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SAFELab Newsletter 

(Safety Advisory Forum for Experimental Laboratories)

Winter Qtr 2023


Contents:


 
Updates and Announcements

Staff Updates

By Chantene Zichterman-Delgado, Administrator 

The Office of Research Safety (ORS), in conjunction with the Physical Sciences Division, is seeking to hire a Laboratory Safety Specialist. For more information, or to apply, you can find the job posting here: JR20255 Laboratory Safety Specialist.

Please contact the ORS Administrator with any questions.

eShipGlobal

By: Jay Schroeder, Biological Safety Officer

Are you Shipping Lab Material?

Last fall, the University launched eShipGlobal, an online tool for outbound shipments of laboratory-related research materials and equipment. The portal provides users with discounted rates through most major carriers (FedEx, UPS, DHL, and USPS), and is a powerful compliance tool for our institution. eShipGlobal provides for increased automation in billing, audit, and invoicing as well as assurances that outbound shipments comply with applicable Federal export control laws, hazardous material regulations, and U.S. sanctions. 
 
The University strongly encourages you to use EShipGlobal for all outbound shipments, especially international and research material shipments, which have compliance requirements that EShipGlobal assists the University address. 
 
The eShipGlobal portal may be accessed in BuySite. Information regarding the program, including training resources and platform benefits are provided at the eShipGlobal contract announcement page. Required training for shipping of dangerous goods can be registered at ehsa.uchicago.edu/trainingregistration. Just look for IATA Shipping Dangerous Goods (shp-12H).

For more information, visit our website or email us.
 

Educational Assignments and other research activities

By: Chantene Zichterman-Delgado, Administrator

Although visiting students and researchers come to campus year-round, the season for Summer non-credit program applications is quickly approaching. Employee & Labor Relations (ELR) often receive an overwhelming amount of applications during the Spring for the Summer cohorts.  As done in previous years, please complete the forms ahead of time. The forms have been separated for Adults, Minors, and Groups (cohorts, field trips, etc.).

Submitting the completed forms to ELR far in advance (at least 3-weeks) allows ELR to review and pass along to our unit. ORS will need ample time to review activities, make recommendations, apply guidelines, review any possible protocols, record presence in the lab, and provide the required lab safety training.

Depending on activities, training will be provided either in-person on campus, remotely via zoom, or via an online module. Please plan accordingly to ensure that visitors complete all requirements prior to the start of their projects.

Here are some quick links:

To view more detailed descriptions, or to view all policies related to this Program, visit:
The Office of Research Safety's Educational Assignments, Visiting Scientists and Other Research Activities website. 

Applications:

What is an "Educational Assignment?" 
Educational Assignments (EA) are for external student(s) who come to the University of Chicago for a short-term, noncredited, educational experience. The age range is unlimited. This would include post-docs and students from other Universities, elementary and high school students, and students from the UChicago Lab School.

Educational Assignments also apply to currently enrolled UChicago students who's participation is categorized as “Other research activities.” These include many fellowships or a volunteer for research experience (not related to a class enrollment). Registration with this program is required to document the details of a given educational assignment, record the EA participant's presence in a given lab, and to target and schedule appropriate Lab Safety training. 

Please contact the ORS Administrator with any questions.

 

The Return of RHEAPLY!

By Chantene Zichterman-Delgado, Administrator

The Rheaply Platform allows researchers to repurpose available resources before purchasing them anew, facilitating peer-to-peer surplus sharing and more sustainable procurement within the research community.

We invite our Research Community to join us in peer-to-peer surplus sharing within the research community. This technology is now available to staff across all departments, enabling users to request needed equipment and supplies from a growing community on Rheaply, giving unwanted items a new home.

Don't forget to check back regularly for new listings and requests. If you have items that you are ready to post, log onto the platform to get started here: app.rheaply.com (CNET required) or click the punchout directly on Buysite! 
 
