Upcoming Training
Radiation Safety
Monthly, on Tuesday from 9-11:30 am
August 13
September 10
October 15
Chemical Hygiene Plan (Lab Safety)
Weekly on alternate Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 12-1 pm
August 6, 14, 20, 28
September 3, 11, 17, 25
October 1, 9, 15, 23, 29
Comprehensive Biosafety
Bi-weekly on Tuesday from 1-4 pm
August 20
September 3, 17
October 1, 15, 29
IATA Shipping Dangerous Goods
Last Tuesdays, 1-4 pm
August 27
September 24
October 22
Click here to sign up
Please note, you do not need to have an EHSA account to take training, but when trying to access EHSA without an account, you will be rejected.
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Chemical Hygiene Plan - Policy Update
According to Federal regulation (29CFR 1910.1450), the Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP) must be reviewed annually and updated as necessary. The Research Safety Policy Council approved the proposed updates to this Plan on March 13, 2019.
Changes include:
- • Chapter II: Lab Safety Contact roles and responsibilities.
- • Chapter VI: Requirements for emergency eyewash weekly flushes.
- • CHP training requirement frequency and who this now applies to.
For a complete description, click here.
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 The ORS is currently recruiting to fill the vacant Chemical Safety Officer and Biological Safety Officer positions. For more information, or to apply, please visit the job postings below:
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Which Safety Unit Do I Call?
Have a question or need help but are unsure who to contact? Visit the new "Who Does What?" page on the Environmental Health and Safety's website where you will find a comprehensive list of activities, definitions and who to contact.
There is a search function that will help make navigation easier. If you have any questions, please contact us at researchsafety@uchicago.edu or call 773-834-2707.
For emergencies, always contact campus police at 123 (campus phone), or 773-702-8181.
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The University of Chicago Accident and Incident Reporting system (UCAIR) provides a user-friendly mechanism for reporting work-related accidents and incidents to EHS and ORS. For more information about UCAIR, visit the FAQs page.
Please remember to first call 123 (on-campus phone) or 773.702.8181 (off-campus phone) for accidents requiring emergency response to ensure the appropriate emergency response personnel are notified.
Involved individuals, supervisors, affected persons, or witnesses can submit reports. Anonymous reporting is available for events that do not require medical treatment.
Click icon to visit the UCAIR website
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The University of Chicago Accident and Incident Reporting system (UCAIR) provides a user-friendly mechanism for reporting work-related accidents and incidents to EHS and ORS. For more information about UCAIR, visit the FAQs page.
Please remember to first call 123 (on-campus phone) or 773.702.8181 (off-campus phone) for accidents requiring emergency response to ensure the appropriate emergency response personnel are notified.
Involved individuals, supervisors, affected persons, or witnesses can submit reports. Anonymous reporting is available for events that do not require medical treatment.
Click icon to visit the UCAIR website
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Joint Research Safety Initiative (JRSI)
The JRSI is a community of students, post-docs and research assistants whose focus is to promote a culture of safety for the Chemistry Department and Institute for Molecular Engineering (IME).
 For more information, visit JRSI's website.
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Learn more about the Office of Research Safety or our partners by visiting our website.
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Staff Changes in the Office of Research Safety
ORS would like to welcome two new staff members. Emma Ross, Health Physicist, and Charles Fitzpatrick, Associate Health Physicist. Both Emma and Charles bring valuable experience to the Radiation Safety program. Emma holds a Master of Health Physics from Oregon State University and comes to us from CHEMStaff Inc. (an Ecolab Company) where she worked as a Consultant. Charles holds a Master of Health Physics from the University of Nevada, he comes to us from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, Austria where he served as an Intern. We are very excited to work with Emma and Charles.
The ORS also congratulates two staff members who have recently resigned from their positions at the University of Chicago to accept new challenges at other institutions. Dr. James Wright, Senior Chemical Safety Officer and Assistant Director, is now serving the Environmental Health and Safety program at the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) located in Golden, Colorado. Dr. Nicholas (Nick) Noriea, Biological Safety Officer, has accepted the lead biosafety officer role in the biosafety program at the University of California, Riverside. ORS is thankful for the energy and significant contributions both James and Nick have invested in the development of ORS programs during their time at UChicago.
The Chemical Safety Officer and Biological Safety Officer position searches are open. For more information, or to apply, please visit the job postings below:
Chemical Safety Officer
Biological Safety Officer
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Medical Payments for UChicago Student Injuries
Occurring in Laboratories at UChicago
What is covered?
Out-of-pocket costs for accidents or injuries sustained during assigned responsibilities while in laboratories or other research activity that result in medical expenses, regardless of fault.
