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Handling Hazardous Materials during a Laboratory Move On Campus
Laboratory moves are a common occurrence on our campus. However, this year we are seeing an increase in laboratory moves due to renovation activities in multiple lab areas on campus which will be completed by the end of summer.
If you will be moving your lab to a new space on campus, please click here to read more about how to safely move hazardous materials when you move your laboratory.
Spring Cleaning
Spring is slowly arriving and many of us take this time to get our homes ready for the summer by performing spring cleaning. This is also an excellent time to tidy up your laboratory so please click here to read about some great spring cleaning ideas for your laboratory.
Minors in Hazardous Work Areas
Spring is a time when many students are out of school for spring break and the upcoming summer is also a time when students are enjoying a summer break from school. When school is out we tend to see an increase in the number of children present in the workplace and this is a reminder that children are prohibited in high hazard areas such as laboratories unless the minor is an employee (including student employees); a student or authorized participant in a University sponsored program.
For additional guidance on minors in the laboratory please refer to policy FIN-INS-15 titled Minors in hazardous Work Area. Indiana University recognizes the importance of the educational outreach missions of the University and has established this policy to ensure a safe and healthy environment for our employees, students and visitors.
Tornado Preparedness for Laboratories
The image above is from a tornado touching down in downtown Miami back in 2007. Cities and university campuses are not immune to tornadoes and severe weather can threaten the safety and operation of research laboratories at any time, and with short notice. As with any emergency, preparedness is your best defense. You should have plans already in place, well in advance of a severe weather event, to ensure the protection of valuable research equipment, specimens and data. A Business Continuity Plan is a valuable tool to prepare your laboratory for any emergency, not just severe weather emergencies, and I hope everyone has such a plan already in place.
For additional guidance on what to do during a severe weather emergency please click here. For guidance on what to do in a laboratory during a severe weather emergency please click here.
Chemical Redistribution Opportunity
 Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) occasionally receives chemical wastes that are excellent candidates for redistribution. Eskenazi Hospital recently shutdown a Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometry (GCMS) operation due to changing analytical needs at the hospital and is offering the unopened GCMS reagents free of charge to any campus user.
To view a list of available chemicals please click here.
If interested in any of the reagents, email Kevin Mouser at kmouser@iupui.edu or call 317-274-4351. |
