Everyone should be familiar with the hierarchy of hazard control – elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls, and personal protective equipment. When selecting appropriate engineering controls, it is critical to install the appropriate equipment to control the hazards present in the work place.
Life Science companies are regulated at the Federal, State, and Local level by various regulatory agencies having jurisdiction over the site and activities conducted. At the local level, many towns and cities have their own ordinances that are enforced by various departments within the city or town government.
The Department of Transportation (DOT) regulates the transport of hazardous material via highway, air, railroad, and vessel. There are numerous regulations stipulated by the DOT for the transport of hazardous materials, including identifying and training hazmat employees.
This story is included in the inaugural 2014 edition of Safety Partners’ publication, “Incidents, Accidents, and Near Misses in Laboratory Research.”
If your facility was registered as a Large Quantity Generator (LQG) of hazardous waste at any time during calendar year 2015, remember that 2016 is a reporting year for Biennial Reports. Treatment, Storage, or Disposal Facilities (TSDFs) are also required to file biennial reports by March 1st of each even-numbered year.
If you have an established Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC), take advantage of your IBC and keep the meetings interactive. Rather than approaching IBC meetings in a manner that checks a regulatory compliance box, use the meetings to have in-depth conversations about the biosafety program implementation at your facility.
The Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act (EPCRA) is authorized by Title III of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA). In an effort to keep communities aware of the hazardous chemicals present at facilities exceeding certain thresholds, Section 311 and 312 of EPCRA stipulate requirements for the reporting of hazardous chemical storage.
If your facility is located in MA and is licensed to work radioactive materials, you should have recently received the Calendar Year 2015 Radioactive Waste Survey. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health Radiation Control Program requires all licensed facilities to complete a survey every year declaring the generation of long-lived radioactive waste during the preceding calendar year.
Just about everyone has heard a story about a cryotube exploding after being removed from storage. Do not end up being the source of the story with an unfortunate injury resulting from an exploding cryotube.
As the end of 2015 rapidly approaches, take a moment to reflect on what the 2016 EHS program will entail. How robust was the 2015 EHS program, and what improvements will be integrated during next year? This time of year is always busy, but establishing clear goals for your 2016 EHS program will start the year off on the right foot.
As you prepare for extended breaks during the holiday season, make sure all unattended experiments are well thought out. A full review of any experiment, process, or reaction being left unattended at your facility should be conducted.
As companies grow, the chemical inventory changes, the biological inventory changes, and lab procedures evolve. Remember to remind all lab workers of the sink disposal requirements.
