Safety in the CBC Teaching
Laboratories
A N N E B . PA D Í A S
D E PA R T M E N T O F C H E M I S T R Y A N D
B I O C H E M I ST RY
UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
Safety is paramount.
Therefore everybody has to be involved.
•
•
•
•
•
University
Department
Lab managers and Preproom
TAs
Students
University Level
• UA Risk Management
• ORCBS
CBC Department
CBC Safety Committee:
•
•
•
•
Composed of faculty, staff and graduate students
Regular meetings
CBC lab inspections twice per year
General safety policies, f.ex. only 100 % cotton lab
coats in teaching labs.
Laboratory Teaching in CBC:
By the Numbers (Labs only)
#
F ‘13
students
F ‘13 TAs
S ‘14
Students
S ’14 TAs
100 (gen chem)
2,938
65
2,745
57.5
200 (org chem
1,298
30.5
1,163
29.5
300 (Jr)
53
4
35
2.5
400 (Sr)
123
16
85
13
4,412
115.5
4,028
102.5
Total
KOFFLER BUILDING
Training of TAs
Incoming class August 2014
Training of TAs
•
•
•
•
Yearly TA training
CPR training
Weekly 2 hour staff meetings
Online safety training/test
Training of TAs
The TA training for the new TAs includes:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
All TAs receive good goggles and cotton lab coat
Safety talk emphasizing their responsibility as TAs
Viewing of the safety video on D2L (CBC-produced)
Introduction to all safety features in the lab rooms
Discussion of evacuation procedures
Hands-on lab practice with experienced TAs
Re-emphasis of safety in All-TA meeting
Training of students
•
•
•
•
•
View safety video
Sign safety agreement (next slides)
Enforce safety PPE (goggles, lab coat, shoes, gloves)
Safety questions on quizzes and exams
Understand the chemistry!
Safety Agreement
Safety Agreement
Safety Agreement
Where do students find information?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Safety video on D2L
Safety agreement
On-line prelab assignment
Prelab in notebook (safety hazards included)
Safety PPE at all times in lab
Quizzes and exams
Enforcement
Infrastructure in the teaching labs
Infrastructure in the teaching labs
Waste Streams in the teaching labs
Safety in the labs: How?
• Infrastructure: lab layout, safety shower, eye wash
• Multiple exits to the building
• Always 2 people “behind” the TA: person in lab quad
+ TSO or preproom employee (access to UA phone)
• Call 911 (UAPD)
How are we doing? Statistics
Semester
Spring 2012
Cuts
Burns
Faint etc
#
6
11
1
Total
18
Fall 2012
Cuts
Burns
Faint etc
4
7
1
12
Spring 2013
Cuts
Burns
Faint etc
5
12
1
18
Fall 2013
Cuts
Burns
Faint etc
3
4
1
8
**Including one serious burn accident in Fall 2013
Challenges
• Dealing with ~4,500 18-19 year olds
• TAs also very young
• Graduate students
• Senior undergraduate students
• Staff instructors
• Reluctance to “spy”
• Supervisor illusion: we think we know what happens!
Questions?
Comments?
THANK YOU!