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Why should labs have a standard operating procedure (SOP) for a chemical when the manufacturer safety data sheet (SDS) is available?

Both documents are “required” in the lab but offer different types of important information about a chemical. SDSs can be a good source of information when assessing risks associated with the storage, use, and transport of a chemical or product, whereas an SOP gives the researcher detailed lab-specific information for handling of a chemical at every stage of its presence in the lab.

MyChem has new features to make it easier for users to dispose of chemical waste. Now users can electronically request chemical waste collections with just a few clicks.

Quickly flag chemicals in an inventory and build a hazardous waste collection report for electronic submission to EH&S with the click of a button. Include chemicals not yet listed in your inventory! For additional details log into MyChem to view the MyChem User Guide.

The American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) recently released the 3rd edition of The IAQ Investigator’s Guide with significant contributions from EH&S’s Occupational Health & Safety Specialist, Ellen Gunderson. IAQ or “indoor air quality,” is a term that refers to the air quality within buildings, especially as it relates to the health and comfort of building occupants. This practical guide is a tool to help industrial hygienists, building managers, safety professionals and others methodically investigate, identify and mitigate IAQ issues.

EH&S has developed a new online Formaldehyde Safety Training module to help principal investigators (PIs), lab managers, researchers and others meet the federal and WA State Formaldehyde worker safety standards for this widely used chemical. The target audience for this training is laboratory and research personnel, including those who work in research, clinical

Effective January 18, 2017, the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) placed a ban on powdered patient examination gloves, powdered surgical gloves, and also on powder for lubricating a surgeon’s gloves. The FDA ban also applies to veterinary use such as veterinary clinical care and animal surgery centers.

Following a report of potential overheating and fire hazard of Samsung Galaxy Note7 phones by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, EH&S recommended that UW organizational units

Every year, regulatory authorities publish updates and changes to regulations governing the transportation of hazardous materials. Take note of the changes in hazardous material shipping labels that go into effect on January 1, 2017.

One example of a small change that was made to a commonly-used label:

OLD LABEL	NEW LABEL

If you practice a few simple healthy habits during influenza (flu) season, you can help us avoid going home sick for the holidays.

Here are a few tips from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for reducing your exposure to illness:

Maker spaces, also known as fab labs and hacker spaces, are places to gather, exchange ideas, invent and create. These spaces are found in libraries, dormitories, academic and other workshops, both on and off campus, and they may contain some of the same hazards as other research or fabrication shops.

Recent incidents on UW campus and lab-related accidents across the country underscore the need for UW employees to take required trainings and follow critical safety protocols.

In July, a UW employee was seriously injured while attempting to relieve pressure that built up in a container packed with dry ice shipped to UW by another research institution. As the employee loosened the lid the container exploded, leading to a permanent hand injury.