JCHAS Spotlight: Bowtie Diagrams

The Editor’s Spotlight for the May / June 2017 issue of the Journal of Chemical Health and Safety is shining on:

Using bowtie methodology to support laboratory hazard identification, risk management, and incident analysis by Mary Beth Mulcahy, Chris Boylan,
Samuella Sigmann, and Ralph Stuart.

This is based on a technical program workshop which Mary Beth and Chris led at the 2016 San Diego ACS National Meeting and describes how a graphical tool for organized laboratory risk assessment and incident information can support a strong laboratory safety culture.

The abstract is:

Hazard prevention and control systems for specific laboratory processes must be readily shared between lab workers, their colleagues, and lab supervisors. In order for these control systems to be effective in a transferable and sustainable way, effective risk management communication tools must be present. These tools need to be adaptable and sustainable as research processes change in response to evolving scientific needs in discovery based laboratories.

In this manuscript, the application of a risk management tool developed in the oil and gas industry known as a ‘‘bowtie diagram’’ is assessed for application in the laboratory setting. The challenges of identifying laboratory hazards and managing associated risks as well as early experiences in adapting bowtie diagrams to the laboratory setting are described. Background information about the bowtie approach is provided and the technique illustrated using an academic laboratory research scenario. We also outline the role bowtie diagrams could play in a proactive safety culture program by facilitating hazard communication and maintaining hazard awareness across a wide spectrum of stakeholders.

 

After the Settlement: Today’s Chemical Safety Programs in the UCal System

What Have We Learned & Where Are We Going: Post-Settlement in the University of California

Organizers: D. Decker, J. Palmer

Moving from compliance to safety in UC laboratories. C.A. Merlic

2700 Miles and a big step forward: The UC settlement and Princeton University.

Beyond compliance: Building safety culture at UCLA. C. Dimock, S. Hsieh

Moving on after the settlement – the approach of a small University of California campus. K. Smith

Continuous improvement opportunities in the UC system post-settlement agreement. C.A. Jakober, D.M. Decker

Establishing a student-enforced safety culture in academic research labs. K.A. Miller

Successfully implementing a positive safety culture in an R1 research laboratory as a graduate safety of cer. B. Armstrong, A.K. Franz

Heavy lifting of compliance: A graduate student perspective. A. Manlove, B. Anderson, N. Nunez

Continuing to promote careful chemistry in the post-settlement era. J.G. Palmer, L.S. Wong

ACS Opposes CSB Defunding Proposal

Hours after  the White House released its FY18 budget, ACS issued a press release opposing the budget.

ACS media quotes opposing elimination of CSB funding:

Bloomberg story

Forbes Story

Chemistry World

Additional ACS actions:

  • ACS, along with several other organizations sent a letter to Congressional appropriators urging them to include FY18 funding for U.S. CSB  (see links to letters below)
  • ACS is working with AIChE on a webinar to be recorded on 4/25 featuring CSB Chair Vanessa Sutherland and representatives from AIChE and ACS speaking about the role of CSB and its important mission in promoting safety in the chemistry enterprise.
  • ACS is working on developing a Congressional “Dear Colleague” letter to generate congressional support for CSB FY18 funding.
  • CSB will be taking part in the ACS Board of Directors Legislative Summit on April 25 – goal is to foster greater collaboration between CSB and ACS

CSB Funding Letter FY18 HOUSE

CSB Funding Letter FY18 Senate

 

 

Information Flow in Environmental Health & Safety

Information Flow in Environmental Health & Safety

At the Spring, 2017 ACS national meeting, the Divisions of Chemical Information and Chemical Health and Safety co-sponsored a program on Information Flow in Environmental Health and Safety. The symposia presented a variety of use cases for chemical information tools that range from lab-specific to very general. Links to the PDF versions of the presentations are provided below.

A System, Not a Solution, R. Stuart

Chemical info needed to establish lab vent Control Bands, E. Sweet

Reaction Incident Information, C. Nitsche

Chemical Management Applications for the University of California, P. Painter

Safety Terminology, L. McEwen

Consult the SDS!, S. Sigmann

Grad Student Perspective on the ACS Risk Assessment Tool, K. Delinger

Explorit Everywhere for ACS Chem Safety, A. Lederman

EPA CompTox chemistry dashboard resource, A. Williams

Safety Training Content

Best Practices in Selecting & Presenting Safety Training Content

Technical presentations from the March, 2017 national American Chemical Safety meeting.

Connecting safety culture to academic mission,
R. Stuart

Preliminary Results of Survey,
E. Sweet

Flipped Classroom Techniques in Lab Safety Training
R. Izzo

Safety Culture & Training
M. Wilhelm

Relevant content positive attitude memorable presentation,
K. Fivizzani

5 Key Safety Questions for Chemical Demonstrations

At the Spring, 2017 ACS national meeting, CHAS members Ralph Stuart and Sammye Sigmann made presentations in the Division of Chemical Education technical program on topics related to undergraduate research safety. Sammye’s  presentation was entitled:
Integrating Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment into Course-based Undergraduate Research (CURE)

Ralph’s (which Sammye co-authored) was entitled:
Providing laboratory safety education to REU audiences.

In addition, they co-authored a poster for Sci Mix. An overview of the poster and a link to it are provided below.
In 2016, the ACS Division of Chemical Education (CHED) updated their “Safety Guidelines for Chemical Demonstrations”. The Guidelines are available at the CHED web site. Look at DCHAS web site to see how these guidelines align with the “5 Key Questions”.

This poster provides a quick overview of the five key safety questions that anyone planning chemical demonstrations or experiments should ask and answer prior to work. It is also important to be aware that local jurisdictions may require more extensive planning for some demonstrations and so for everyone’s safety – check with the local Fire Department for help with planning your demonstration.

The Five Key Questions are:

  1. What specific chemical or physical reactivity hazards are associated with the way I’m using these chemicals?
  2. What type of ventilation do I need?
  3. What personal protective equipment do I need?
  4. What emergency response protocols will be needed if something goes wrong?
  5. What will I do with the waste?

Sigmann, S.; Stuart, R.

Assessing Risk: Five Key Questions for Safe Research and Demos. inChemistry Magazine, 2016, September/October, 6-9.

Five Chem Safety Questions poster