Running a Research Laboratory Lab Safety

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]

Lab Coats and PPE

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]