3. Basic Steps for New Labs
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
Ed Becker, ebecker@caps.usc.edu
4. 2 Major Drivers for
Change in Academic Labs
High Profile Lab Accidents
UCLA (Lab fire fatality)
Yale (Lathe fatality)
Texas Tech (Explosion)
University of Missouri (Explosion, microbiology lab)
Hazardous Material Security
Ed Becker, ebecker@caps.usc.edu
5. What is the faculty's
responsibility?
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.
Sangji had 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.
Ed Becker, ebecker@caps.usc.edu
6. Special hazards require
special training
Faculty must work with their subordinates to make
sure they understand the risk of each high hazard
process
Ed Becker, ebecker@caps.usc.edu
UCLA
Deposition
7. What is a student's
responsibility?
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
Ed Becker, ebecker@caps.usc.edu
8. Look inwardly at our own
practices
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
Ed Becker, ebecker@caps.usc.edu
10. Important Concepts to
Reinforce in your lab
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
Ed Becker, ebecker@caps.usc.edu
11. Security
Biological Materials
Select Agents
Dual Use Research
Chemicals
Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism (Total Bldg. Quantities)
Chemical Precursors
Controlled Substances
Radioactive Materials
Ed Becker, ebecker@caps.usc.edu
12. Handouts
Memo – Annual Laboratory Refresher Training
Memo – USC Laboratory Safety Awareness
Summary of Emerging Hazmat Security Issues
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
Editor's Notes
Resized.
Do we do the initial assesment? Item 5: is that just for high hazard items? What does “Procedures” mean?
Brie description of each accident.
Changed to “Sangji”
UCLA
It’s confusing to say “chemical security” and then talk about other stuff too.
