Safety

Safety Is Our Priority

Non Life-Threatening Medical/Mental Health Incident:

• Occupational Health Services (Employees): 530-752-6051  
• Student Health and Counseling Services (Undergrad/Grad Students): 530-752-2300 (Medical), 530-752-2349 or text “Relate” to 741741 (Crisis Support)
• Sutter Davis Hospital: 530-756-6440 (After Hours/Weekends Only)  
• Davis Urgent Care: 530-759-9110 (After Hours)
• Academic and Staff Assistance Program (ASAP): 530-752-2727 (Confidential)

Environmental Health and Safety (Directory of Services, Injury Reporting) 530-752-1493

Facility Maintenance and Repair 530-752-1655

The Department of Chemical Engineering is dedicated to maximizing the safety of all students and employees. On this page please find forms and information related to laboratory safety within the Department. For any safety related issues or questions, please don’t hesitate to contact:

• Bill Doering, Department Safety Coordinator (DSC)
• Adam Moule, Chair, Department Safety Committee
• Lab Safety Coordinator for your faculty research group

Safety Training Requirements for All Personnel

All faculty, students, and employees within the department are required to complete the following safety training annually:

• Departmental Safety Training, conducted by the DSC. This covers the Department’s:
  • Injury and Illness Prevention Plan (IIPP)
  • Emergency Action Plan

Some personnel may be required to complete specialized training depending on the nature of one’s work activities. Two common examples are given below, but please work with your supervisor and/or the DSC to determine if additional training is needed.

• Hazard Communication – Training may be required for faculty, students and staff who DO NOT work in experimental labs but will be handling, using, or storing hazardous materials.
• Lab Safety for Support Staff – Required for those whose job functions do not include research, but may require accessing research lab spaces (e.g. IT support).

Safety Training Requirements for Research Labs

In addition to the Department Safety Training, all faculty, students, and employees that work in research laboratories are required to complete the following trainings before unsupervised activities are permitted:

• UC Laboratory Safety Fundamentals Course, an online training course covering general lab safety.
• Lab-Specific Orientation which covers emergency procedures, engineering controls, PPE, standard operating procedures (SOPs) and other safety information that is specific to each lab/PI.  This will be arranged with your Lab Safety Coordinator.
  • Each lab must also provide and document annual refresher training to cover chemical spill control, hazardous waste management, and emergency procedures.
• Additional training will also be required for research that presents unique hazards, including the use of radioactive or biological materials or research lasers.  Please take a look at the Safety Training Matrix to help you determine if any other training is required or applicable.

Finally, a Laboratory Orientation and Key Authorization Form must be signed by your Professor (PI) for you to receive a key and/or access code to the lab.

Safety Records

Every lab is required to maintain up-to-date records of the following:

• Chemical Hygiene Plan, which is included in the UC Davis Laboratory Safety Manual.
• Chemical Inventory Note that you must conduct the CUPA lab self-inspection in order to complete the on-line chemical inventory process.
• Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for each chemical in the lab. These may be stored as hard-copies or electronically, but must be freely accessible to anybody entering the lab.
• Emergency Eyewash and Shower testing record, if applicable
• Fire Extinguisher monthly checks
• Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and documented training for authorized users

Moreover, all labs must perform annual “self-audits” of their laboratories using the CUPA checklist and the Self-Inspection form:

• CUPA Self Audit Checklist
• Laboratory Self-Inspection Form -- The self-inspection can also be accessed in an online format by accessing the SIT (Self-Inspection Tool).

Assistance for self-audits is available upon request. Please contact Bill Doering to set up an appointment.

Additional Resources

• Safety Services website – http://safetyservices.ucdavis.edu/
  • Guidelines for Storage/Management of Lab Chemicals
• UC Davis Required SOP Templates – http://safetyservices.ucdavis.edu/ps/cls/sop
• UC Davis Lab Safety Manual – http://safetyservices.ucdavis.edu/article/laboratory-safety-manual

Frequently Asked Questions

• Who is the best contact in Safety Services to answer my question about X?
• Check the call list.
• Where can I find Campus Policies that pertain to safety?
• UCOP Laboratory Safety Policies
  UC Davis Chemical and Laboratory Safety Policies
  UC Davis Research Policies, Regulations & Guidelines
• I was injured at work -- what do I do now?
• In the event of an emergency, dial 911!
  Work-related injuries or illnesses must be immediately reported to Worker’s Compensation using the Injury Reporting Procedure.
• I have a safety concern or hazard to report. What do I do?
• Use the UC Davis online reporting tool.
  Report it to the DSC.
  If you witness a safety hazard and can take action to correct it or prevent others from encountering the hazard, please do so immediately.
• How do I obtain/choose/launder Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)?
• Procurement of new PPE can be done through Vet Med Central Stores: http://www.vmcs.ucdavis.edu/ppe/. PPE can be reassigned or obtained through other means. However, it is important that PPE distribution is documented and that PPE obtained from other sources is appropriate for the task.
  
