University safety resources benchmark survey

The status of higher education emergency management Dennis Sullivan University of Louisville, United States Using surveys conducted over the past five years, this session will explain the trends in emergency management in higher education institutions. In addition to the surveys, information collected as a result of both nonemergency and emergency events will provide an understanding of institutions’ efforts to implement their programs. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/ j.jchas.2013.03.479 Transitioning from safety lecture to practical Brian Butkus University of Central Florida, United States To impact the safety culture of a research institution you must get the laboratory staff involved in the safety process. Most safety education programs are based on the self-lead webbased modules or non-interactive lectures. These types of training and education tools are just fine for learning when the participant wants to learn, but when most of your audience attends only because of job requirements, information retention becomes a problem. The question then becomes how to teach to that population. This session will review web-based seminars, live lectures, and hands on skill sessions. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/ j.jchas.2013.03.480 Transitioning hazardous waste vendors Niamh Kelly Office Massachusetts Institute of Technology, United States Change is difficult, there is no question, but how difficult does a change in hazardous waste vendors need to be in order to be effective? What goes into making the change and who does it impact? When you make a change in one program does it affect another? Based on MIT’s recent experience in transitioning hazardous waste vendors

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we hope to answer these questions and more. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/ j.jchas.2013.03.481 UNC safety campaign. Part 1: Surveying the audience John Covely University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States In 2012, the UNC Environment Health and Safety department conducted two surveys of UNC laboratory researchers that measured attitudes, awareness, and use rates of personal protective equipment. The first survey went to more than 500 Principal Investigators and Safety Supervisors and the second went to all 4500 UNC researchers. Both surveys had excellent response rates and dozens of comments. The data and personal comments guided the department in selecting messages for a major safety campaign and provided direction for training and programming. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/ j.jchas.2013.03.482 University safety resources benchmark survey Jennifer Root The University of Texas at Austin, United States The University of Texas at Austin Facilities Services Department invited institutions to participate in a 10-question survey about the safety resources available for the Facilities Management or Physical Plant (FM/PP) department. We collected data during April 2012, and received responses from 146 institutions in the United States and Canada ranging from small to large department sizes. The results from the survey reveal a variety of ways universities support the safety needs of their FM/PP department, as well as general agreement on the importance of and limited resources for safety programs. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/ j.jchas.2013.03.483 Use flammable liquid limits to enhance lab safety Peter Ashbrook University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States

In 2010, lab safety inspections revealed that numerous labs exceeded the NFPA maximum allowable quantities for flammable liquids. This information led to the release of funds to provide sprinklers and a specially designed solvent storage room. In 2012, our office conducted detailed assessments to help lab occupants understand NFPA limits on flammable liquids. These assessments improved communications between our safety office and the lab workers, and had a positive effect on safety in these labs. This presentation will share lessons learned from these experiences. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/ j.jchas.2013.03.484 Use of CD decontamination chambers in vivariums Tyler Mattson ClorDiSys Soltuions, Inc., United States Many facilities are using decontamination chambers as a means of performing batch decontamination in a selfsealing chamber or as a means of bringing components into or out of a facility. They can add to and replace some of the functionality of autoclaves while offering comparably lower operating costs while being a ‘greener’ solution, improving the facility’s efficiency, and providing increased functionality. Decontamination chambers allow for increased flexibility, quick decontamination times, ability to decontaminate sensitive equipment and potentially replace the use of bulk autoclaves. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/ j.jchas.2013.03.485 UST training and inspection program implementation Leslie Hubble Emory University, United States The EPA is proposing to revise the Underground Storage Tank (UST) regulations. Some pending changes have already occurred in UST Program States. UST facilities in these States were required to comply with operator training regulations by August 8, 2012. In response to regulatory changes and lessons learned from State inspections, Emory’s EHSO implemented UST operator training and inspection

Journal of Chemical Health & Safety, May/June 2013