Running a Research Laboratory Lab Safety

1. Running a Research Laboratory Lab Safety Ed Becker | Executive Director EH&S Division of Career and Protective Services University of Southern California 3434 South Grand Avenue | CAL 120-F Los Angeles, California 90089-2815 Office: (213) 740-0720 | Cell: (213) 923-3915 email: ebecker@caps.usc.edu

2. Ed Becker, ebecker@caps.usc.edu

3. Basic Steps for New Labs Ed Becker, ebecker@caps.usc.edu Complete forms for protocol and chemical inventory approval Register Staff for Laboratory Safety Training Complete an initial Lab Assessment with EH&S Schedule Hazardous Materials Collection for the Lab Develop procedures for special/high hazard materials

4. 2 Major Drivers for Change in Academic Labs Ed Becker, ebecker@caps.usc.edu • High Profile Lab Accidents • UCLA (Lab fire fatality) • Yale (Lathe fatality) • Texas Tech (Explosion) • University of Missouri (Explosion, microbiology lab) • Hazardous Material Security

5. What is the faculty's responsibility? Ed Becker, ebecker@caps.usc.edu • A courtroom in California says "Be a manager, go to jail!"  • A  UCLA professor is now facing criminal and civil penalties.  This professor, Dr. Patrick Harran, faces up to 4 ½ years in prison, if convicted, for not providing adequate training to Sheri Sangji. • Sangjihad been on the job for three months when she was given a pyrophoric chemical to handle.  A small amount of the chemical ignited and caught her clothes on fire.  She died nine days later. 

6. Special hazards require special training UCLA Deposition  Ed Becker, ebecker@caps.usc.edu Faculty must work with their subordinates to make sure they understand the risk of each high hazard process

7. What is a student's responsibility? Ed Becker, ebecker@caps.usc.edu • Can safety be assigned to a graduate student? • It is commonly done but that assignment won't relieve a faculty member from his or her responsibility/liability. • Graduate students are still learning how to do research and need mentoring Remember, they are cooks and not chefs

8. Look inwardly at our own practices Ed Becker, ebecker@caps.usc.edu We must continue to take seriously the OSHA requirement to write standard operation procedures for particularly hazardous substances, i.e. we need SOP’s for all high-hazard procedures. Don't let students work alone on high hazard processes

9. Lab Coats and PPE Ed Becker, ebecker@caps.usc.edu

10. Important Concepts to Reinforce in your lab Ed Becker, ebecker@caps.usc.edu • Don't let students work alone on high hazard processes • Provide Lab Coats and PPE to your staff • Enforce the use of lab coats • Ensure lab staff is trained • Conduct / document the annual refresher training • Correct all inspection findings in a timely manner • Conduct your own audits and meetings • Maintain your Chemical Inventory

11. Security Ed Becker, ebecker@caps.usc.edu • Biological Materials • Select Agents • Dual Use Research • Chemicals • Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism (Total Bldg. Quantities) • Chemical Precursors • Controlled Substances • Radioactive Materials

12. Handouts Ed Becker | Executive Director EH&S Division of Career and Protective Services University of Southern California 3434 South Grand Avenue | CAL 120-F Los Angeles, California 90089-2815 Office: (213) 740-0720 | Cell: (213) 923-3915 email: ebecker@caps.usc.edu Memo – Annual Laboratory Refresher Training Memo – USC Laboratory Safety Awareness Summary of Emerging Hazmat Security Issues