Universities get surprise visits from hazardous waste regulators
September 17, 2018
Several universities in the northwest have been subjected to unannounced regulatory inspections recently by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or by the Washington State Department of Ecology. At least one university received a fine for non-compliance worth tens of thousands of dollars.
Safety and Program Manuals
All University personnel and students are required to follow the guidance provided in the University’s safety manuals and program manuals that are applicable to hazards in their work area and/or associated with a specific job task.
The safety and program manuals listed below were prepared in accordance with federal, state and local regulations and policies.
Click on the title to access each manual.
EH&S Organization Chart: All Sections
The Environmental Health & Safety Department includes the following sections or functional units:
EH&S Guide for Principal Investigators (updated August 2021)
Online Chemical Waste Collection Request Help Guide
The Help Guide provides step-by-step instructions for completing the Online Chemical Waste Collection Request.
Mercury Thermometers ‘Swap’ Program
October 26, 2017
Environmental Programs, a section of EH&S, offers laboratories a system to recycle mercury thermometers. The mercury thermometer swap program is a valuable resource that supplies our research community with an environmentally safe option.
Broken mercury thermometers account for almost half of the spills that occur each year on the UW campus. A broken mercury thermometer wastes time and money. A lab risks loss of lab equipment, research and time due to mercury spills.
Disaster Response (PEAT)
The Pre-Entry Assessment Team (PEAT) is the UW's first responder disaster team that consists of members of EH&S and UW Tacoma Safety and Security.