Latest News

Seattle Fire Department’s Fire Prevention Division launched an initiative to avoid “false” (preventable) alarms. 

Preventable alarms include:

EH&S updated the Site-Specific Bloodborne Pathogen (BBP) Exposure Control Plan template in congruence with Washington state BBP regulations. This update includes an expanded list of personal protective equipment (PPE) and engineering controls, a section on sharps safety, and a personnel training log.

Vacuum pumps are used to remove air and other vapors from a vessel or manifold. Weak points in containers or systems under vacuum can create implosion or explosion hazards, and cause injury by violently spraying glass and hazardous materials. An example of this is an incident that recently occurred at the University of Pennsylvania resulting in an explosion and fire.

The 2023 Laboratory Safety Awards & Innovations Event honored 22 labs, departments, and individuals to recognize their significant contributions to fostering a strong culture of safety in University laboratories.  

Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) recently identified that the chemical integrator 3M Comply™ SteriGage™ used for steam sterilization of biohazardous waste is no longer manufactured or available for purchase by the 3M company or other vendors. The University of Washington (UW) received approval from Public Health – Seattle & King County to use four other chemical integrators.

The four newly approved chemical integrators are:

The UW Radiation Safety Committee approved revisions to the Radiation Safety Manual in May 2023 to reflect current Radiation Protection Program practices. The updated manual is now available for download.

Highlighted changes include:

University personnel who service or maintain equipment, machinery or systems with a hazardous energy source have a resource for understanding group lockout/tagout (LOTO). The Understanding Group LOTO Focus Sheet contains important safety information for Authorized Persons performing service or maintenance activities in groups of two or more.

The 2023 Laboratory Safety Awards & Innovations Event will be held on December 8, 2023, to celebrate our award recipients, lab safety innovators, and the excellent work being done in support of a strong culture of safety.

Guest speakers will include Provost Tricia Serio, Director, Dian Gay from the Applied Physics Laboratory, Chair, David Perkel from the Biology department, and Laboratory Manager, Virginia Engel from the Civil & Environmental Engineering department.

Please join us in congratulating our 2023 awards recipients!

Researchers and departments on UW campuses are constantly coming up with great new ways to address safety issues specific to their labs and workgroups.

Is your lab or department supporting a strong safety culture?

Has your lab created a tool, resource, or practice to enhance safety in your workspace?

The Crane, Hoist and Rigging Safety Program Manual and related safety tools and resources are available for University units and departments that operate and maintain cranes, hoists, and rigging equipment.