Staff & Contacts List
Updated January 22, 2025
Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) are documents that describe the physical and health hazards of chemicals or chemical-containing products and must be readily accessible to employees during all work shifts when these products are present in the work environment.
EH&S maintains a centralized library of SDSs in the online MyChem database for your use. SDSs are added to the central collection as employees inventory their chemicals in MyChem.
The Laser Safety Program facilitates the safe and knowledgeable use of lasers in University laboratories and classrooms, and ensures the protection of the environment.
Understand how to identify, package, and decontaminate regulated sharps waste and biohazardous lab glass and plastic waste.
University supervisors submit a Respirator Request Form to EH&S, when respiratory hazards are first identified, when processes change that may impact respiratory hazards, and annually thereafter.
Review and implement these guidelines in your laboratory if you work with biotoxins.
Use the Biological Toxin Checklist to ensure compliance and safe work practices for research involving biotoxins. EH&S is available to assist you.
The Laboratory Safety and Compliance training course is now “required initial training” for all Principal Investigators, lab managers, lab chemical hygiene officers, and people working in a supervisory role in research and teaching laboratories. The class provides essential information on regulatory, policy, and permit requirements, and addresses hazards and risk assessment to ensure lab safety and compliance.
Part of keeping your laboratory safe is ensuring it is prepared for an earthquake or other natural disaster. Here are some best practices for protecting yourself and others in this potential scenario.
Protect Your Exit Way
Tall or heavy equipment near your laboratory exit could tip over and block it during an earthquake, so take action now to prevent this:
EH&S collaborated with the Materials Science & Engineering Department to develop a short video about the UW’s chemical waste management process.
Watch the video to get your common waste management questions answered and learn more about properly labeling, storing, and managing hazardous chemical waste.
The UW is a major research and teaching institution, and safety in our laboratories is very important to all of us. If you work in a lab, you can protect yourself and others from exposure to hazardous materials through the use of chemical fume hoods; safe work practices and training; and appropriate laboratory attire and personal protective equipment (PPE).