For more information or training on how to use the system, visit: 
https://researchsafety.uchicago.edu/programs/laboratory-sustainability/rheaply/ 

One more thing! To better assist UChicago eliminate waste from landfill and hit sustainability targets, please help us by completing the 2 minute survey below. This will go a long way towards helping us best utilize the platform on campus! Follow the link here: Rheaply at UChicago - Survey

To join the Rheaply User ListServ, Click Here 

Worker Registration Updates

By Anita Guedea, BSD Lab Safety Specialist

Attention PI's and Lab Safety Contacts: It’s Winter Quarter 2023, have you updated the list researchers in your lab?
You can easily add or remove lab personnel from your chem permit by clicking on the ‘Worker Registration’ icon at the bottom of your homepage at http://ehsa.uchicago.edu

This will ensure required safety training Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP) is assigned

Note: If you need to update personnel on bio permits, submit a Personnel-Funding Amendment in AURA

Egress/Fire Safety

By Gelacio Rodriguez, Senior Fire and Life Safety Specialist, EHS

In collaboration with Environmental, Health & Safety, new guidance has been developed to eliminate the presence of food and drink in laboratories while maintaining compliance with life safety egress requirements and accessibility codes. 

Please click here to view the full policy, or copy and paste this link to your browser: https://researchsafety.uchicago.edu/policies-manuals/ 

Sample of Fire resistive rating of a wooden table:


Sample table:

Updated Training Schedule and Modules in Environmental Health & Safety Assistant (EHSA)

By Chantene Zichterman-Delgado, Administrator

The Office of Research Safety is planning to resume in-person training tentatively beginning March 1, 2023. We will still offer a virtual option for those who request it. Please check EHSA for more information about training schedules, in-person and Zoom session, or to complete a virtual module.

This includes the following training areas:
  • Radiation Safety
  • Chemical Hygiene Plan (Lab Safety)
  • Comprehensive Biosafety
  • IATA Shipping Dangerous Goods
Please note, a valid CNET ID is required to access the EHSA training sites.  For the most recent COVID-19 pandemic guidance, please visit: https://goforward.uchicago.edu/ 

Contact the EHSA Administrator for technical assistance or to request access.
Contact the Office of Research Safety with additional questions.

Research Safety Training

Required Annual Fire Safety and Evacuation Training

By Environmental Health & Safety

All UChicago employees are required to successfully complete “Fire Safety and Evacuation” training annually. During the pandemic, training reminders and notifications were temporarily paused given that many UChicago staff and students were working remotely. However, the Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) office will resume sending out reminders for the required annual training and is asking all employees to complete this training by November 1, 2022.

Please note that if you are a Researcher or work in a laboratory, and have completed the Annual Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP) training, you will also receive your annual credit to fulfill the Fire Safety training requirement. 

However, for those who are not Researchers, do not work in a laboratory, and have not completed the annual ORS CHP training, the following options are available:

For In-Person and Hybrid Employees working on a hybrid remote/in-person schedule:  All employees must complete this annual “Fire Safety and Evacuation” training even if working in a hybrid remote/on campus work model (regardless of how many days).

The “Fire Safety and Evacuation” training can be accessed within the
EHSA Training Module.



For employees working on a fully remote work schedule: Fully remote employees are exempt from completing this online annual “Fire Safety and Evacuation” training and need to request an exemption. To request an exemption, fully remote employees must fill out this online form. After receiving an exemption, these employees will no longer receive the upcoming and overdue/expired training reminders.

Please feel free to reach out to Environmental Health and Safety at safety@uchicago.edu or 773.702.9999 with any questions or concerns. Thank you for helping us promote a culture of safety at the University of Chicago.

HAZWOPER Certification 

(Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response)

ORS offers a HAZWOPER Certification course specifically for work at UChicago. There are 2 courses available: 
  • 8-hour refresher for those who already have a certification (must show proof).
  • 40-hour course for new trainees.
If anyone is interested in this course, please contact the ORS Administrator to be added to the list for the next cohort.

