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Running a Research Laboratory Lab Safety
Ed Becker | Executive Director EH&SDivision of Career and Protective Services
University of Southern California3434 South Grand Avenue | CAL 120-F
Los Angeles, California 90089-2815
Office: (213) 740-0720 | Cell: (213) 923-3915email: [email protected]
Ed Becker, [email protected]
Ed Becker, [email protected]
Basic Steps for New Labs
Complete forms for protocol and chemical inventory approval
Register Staff for Laboratory Safety Training
Complete an initial Lab Assessment with EH&S
Schedule Hazardous Materials Collection for the Lab
Develop procedures for special/high hazard materials
Ed Becker, [email protected]
2 Major Drivers for Change in Academic
Labs High Profile Lab Accidents
UCLA (Lab fire fatality) Yale (Lathe fatality) Texas Tech (Explosion) University of Missouri (Explosion, microbiology
lab)
Hazardous Material Security
Ed Becker, [email protected]
What is the faculty's responsibility?
A courtroom in California says "Be a manager, go to jail!" A UCLA professor is now facing criminal and
civil penalties. This professor, Dr. Patrick Harran, faces up to 4 ½ years in prison, if convicted, for not providing adequate training to Sheri Sangji.
Sangji had been on the job for three months when she was given a pyrophoric chemical to handle. A small amount of the chemical ignited and caught her clothes on fire. She died nine days later.
Ed Becker, [email protected]
Special hazards require special training
Faculty must work with their subordinates to make sure they understand the risk of each high hazard process
UCLA Deposition
Ed Becker, [email protected]
What is a student's responsibility?
Can safety be assigned to a graduate student? It is commonly done but that assignment won't
relieve a faculty member from his or her responsibility/liability.
Graduate students are still learning how to do research and need mentoring
Remember, they are cooks and not chefs
Ed Becker, [email protected]
Look inwardly at our own practices
We must continue to take seriously the OSHA requirement to write standard operation procedures for particularly hazardous substances, i.e. we need SOP’s for all high-hazard procedures.
Don't let students work alone on high hazard processes
Ed Becker, [email protected]
Important Concepts to Reinforce in your lab
Don't let students work alone on high hazard processes
Provide Lab Coats and PPE to your staff Enforce the use of lab coats
Ensure lab staff is trained Conduct / document the annual refresher training
Correct all inspection findings in a timely manner Conduct your own audits and meetings
Maintain your Chemical Inventory
Ed Becker, [email protected]
Security
Biological Materials Select Agents Dual Use Research
Chemicals Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism (Total Bldg.
Quantities) Chemical Precursors Controlled Substances
Radioactive Materials
Handouts
Memo – Annual Laboratory Refresher Training
Memo – USC Laboratory Safety Awareness
Summary of Emerging Hazmat Security Issues
Ed Becker | Executive Director EH&SDivision of Career and Protective Services
University of Southern California3434 South Grand Avenue | CAL 120-F
Los Angeles, California 90089-2815
Office: (213) 740-0720 | Cell: (213) 923-3915email: [email protected]
