic chemistry lab. “The young woman was not wearing a protective lab coat when transferring highly flammable t-Butyllithium, which spilled from a syringe and ignited,” the office continued. Sangji died from the injuries 18 days later.