SEAS/Physics/EPS Safety Committee

Meeting Minutes

Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Noon-1:00PM

1. Video - no video this month

2. Lab Safety Training update:

Lenny said some people responded that they had been trained in Lab Safety, yet EH&S did not have any record of their training. Lenny is amazed at the large number of lab workers who have not had any safety training. He announced he will organize a safety talk at time different from the normal Lab Safety training schedule in order to give everyone an opportunity to attend the training--perhaps a weekday at 10:00am or 4:00pm.

Lenny stressed that people who work with lasers need to attend a laser safety training lecture.

3. Lab Inspection Reports:

A. 60 Oxford Street Labs - Kevin Czaja

• 3rd Floor:

  • Howe Lab:
    -Needs Chemtracker sign on entrance.
  • Mahadevan lab:
    -Locked and no one present.  Unable to inspect.  Labels were good outside.
  • Stanley Lab:
    -Did not inspect. Closing down next month.
• 4th Floor:
  • Woods Lab:
    -No problems – Hooray!
  • Samuel Lab:
    -Needs Chemtracker sign on entrance (otherwise well labeled).
    -Compressed air tanks just out in open.  Need to be secured.
    -Lots of loose used glass bio-containers everywhere (in boxes on floor) and not clearly labeled. There was a whole bunch piling up slated to be disposed of.  Seemed unsafe.
    -Goggles for laser room should by stored outside of room (not inside as we found it)

4. Follow-Up Reports (responses to previous lab inspections)

A. McKay 2nd Floor (Alex reported instead of Boaz) - all issues have been dealt with, and specifically:

• Aizenberg Lab - everything is ok
• Westervelt -- al issues taken care of. It was suggested that a small cylinder be capped,; however, it is unthreaded.

B. Jefferson Lab - All issues in Prentiss Labs have been taken care of.

C. Hoffman 3rd Floor - All issues in Schrag Lab have been taken care of.

D. Lyman Labs:

• Doyle - all issues dealth with.
• Lukin Lab - no one was present at meeting to give a follow-up. Lenny will contact them by email.
• Horowitz Lab - no one was present at meeting to give a follow-up. Lenny will contact them by email.
• Grenier Lab - all cylinders are now secure.

5. EH&S Report - Mike Labosky

• LEPC (Local Emergency Planning Committee): Mike Labosky attended a LEPC meeting today where it was decided that nano-materials will not be regulated in the City of Cambridge. However, in the future, EH&S plans to visit labs to encourage safe practices with nano-experiments. Amy Johnson will talk to labs about their procedures. Mike said he would email Lenny the URLs for websites on safe nano-procedures.
• Stench chemicals: Over the last week, there were strong odors in the Chemistry buildings and people were worried it was natural gas. It was not gas, but EH&S thinks someone was working on an experiment and using stench chemicals. They odors were exhausted but due to wind conditions, they seaped back into buildings. The odors are not dangerous. EH&S can advise labs that use these chemicals on "best practices."
• The emergency evacuation meeting place for McKay and LISE buildings will be the green space in front of Pierce Hall.
• Someone asked whether the UIS emergency text messaging service could be adapted to alert people in specific buildings of more localized emergencies.

6. Old Business

• After a brief discussion, Lenny said he will try to schedule two safety training sessions for next week on Tuesday at 10:00am and Thursday at 4:00pm.
• Lee Hahn needs to complete his lab inspection.
• Hoffman 2nd Floor has not been inspected.

7. New Business - none

Next Meeting: Wednesday, May 14, 2008, 12:00 noon, Maxwell/Dworkin 119