Latest News

 
 

National Biosafety Month 2020: Update SOPs and Work Safely During COVID-19

October is National Biosafety Month, a time to focus on your lab’s biosafety policies and procedures. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected biological research labs in many ways, from potential difficulties obtaining personal protective equipment (PPE) and disinfectants to limiting how many people can work at a given time in a space. For 2020's National Biosafety Month, EH&S would like labs to focus on creating or updating biosafety standard operating procedures (SOPs) and staying aware of how to work safely during COVID-19.

 
 
 

Nitric acid incidents: How to reduce your risk

The hazards: Nitric acid is a highly corrosive mineral acid and strong oxidizer used primarily for nitration of organic molecules and washing glassware or metal equipment. Nitric acid reacts violently with alcohols, alkalis, reducing agents, combustible materials, organic materials, metals, acids, cyanides, terpenes, charcoal, and acetone. It produces exothermic reactions, as well as toxic, corrosive, and flammable vapors.

 
 
 
 
 

Register for the Lab Safety Training Webinar for Department Administrators

On February 26, EH&S will be offering a webinar on lab safety and compliance for department staff who support researchers and principal investigators at the UW.

This training is designed for administrators, but it is open to all UW staff who do not work in a laboratory setting. The course provides background material on regulatory, policy and permit requirements, and addresses hazards and risk assessment in the laboratory to ensure lab safety and compliance.