2012 DEHS staff retreat highlights

Speakers at the November UHS 2012 staff retreat at Weisman Art Museum

Speaker- Ann Johnson, U of M Department of Civil Engineering. “ICON HOUSE fusion of style and technology”

Mary deLaittre, President of the Minneapolis Parks Foundation, “RiverFirst and Water Works on the Mississippi River”

Photo opportunities Lunch and walk the Weisman.

Robert Filipczak ,Social Media coordinator MnDOT, “Marketing safety across generations.”



Todd Gleason Pentair, “Pentair Sustainability Overview.”

Safety Starts with U! Sept 24th Kickoff event

Graduate students, postdoctorates lead pilot laboratory safety initiative

Kickoff of ‘Safety Starts with U!’ campaign, Monday, September 24
From safety-themed posters, to informative safety moments before meetings and seminars, creation of a safety website, and an increased emphasis on wearing proper safety gear in laboratories, graduate students and postdoctoral researchers are taking the lead in improving and sustaining the safety culture in the University of Minnesota College of Science & Engineering’s chemistry and chemical engineering laboratories. This fall, they are kicking off a new safety campaign, “Safety Starts with U!”

Unique partnership with Dow
Through a unique partnership with the Dow Chemical Company, graduate students and postdoctoral researchers from the departments of Chemistry (CHEM) and Chemical Engineering and Materials Science (CEMS) are providing the leadership in a first-ever pilot program to improve safety awareness and practices. The Dow Chemical Company is sharing its best-in-class laboratory safety practices, examples, advice, and resources with the students and post doctorates. This included a two-day training at Dow’s Michigan facility last spring.

“Ensuring safe working environments in research laboratories is both a challenge as well as an opportunity for universities everywhere,” said Pankaj Gupta, Ph.D., senior strategy leader for research and development at Dow Chemical Company, who along with others on the Dow team has been collaborating with the two U of M departments. “Through this safety partnership with the University of Minnesota, we expand our relationship by leveraging our strength in laboratory safety,” he said.

This safety partnership will benefit the University of Minnesota and has the potential to help other universities across the country as well, notes Professor Frank Bates, head of the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science. 

“I am very pleased to partner with the Dow Chemical Company in this critical activity, which brings safety training and practice to the forefront in the university setting,” he said. “Dow’s leadership in assisting universities strengthen their commitment to safety will yield long lasting benefits to the academic enterprise nationwide.”

Student- & postdoctoral-led Joint Safety Team
Graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in the two departments have formed a Joint Safety Team (JST), which comprises 62 Laboratory Safety Officers (LSOs) and a number of interested graduate students from the two departments. The JST’s safety campaign focuses on four key areas—CARE:

• Compliance: improve compliance with lab standards on hazardous waste handling, sample and chemical storage, lab cleanliness, and the wearing of personal protective equipment (PPE);
• Awareness: improve awareness of safety hazards, best practices, and available resources around the theme of “Safety Starts with U!”;
• Resources: improve the quality of and access to safety resources, including the standardization of laboratory signs, development of safety websites, and PPE such as goggles, lab coats, and gloves; and
• Education: improve the training and ongoing education of laboratory safety officers and researchers.

The JST has developed a number of short-term and long-term recommendations for improving safety practices. These recommendations will act as a guidebook to improving the safety culture at the university.

“We identified areas of safety that needed improvement and devised a list of ways to address those areas,” said Kathryn “Kate” McGarry, a CHEM graduate student and chair of the JST Administrative Committee. “The JST will be working closely with our department chairs, personnel from the University’s Department of Environmental Health & Safety (DEHS), and members of Dow Chemical Company to implement these recommendations. Our motivation and actions hopefully will encourage the rest of our community to join us in establishing a better culture of safety,” she said.

The short-term recommendations will be implemented this fall. They include creating and posting new laboratory signs that emphasize PPE requirements, potential hazards in the lab, and guidelines on how to make the laboratories safer places to conduct research.

“Safety Starts with U!” posters will be created and strategically posted in the departments.

“It's important for us to cultivate a culture of safety here at the U,” said Brian Merritt, a CEMS graduate student and chair of the JST Public Relations Committee. “This effort began with the DOW partnership, and is continuing now with our safety campaign. These posters are the first step in establishing the importance of a safe environment,” he said.

Other plans include conducting Safety Moments at the start of all departmental seminars and group meetings; publishing Safety Notes in the departments’ weekly email newsletters; conducting the first-ever departmental cleanup week; writing, evaluating, and sharing laboratory-specific safe operating procedures; and sending monthly emails on safety learning experiences.

