October is National Biosafety Month, a time to focus on your lab’s biosafety practices and policies. This year, EH&S is focusing on biosafety beyond the lab. We are encouraging you to reflect and seek opportunities to strengthen your practices related to biohazards outside of the lab.
1. Transport biohazards safely
Keep these two posters in an easily accessible location in your workspace.
EH&S has a new Spill Response Poster that instructs you what to do in the event of a radiological, chemical or biohazardous spill. For all spills, you should S.W.I.M.:
Effective September 16, the EH&S Employee Health Center will no longer provide annual tuberculosis (TB) screening for most client groups. The Employee Health Center will provide TB screening only at hire or upon placement in a position that requires TB screening. Based on specific occupational risks, some client groups will still receive annual TB screening. Those with a latent TB infection will continue to complete an annual TB symptom survey.
Many safety measures and the use of PPE can prevent spills and exposures to hazardous materials. However, if you do experience an exposure, your safety, and the safety of others, depends on your response to the incident.
In July, EH&S launched a new version of the Lab Safety Dashboard that offers a self-inspection tool that allows PIs and CHOs to conduct and record an audit of their laboratory spaces using the lab survey checklist.
EH&S has developed an updated UW Lead Safety Program Manual to help employees who work with lead materials limit their potential lead exposure to the lowest levels possible. The current Washington Administrative Code (WAC) lead regulations are under review because of recent data suggesting that current airborne lead exposure limits are not protective enough for workers.
Syringes without needles are no longer a "sharp."
The University’s sharps definition has changed. The revised definition means that syringes without needles are no longer considered a sharp and do not have to be placed in a red sharps container after use. Instead, do the following:
A notice was released from Honeywell Industrial Safety on August 23, 2019, regarding the mandatory removal of the Miller MightEvac and MightyLite self-retracting lifelines from use. The notice only affects the models listed in Table 1 of the notice, with identified manufacturing dates or recertification dates between October 27, 2016 and October 6, 2018. Models outside of this date range, including new units, are not affected by this notice.
A Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) can help prevent work-related injuries or illnesses by eliminating or controlling hazards. A JHA is a method for identifying and evaluating hazards associated with tasks (steps) for a specific job or activity and eliminating or controlling them before doing the activity. EH&S has created a JHA webpage to help departments and employees conduct and implement JHAs for their work activities.
