SMS Safety

Training

All trainings provided by EHS are available on the EHS training page. Anyone with a paid position must attend trainings via the “Enroll” links on the Employee training tab. Anyone participating in research for experience or academic course credit must attend trainings via the “Enroll” links on the Student training tab. If you encounter any difficulties accessing the trainings via the links on this page, contact John Crozier.

Instructions for training are listed below.

Required training for all

The following trainings are required for staff, faculty, teaching assistants, researchers (whether paid or unpaid), and student workers.

• Community of Care training
  • The EHS training page does not have this training listed, so please use the following links:
    • Employee Community of Care training
    • Student Community of Care training
• Fire Safety training (annually)
• There are different training requirements for employees, students, and volunteers, check the page and tabs carefully to locate the information you need.
• Required training for employees includes: Fire Safety & Prevention.

Required training for anyone who will enter a research laboratory

• Hazardous waste management
• Laboratory safety
  • Employees:
    • Initial training will be available on CareerEdge. For laboratory safety refresher courses, re-enroll in the lab safety course and take again. 
  • Students:
    • There is no distinction between first-time and refresher training for students. You will only see one link for Laboratory safety training on the Student training tab.

Trainings required for specific conditions

Employees are highly recommended to check the EH&S Training Determination Tool. Employees should confirm with their supervisor if any lab-specific training is required.

EHS Training Determination Tool

Arizona State University's policy on incident reporting and investigations requires that all incidents resulting in an injury to an ASU employee, student or visitor, or damage to ASU property in excess of $500, must be reported to Environmental Health and Safety.

For additional information please visit: https://cfo.asu.edu/incident-reporting

Reporting incidents/injuries in the School of Molecular Sciences

Complete the EH&S online incident report AND notify SMSSafety@asu.edu

For the purpose of this policy, an incident is defined as an occurrence or event that interrupts normal procedures or precipitates a crisis resulting in any of the following:

• Injury or illness to ASU employees, students, and visitors
• Events that were likely to cause potential injury or illness to an ASU employee, student, or visitor (near miss)
• Damage to ASU property in excess of $500

Reporting incidents/injuries in the School of Molecular Sciences

Your cooperation in reporting incidents and injuries the same business day is greatly appreciated.

When an ASU employee is injured or becomes ill from a work-related incident, email Risk Management Services insuranceservices@asu.edu for additional information 

Inspections

ASU EH&S will conduct laboratory inspections to determine individual laboratory compliance with the ASU Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP). Inspections may be performed in conjunction with our School’s periodic audit conducted by John Crozier and/or our Safety Committee members. Any immediate safety concerns will be addressed during the inspection and report of findings will be issued. Unless otherwise stated, findings must be corrected and reported within 30 days.

• Biological Safety Manual
• Bloodborne Pathogens Exposure Control Plan
• Compressed Gases Safety Plan (TBD- plan being updated) 
• Field Research Guide
• Fire Prevention and Safety Plan
• Hazard Communications Program
• Hazardous Materials Storage Guide
• Radiation Safety Plan
• Sharps Handling and Disposal
• Supervisor Safety Manual (for any ASU supervisor)
• Working Alone Procedures

Inspection Checklists

EH&S has provided the following inspection checklists. Please use these to prepare for pending lab inspections or as a standard for health and safety conditions in your laboratory.

• Biosafety Level One/Two (BSL-1 and BSL-2) Inspection Checklist
• Laboratory Safety Inspection Checklist (Occupational)
• Lab Safety Self-Inspection Checklist 
• X-Ray Radiation Safety Checklist

All School of Molecular Sciences laboratories must be registered annually.

Online Laboratory Registration Through EH&S CEMS

SMS SOP for CEMS

Laboratory registration is the process through which ASU maintains laboratory emergency contacts and information, develop and maintain laboratory chemical inventories, and establish laboratory safety inspections for ensuring compliance with the ASU Chemical Hygiene Plan.

Only currently registered lab spaces are permitted for the use of hazardous chemicals by the State of Arizona’s Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) and the ASU Fire Marshal.

The registration must be updated annually to ensure emergency contact information is up-to-date and chemical inventories are accurate.  ASU Policy EHS 104

A laboratory is defined as a facility or room where potentially hazardous chemicals, biological agents or sources of energy (e.g. lasers, high voltage, radiation, etc.) are used and where scientific experimentation, research, or education occurs.

If you have a room, or share a room or facility that uses hazardous materials and it is not currently registered with EH&S, please complete the registration process. Instructions for completing the registration are available here.

Signage related to the registration will be sent to the PI or SMS safety office for posting at the laboratory entrance(s). The lab registration sign provides important reference information in the event EH&S or emergency response personnel must enter the lab or contact you.

Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) relevant to health and safety matters must be developed and followed when laboratory work involves the use of hazardous chemicals, especially for “particularly hazardous substances” (PHSs) SOPs should be written by laboratory personnel who are most knowledgeable and involved with the experimental process. The development and implementation of SOPs is a core component of promoting a strong safety culture in the laboratory and helps ensure a safe work environment.

Email SMSSafety@asu.edu to request an SOP template

EH&S has prepared templates for many common lab chemicals and PHSs.

• Standard Operating Procedure, blank template
• Thiols, Mercaptans and Other

Administrative SOPs may be required in certain situations

• Working Alone Procedures and Checklist
• Handling Corrosive Hazardous Materials, Eyewash or Shower Not Readily Available

Laboratory Principal Investigators are responsible for ensuring that vendors, contractors, visitors, volunteers, and minors understand the dangers involved in the area they are working in or visiting. Lab PI’s shall ensure that any person performing any work for any period of time receive the minimum required safety training, including lab-specific training, prior to beginning work in the space. Also, the lab PI shall provide the minimum assessed personal protective equipment (PPE) to each visitor, volunteer, or minor. Contractors will have their own PPE.

Volunteers are limited to non-high-risk positions. Examples of high-risk activities or situations include working with any Biosafety Level III protocols, working with animals, working within radiation labs, and working with acutely toxic or highly hazardous materials.

School Director: Tijana Rajh, tijana.rajh@asu.edu

The approval procedure has been changed so that SMS Safety has an opportunity to assess the situation and make a recommendation to the Director.”

Volunteers in Lab

• Volunteer Registration Form, volunteer supervisors must complete linked form Volunteer Form and Waiver. This form does not apply to visiting scholars or research scientists, student workers in labs or enrolled students who are taking a lab class for academic credit. Please note minors in labs are also not volunteers and must follow a different process through ASU Environmental, Health and Safety and will not be approved.

Minors in Lab

The ASU Minors in Laboratories policy, EHS-116, prohibits anyone under the age of 18 from entering an ASU laboratory. Exceptions include minors who are participating in an organized education program that has been approved by the School Director. Additional exceptions must be approved by EH&S.

• Minors in Labs Request Form

Labs that are not in compliance with the requirements of the ASU Chemical Hygiene Plan or have a record of significant lab compliance issues may be subject to application denial.

If you need compressed gases including liquid helium, liquid nitrogen, dry ice, etc., contact ASU Gas Services. You are required to order these items via SunRISE. You are required to order these items via ASU Workday.

There are several items that may need pre-approval from EH&S and CPMG before you are allowed to house them in your individual laboratories.

• Contact ASU Gas Services:

           480-965-6546

          gascylinders@asu.edu

Using compressed gases in your laboratory
If compressed gases are stored or used in your area, there should be a copy of the Compressed Gases Services Program PDF physically or electronically available to employees.

You should NEVER use a respirator. But in the event that you do need one, please contact Michelle Near or John Crozier.

Respirator protection program

OSHA Appendix D

Managers are responsible for making sure that new employees review and understand the Building Emergency Evacuation Plan for the School of Molecular Science. If you have any plan related questions or would like to volunteer to serve as a floor warden or provide voluntary assistance in conducting planned/choreographed emergency drills, please contact John Crozier

•  SMS Building Emergency Evacuation Plan
•  Emergency Evacuation Information and Maps for Undergraduate Labs in PSH-wing
•  Emergency Evacuation Information and Maps for Undergraduate Labs in PSH-wing 

SMSSafetyCommittee@asu.edu

• Ranko Richert
  Professor
  Safety Committee Chair
  (480) 727-7052
  Ranko.Richert@asu.edu
• John Crozier
  Program Manager, Lab Safety
  (480) 965-5492
  John.Crozier@asu.edu 
• Jeffrey Burnett
  Jeffrey.Burnett@asu.edu 
• Andrew Zeek
  Andrew.Zeek@asu.edu 
• Nghi Nguyen