Training Lab

By: Christopher Delgado, BSD Lab Safety Specialist

We are excited to be expanding our program! Members from the ORS team have been very busy preparing our very own laboratory space to use in the near future. The following activities are just a few examples of what we plan to do:
  • Relevant location to conduct in-person or Zoom training;
  • Mock laboratory for training purposes;
  • One-on-one or small group demonstrations: 
    • proper set up and use of a biological safety cabinet (BSC);
    • proper set up and use of a fume hood;
    • donning and doffing of personal protective equipment (PPE);
    • chemical segregation and storage;
    • transferring solvents
    • hazardous material spill clean-up;
    • hazardous waste handling;
    • chemical storage;
    • laser eyewear storage, laser alignment, Class 3b and Class 3 laser safety
    • decontamination of radioactive material;
    • radiation survey meters
    • and more!
  • Applied biosafety research for the purpose of streamlining biological safety practices;
  • Prepare training videos for lab-related activities described above.
Please contact us for more information about our training lab.
Radiation Safety Presents: Laser Faire
(
Laser Safety Blog)


  

Lasers deter murders, invites fines in California

By Krista Dillingham, Associate Director of Radiation Safety

Check out the May 2022 issues of Photonics spectra, as they dive into the specifics how laser pointers can deter murders, but also can get you a hefty fine. https://www.photonicsspectra-digital.com/photonicsspectra/may_2022/MobilePagedReplica.action?pm=2&folio=74#pg74

Please remember when handling laser pointers to never point a laser at an audience, bystanders, shiny/reflective surfaces, or aircraft. As the UChicago campus is located near two major airports; arriving and departing aircrafts are in lower altitudes making them more suspectable to a laser beam directed toward airspace. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has laws regarding directing laser beams towards an aircraft, with an offender being fined up $11,000 per violation, or up $30,800 for multiple laser incidents.

So please reach out to the Office of Research Safety prior to any outdoor laser use!

Packages Containing Radioactive Material

By Jim Marsicek, Director of Radiation Safety

Researchers approved for radioactive material use must ensure that the shipping box and packaging materials are not discarded as normal waste unless all the following criteria have been met:

1) All radioactive material has been removed from the package,
2) Shipping box and packing materials are surveyed with GM meter to confirm no contamination is present; and,
3) The radioactive material shipping labels have been defaced (e.g., obliterated or crossed out with a marker).

Please remember to deface all radioactive material labels on the shipping boxes prior to disposal.

 Please note: If anyone finds a package or other item with a radioactive material label that is not defaced outside a laboratory identified for radioactive material use (Lab door labeled with Caution Radioactive Material sign), please contact the Radiation Safety Office On-call Pager 773-753-1880, Pager 9130. If you have any questions, please contact us via email at radsafety@uchicago.edu

 Please note: For Biological or Chemical package labels you should confirm no contamination is present on the box or container and labels are defaced prior to placing in the trash.

Chemical Safety Blog

Flame Resistant Lab Coat Exchange Program at the GCIS Fisher Storeroom

by Chantene Zichterman-Delgado, Administrator

The Office of Research Safety manages a Flame Resistant Lab Coat exchange program for the Physical Sciences Division (PSD) and Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (PME).

To qualify, you must be staff or a student working in a laboratory in either the PSD or PME.

Anyone who uses the lab coat program will need to complete a form. To make sure people fill out the form, each person is assigned a custom confirmation code to pick up their lab coat.
The lab coat registration Google form can be accessed here.

Depending on availability, we will process your request and email a confirmation code.

  • Take the confirmation email to the Fisher Storeroom in GCIS to pick up a coat. They are provided on a first come, first serve basis. 
  • Please present this code each time you pick up a new lab coat.
  • Only 1 coat is allowed at a time. Your soiled coat will need to be returned in the laundry bin before you can obtain a clean one.
  • FR Lab Coats are also offered on a first come, first serve. Laundry pickup and drop off is scheduled every Friday in the early morning. If your size is not in stock, it is best to check on Fridays.