  Here is a guide to help you select the most appropriate PPE:
  ♦   Lab coats can be laundered by dropping them off with the College of Engineering’s Receiving Dock at Bainer 1334.
  ♦   The first time they are dropped, you will need to fill out and attach a tag with some information about the coat. This information will be linked to another bar code that will be affixed to the coat.
  ♦   As of now, the College is covering the costs and coats are picked up every Tuesday. They should be returned the following week, but please keep track of drop-offs as coats occasionally go missing. If you don’t get yours back, the vendor can search for it and should provide a replacement if it cannot be found.
  
  Here’s a much longer list of PPE FAQs: http://safetyservices.ucdavis.edu/faq/personal-protective-equipment-ppe-faqs.
• What is the Campus Process if I need to use a respirator or N95 Mask?
• Obtaining and Fitting a Respirator.
• How do I dispose of waste?
• Hazardous waste will all be managed using the electronic WASTe tool beginning Sept. 1, 2016
  Hazardous waste guidelines
  Extremely hazardous waste has special rules!
• How do I get rid of empty chemical containers/bottles and/or broken lab glass?
• You must dispose of them through EH&S if the container held an Acutely or Extremely Hazardous Materials, as listed here. The container must be completely empty and the label must be defaced. These can be recycled or put into a lab glass box. If the empty container is greater than 5 gallons, you MUST write the date it was emptied on the container. All clean broken lab glass should be put into a lab glass box. When the box is full, it should be sealed and marked as “Clean Lab Glass.” Custodial services should take it away if under 40 lbs.
  
  More complete information is available here:
  ♦   Guidelines for Disposal of Sharps, Biological & Medical Waste
  ♦   Empty Container Management
  ♦   Why Didn’t the Custodian Pick Up My Trash?
• I'm having a building-related problem. What do I do?
• If it’s urgent, call the facilities work-order desk at 752-1655.  Select option #1 and report the problem to the dispatch operator. If it’s not urgent, you can either place a work order by calling 752-1655, or you can contact the CHE office helpdesk to determine the best course of action.
• I'm joining a research lab. What training and documentation must I complete?
• See Safety Training Requirements for All Personnel listed above.
• What safety documentation must my lab maintain?
• Initial and annual refresher training for EVERY lab member covering: Department IIPP; Department EAP; Emergency & Evacuation training; chemical spill training; Hazardous Waste Management; any applicable SOPs that have been revised. The current UC Davis Lab Safety Manual, which also contains the Campus Chemical Hygiene Plan, must be available to all lab members. A site-specific Laboratory Safety Plan (LSP), which is likely to apply to many research labs. All campus-required SOPs must be implemented and trained upon if they apply in your lab. The Chemical Inventory must be updated. Safety Data Sheets (SDS) must exist for all hazardous materials in your lab and on your inventory. 
• Do you have a complete list of UC Davis safety-training courses?
• See http://safetyservices.ucdavis.edu/training. Refresher training is required annually for Departmental Safety Training (covering the Department’s Injury and Illness Prevention Plan and Emergency Action Plan), conducted by Bill Doering; Hazard Communication Training (required only for faculty, students and staff who DO NOT work in experimental labs but will be handling, using, or storing hazardous materials); and each lab’s chemical spill control, hazardous waste management, and emergency procedures. Refresher training is required every three years for the UC Laboratory Safety Fundamentals Course.
• What do I need to know about office ergonomics?
• See http://ehs.ucdavis.edu/article/uc-davis-office-ergonomics.
• Does my space need to take part in the Shop Safety Program?
• Refer to the UC Davis Shop Safety Manual to determine if you have equipment that falls under the Shop Safety Program. If so, you must implement an appropriate Shop Safety Plan.