Latest News

Principal investigators planning to use nitric acid should follow safe use and storage practices, develop an SOP and provide documented training to all lab personnel. 

Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) published updates to our Shop and Maker Space Safety resources for units and departments that operate shops and maker spaces at the University of Washington.

MyChem requires users to upload a safety data sheet (SDS) when adding a new chemical to an inventory if that chemical does not currently exist in the MyChem database. If you have chemicals in your MyChem inventory that do not have an SDS linked to them, you must either upload the missing SDS or have an easily accessible copy of the SDS in your workspace to remain in compliance.

Personnel working on UW research vessels can now add their chemical inventories into MyChem, the University’s chemical tracking system. UW personnel who use chemicals or chemical-containing products at any UW owned or leased facility are required to maintain chemical inventories in MyChem, and chemicals can include, but are not limited to, paint, compressed gas cylinders, epoxies, and fuel.

The EH&S Biological Use Authorization (BUA) application has undergone major revisions with the goal to clarify and improve the questions necessary for the biosafety risk assessment for biohazardous research approval by the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) and EH&S Biological Safety. These revisions will reduce the review time and follow-up communication on application gaps. The application format, submission, and approval process remain the same.

The main changes include:

Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) launched the revamped course Bloodborne Pathogens (BBP) for Researchers Online! The updated version offers enhanced language, visuals, and interactivity to provide a more engaging and informative learning experience. This updated course reflects the latest best practices and regulatory requirements, ensuring that lab workers, researchers, professors, and students receive the most relevant and valuable training possible.

Updated May 15, 2024

Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) has taken steps to increase staffing and is working with campus partners to reduce delays with chemical waste collections. The two most common issues that delay chemical waste pickup from labs include:

Updated May 15, 2024

Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) now offers three electrical safety courses to meet the diverse needs of University personnel. These courses are designed to meet regulatory requirements and enhance workplace safety for everyone involved.

Keeping your safety documents up to date and easily accessible are key for staying safe.

Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) reminds researchers that all research with biohazardous agents at the University of Washington requires review and approval by the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC), and a Biological Use Authorization (BUA) from EH&S is required.