Wastewater effluent from lab sinks is considered industrial wastewater, which typically requires a discharge permit with the local authority. pH neutralization systems are included – is yours permitted and overseen by a certified wastewater operator?
With the long winter we have had, everyone will be eager to wear their flip flops and shorts this spring. Do you have a policy in place requiring closed-toed shoes and leg covering in your labs?
The OSHA regulation 29 CFR 1910.134, Respiratory Protection, mandates requirements for implementing respiratory protection programs. As best practice, there are steps that should be taken prior to implementation to make the program come full circle.
Have the procedures for disinfecting the biological waste at your facility been reviewed and approved as required by the State Sanitary Code?
EHS permitting and licensing in compliance with Federal, State, and Local regulations is a crucial item to address for all companies.
Do you know what chemicals in your inventory have the potential to form dangerous peroxides? Certain classes of compounds are prone to forming peroxides over time, including ethers, halogenated alkenes, vinyl halides, and secondary alcohols.
We’ve been wondering if safer companies actually outperform others. Dr. Diane Chen of the Harvard School of Public Health pointed us to a fascinating study, “The Link Between Workforce Health and Safety and the Health of the Bottom Line” (Fabius et al, Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Vol. 55, No. 9, September 2013, web). The answer appears to be “yes”.
Does your facility struggle with how to keep food and drink out of laboratory areas? Consuming food and drinks in laboratories and storing food in laboratory equipment increase the chance of contamination and accidental ingestion of hazardous materials.
Facilities issued an MWRA Group Permit for Photo Processing and Printing Operations are required to submit their annual compliance report by March 31, 2014. Are you working on yours yet?
Low Level Radioactive Waste Surveys. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health Radiation Control Program tracks the generation and disposal of low level radioactive waste produced in Massachusetts every year.
Are your generators of hazardous waste trained sufficiently? Have your certified hazmat employees been trained on RCRA regulations? The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) was enacted to protect human health and the environment from the hazards of hazardous waste generation and disposal.
Many people assume that biosafety levels and biological risk groups are synonymous, when in fact there are many factors to consider when designating a biosafety level for a biological agent. There are four risk group classifications established in the NIH Guidelines and The World Health Organization’s Laboratory Biosafety Manual.
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