Who is covered?
UChicago students injured during assigned responsibilities in laboratories or other research activity. Includes enrolled UChicago graduate and undergraduate degree students.
The program is set up for covering emergency care at UCMC. and would not apply to non-degree visiting students or injuries that occur in field research. In these instances, students should utilize their health insurance. Additionally, students who are injured abroad can call International SOS for assistance.
If a student receives bills for related treatment, they should contact the Office of Risk Management at risk@uchicago.edu.
Any additional questions or concerns should be directed to the Office of Risk Management.
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Upcoming Projects
Annual Scavenger Hunt
The ORS is sponsoring the 2nd annual scavenger hunt to promote research safety. The purpose of this initiative is to reinforce research and life safety best practices at the University of Chicago. The feature is a scavenger hunt contest, which is designed to provide multiple-member teams an opportunity to compete for cash value prizes. Researchers from all divisions are invited to participate in a fun scavenger hunt that challenges your knowledge on how to conduct research safely. $100 gift card for each person in the team that comes in first place! Additional prizes for runners-up.
Further details to be announced. In the meantime, check out the ORS YouTube channel for the video from the inaugural ORS Scavenger Hunt: Safety Games.
To register your group, please send an email to researchsafety@uchicago.edu with "Scavenger Hunt" in the subject.
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Events
New Faculty Resource Fair
This event presents a unique opportunity for new faculty/staff to meet several departments at UChicago, as well as local organizations, who will showcase information about their services. ORS and EH&S will be there.
- Date: Monday, September 16, 2019
- Location: The Quadrangle Club, 1155 E. 57th Street, 2nd Floor Library
- Time: 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.
ABSA International Biosafety Month
October 2019 is the sixth anniversary of Biosafety Month. This year’s theme is “Beyond the Lab: Increasing the Visibility of Biosafety and Biosecurity” with social networking hashtag #biosafety_biosecuritymonth. For more information, visit ABSA.
Fire Prevention Week is October 6-12, 2019. This year’s theme is Look. Listen. Learn. Be aware. Fire can happen anywhere. #FirePreventionWeek.
For more info, visit NFPA.
October 9 is National Nanotechnology Day. This date, pays homage to the nanometer scale, 10-9 meters and is intended to raise awareness of nanotechnology, how it is currently used in products that enrich our daily lives, and the challenges and opportunities it holds for the future.
For more info, visit nano.gov.
National Chemistry Week is October 20-26, 2019, which includes Mole Day, October 23, from 6:02 am to 6:02 pm. Mole Day commemorates Avogadro's number (6.02 x 1023), which is a basic measuring unit in chemistry. 2019 marks the 150th anniversary of the Period Table of Chemical Elements, celebrating Internationally and inspiring this year’s National Chemistry Week theme as Marvelous Metals. For more information, visit the American Chemical Society.
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Quick Tips
Quick Tip 1: Nitric Acid
Chemical Safety notes: Don’t mix NITRIC ACID and ORGANICS
Nitric acid is the common chemical most frequently involved in reactive incidents. This was the case in the UChicago Department of Chemistry where a nitric acid/hydrochloric acid waste glass container exploded. Even though the cause of the incident has not been formally determined, an accidental pouring of an incompatible chemical is thought to have triggered the reaction. The explosion, occurring in a fume hood, caused pieces of glass to be violently shattered all over the room, and damaged the fume hood panels. Upon notification of the lab safety contact, ORS and EHS promptly handled the chemical spill and additional costly repairs were required. Fortunately, no one was injured because no one was around.
Why did it happen? Nitric acid is a strong corrosive, but also an oxidizer which remains an effective oxidant even diluted and at room temperature. Reaction with oxidizable organics generates CO2 and toxic nitrous fumes, building up pressure in the container and eventually causing it to rupture with extreme force.
Never again!
• Always segregate nitric acid wastes and nitric acid containers from organics.
• Clearly label all wastes to avoid accidental mixing of incompatibles.
• Use plastic containers as waste containers instead of breakable glass bottles.
Do you have chemicals that are almost old enough to vote or otherwise expired? Submit a waste disposal request using EHS Assistant at http://ehsa.uchicago.edu to have it removed. For especially hazardous samples or if you have any questions, please reach out to us.
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Quick Tip 2: Research Refreshment Done Right
A long day of research often leaves you hungry or thirsty, but the hazardous environment of a research lab is no place for food and drink. This photo shows a solution: a labeled table just outside of the lab. The researchers in the White lab make it clear that this table is for food and drink, not for research materials, and it is convenient for researchers to access.
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