Location: Gordon Center for Integrative Science, Room W143 929 E. 57th Street Chicago, IL 60637

Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 12:00 & 1:00 - 4:00 pm

Please contact the ORS Administrator with any questions.


What To Do In Case Of An Injury?

by Chandra Man Karki, Chemical Safety Officer

In our previous four editions of this Newsletter, we briefly discussed the RAMP up method to minimize hazards. In this edition we will discuss What to do in case of an Injury.

We always try our best to minimize the hazards but there is always the potential in laboratory work for unwanted events to occur. Human error is still possible in a laboratory even when hazards are recognized, assessed, minimized, and prepared for emergencies. Therefore, it is very important for researchers/workers to know what to do in the event of an Injury.

What is an Injury (OSHA)?
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA), defines an injury or illness as an abnormal condition or disorder. Injuries include cases such as, but not limited to, a cut, fracture, sprain, or amputation. Illnesses include both acute and chronic illnesses, such as, but not limited to, a skin disease, respiratory disorder, or poisoning. [29 CFR 1904.46].

Common injuries in university laboratory setting are a cut, exposure to hazardous chemicals, skin absorption of chemicals or infection with microorganisms, percutaneous needle-stick injuries while recapping hypodermic needles and other sharps, animal bites, etc. There are two scenarios during the event of confirmed injuries:
  • Life threatening situation where an immediate medical attention is required
  • Normal Injuries/situations that can be addressed following basic first aid treatment
Common examples of life-threatening situations include:
  • Difficulty breathing due to inhalation of acutely toxic chemicals
  • Ingestion of particularly hazardous chemicals
  • Major injury (an obvious big-deep cut, fracture, or dislocation, spinal or neck injury with loss of motion and sensation)
  • Laceration or amputation of limb (OSHA reportable)
  • Direct exposure to animal blood or other potentially infectious materials (for example: Needlestick or splash to mucous membrane with blood or other potentially infectious body fluids
  • Exposure to radioactive substances
  • Severe allergic conditions
Examples of normal injuries: Minor cuts, exposure to non-hazardous chemicals, animal bites, minor burns, sprains or strains, bruises or scrapes, an ache or pain, normal allergies without difficulty in breathing, etc.

In the event of these life-threatening conditions, seek immediate medical attention from UChicago Medicine Adult Emergency Department (ED). For minor Injuries, if deemed necessary, reach out to the University of Chicago Occupational Medicine (UCOM) to and schedule an appointment to see a physician or go to the UChicago Medicine Emergency Department (ED).

After you receive medical care, file a UCAIR report. 

 

Shut the Sash

By Ian Hoppie, PSD Lab Safety Specialist

Chemical fume hoods are an important engineering control here at University of Chicago and research labs around the world. When used properly, fume hoods offer a significant degree of protection for users in labs. They prevent the release of hazardous substances into the laboratory space by controlling and then exhausting hazardous and/or noxious chemicals.

Influenced by other Universities nationwide, the Physical Sciences Division initiated a Shut the Sash campaign in Searle Laboratory which has rapidly reduced fume hood energy consumption by 35%. These savings, along with other building energy efficiency measures, have reduced total building energy consumption by 18%. The Office of Research Safety, the Physical Sciences Division, the Pritzker School for Molecular Engineering, UChicago Facilities Services, including the Office of Sustainability, have partnered to encourage investigators to Shut the (fume hood) Sash. You may have already seen Shut the Sash reminders on the sides of hoods throughout the campus, but it is up to the users of the fume hood to Shut the Sash when not in use.