Long-term, the JST will focus on maintaining the safety campaign.

Short- and long-term impacts
“This campaign addresses the need to improve the culture of safety in our laboratories in proactive, collaborative, and direct ways,” said Professor William Tolman, chair of the Department of Chemistry. “The fact that it is being led by the graduate students and postdoctoral researchers is terrific. Their energy and creative ideas are already having a profound impact,” he said.

What is learned in this pilot project could be shared across the university. 

“The Department of Environmental Health and Safety is committed to learning from this innovative program and sharing what we have learned from this experience with others across the campus,” said Craig Moody, director of the DEHS. “The students involved in this program should be very proud in knowing they will have an impact on the health and safety of thousands of students and staff in the years to come.”

Smith Hall - photo N. Carlson

Safety campaign kickoff, Monday, September 24 

The JST’s kickoff for its safety campaign is planned for 4 p.m. Monday, September 24, in 100 Smith Hall. This is an opportunity to learn more about the campaign, the partnership with Dow Chemical Company, and plans for improving and sustaining the safety culture in the departments. Refreshments will follow in the Smith Hall lobby where there also will be a number of educational booths. There will be an opportunity for students to win personal protection equipment. All faculty, graduate students, and post doctorates are invited to attend.

Online resources for emergency response

The following online resources area available for emergency response

The NIOSH pocket chemical guide has a searchable database.

The Wiser (Wireless Information System for Emergency Responders)  guide .

The RAE conversion chart for PID's

The RAE LEL conversion chart

The US DOT Emergency Response Guidebook

The Sapphire Miran manual with abbreviation codes for chemical analysis.

http://www.sph.umn.edu/ce/perl/online/

Free online training for emergency responders is available through the U of MN School of Public Health

FEMA online independent study courses are available online.

Biohazardous waste procedures for AHC

Note from AHC RBMS: 


Due to recent concerns and problems encountered regarding biohazard waste we are sending this informative reminder to all occupants in all AHC RBMS buildings.

AHC RBMS is here to provide customer service to you and if at any time you would like further information or require assistance please contact us at ahcrbms@umn.edu.

Please review the following reminder:

AHC Research Building Management Services would like to remind all occupants of proper disposal procedures for 1) disposal of sharps containers, 2) contaminated non-sharps waste & biohazard waste.

http://www.theofficedealer.com/mm5/graphics/product_images/1300/seo/UnimedMidwest-K5SS1007SA-Sharps-Container.jpg

SHARPS CONTAINERS:
Sharps containers should not be filled more than 3/4 full. When filled, please tape shut and place near other trash and waste collection areas for pick up.

Please DO NOT put sharps containers outside of lab areas such as public spaces or hallways. Sharps containers such as #CX40245 & #MS-07401 may be purchased through U Stores.

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CONTAMINATED NON-SHARPS & BIOHAZARD WASTE:
-Autoclave by lab at 121° for 60 minutes and placed in the proper bin provided for disposal after autoclaving by FM. Bags not placed in proper bin will not be picked up. Clear bags, such as #CX10014 or #CX10034 may be ordered through U Stores.

OR

http://static.www.odcdn.com/pictures/us/od/sk/lg/380575_sk_lg.jpg

-Red bag waste (when an autoclave is not available) may be used. Red bags must be double bagged and weigh no more than 15 pounds. Red bags must be tied and taped shut.

These bags need to be placed in secondary containment trays for Facilities Management pick up. Bags MUST remain in lab areas, DO NOT place in public spaces or hallways. In order to provide safe working conditions to all employees, Facilities Management will not take bags that are not shut properly and easily picked up with one hand. Bags must be light enough to allow staff to pick up with one hand and hold away from the body while removing them for disposal.

http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/images/products/bottles/52060p.jpg

Secondary Containment Trays such as #CX18998 & #CX18999 may be purchased through U Stores.

DOCK AREAS:
-GRAY BINS are for biohazard waste only.
-RED BINS are for animal carcass removal only.
-All Bins must be lined with a red bag and lid securely in place for pick up.
-All Bins must not exceed 50 pounds.

Liquid waste should never be placed in sharps containers, waste for autoclave or red bag waste pick up. Liquid waste should be handled as hazardous waste or treated properly and disposed of by each lab according to their specific Waste Treatment Plan. Disposable pipettes must not puncture through any waste bags.

We appreciate your help and cooperation providing safe waste handling.

