Beyond the Bench

13th Edition | November 19

Annual Inventory Certification

All chemical inventories must be certified annually. The certification period is between Jan. 16, 2020 and Jan. 15, 2021.

To check your last inventory certification date, log into UC Chemicals and follow follow these simple steps.

If your inventory has not been certified in the past 12 months, be sure to verify your inventory is up-to-date, and then follow a few simple steps to certify its accuracy. We understand research has been ramped down: if your laboratory has not been in operation, you can just log in to UC Chemicals and certify your inventory as accurate.

Questions and comments are always welcome at cis@ucdavis.edu

Updates to the Laboratory Review Checklist

The Chemical Laboratory Safety Committee recently approved changes to the Laboratory Safety Review (LSR) program checklist. The changes eliminate redundancy and increase the accuracy of the reports. For example, we removed findings that were rarely observed in traditional labs and/or are items that are best captured under other programs (e.g., Industrial Safety, Fire Prevention).

One question related to the LHAT was expanded to increase the accuracy of the report and indicate precisely the action needed to address the finding.

The paper LSR checklist has also been updated.

COVID-19 on Campus

Keep informed on safety practices and other policies regarding COVID-19 on the Campus Ready website. Additional COVID-19 resources are available on the Safety Services website. Make sure you know how to report if you contract COVID-19.

Keep up-to-date on the numbers of COVID-19 cases identified and self-reported on campus.

Hydrofluoric Acid Kits

EH&S has compiled mini emergency kits for those groups that use hydrofluoric acid (HF).

If your lab lists HF on your chemical inventory, keep an eye out for an email from EH&S indicating how you can receive one.

The kits contain an HF safety data sheet, a copy of “Recommended Medical Treatment for Hydrofluoric Acid Exposure” by Honeywell, and a tube of calcium gluconate - all in a handy magnetic bin with emergency information on the front so that the kit can be placed where HF is being handled.

Medical Waste Service

The Davis campus medical waste service contract is being renewed in November, which will bring changes. The biggest change is that departments can now choose from two different vendors, either Stericycle or Clean Harbors.

Please email the Biosafety group at biosafety@ucdavis.edu if you have any questions.

Remote Inspection Programs

In September, the Controlled Substance program initiated remote inspections due to COVID-19 and reduced campus operations. Similar to the Lab Safety Review program, remote inspections provide researchers flexibility while ensuring support towards compliance.

Radiation Safety program inspections are performed in-person due to regulatory requirements.

Shop Safety SOPs and Resources

The Shop Safety website offers a variety of standard operating procedures for equipment from electronic soldering, to pedestal grinders or table saws.

Check them out, along with the Shop Safety Manual and the Shop Safety Plan, applicable to any designated area on campus that has stationary shop equipment.

Any questions related to Shop Safety can be directed to Julia Means (jameans@ucdavis.edu),
the new EH&S Industrial Safety Specialist. Julia has been working in occupational health and safety for 12 years.

When it comes to customer service, Julia likes to tackle an issue from the customer's perspective and work collaboratively to find solutions that will be sustainable for them: "I am used to coming into environments where it is the person, the department, the lab who are the experts in what they do, and I love learning so that I can help them do what they do safely. I can't imagine a better place than UC Davis to have that exposure to new fields."

Injury Reporting for Lab Personnel

Safety Services, the Student Health Center, and the Chemistry Department recently developed a poster to help researchers when seeking medical treatment for injuries or exposures occurring in the lab.

Download the poster in a variety of sizes.

Hazard Assessments: Deleting Duplicates

The Laboratory Safety Review (LSR) program recently deleted 300 archived hazard assessments. Most of these assessments were created accidentally by lab personnel trying to certify their assessments. The LSR team is developing a solution to reduce these errors, which may include the LSR program supervisor assisting the new Responsible Party/PI with creating the assessments during the on-boarding process.

If you have questions or need help deleting duplicate assessments, or creating a new assessment, please email labsafetyreview@ucdavis.edu.

Training Opportunities

While the campus is in Reduced Operations status, all in-person EH&S training is canceled and will be rescheduled when possible.

Preparing for Your Laboratory Safety Review

For lab managers, safety delegates, grad students, and PIs. This training will help you strengthen your lab safety culture and prepare for your annual lab review. Taught by the Lab Safety Professional team.

Wednesday, January 20
9 - 11:30 a.m.
Register Here

Online Lab Safety Tools Seminar

This interactive class will teach you how to use the UC Online Lab Safety Tools: Laboratory Hazard Assessment Tool (LHAT), Chemical Inventory System (CIS), Safety Inspection Tool (SIT), WASTe, and Profile.

Wednesday, January 27
9 - 11:30 a.m.
Register Here

Send Us Your Input

Beyond the Bench is always looking for your input! Do you have a topic that you would like to see covered?

Send any feedback to chem-safety@ucdavis.edu.

We look forward to hearing from you!