From: Vivian L. Longacre <vlongacr**At_Symbol_Here**CALPOLY.EDU>
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Lab Safety training for Undergrads
Date: Mon, 2 Jun 2014 15:00:28 -0700
Reply-To: DCHAS-L <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU>
Message-ID: 1203504247.4885019.1401746428620.JavaMail.zimbra**At_Symbol_Here**calpoly.edu
In-Reply-To <877A5F1406F1C9408F8D6DA88C84928519945E16**At_Symbol_Here**MailG.grove.ad.uconn.edu>


Hello,

My replies are for the Chemistry Dept, where I worked for 20 years before moving over to a campus-wide position in EH&S a couple months ago.  As a campus, we have no formal training in lab safety.  All the departments do it differently and it ranges from zero to programs more like the Chemistry department.

We are a primarily undergraduate university with +16,000 full-time students.  

1.        Do they attend the same training offered by EH&S for all lab workers?  

EH&S doesn't offer any lab safety training yet,  as we are a small dept of 4 people and are here to advise and consult.  It is up to the departments to train their students.  

In Chemistry, the students are given a short presentation in the laboratory course at the beginning of every quarter where they go over the basic safety rules and what to do if there is a chemical exposure or lab emergency.  They document this with a lab safety sign-in sheet and keep records for 3 years within the department.  In addition, all lab procedures/experiments have the hazards associated for that lab, that the instructor goes over before they begin the lab for that day/week.  


2.       Do their names get entered in the same database?

See documentation in #1 above.


3.       Does your institution offer a full day introductory lab safety seminar?  No, they do not.  Chemistry has a general online introductory laboratory safety training I designed (Moodle), that covers working with hazardous materials safely, PPE, hazard communication, emergency response along with the safety rules associated with students working in our undergraduate research (never work alone, key policies, etc.) .  There are 2 quizzes and research students, lab assistants, and student assistants working in a lab must get a passing grade before they get access to the laboratories they work in.  This training must be renewed yearly.  Documentation is kept in the department for 3 years.


4.       Does your institution offer a one credit course for UGs in lab safety?  No we do not.  


Vivian Longacre
Safety Training Specialist
Environmental Health & Safety
Cal Poly State University
San Luis Obispo, CA
805.756.6628

From: "Wawzyniecki Jr, Stefan" <stefan.w**At_Symbol_Here**UCONN.EDU>
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU
Sent: Monday, June 2, 2014 6:05:38 AM
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Lab Safety training for Undergrads

 

This topic probably has come up before, but I am interested in how other colleges & universities address UG lab safety training.  This would not be for  UGs in research labs, who may be getting a stipend or credit. 

 

1.        Do they attend the same training offered by EH&S for all lab workers?

2.       Do their names get entered in the same database?

3.       Does your institution offer a full day introductory lab safety seminar?

4.       Does your institution offer a one credit course for UGs in lab safety?

 

 

Thanks for the responses.  Let me know if you are a large school or small college- that may impact  answers.

 

-Stefan Wawzyniecki, CIH, CHMM

University of Connecticut




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