Why? To promote a healthier, greener, energy conscious campus. Shutting the Sash of a fume hood facilitates a significant reduction of energy consumption, creating a safer lab environment, resulting in a more comfortable lab environment.
  • Conserve energy:            
Although some labs have newer models of fume hoods that can be programed to shut themselves after a period of time, this is not true for older fume hoods which can unfortunately be a significant energy drain. An open fume hood can use as much daily energy as 4 average homes. They also use ten times more electricity than a hood with the sash closed. Shutting the sash is the best way to mitigate a significant amount of wasted energy.
  • Safety:
Even when the fume hood is not in use and a researcher is not physically working on an experiment under a hood, hazardous items often remain inside the hood. This not only reduces the energy needs of the hood but also isolates the hazards that can be found in the hoods. Simply just shut the sash.
  • Healthy climate:
There are also other advantages besides safety and energy savings when shutting the sash. A closed hood can provide a lab more comfortable. It can help control humidity, reduce the overall noise, and reduce overload on a buildings heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system. 
 
Please contact the Office of Research Safety with questions about Chemical Fume Hoods.

For more information about the Shut the Sash Program: https://physicalsciences.uchicago.edu/news/article/cutting-the-carbon-footprint-in-uchicago-labs/
Biological Safety Blog

Treat Your -20 Freezer Right:
It will last longer and maintain precious samples & reagents

By Anita Guedea, BSD Lab Safety Specialist

Why is frost in the freezer bad?  Frost build-up inside the freezer will mean it takes longer to freeze things and decreases its performance.

How is all this frost accumulating? When you open the freezer doors, warm and humid air from the room interacts with the cold air inside the freezer. This causes the water vapor in the warmer air to condense and then freeze to the interior walls and shelves of the freezer.

What can YOU do to prevent frost buildup?
  • Organize your freezer
    • Utilize freezer racks (yes, even in -20)
    • Inventory your freezer so you know what is where prior to opening freezer door
    • Store everything in covered boxes
    • Keep boxes closed or frost will build up inside the box
  • Minimize amount of warm/humid room air going into freezer
    • only open door for 30-60 sec. at a time (achievable if your freezer is organized)
    • only open the door as much as you need to
  • Defrost freezer if you notice too much frost accumulation or consider having an annual defrost plan

Laboratory Safety Self-Inspection Checklist

By Chris Delgado, BSD Lab Safety Specialist

The Laboratory Safety Self-Inspection Checklist includes verification that sharps are properly disposed in a puncture resistant container. During the ORS laboratory inspection process, we always check to make sure all sharps are properly disposed in a red plastic sharps container. Needles should not be recapped prior to disposal. Plastic and glass pipettes also can create a sharps hazard and should be disposed of as other sharps. This is especially true if the disposal container becomes overfilled. Disposing of sharps properly reduces the likelihood of accidental needle-sticks and other sharps injuries for both the laboratory workers and other personnel who may encounter the sharps further along in the waste stream.



Please reach out to the Office of Research Safety at researchsafety@uchicago.edu if you have any questions about the Laboratory Safety Checklist, or need assistance obtaining a sharps container.

What's That Smell?

By Jeff Melton, BSD Lab Safety Specialist
 
One of the most common reasons Research Safety is called out for an emergency response is a report of a natural gas smell. While it is good to be cautious about natural gas leaks, the vast majority of these odors have nothing to do with natural gas. As you may know, the odor of natural gas is a chemical added prior to distribution (usually t-butyl mercaptan) that has the characteristic rotten egg / sulfur smell. Pure methane is odorless. You can smell similar odors without natural gas being present.
 
One very common example is the sewer odor which comes up from drains. These drains feature a trap that creates a water seal that blocks any sewer gases from leaving, but that trap can dry out when the drain is infrequently used, filling the room with a sewer gas odor. When responding to a natural gas smell complaint, I typically first check floor drains. Adding water to these drains will refill the trap and get them back in proper working order. This has been the most common cause of "gas odor" complaints in our experience, so we would recommend pouring water into unused drains from time to time as a prevention measure.
 
