As the year draws to a close, the Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Office extends its warmest season’s greetings to the UH community. We deeply appreciate your dedication to safety and excellence in teaching, research, and operations throughout the year.
To help ensure a smooth and safe transition into the new year, EHS has compiled a set of Year-End Laboratory Safety Tips, which are now available for reference.
Thank you for making safety a priority and for fostering a safer, more productive teaching and research environment. We wish you a restful and joyful holiday season and look forward to a successful start to the new year!
In April 2024, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a final rule regulating methylene chloride (also called dichloromethane or DCM) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).
The EPA methylene chloride rule bans manufacturing for all consumer uses and bans most industrial and commercial uses. This rule potentially impacts the University of Houston (UH) community, particularly those who use methylene chloride as a laboratory solvent/reagent, and persons using certain products containing methylene chloride such as paint strippers, adhesives, sealants, and degreasers/cleaners.
EHS will soon collaborate with UH Research/Teaching PIs and Shop managers to determine where and how methylene chloride is used on campus, which uses can continue and which must stop, and then develop the initial exposure monitoring plan per EPA requirement.
Environmental Health and Safety is thrilled to announce the launch of our inaugural edition of the Chemical Safety Moment newsletter! This newsletter serves as a vital platform for disseminating essential chemical and laboratory safety knowledge, awareness, training resources, and lessons learned within the UH research community. Our goal is to share valuable insights on chemical storage, segregation, handling, and disposal to promote a safer work environment across the UH main campus.
Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) would like to thank everyone that visited our pop-up booths to comment on and ask questions about laboratory safety. Look out for announcements about next year's Laboratory Safety Awareness Week pop-up booths.
EHS, in partnership with the Campus Safety, Health, and Environmental Management Association (CSHEMA), is recognizing Lab Safety Awareness Week February 12, 2024, to February 16, 2024. Lab Safety Awareness Week is an event that fosters the opportunity to recognize the efforts of laboratory health and safety programs. It is also an opportunity to obtain feedback and ideas from the campus research community. EHS will be hosting meet and greets across campus to answer questions and provide pertinent safety resources to the university and research community.
EHS, in collaboration with the Campus Safety, Health, and Environmental Management Association (CSHEMA), is recognizing Lab Safety Awareness Week February 13, 2023 to February 17, 2023. Lab Safety Awareness Week is an event that fosters the opportunity to recognize the efforts of laboratory health and safety programs. It is also an opportunity to obtain feedback and ideas from the campus research community. EHS will be hosting meet and greets across campus to answer questions and provide pertinent safety resources to the university and research community.
October is International Biosafety and Biosecurity Month. This is an opportunity for biosafety professionals to consider the important roles that we serve in fostering an understanding of biosafety and biosecurity. As a researcher, you are a role model, a mentor, and a leader to a new generation of scientists and scientific support personnel. EHS is also hosting meet and greet opportunities across campus.
Many of us are spending more time than ever looking at our work station pc, tablet or laptop. With the increase in remote working there is even more reliance on a device to stay connected with our coworkers. While these devices have a been a lifesaver for many, there is a risk of developing strains and pains with increased usage.
The human ear is a magnificent machine to detect sounds and make sense of sounds throughout a lifetime. However, as we age hearing loss becomes the norm for most people. In addition, over exposure to excessive noise levels can speed up the hearing loss progression.
Uranium and Thorium salts are occasionally used for their properties as reagents, but do they have any rules and regulations under radioactive materials policies?
Hazardous conditions are found everywhere in the office, home, sidewalk, etc. Colleges and universities with high level of scientific research have elevated hazardous conditions because of the materials and sources of energy stored and used in research, teaching and university operations. Workplace incidents are better addressed through collaborative efforts of colleges, departments, administrative office leadership, with by employee involvement. How can we achieve this?