PUBLICATIONS Inside Illinois Vol. 25, No. 10, Nov. 17, 2005

Survey seeks to find out what is needed to improve lab safety

By Sharita Forrest, Assistant Editor
217-244-1072; slforres@illinois.edu

Click photo to enlarge Photo by L. Brian Stauffer Safety first Irene Cooke, director of the Division of Research Safety, is surveying people who work in labs on campus to determine the types of training programs and materials they need to do their jobs safely. The Division also has revamped its Web site, which contains an online training program that was developed in response to department heads’ requests for a basic safety program amenable to graduate students’ schedules.

If you work in a lab, what sort of training do you need to help you – and your colleagues – work safely? And what is the best way to communicate that to you? The Division of Research Safety and its director Irene Cooke want to know.

DRS is conducting an online survey asking people who work in labs on campus about the most effective vehicles for training them and their staff, whether it’s printed materials, e-mail or live training sessions.

The survey is part of the division’s effort to improve communication with members of the campus community.

“People come here safe and healthy; we want to make sure they go home safe and healthy, or at least in the same state as they came here,” Cooke said.

DRS is the campus resource that provides information and develops general safety programs related to the use of biological, chemical and radiological materials, which are widespread on campus and can be found in various forms not only in labs, but also in art studios and other places.

The division’s services include registering biological projects and lasers and issuing permits for using radioactive materials. Cooke’s staff of about 20 provides general safety training, conducts inspections for higher-risk biological projects and all radioactive labs, are on call to assist the fire departments with chemical spills on campus, and collects and disposes of biological, chemical and radiological hazardous waste on campus free of charge.

The division’s recent efforts have focused on increasing research and lab safety awareness since the primary concern voiced by many people who work in labs “is simply not knowing what they need to do and wanting to know where they can find appropriate information,” Cooke said. And sometimes, busy people just forget procedures and policies and need little reminders.

As part of its efforts to improve communications, in mid-December DRS is launching an updated Web site that is designed with tabbed sections that make finding forms and fact sheets easy.

Last year, DRS initiated online training programs on its Web site in response to requests from unit heads, who said they needed the flexibility of online training to accommodate the schedules of graduate students. However, anyone working in a lab is encouraged to go through the training, which takes approximately 30 to 40 minutes “and covers the basics of working safely in a lab,” Cooke said.

DRS also created and distributed a laminated poster titled “Research Safety in UIUC Laboratories,” which lists a variety of general safety guidelines covering topics such as working with sharps and biohazardous waste, and provides contact information for DRS and Web addresses for additional resources.

While DRS is an advisory partner to the campus community, “it really is up to every individual to take responsibility for their safety. And it’s also the responsibility of the principal investigator or supervisor where hazardous materials are being used to make sure that people understand what they are using, know the risks and work safely,” Cooke said.

Vice Chancellor for Research Charles Zukoski, who oversees DRS, recently formed an ad hoc faculty committee that is looking into developing a research safety-training program to ensure that all lab staff on campus receives appropriate training and to ensure compliance with all safety regulations. DRS also strengthened its follow-up procedures for safety inspections, requiring principal investigators and supervisors to provide plans for addressing any deficiencies noted during the inspections within two weeks. However, all lab managers are encouraged to conduct their own inspections a minimum of once per year, and can use a lab inspection checklist available on the DRS Web site.

Ideally, Cooke said she would like to see a full-time safety coordinator in every large research unit, but in most units this function is assigned to an administrative staff person who has many other responsibilities.

In general faculty members have been good about complying with safety requirements, Cooke said, especially in light of the heightened security procedures and increased vigilance of regulatory agencies precipitated by 9-11.
However, the greatest challenge on a large research campus like the UI’s Urbana-Champaign campus is keeping informed of changing technology and evolving user needs, Cooke said.

“Technology is extremely complex, and we have to keep pace with our faculty’s expertise,” Cooke said. “We have to understand what they’re doing and be able to partner with them to make sure they and the campus are safe.”

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