Do you have enough PPE?
During your lab’s next EH&S survey visit, you will be asked a new question from the survey checklist if PPE is adequately available for everyone. The desired response to this question is a confident “Yes!”
During your lab’s next EH&S survey visit, you will be asked a new question from the survey checklist if PPE is adequately available for everyone. The desired response to this question is a confident “Yes!”
Several universities in the northwest have been subjected to unannounced regulatory inspections recently by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or by the Washington State Department of Ecology. At least one university received a fine for non-compliance worth tens of thousands of dollars.
During 2018's National Biosafety Month, you are encouraged to focus attention on biosafety policies and practices. Investigators and laboratory managers can raise biosafety awareness, discuss the importance of safety, and seek input on ways to strengthen biosafety in their labs. This year, EH&S is focusing on ways you can promote a culture of safety.
1. Know your responsibilities as a principal investigator (PI).
Many laboratories use hazardous chemicals that are purchased in large quantities and then transferred into smaller secondary containers (e.g., vials, flasks or bottles), or prepared as diluted solutions or mixtures for use.
If your laboratory uses secondary containers filled with chemicals, the secondary containers must comply with OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard for Labels and Pictograms.
Laboratory Safety and Compliance is now Laboratory Safety Compliance AND Laboratory Safety Practices!
In response to attendee suggestions, the Laboratory Safety and Compliance course has been revised and split into two easily-accessible parts: An online and a classroom training.
EH&S celebrated the nomination of our Laboratory Safety team for a Distinguished Staff Award at a reception on February 27, 2018. They were honored to be among 16 teams and 67 individuals across the University nominated for this award.
Injuries have occurred at the UW while personnel were using ladders on the job. These incidents show that using ladders can be dangerous if not used properly. Before you use a ladder at work or at home, make sure you take the necessary safety precautions.
What went wrong in the recent UW incidents?
A person fell off a ladder when overreaching.
Someone could not find a step ladder for a job, and instead used an orchard ladder (tripod type ladder), and fell to the ground when it tipped over.
During 2017's National Biosafety Month, you are encouraged to focus attention on biosafety policies, practices and procedures. Investigators and laboratory managers should raise biosafety awareness, discuss the importance of safety, and seek input on ways to strengthen biosafety practices and procedures in their labs. This year, EH&S is focusing on sharps safety in research and exposure response.
The Laboratory Safety and Compliance training course is now “required initial training” for all Principal Investigators, lab managers, lab chemical hygiene officers, and people working in a supervisory role in research and teaching laboratories. The class provides essential information on regulatory, policy, and permit requirements, and addresses hazards and risk assessment to ensure lab safety and compliance.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Science Policy has announced the 3rd annual National Biosafety Month in October 2016.
During National Biosafety Month, you are encouraged to focus attention on biosafety policies, practices and procedures. Investigators and laboratory managers should raise biosafety awareness, discuss the importance of safety, and seek input on ways to strengthen biosafety practices and procedures in their labs.
The theme of this 2016's National Biosafety Month is: Evaluation, Collaboration, and Commitment.