MDH and SPH moving beyond HSEEP (Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program)

The Minnsesota Department of Health and the U of MN School of Public Health have developed training exercises to enhance team effectiveness during public health disasters.

The exercise scenarios:

 Political Event; 3-part exercise
 Tornado (affects healthcare system); 2-part exercise
 Winter Storm
 Flash Floods
 Tornado (affects summer tourist area); 2-part exercise
 Firestorm: a climate change scenario

Click on Disaster 101 training information.

Snowfall in Minnesota - April 24, 2013

Sustainability Resources at the University of Minnesota

Sustainable Trail Marker - B.D. Schaap  U of MN Graduate

Sustainable Faculty Network website: It covers connections, networks and communications related to Sustainability.

Ensia:  is a magazine and event series showcasing environmental solutions in action.  It is affiliated with the University of Minnesota's Institute on the Environment.

Energy management's It All Adds Up website highlights ways to reduce energy consumption on campus.

The U of MN has a Silver rating by the aashe (Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education)  STARS (Sustainability Tracking and Rating System ) program.

Green Chemistry at the U of MN.- 2 minutes

Free Lab Safety Videos online from Dow Chemical

Dow chemical has a series of lab safety videos available online.   Prior to viewing the videos you are required to submit your name and email address.

Dow Chemical  Lab Saftey Partnership with U of MN, Penn State and UCSB

Global Harmonization and Safety Data Sheet information

Sitehawk.com has produced several videos providing an introduction to OSHA Global Harmonization System.  How to prepare a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and why Global Harmonization is important.

Brief introduction to OSHA and GHS - SiteHawk - 3 min.

Tips for Authoring Safety Data Sheets - SiteHawk - 37 min.

GHS Readiness Webinar - 50 minutes from SiteHawk

Capital Planning and Project management have published their latest design standards document.  Material in this document is subject to revision and applies only to the University of Minnesota.

Construction on the West Bank of  the University of Minnesota West Bank campus on June 24, 2010

Renovation Project

 

Water response remediation.

Natural gas Hazard Alert - Serrated hose nozzle leak

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA

SAFETY ALERT

Dangers of: Leaky Gas Valves – Fire Risk

Incident

During the week of April 7th, 2013, a gas leak ignited causing damage to pipe covering in a laboratory in the Gortner building on the University of Minnesota St Paul Campus.

A lit Bunsen Burner ignited gas which was leaking from a loose serrated hose nozzle. Flames shot out a foot or more and caused burn damage to nearby pipe covering. The attendant was able to shut off the gas supply before the fire could take hold and spread.

Fortunately, this incident caused minimal damage and there were no injuries.

How did this happen? 

The serrated hose nozzle (pictured - top right) had loosened allowed gas to escape. The university has many older laboratory spaces where this type of nozzle is used.

What is being done to address this risk?

Facilities Management technicians have conducted a sweep of the Gortner building and have tightened a few additional nozzles.

Action for Researchers and Laboratory workers?

Check the gas nozzles in your laboratories to ensure they have a tight fit. You can also squeeze some liquid soap over the threads before activating the gas valve, and look for bubbles.

If you find a loose nozzle, DO NOT USE IT. Contact Facilities Management at 624-2900 and request an “urgent repair”.

If you have questions regarding this alert please contact Joe Klancher, DEHS, at 626-3611.

Unknown precipitate identified with FTIR

In late December, 2012 a Kolthoff Hall lab noticed a problem with white precipitate on bottles stored under a fume hood just after a new unopened bottle was added.  The bottle was removed and the precipitate was cleaned.  The bottle was placed back under the hood and the precipitate reappeared.

Chemicals stored under the hood.

White precipitate on bottles in the hood.

The pH testing of the solid was not helpful.  Tests for peroxides were not conclusive.

An MCE 5um filter was attached to a 15 liter per minute pump and used to vacuum the precipitate from the bottles onto the filter.  This did not work very well.  The edges of the plastic filter were then used to gently mechanically scrape the precipitate off the bottle while the pump was running. 

A 3mm diameter portion of the precipitate was analyzed on the Smith FTIR.  A very clean IR peak was produced but it did not match the chemicals in the library data base.  DEHS sent the .SIR and the .spc files to Reach Back ID service at Smith's Detection system.

The spectrum submitted, WAS consistent with DIISOPROPYLAMINE HYDROCHLORIDE, as shown in the attached JPEG (ReachBackID_20130110 UMN_1.JPG).  DIISOPROPYLAMINE HYDROCHLORIDE is used as  as a reagent in organic synthesis.

After cleaning and decontaminating and isolating each bottle a cap was found to be loose on diisopropylamine.  As the bottle had not been used, this may have been a problem with capping at the manufacturer.