Latest News

University units and departments that establish hybrid work schedules need to ensure adequate coverage for evacuation wardens in the event of an emergency that requires evacuation. Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) recommends University units and departments train as many evacuation wardens as possible within their work areas to ensure there is at least one warden on site at all times during normal business hours.

Visit the EH&S’s Chemical SOPs page to find new standard operating procedures (SOP) templates for nanomaterials, chloroform, and metallic lead.

The Notice of Laboratory Moveout form has step-by-step instructions to help you leave your laboratory clean and safe when partially or completely vacating for remodeling, relocation or closure,

Labs with chemicals, biohazards, radioactive materials, sharps, and other potentially hazardous materials are required to decontaminate equipment and surfaces, and properly dispose of regulated and/or hazardous waste prior to vacating the space.

UW Environmental Health & Safety has removed the requirement for COVID-19 prevention plans for in-person events. Event organizers can refer to the health and safety guidance, including public health best practices, on the updated Campus Event Safety webpage.

A new focus sheet that describes how to use box cutters safely is now available for University units and departments to download, print and share with personnel who use box cutters.

Updated April 10, 2023

EH&S is offering a Low Voltage Electrical Safety training course which is required for University electricians, welders, and other personnel who are assigned to work with (or near) exposed electrical circuits operating at 50 to 600 volts to ground in accordance with the Washington Administrative Code (WAC 296-24 Part L).  

The University’s Emergency Management and Office of Research have provided guidance to the research community to assist with business continuity planning. As a supplement to these resources and in response to requests for assistance at the lab level, EH&S has prepared a Guide to Business Continuity and Recovery Planning for Laboratories and Research Facilities.

Each year thousands of workers are killed and millions more injured or diseased because of their jobs. Please join us on Worker Memorial Day to honor those who have died in 2022 from a work-related injury or illness in King County. 

The University of Washington Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences annual Worker Memorial Day event is a special ceremony that raises awareness about how we can strengthen our commitment to make jobs safer and save lives in Washington state.

EH&S needs the information you provide in the Chemical Waste Collection Request for safety, legal, and logistical reasons. 

Safety: Knowing the potential hazards associated with each container allows EH&S staff to prepare for safely evaluating, handling, transporting, and storing chemicals prior to disposal. 

An updated March 2023 version of the UW Biosafety Manual is now available online. The changes made to the manual were limited to administrative updates, including updating web hyperlinks and minor grammar or language changes. Note: The recent administrative updates are not recorded on the log of changes. Please refer to the log of changes for content changes made in 2021.