Other issues that can cause a "gas-like" odor include some types of food (especially if spoiled), many sulfur-containing chemicals (please manipulate sulfur-containing chemicals in the fume hood, even if you don't mind the odor), and even some biohazard waste - we had a report of intermittent gas odor from a lab that we traced to whenever the biohazard bin was open. If you smell that sulfur odor and it does not seem to be coming from a drain, check waste containers and see what your neighbors are working on. If the odor is not constant, try to find common factors of when it occurs.  This is the same procedure we would use if called to respond to a reported gas odor. Identifying the source of the odor will allow you to correct the problem, and the ventilation of lab spaces will remove any remaining odor fairly quickly.
 
If you smell the natural gas odor at the same time you see or hear signs of a gas leak, such as a hissing sound or a damaged valve, that is a different story. Evacuate the lab and call UCPD at 123 or 773-702-8181. Make sure to describe all the signs you observed of a gas leak so that Facilities or Physical Plant will be able to better respond to the situation.
 
If you have questions on odors, please reach out to your Lab Safety Specialist or the Office of Research Safety at researchsafety@uchicago.edu

Avocado Hand and The Line of Fire

By Jeff Melton, BSD Lab Safety Specialist
 
You may have heard stories in the news about people coming into the ER with severe hand injuries from trying to slice avocados. The injury was nicknamed “avocado hand.” Avocados have a tough skin over much softer flesh with a hard pit. This would often cause the knife to slip out of control once it cut through the rind, going into the unfortunate person’s hand. While you can’t eat in the lab, much less slice up an avocado for guacamole, this illustrates a principle from industrial safety called the Line of Fire.
 
The line of fire is an imaginary line extending from a tool tracing where it will move if it slips or gets out of control. If you are cutting something, regardless of whether it is food in your kitchen, stock material in a machine shop, or tissue samples in a lab, it is a good idea to keep anything you do not want to cut out of the line of fire. We have seen a  number of injuries involving scalpels, razor blades, and other cutting tools.  Almost all of them could be avoided by keeping clear of the line of fire. If you do need to cut with your hand in the line of fire, use the least amount of force necessary. A gentle touch makes the blade less likely to slip out of control suddenly. It’s not always a conscious decision – there have been cases involving researchers reaching into a cryostat/microtome by reflex when something slips out of place, causing severe injury. It’s a good idea to hold onto something in your off hand or grab on to the equipment to keep your hands out of the way. There are also cut resistant gloves to provide an extra line of defense.
 
Line of fire also applies to other situations. If you are working under a heavy object or lifting something onto a shelf, it is good to think about how it could fall – after all, what goes up must come down. If a piece of equipment has a vent or pressure relief line, that could have a lot of intense flow without much warning. It is good to keep yourself and other things you care about out of the path the flow might take. Robots used for sampling have a range of motion that they can move through. It’s a good idea to stay out the way to avoid damage to both yourself and the sampling robot. Thinking about line of fire can help you avoid injury both inside and outside the lab – even while making guacamole. If you have questions on using tools in the lab, feel free to reach out to your Lab Safety Specialist or email researchsafety@uchicago.edu

 

Around Campus

If you have any questions, please contact us at researchsafety@uchicago.edu.

For emergencies, always contact campus police at 123 (campus phone), or 773-702-8181.

 

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 available on the Environmental Health and Safety's website (direct link also available on the ORS 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.

For emergencies, always contact campus police at 123 (campus phone), or 773-702-8181.

 

Joint Research Safety Initiative (JRSI)

UChicago's student-led safety team

Please visit our website for information about us, to volunteer, or to find more information on events or current programsContact us at jrsi@uchicago.edu with any questions.

Check out JRSI here: https://jrsi.uchicago.edu/ 

Interested in joining JRSI? Please contact the ORS Administrator.
 

