The 2021 Laboratory Safety Awards & Innovations Event honored 20 labs, departments and individuals to recognize their significant contributions to enhancing the culture of safety at the UW. 
Laboratories, shops and maker spaces where hazardous materials are used or stored are required to post an up-to-date caution sign at the entrance. The sign alerts emergency responders and visitors of potential hazards and precautions for entry. EH&S debuted a new version of the caution sign with the release of the new MyChem platform.
3M™ issued a Stop Use and Inspect Notice for select models of 3M™ Protecta® Self-Retracting Lifelines due to a manufacturing issue that could result in the self-retracting lifeline not engaging properly.
EH&S released newly revised Reproductive Hazard Guidelines to inform employees, students, and volunteers about potential reproductive and developmental hazards, and safe work conditions and practices in their work environment.
Individuals who are pregnant or considering becoming pregnant should be aware of the risks associated with potential exposures to biological, chemical, radiological, and other hazardous materials during pregnancy.
EH&S staff had an opportunity to speak with compliance inspector Chad Fisher from the Washington State Department of Ecology regarding three of the most common hazardous waste violations he's encountered at the UW. As it turns out, the majority of these violations are easily preventable and making simple corrections contributes to a safer lab environment.
EH&S has developed a new document Anesthetic Gases: Safe Use Guidelines and an Anesthetic Gases webpage to help users of anesthetic gases understand the potential health effects from exposure to anesthetic gases, and to provide guidance on minimizing potential exposures. These gases can be separated into two categories: Halogenated anesthetic gases/vapors and nitrous oxide.
EH&S and UW-IT have collaborated to modernize MyChem, the UW’s chemical inventory tracking system, to provide a more reliable and effective tool with a modern interface that allows users more control over their inventories.
Note: The link to MyChem has changed. The new MyChem URL is https://mychem.ehs.washington.edu. (A notice will be posted at the old URL sending users to the new URL.)
EH&S has autoclave tools to assist you including general autoclave safety guidelines, autoclaving biohazardous waste guidelines with template SOP, both with step-by-step instructions for autoclave users.
Store waste at or near the generation point: Regulations require all hazardous waste be stored “at or near” its point of generation. In most circumstances, if you have to leave the room or go through a door to get to the storage location (prior to pickup by EH&S), then it is not at or near the point of generation.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has published updated regulations manuals for 2022, which may impact University units that ship dangerous goods by air. The list of regulation changes on the IATA website address shipping lithium batteries, infectious substances, and live animals. We have listed below the most relevant changes related to certain types of lithium batteries:
