Tag Archives: Safety Culture

Building a Safety Culture Across the Chemical Enterprise

Building and Promoting SMS in the Federal Government. R. Meidl

Safety training vs safety education N. Bharti

Challenges and Rewards in Enforcing Laboratory Safety – First Year on the Job. R. Malaisamy

Safety Guidelines for the Chemistry Professional. K.P. Fivizzani

Safety Culture Partnering Faculty S. Elwood, R.M. Izzo, K. Angjelo

Development and implementation of a researcher oriented program J.G. Palmer

Establishing a Sustainable Safety Culture in Academic Research Labs. K.A. Miller

Chemophobia

Chemicals – The Good, Bad, and the Ugly S.B. Sigmann

Public Perception of the Chemical Enterprise The Good The Bad and the Uncertain. M.E. Jones

ACS role in Communicating chemical safety. J. Kemsley

Developing design principles for ‘lesson learned’ laboratory safety videos. H. Weizman

It’s no accident that many journalists don’t write clearly about lab safety incidents. B. Benderly

Hazmat event reporting in the media. R. Stuart

Risk Communication for the Chemist and Non-Chemist. R. Izzo

JCHAS Spotlight: Ergonomics of Glove Boxes

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

Rotator cuff strength balance in glovebox workers (link to PDF version)

By Cindy M. Lawton, Amelia M. Weaver, Martha K.Y. Chan, Michael E. Cournoyer

The abstract is:

Gloveboxes are essential to the pharmaceutical, semi-conductor, nuclear, and biochemical industries. While gloveboxes serve as effective containment systems, they are often difficult to work in and present a number of ergonomic hazards. One such hazard is injury to the rotator cuff, a group of tendons and muscles in the shoulder, connecting the upper arm to the shoulder blade. Rotator cuff integrity is critical to shoulder health. This study compared the rotator cuff muscle strength ratios of glovebox workers to the healthy norm. Descriptive statistics were collected using a short questionnaire. Handheld dynamometry was used to quantify the ratio of forces produced for shoulder internal and external rotation. Results showed this population to have shoulder strength ratios significantly different from the healthy norm. Strength ratios were found to be a sound predictor of symptom incidence. The deviation from the normal ratio demonstrates the need for solutions designed to reduce the workload on the rotator cuff musculature in order to improve health and safety. Assessment of strength ratios can be used to screen for risk of symptom development. This increases technical knowledge and augments operational safety.

Other articles in this issue are:

Whither CSB?
Harry J. Elston

A software for managing chemical processes in a multi-user laboratory
F.E. Camino

Rotator cuff strength balance in glovebox workers
Cindy M. Lawton, Amelia M. Weaver, Martha K.Y. Chan, Michael E. Cournoyer

Assessment of shooter’s task-based exposure to airborne lead and acidic gas at indoor and outdoor ranges
Jun Wang, Hailong Li, Marcio L.S. Bezerra

Make safety awareness a priority: Use a login software in your research facility
F.E. Camino

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

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

Analysis of injury data to improve safety and training

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

Analysis of injury data to improve safety and training by Heather Simmons, Betsy Matos and Stephen Simpson of Iowa State University.

The article describes how they used injury data to evaluate trends in laboratory-related injuries there between 2001 and 2014. As a result, they are moving away from classroom-only training and are incorporating multiple learning methods into our training program. In addition, we are utilizing near misses, narratives, and anecdotes to enhance learning.

Their new approach focuses on moving from a compliance-centered culture to one in which we use data to drive the decision-making process and our communications with researchers.

Other technical articles in this issue include:

Low level noise analysis in laboratory fume hood
Kang Chen, Jinlong Yang, Hongbo Zhang, Wenjun Zhang

Evaluation of the ECETOC TRA model for workplace inhalation exposure to ethylbenzene in Japan
Satoko Ishii, Ritsuko Katagiri, Kimiyoshi Kitamura, Masaaki Shimojima, Takeharu Wada

Investigation of a light fixture fire
James D. Jurney, Michael E. Cournoyer, Stanley Trujillo, Stephen B. Schreiber

Exploding misconceptions: Developing a culture of safety through learner driven activities
Shayna Burchett, Annalise Pfaff, Jack Hayes, Klaus Woelk

Safety Culture Education Discussion

At the September CSHEMA regional meeting, three DCHAS members (Gail Hall of Boston College, Zehra Schneider-Graham of the University of Massachusetts Boston, and Ralph Stuart of Keene State College) participated in a panel discussion about how Environmental Health and Safety Departments can best support laboratory safety culture through their safety training efforts. The presentations discussed the challenge of developing training programs that reflected the institutional culture while also addressing regulatory requirements.

