Chemical Safety

Summer in Seattle means hiking, biking, kayaking and ... lab work. Yes, many of us spend gorgeous summer days working in the lab. While it's fine to wear shorts, skirts, sandals or flip flops outside, wearing these items in the lab can expose you to hazards. Proper lab attire ensures your skin is covered and protected.

Even if you aren't working with hazardous materials that day, your coworker might be, so always dress to protect yourself. We recommend keeping an appropriate change of clothes and shoes in the lab so you are never without the right gear.

Visit the EH&S’s Chemical SOPs page to find new standard operating procedures (SOP) templates for nanomaterials, chloroform, and metallic lead.

EH&S needs the information you provide in the Chemical Waste Collection Request for safety, legal, and logistical reasons. 

Safety: Knowing the potential hazards associated with each container allows EH&S staff to prepare for safely evaluating, handling, transporting, and storing chemicals prior to disposal. 

EH&S staff had an opportunity to speak with compliance inspector Chad Fisher from the Washington State Department of Ecology regarding three of the most common hazardous waste violations he's encountered at the UW. As it turns out, the majority of these violations are easily preventable and making simple corrections contributes to a safer lab environment.