Field Research Safety:
Travel Toolkit Website
By: Chantene Zichterman-Delgado, Administrator

UChicago Global hosts a useful website for University faculty, students and staff who travel for business or recreational purposes. The website includes a checklist, links to country specific information, contacts, policies, other resources, and hazard assessment tool to help identify risks and help prepare you for a safe adventure. The Office of Research Safety will provide a consultation to determine what you will need if your travel includes laboratory research. All information is available here: https://www.traveltoolkit.uchicago.edu/ 



Contact the ORS Administrator with any questions or to set up a consultation.

Medical Payments for UChicago Student Injuries (MedPay)


What is covered?
Out-of-pocket costs incurred for emergency medical care for accidents or injuries sustained during assigned responsibilities while in laboratories or other research activity, 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

Submitting a timely report of the injury via UCAIR will route resulting medical bills for payment by the Office of Risk Management. It is important that UChicago students identify themselves as UChicago students when submitting via UCAIR.

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.

Hazardous Waste Pickup

By Chris Delgado, BSD Lab Safety Specialist
 
The Office of Research Safety is always happy to assist labs with waste pickup requests. Our process for assisting with hazardous waste follows the guidelines below:
  • Routine disposal of 10 items or less should be submitted by the lab staff using EHSA.  If training is needed in submitting waste requests, please let ORS know so that we may assist you.
  • Assistance and/or guidance with bulk waste disposal between 10 – 50 items can be facilitated by the Office of Research Safety using EHSA waste requests.  When managing hazardous items, the nature of the hazard (Corrosive, Flammable, Toxic, etc.) also needs to be assessed. The Office of Research Safety is happy to assist with this.
  • Bulk requests greater than 50 items necessitate a consultation by Office or Research Safety to determine if a bulk pick up request needs to be completed by a hazardous waste provider.  Not every bulk waste pickup is the same and a consultation provides labs with various solutions to eliminate hazards.
Not all solutions to hazardous chemicals involve eliminating the hazard. We welcome the opportunity to find safe processes to mitigate all hazards in the lab.
***
Campus laboratory hazardous waste pickups regularly occur on Thursday's. Medical Center research laboratory hazardous waste pickups occur on Wednesday's.

For campus locations, enter waste pick-up requests through EHSA.

Thank you for your continued cooperation with ensuring safety at the University of Chicago. Please feel free to contact the Office of Research Safety at researchsafety@uchicago.edu or 773-834-2707, and/or Environmental Health and Safety at safety@uchicago.edu or 773.702.9999 with any questions. 
  • Click here to learn more about Hazardous Waste handling.
  • Click here to view the Hazardous Waste Disposal Flow Chart






Upholding Public Health Requirements


To report any potential COVID-19 exposures or confirmed cases, please email C19HealthReport@uchicago.edu.

For more information about current COVID-19 public health guidelines, please visit the UChicago Forward website.

Just for Fun

Crossword Puzzle (click for pdf)
By Ian Hoppie, PSD Lab Safety Specialist
        

Click here for Answer Key
 

Related Links
Office of Research and National Laboratories
Howard Taylor Ricketts Laboratory
Environmental Health & Safety
Medical Center Environmental Health & Safety
Animal Resources Center 
Institutional Care & Animal Use Committee 
Institutional Biosafety Committee 
Marine Biological Laboratory
Duke Infectious Disease Response Training
Joint Research Safety Initiative

Questions? Comments? Love?

Does your department have any information to share in our newsletter?
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Would you like to see something specific? Contact the ORS Administrator

Learn more about the Office of Research Safety or our partners by visiting our website
CREDITS:
  • Newsletter Prepared and edited by Chantene Zichterman-Delgado.
  • Editor in Chief: Joe Kanabrocki
  • Contributors: Chantene Zichterman-Delgado, Jim Marsicek, Ian Hoppie, Christopher Delgado, Jeff Melton, Chandra Karki, Sa-Lin Bernstein, Jay Schroeder, JRSI Team, Environmental Health & Safety, Office of Risk Management
Want to see previous versions of our Newsletter? Visit our website here.
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