So far in calendar year 2015, EHS personal have responded to over 80 EHS related incidents. These include lab safety, construction safety, fire alarms, CO alarms in parking decks, and Indoor Air Quality issues.

Thirty-six responses have taken place in research labs. Our first priority is to ensure that individuals are properly assessed and receive appropriate medical treatment if necessary. Secondly we want to make sure the area is safe for work to continue. 

Here are a couple of pointers as a result of recurring incidents we've seen so far this year:

Label All Containers:

• An incorrectly labeled waste container almost caused an explosion and injury when it was combined with (according to the label) other compatible waste.
• An unmarked containers was opened by a researcher who assumed it was empty – it wasn’t – the researcher got blasted in the face by this unknownium – suffering a headache and sore throat.

Complacency in Routine Procedures:

No matter how often you’ve done an operation or procedure take a moment to think about what you’re about to do. We often hear:

• I’ve done this a thousand times before and this is the first time I forgot to…