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October is National Biosafety Month, a time to focus on your lab’s biosafety policies and procedures. For 2021, EH&S would like labs to focus on the importance of wearing lab coats. Lab coats are an important barrier between your skin or clothes and any hazards that you work with in the lab. Not only do lab coats protect you from exposure, they also help prevent you from transporting laboratory contamination home to your family, friends and pets.

A person can be seriously injured, even killed, when working on a machine or equipment if the hazardous energy sources are not controlled.

When performing maintenance, service or repair work on equipment, processes or systems, all hazardous energy sources must be controlled using lockout/tagout procedures and OSHA-approved locks and tags to protect those impacted from the unintended start-up or release of stored energy. Common hazardous energy sources include electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, mechanical, thermal, chemical or gravitational. 

As the University is working toward a return to normal operations, you may be lifting and moving things around, such as chairs, printers, and other equipment, in preparation for on-site work. Take precautions before lifting or moving objects, as incorrect lifting can lead to back pain and/or a back injury.

Several recent incidents have occurred at the University in which a chemical or infectious material splashed or splattered into the eye because the individual was not wearing the correct type of eye protection for the hazards they faced, or not wearing eye protection at all. You should always evaluate your workplace for potential eye hazards so you can select the appropriate safety equipment.

Eyeglasses versus safety glasses or goggles

Excessive exposure to heat can cause a range of heat-related illnesses, from less serious heat rash and heat cramps to more serious heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Heat stroke requires immediate medical attention because it can be deadly, so take precautions while working in the summer heat.

The Managing Laboratory Chemicals – Online course has been updated to improve accessibility and incorporate adult learning concepts. The updated course replaces the existing HTML course and is similar in content.

Keeping your safety documents up to date and easily accessible are key for staying safe.

Stormwater drains on the UW campuses empty directly into local waterways, which can carry pollution that harms wildlife, such as birds and fish. Campus activities can put the surrounding natural areas at risk when garbage, oils, chemicals and other potentially harmful substances are allowed to flow into stormwater drains.

University faculty, staff, and students must complete an animal use health screening prior to work in any University animal care and use environment to evaluate and address potential health risks related to working with research animals.

You can help speed up the health screening process by following these tips when completing the online Animal Use Medical Screening (AUMS) form:

1. Verify your contact Information.