Work Incidents and your responsibilities The University of Utah invests a substantial sum of resources into its employees’ safety including engineering controls, personal protective equipment, guidance documents for working with hazardous materials safely, safety training and medical facilities to treat injuries. If you have an incident at work, you must go to an Occupational Medical […]
Read MoreOpen Flames (Bunsen burners) in Biosafety Cabinets Open flames, including the use of Bunsen burners, are not allowed to be used in Biological Safety Cabinets (BSCs) at the University of Utah. Early microbiologists had to rely on open flames to ensure sterility. However, with the advancement of modern technology, including the introduction of the BSC, […]
Read MoreLadder Safety: Do’s and Don’ts If you are new to working with ladders or if you have worked with them for years, please follow the do’s and don’ts of ladder safety. DO use the right ladder for the job. Ladder classification and capacity should be clearly labeled on the side rung of the ladder. DON’T […]
Read MoreLadder Safety: INSPECTING LADDERS Inspect ladders carefully. Inspect all ladders before each use, and after any occurrence that could affect their safe use, including dropping the ladder or if it falls. Defective and/or damaged ladders must be immediately marked in a manner that readily identifies them as defective/damaged, or be tagged with a “Do Not […]
Read MoreLadder Safety: Selecting the correct ladder for the job There are many different kinds of ladders, ranging from simple a simple step ladder to large specialty ladders used for specific jobs. Ladders may be made of aluminum or fiberglass. There are three main categories of ladders: Extension Step or multipurpose Fixed Keep the following in […]
Read MoreCHEMICAL SPILL CLEAN-UP PROCEDURES If you work with hazardous materials in a laboratory, it is essential to be prepared in the event of a chemical spill. Practice and be familiar with the following processes. Attend to anyone who may have been contaminated Notify occupants in the immediate area about the spill. Evacuate all nonessential personnel […]
Read MorePreventing Falls in Winter Conditions Even with a mild winter this season, there is always a potential for serious injury when storms do bring snow, ice and slippery conditions. For best practices, when walking in winter conditions use these walking tips. Walk at a slower pace Keep an eye on where you are going Look […]
Read MoreThe U’s radiobiology professor Scott Miller is one of the only Americans still allowed to visit sensitive Russian sites.
Read MorePersonal Protective Equipment in the Lab There are many situations on campus that involve work with chemical or biological materials. These materials can be hazardous. Health effects from exposure to these materials can range from relatively mild effects, such as eye or skin irritation, to much more serious issues like chemical burns or disease. You […]
Read MoreCSHEMA Scholarship Access through OEHS CSHEMA, the Campus Safety Health and Environmental Management Association offers a $3,000 scholarship (and a waiver to attend the CSHEMA annual conference) to encourage the study of environmental and occupational health, safety and related disciplines. The program is open to all college undergraduate students preferably enrolled in majors geared toward […]
Read MoreWhat to do when an Injury or Illness happens on campus Report all incidents immediately. There are three incident reports used by the university: Report injuries and illnesses on the job with the First Report of Injury or E-1 form. Workplace injuries warrant investigation. Do not disturb the incident site until the incident itself has […]
Read MoreRenew Your Commitment to Safety With the new year upon us, we would like to remind everyone to take time to recommit to workplace safety and the prevention of job related injuries. We recommend that all employees, individually or as a department, review the New Employee Safety Orientation offered to all new employees, located HERE, […]
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