2021 EH&S Lab Safety Awards & Innovations Event
The 2021 Laboratory Safety Awards & Innovations Event honored 20 labs, departments and individuals to recognize their significant contributions to enhancing the culture of safety at the UW.
The 2021 Laboratory Safety Awards & Innovations Event honored 20 labs, departments and individuals to recognize their significant contributions to enhancing the culture of safety at the UW.
Laboratories, shops and maker spaces where hazardous materials are used or stored are required to post an up-to-date caution sign at the entrance. The sign alerts emergency responders and visitors of potential hazards and precautions for entry. EH&S debuted a new version of the caution sign with the release of the new MyChem platform.
Use the Caution Sign Instructions for creating and posting caution signs in areas where hazardous materials are present.
EH&S staff had an opportunity to speak with compliance inspector Chad Fisher from the Washington State Department of Ecology regarding three of the most common hazardous waste violations he's encountered at the UW. As it turns out, the majority of these violations are easily preventable and making simple corrections contributes to a safer lab environment.
The purpose of the Anesthetic Gases: Safe Use Guidelines is to inform users and others who may be exposed to anesthetic gases of the potential health hazards and methods of controlling exposures.
EH&S has developed a new document Anesthetic Gases: Safe Use Guidelines and an Anesthetic Gases webpage to help users of anesthetic gases understand the potential health effects from exposure to anesthetic gases, and to provide guidance on minimizing potential exposures. These gases can be separated into two categories: Halogenated anesthetic gases/vapors and nitrous oxide.
EH&S has autoclave tools to assist you including general autoclave safety guidelines, autoclaving biohazardous waste guidelines with template SOP, both with step-by-step instructions for autoclave users.
Follow the steps in the Passive Scavenging Using Charcoal Canisters guide to control exposure to waste anesthetic gases (WAGs).