Latest News

Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) launched the revamped course Bloodborne Pathogens (BBP) for Researchers Online! The updated version offers enhanced language, visuals, and interactivity, providing a more engaging and informative learning experience. This updated course reflects the latest best practices and regulatory requirements, ensuring that lab workers, researchers, professors, and students receive the most relevant and valuable training possible.

Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) is working with campus partners to reduce delays in chemical collections. The two most common issues that delay chemical waste pickup from labs include:

1. EH&S is unable to access the space where waste containers are kept.
2. Waste is not clearly labeled and/or there is no clear indication of the waste storage location within the space (when the lab is unoccupied).

These issues can lead to EH&S making several attempts to fulfill one waste collection request.

Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) now offers three electrical safety courses to meet the diverse needs of our personnel. These courses are designed to meet regulatory requirements and enhance workplace safety for everyone involved.

Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) reminds researchers that all research with biohazardous agents at the University of Washington requires review and approval by the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC), and a Biological Use Authorization (BUA) from EH&S is required.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) published revisions to the NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant or Synthetic Nucleic Acid Molecules (NIH Guidelines). The published changes include specific considerations and requirements for conducting research involving gene drive modified organisms (GDMOs) and stipulates that a minimum of biosafety level 2 (BSL-2) is required for conducting research with GDMOs.

Lab Safety is now offering a monthly virtual office hour on the last Tuesday of every month 3pm - 4pm via Zoom (UW NetID required).

Have any questions or concerns about laboratory safety practices or expectations?

Are there any safety documents you would like feedback on? 

Help raise awareness of safe lab practices at the UW and win prizes!

Lab Safety Awareness Week is sponsored by CSHEMA and held at academic institutions nation-wide February 12-16, 2024. This event is dedicated to recognizing the successes of laboratory safety programs and offering ideas on how to keep our faculty, staff and students safe.

3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, occurs on UW campuses in maker spaces, research labs and classrooms. New safety resources are available to University personnel and students using 3D printers, including an updated 3D Printer Safety Focus Sheet and two new standard operating procedures (SOP) templates.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) published regulation changes for 2024, which may impact University units and departments that ship dangerous goods by air.

If you ship hazardous materials

There are only two significant changes to the regulations for 2024:

The University’s 2023 Work-Related Injury and Illness Summaries are posted on the Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) website. The summaries show the number and type of work-related recordable injuries and illnesses. University units are required to download the summary for their location and post it from February 1 - April 30, 2024 in a location where employees can easily access it.