Navigating Lab Safety at UCLA

Nancy Wayne, PhD

• Professor of Physiology• Associate Vice Chancellor for Research• Chair of Advisory Board, UC Center for

Laboratory Safety

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR LAB SAFETY?

• The University: Must ensure strong safety program (EH&S) with appropriate general lab safety training and lab inspections (all need to be documented).

• The Principal Investigator/Lab Supervisor: Must establish a strong safety culture in the lab, provide PPE, provide and document lab specific safety training, ensure compliance with safety regulations.

• The Researcher: Must be compliant with all safety regulations and perform research with safety in the front of your mind.

The California Work-Safety Law That (almost) Nobody Seems To Know About

“BE-A-MANAGER, (or) GO-TO-JAIL”

• California Corporate Criminal Liability Act of 1989

• Managers in work environments can be imprisoned for failing to report a seriously concealed danger that might physically threaten employees or consumers.

Provost/EVC Scott Waugh

Chancellor Gene Block

Vice Chancellor-Research• Jim Economou

Vice Chancellor-Admin• Jack Powazek

Assist VC-EH&S• James Gibson

Animal Research Committee• Prof Nigel Maidment

Radiation Safety Committee• Prof Christiaan Schiepers

Institutional Biosafety Committee• Prof Jerome Zack

Chem/Phys Safety Committee• Prof Craig Merlic

Laboratory Safety Organization Chart

Assoc VC-Research• Nancy Wayne

Safety Oversight Committee

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DLAM• Marcelo Couto

Rad Safety Officer• Colin Dimock

Biosafety Officer• Stacey Kraemer

Chemical Hygiene Officer• Scott Hsieh

Laboratory Duties and Responsibilities

• UCLA EH&S’s list of specific responsibilities of lab personnel (1 page): PI/Supervisor and Other Researchershttp://ehs.ucla.edu

oClick on ‘Lab Safety’oClick on ‘Lab Management’oClick on ‘Laboratory Duties and Responsibilities (pdf)’

• Print and post in the lab and other work spaces

How Do You Know What Safety Training You Need?

• UCLA Safety Training Matrix (2 pages)http://ehs.ucla.edu

oClick on ‘Lab Safety’oClick on ‘Documents & Forms’oClick on ‘Lab Safety Training Matrix (pdf)’

• Lab Hazard Assessment Tool (online)http://ehs.ucla.edu

oClick on ‘Lab Safety’oClick on ‘Laboratory Hazard Assessment Tool’ under

Quick Links

How Can You and Your PI/Supervisor Track Your Trainings?

• LabBook (online): http://www.labbook.ucla.edu

• UCLA's comprehensive researcher database provides 'one-stop shopping' for all required training so that information you need is organized in a single online site.

• Includes required lab safety training (through a link to EH&S Laboratory Hazard Assessment Tool), animal use and care training, human subjects training, NSF responsible conduct of research training, HIPAA training, and Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) training. PI/Supervisor have additional UC-required training in sexual harassment prevention, ethics, and conflict of interest.

• Includes both automated and manual email messaging when researchers' training is about to expire.

• Includes electronic workspace where you can upload files (e.g., your lab's chemical inventory list, lab orientation document, and SOPs) and a list of useful online resources (e.g., UC's Material Safety Data Sheet website).

Case of the Revised Experimental Protocol – Part I

• Grad student Jane Doe was reading the literature and found a histology protocol that could potentially improve the quality of her data.

• The new protocol includes a new chemical to the lab that is a Particularly Hazardous Substance.

WHAT SHOULD JANE DO?

A. Order the new chemical and go ahead with the experiment as described in the research paper, without discussing first with her PI.

B. Understand the ‘improved’ protocol, including a risk assessment of all chemicals used in the protocol.

C. Write-up a SOP using the UCLA template and present the SOP and research paper to her PI for discussion and written approval before doing any experiments.

D. If new chemicals are ordered, add it to the lab’s Chemical Inventory list upon arrival.

Case of the Revised Experimental Protocol – Part II

WHAT SHOULD JANE DO?

A. Order the new chemical and go ahead with the experiment as described in the research paper, without discussing first with her PI. NO

B. Understand the ‘improved’ protocol, including a risk assessment of all chemicals used in the protocol. YES

C. Write-up a SOP using the UCLA template and present the SOP and research paper to her PI for discussion and written approval before doing any experiments. YES

D. If new chemicals are ordered, add it to the lab’s Chemical Inventory list upon arrival. YES

Case of the Revised Experimental Protocol – Part II

HAVE A SAFE DAY