The Environmental, Health & Safety Department (EH&S) investigates concerns about odors, mold and particulates in UW owned and occupied buildings.
If you smell smoke, gas or a strong chemical odor, call 9-1-1.
If there is no emergency, contact EH&S to investigate any of the following issues:
Has your lab created a tool, resource, or practice to enhance safety in your workspace?
Submit it to EH&S for a chance to be recognized at the 2019 Laboratory Safety Awards & Innovations Event.
To enter, email a description of your innovation to labcheck@uw.edu (with ”Innovation” as the subject header). Selected innovations will be shared at the event on December 9 through presentations and posters.
On July 8, 2019, EH&S launched a new version of the Lab Safety Dashboard, a tool vital to our campus’ safety management in research and teaching laboratories. The dashboard has portals for scientific department principal investigators, chairs, deans and UW executives that allow them (or their designee) to review safety performance data and inspection reports for their units.
A video introduction to health and safety at the University of Washington
The University of Washington’s Accident Prevention Plan is revised annually by the University's health and safety committee; the updated Plan is now available for download. Units that replaced or supplemented their Departmental Health and Safety Plan with the Accident Prevention Plan should use the updated Plan.
After June 21, 2019, users with temporary visitor accounts (accounts with a “wireXXXXX” format) will no longer be able to access online safety training courses provided by the Environmental Health & Safety Department (EH&S).
The Environmental Health & Safety Department (EH&S) is implementing a new Boating Safety Program for students, faculty, and staff who use University of Washington (UW)-owned boats or operate boats as part of their affiliation with the University. The Boating Safety Program is a University-wide program that manages not only motored vessels, but non-motorized paddle-craft as well.
As of May 1, 2019, personnel who conduct work in University animal care and use areas will no longer have the option to decline the initial animal use medical screening. The medical screening evaluates and mitigates potential health risks related to working with research animals.
New label requirements are in effect as of April 28, 2019.
The Washington State Department of Ecology has updated the hazardous waste regulations to incorporate the EPA’s “new generator improvement” rules.
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!”
As of April 2019, the online radiation safety training looks very different. The new training is interactive, features quizzes and activities along the way, and contains voiceovers by our very own Radiation Safety staff.
