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Integration is a Key toUniversity Lab Safety

Program Success

CHAS Award Symposium

American Chemical SocietyWashington, D.C., August 28, 2005

Steven G. Oberg, Ph.D.University of Nevada, Reno

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From worst to first

1995 - Chronic RCRA violationsDistrict Court Consent Decree

• Binding independent audit• Administrative reorganization• Affirm department philosophy –

vow not to become the best possible EH&S program*• Initiate enterprise model

2005 - Full compliance (chem, rad, bio, occupational)Acknowledgement of peers

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*At the time, EH&S programs seemed to be doing

their best to put themselves external to theuniversity mission of teaching, research andoutreach. External means tolerated by facultyand central administration like so many othernecessary (bureaucratic) evils.

Too much compliance makes you invisible.

We can do better.

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Attract quality staff

Seek people who have personal andprofessional ambitions that align with theuniversity mission, i.e. skills andmotivations that match up with teachingand research faculty.

These self-starters will initiate projects orcollaborate with colleagues who are in thebusiness of creating new knowledge.

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Integrate within the dept.

The bench is shallow, so staff membershave to depend on colleagues for mutualsupport.

Teams have to self-assemble again andagain to maintain a critical mass for eachnew project. Nobody succeeds unlesseverybody succeeds.

Program infrastructure is developed andshared for group benefit.

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Integrate within the academicand research process

Develop credibility and rapport with facultyby creating opportunities to teach for-credit courses, participate in grantproposals, and publish.

EH&S and faculty collaborations solveproblems in ways that have broadacceptance and staying power.

If permissible, serve on graduate studentadvisory committees.

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Integrate within the universitymanagement structureCreate and exercise specialty safety advisory

committees – ask these faculty to help definepolicies and procedures.

Participate in campus committees to addressEH&S aspects that others would miss.

Convert data-rich EH&S activities into informationthat can be used by central administration forplanning and decision making.

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Lab safety accomplishments

Chemical Hygiene PlanLab safety trainingLab assessmentsIntegrate IH supportHaz waste tech supportLab Safety CommitteeChemical inventoryBiosafety ManualMOUA mechanismsSelect Agent Program

Support of laboratoryoperations (especially inchemistry, chemicalengineering, andbioscience departments).Risk assessments,ventilation/air quality,product recommendations,emergency plans,department safetycommittee participation,chemical storage, etc.

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Regulatory compliance?

Oh yea, that too.

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The ACS-CHAS Lab SafetyProgram award is flatteringFirst of all it’s flattering to share any national

award with the likes of MIT.

It is especially flattering to be acknowledged bythe venerable American Chemical Society. Toconsider members of this profession (many ofwhom are university faculty) as our peersvalidates the direction of our program andprovides inspiration to our staff.

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Thanks

• Thanks to the Chemical Health and Safetysection and their leadership for sponsoring thisaward.

• Thanks to colleagues who nominated ourprogram and to the site reviewer who verified thenomination information.

• I especially thank Ben Owens and the Lab Safetygroup, and the other EH&S staff members whoequally deserve this this bit of recognition.

Now meet the people on whose behalf I accepttoday’s award…

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Thank you all from the2005 ACS-CHAS Award Winners