Many times, safety committee meeting conversations focus on reviewing incidents and near misses, suggested policy implementation, and necessary improvements to the EHS program in place. Remember to add an agenda item focused on sharing success stories related to your EHS program!
What are the ‘normal business hours’ at your facility? Do people tend to come in later in the morning and stay later into the evening, or are people early birds and arrive just after the sun rises? Do experiments or other lab tasks require individuals to work on the weekends?
Many people working in laboratories are astonished when they learn that the water from the safety showers in their lab space does not drain into a floor drain. These safety showers are intended to flush an individual off in the event of an exposure, but where does all of the water go?
Does your facility have an established policy that clearly specifies if lab workers are permitted to bring cell phones, earbuds, and other personal items into the lab while conducting work?
The EPA is proposing the Hazardous Waste Generator Improvements Rule to update the hazardous waste generator regulations. This rule would make the regulations easier to understand and comply with, and provided needed clarification on gaps in the current regulations.
257 CMR 2.00, Certification of Operators of Wastewater Treatment Facilities, establishes the requirements for evaluation and certification of operators of wastewater treatment facilities. Facilities that discharge industrial wastewater through a pH neutralization system may fall under this regulation, which is enforced by the MA Department of Environmental Protection.
Earlier this month, NIH announced that October is National Biosafety Stewardship Month (NBSM) for 2015. The purpose of NBSM is to encourage institutions to focus on their biosafety programs and reinforce biosafety policies, procedures, and work practices.
Medical and biological waste is regulated in MA by 105 CMR 480, Minimum Requirements for the Management of Medical or Biological Waste (State Sanitary Code Chapter VIII). This MA Department of Public Health regulation defines medical or biological waste, and further defines sharps.
A full-face shield and cryo gloves should be available for use in areas where liquid nitrogen is dispensed. It is all too common to see individuals opt to ignore the available PPE when dispensing liquid nitrogen.
OSHA’s hazardous waste operations and emergency response regulation, 29 CFR 1910.120, stipulates requirements for emergency response operations involving releases of hazardous substances. Employees participating in emergency response are required to be trained based on the duties and function they would serve in an emergency response situation.
Every facility should have written emergency response procedures for the hazards present on site. These response procedures will vary not only based on the facility itself, but also based on the hazardous materials present, processes in place, and procedures being conducted.
Hazardous waste manifests are used to track hazardous waste shipped off site for treatment, storage, and disposal. When waste is removed by a licensed hazardous waste hauler, a uniform manifest is completed to identify and characterize the waste.
