Fire & Life Safety | UW Environmental Health & Safety

Lessons learned from a chemical fire

June 30, 2025

In December 2024, a group of undergraduate research students conducted an experiment in a shared research/shop space following a standard operating procedure (SOP) they had recently updated. One of the students had performed this work before; no supervisor was present.

The experiment involved heating a chemical mixture on a hot plate inside a fume hood. The mixture overheated, ignited, and caused second-degree burns on a student’s hands. The student received medical care and has recovered.

What contributed to the incident?

Building and Fire Safety Program Manual

Fire Safety and Evacuation Plan

University organizational units are required to develop a written Fire Safety and Evacuation Plan (FSEP) for each campus building they occupy. EH&S provides fire safety resources to our campus partners, including a template to be used as a starting point to develop your Fire Safety and Evacuation Plan.

Fire in a Food Establishment Focus Sheet

The Fire in a Food Establishment Focus Sheet can help University retail food establishments protect workers, customers, and the facility from heat, smoke, fumes, chemical, and/or water damage hazards, and assist with reopening after a fire.

EH&S move to Gateway building

January 7, 2025

Most Environmental Health & Safety teams relocated to the new Gateway building above the Sound Transit Link light rail station on Brooklyn Avenue NE between NE 45th and 43rd Streets.

Programs and services that moved include:

Directions to EHS

View directions, parking, and public transit options for arriving at UW Environmental Health & Safety main office.

EH&S Annual Report FY24

The EH&S Annual Report FY24 summarizes the work of Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) during fiscal year 2024.

Fire Safety Alert for Steelcase LED Shelf Lights

November 4, 2024

Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) is asking University building coordinators, facility managers, units and departments to identify and unplug Steelcase LED Shelf Light fixtures (listed below) from building power sources due to the potential for fire and/or overheating.

Fire Safety Alert: Steelcase LED Shelf Light

EH&S issued a Fire Safety Alert to University building coordinators, facility managers, units and departments to identify and unplug Steelcase LED Shelf Light fixtures from building power sources due to the potential for fire and/or overheating.

Fire Prevention Week October 6-12

October 1, 2024

During National Fire Prevention Week, Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) will host events on the Seattle campus to remind personnel and students of steps they can take to prevent fires and the importance of responding quickly to a smoke alarm. The theme for this year’s National Fire Prevention Week is "Smoke alarms: Make them work for you!”

Stop by our table to learn more about fire prevention and smoke detectors.

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