Three key lessons from the Lab-XL project with the EPA were highlighted:

  • Each academic institution is unique
  • Connecting to the academic mission is necessary to motivate organizational change
  • Flexibility goes a long way in laboratory settings

In addition to describing approaches to this issue in the undergraduate and graduate laboratory settings, the panel presented the results of a DCHAS/CSHEMA survey of safety education efforts. PDF versions of the presentations and the survey results are provided here:

Developing Safety Culture Education at a PUI Campus, Ralph Stuart

Naming the Dead Cat in the Middle of the Table, Gail Hall

Survey on Lab Safety Culture Education on Campus, Zehra Schneider-Graham

Safety Culture Education Survey Results Data (in PDF) (if you are interested in these data in Excel format for further exploration, contact Ralph Stuart at ralph.stuart@keene.edu).

Also note this related article from the Journal of Chemical Education on Using the Universal Design for Learning Approach in Science Laboratories To Minimize Student Stress

Pacifichem 2015 Lab Safety Symposium

Symposium on Safety in the Academic Research Laboratory 

Chemical research laboratories often house hazardous materials, which with proper training and use can be used safely and without incident. Unfortunately, most academic labs do not have the requisite culture or knowledge to eliminate/minimize hazards that exist. As evidence, we only need to point to recent devastating incidents that have occurred in academic settings. It is important for faculty, staff and students alike to have a positive attitude towards safety, be aware of all possible hazards and how to meliorate them, and adopt a safety ethos. Recent events have led to several studies identifying mechanisms to build a “culture of safety” in academic research laboratories. This symposium will explore global efforts that are currently underway to enhance awareness and improve the safety environment for all students in academic settings. Presentations such as those discussing the US National Research Council Study Report on “Establishing and Promoting a Culture of Safety in Academic Laboratory Research” and the ExxonMobil Partners in Academic Lab Safety (PALS) will be highlighted, along with sister efforts around the Pacific Rim.

SCTY 18: Safe science: Promoting a culture of safety in academic research (link to report discussed in this presentation)
Holden Thorp

SCTY 19: Safety first culture in Australian laboratories
Angelica Vecchio-Sadus

SCTY 20: Comprehensive and effective program for environmental safety education in universities
Yoshiko Tsuji

SCTY 21: Laboratory safety in ChBE at Georgia Tech and the PALS collaboration with ExxonMobil

SCTY 22: International differences in laboratory safety preparation for chemistry graduate students
Russell Phifer

SCTY 23: Evolution of safety culture in University of California academic research laboratories
John Palmer, Lawrence Wong

SCTY 24: Laboratory Scale Risk Assessment
Neal Langerman

SCTY 25: Study of students’ engagement in various styles of safety videos
Haim Weizman

SCTY 46: From accident analysis to accident prevention at UCLA
Craig Merlin

SCTY 47: A student’s perspective on safety in the academic lab
Nils Persson

SCTY 48: Assessment and management of chemical risks in academic laboratories: (1) Important factors for risk assessment in chemical laboratories
Hitoshi Yamamoto

SCTY 49: Advancing safety culture in academic research laboratories: A case study (link to the study discussed in this presentation)
2:00pm-2:20pm Tue, Dec 15 Lawrence Gibbs

SCTY 50: Assessment and management of chemical risks in academic laboratories (2) Influence of laboratory layout on airflow in university laboratory
Yukiko Nezu

SCTY 51: Assessment and management of chemical risks in academic laboratories (3) Oshima et al – Observing behavior of experimenter and chemical
Yoshito Oshima

SCTY 52: Ensuring a safe and successful research laboratory for deaf and hard-of-hearing undergraduate students
Todd Pagano

SCTY 53:  Supporting a prudent safety culture through job hazard analysis and information literacy skills
Ralph Stuart

SCTY 54: Critical role of public access to chemical data and information in supporting safety culture in academic research laboratories
Leah McEwen

SCTY 55: Leveraging academic safety culture as a value-added tool for maximizing the undergraduate research experience and Introducing general chemistry students to academic safety culture through participatory case study development Gregory Ferrence