Please contact DEHS with any questions:
        Phone:  612-626-6002
        Email:  dehs@umn.edu


***** PLEASE NOTE******
If you have a lab or freezer clean-out resulting in large amounts of waste, we would be happy to help arrange supplies and/or assistance. Please contact your building coordinator.

BIOMEDIAL DISCOVERY DISTRICT

LRB/MTRF, WMBB:
Building Coordinator:
Sara Talbot     Phone: 612 626-6120

717 Delaware:
Building Coordinator:
Jonelle Adams   Phone: 612 626-2293

Biomedical Discovery District
Assistant Building Manager:
Micki Diers     Phone: 612 625-9544

HEALTH SCIENCE DISTRICT

NHH, Jackson Hall:
Building Coordinator:
Jim Anderson    Phone: 612 625-9491

MCB, MCRB:
Building Coordinator:
Sam Schroeder   Phone: 612 626-6387

Health Science District
Assistant Building Manager:
Cheryl Miller   Phone: 612 625-5905

University Services VP Pam Wheelock to start Aug 15th

University Services gets ready for the arrival of new Vice President Pam Wheelock on August 15. The U Services Leadership Team has developed an extensive orientation plan to help VP Wheelock begin the sizeable task of learning the ins-and-outs of University Services. The plan includes a variety of opportunities for University Services staff to meet and get to know the new Vice President. Details are still being finalized, but keep an eye open for invitations to events in both August and September. - From The U services Files - Tim Busse

Pam Wheelock:   http://www.uservices.umn.edu/vpsearch/index.html

Pam Wheelock's resume is available here as a pdf and this is her LinkedIn profile. 

DEHS has new Research Safety Program Manager

Joe Klancher will be joining the Department of Environmental Health and Safety on July 23^rd as Research Safety Program Manager, and will lead our research safety staff.  Joe comes to us from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, where he served as safety coordinator and developed and implemented safety and environmental programs for the research community.  Joe has previous experience as a loss control specialist with Allina Health Systems, as an industrial hygienist for Hennepin County, as a research assistant in the School of Public Health and a medical technologist at the U of M Hospitals.  He received his B.S. in medical technology and his MPH in Environmental and Occupational Health at the University.


Click here to  view his profile on LinkedIn

Campus building numbers and energy information

U of Minnesota Facilities Management has a pdf database which links the building name with the building number on the Twin Cities Campus.  They have a new feature which also shows the building's energy report card compared to other buildings on campus.  If you want to view a specific building go to this the building energy dashboard site.

If you know the building name you can also find the building number using DEHS's searchable database.

The University of Minnesota is part of the Billion Dollar Green energy challenge.  The campus has a $4 million dollar revolving loan program to provide resources for energy conservation progress with a payback of less than six years.

Photo of U of MN Twin Cities campus as viewed from above the Mississippi River looking northeast

Excessive heat warning for Minnesota Update

Excessive heat warning for Thursday 8/30/2012.

Notice taken in part from Lisa Dressler, DEM, U of MN:    An EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING has been issued by the National Weather Service through July 5th, 2012.  This means a combination of hot temperatures and high humidity combine to create a dangerous situation in which heat illnesses are likely.

Update: OSHA has a free heat safety tool App for blackberry, iphone and android.  

The most common heat illnesses are heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Heat  stroke is life threatening.  Individuals suffering from this heat related illness will often be uncooperative. 

  http://navyadvancement.tpub.com/14325/css/14325_407.htm

http://www.doctortipster.com/2926-heatstroke-sunstroke-symptoms-causes-riks-factors-treatment-and-prevention.html

Simple steps you can take (and encourage your neighbors to take) to prevent illness due to extreme heat include:

·         Drink lots of cool, nonalcoholic, non-caffeinated beverages

·         Rest

·         Avoid strenuous activity outdoors, if you can 

·         Take a cool shower, bath or sponge bath

·         Seek an air-conditioned environment such as a library or shopping mall

·         Wear lightweight clothing

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has some great information on heat safety and emergencies. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website has excellent resources on prevention of illness due to extreme heat.  You may also access these resources through links posted on our department website.

In addition, our emergency preparedness partner, ECHO (Emergency and Community Health Outreach), currently has a recorded message on how to protect yourself during extreme heat.  This recorded message is available in 10 languages.  If you know people with Limited English Proficiency, prompt them to call ECHO phone toll free at (888) 883-8831 to get information.

MN OSHA heat stress guide

OSHA Heat stress quick cards

OSHA web site on heat stress - very user friendly

NOAA National Weather Service Heat index information