Latest News
New hands-on training for chemical hygiene officers
EH&S’s Laboratory Safety Program now offers an interactive Chemical Hygiene Officer (CHO) Hands-On Training course for all CHOs at the UW.
Do not block campus fire lanes
When 9-1-1 is called on the UW Seattle campus, UW Police and Seattle Fire Department emergency vehicles will use designated fire lanes to get to the scene of the emergency quickly. It is critical that campus fire lanes are kept clear at all times to avoid emergency responders losing time getting to someone who needs help.
New option for battery recycling
University departments and units that purchase commercial and industrial batteries now have a third option for recycling (or disposing of) used batteries. Options include:
What to do if an L&I Inspector contacts you
The Environmental Health & Safety Department (EH&S) serves as the University representative and liaison to Washington State Department of Labor & Industries, Division of Occupational Safety and Health (L&I) for all campus locations, including UW Medicine, and will coordinate all activities related to an L&I investigation. EH&S will coordinate on behalf of the University with the appropriate unit and University representatives, including Human Resources Labor Relations.
New resource to prevent workplace falls
Workplace falls are both common and preventable. At the UW, the category “slips/trips/falls” has been among the top three leading causes of injuries to UW personnel every year from 2018 to 2021. Falls from heights is the second-leading cause of unintentional workplace death in the U.S.
Updated UW Lockout/Tagout Program Manual now available
EH&S has published an updated UW Hazardous Energy Control LOTO Program Manual with requirements for controlling hazardous energy using lockout/tagout (LOTO) to ensure employee safety and prevent injury or illness that could result during the servicing and maintenance of machines and equipment.
New Laboratory Equipment Maintenance webpage
If your research involves the use of centrifuges, ovens/furnaces, vacuum pumps, or other laboratory equipment, the new Laboratory Equipment Maintenance webpage provides resources that can help you mitigate the hazards associated with commonly used lab equipment.
Change your mask before leaving the lab
Updated July 18. 2022
Keep in mind the facemask required for working in a lab is different than the facemask you may wear outside the lab.
Updates to biohazardous waste disposal
University units with sharps waste and human pathological waste should take note of recent changes to the University’s biohazardous waste streams.