Here is a (not exhaustive) list of safety topics relevant to the experimental work in the EP department. As a researcher, it’s your responsibility to identify hazards and the relevant resources for your laboratory work – this list was compiled for you as a starting point in your research on this topic. The resources are by no means complete, and my contain errors.
[These resources were compiled by the attendees of the Spring 2017 EP Safety Seminar attendees.]
- Machine Shop mechanical hazards sharps glass
- Electrical – high voltage
- Electrical – low voltage
- Fire – flammables, general response
- Fire & explosions – chemical fire (e.g. Lithium fires) – specific
- Chemical Safety
- Chemical Disposal
- Respiratory hazards – particulates, beryllium
- Toxic gases
- Compressed gases
- High temperature – burn hazards, structural integrity with differential thermal expansion, pressurization risks
- Ergonomics, trip hazards, bump hazards
- Laser, and light sources
- Radiation safety – rad sources, x-ray
- Heavy machinery, heavy equipment, lifting moving, crane operation
- Bio hazards
- Noise
- High-elevation work – latter safety, tall structures
- Structural integrity and safety – building scaffolding
- Evacuation, building safety, egress lab, flood
- Confined spaces
- Vacuum
- High pressure – depressurization
- Waste disposal
- Training & configuration control
- Natural disasters, armed assailant, black-out
- Cybersecurity
- Emergency response in a laboratory – alarms, shut-off
- First aid – AED
- General laboratory principles
- [please contribute to this list – contact Raluca Scarlat, or epsafety.slack.com]
General Resources
In the Engineering Physics Department
- Your colleagues & all faculty in the department – join epsafety.slack.com (it’s a chat platform that you can download on your phone and computer)
- Raluca Scarlat chairs the department safety committee, 921 ERB, 608-890-4256. Oliver Schmitz, Ray Fonk, Kumar Sridharan, and Riccardo Bonnazza are the other members of the safety committee.
- Paul Brooks is the building manager for ERB, 735 ERB, 608-444-4381. Know the building manager in the other buildings where you work.
At UW Madison
- Environment, Health & Safety (EHS) Department. http://www.ehs.wisc.edu/. Training courses offered through Learn@UW.
- Student Machine Shop: https://coestudentshop.engr.wisc.edu/
- University Health Services, Occupational Health: https://www.uhs.wisc.edu/eoh/
- Facilities Planning and Management: http://www.training.fpm.wisc.edu/training-employeesafety.htm
- Travel and international travel, Business Services Department:http://www.bussvc.wisc.edu/acct/policy/travel/international.html
- Risk management and liability insurances:http://www.bussvc.wisc.edu/risk_mgt/risk_mgt.html.
- Ergonomics: https://www.uhs.wisc.edu/eoh/ergonomics/
State level
- Wisconsin state laboratory of hygiene: http://www.slh.wisc.edu/
Federal level
- OSHA: https://www.osha.gov/
- NIOSH: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/
- EPA: https://www3.epa.gov/
- The sponsor of your research. For example DOE Office of Health and Safety: http://energy.gov/ehss/organizational-chart/office-health-and-safety
Other specialized organizations, world-wide, and web-wide
- Dow Chemical Safety Academy – online training videos: http://safety.dow.com/en