In this issue of the Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Listserv, October
9, 2013:
1. Now Online: PPQ Permits Colloquium
2. Outdoor Storage of Materials
3. Elements of Creating Safety Cultures in Academic Institutions #12:
Publish/Widely Share Case Studies
4. DOT/IATA Designated Shippers
5. Hoists And Cranes
6. Reminder - Used Oil and Fuel Filter Management
7. New Resource and Revised EHS Safe Operating Procedures
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1. Now Online: PPQ Permits Colloquium
Did you miss the most recent Laboratory Safety Colloquium, Plant Protection and
Quarantine (PPQ) Permits, jointly sponsored by EHS and the Office of Research
and Economic Development (ORED)? On September 18, 2013, United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA)-Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service
(APHIS) Plant Safeguarding Specialists explained WHEN you need a permit, WHY
you need a permit and HOW to apply when working with and importing or
transferring soil, plants, plant pests, plant pathogens, or other regulated articles. A
video and the presentation are now online.
Previous colloquium presentations (most with a video) are maintained online for
periodic review as applicable to current and changing research needs. Check out
the list of previous sessions to see if one or more might be of value to the safety of
you and your students and staff.
Resources:
 Laboratory Safety Colloquium Series
o EHS web site: http://ehs.unl.edu/training/Colloquium/ o ORED web site: http://research.unl.edu/laboratorysafetycolloquium/ 2. Outdoor Storage of Materials
Recently there was an incident on campus that required emergency evacuation of a
building. In this instance there was a large quantity of combustible materials stored
on a dock which was part of an exit route from the building. Having such items
stored next to a building not only creates a potential fire hazard from stray sparks or
improperly discarded smoking materials but it also impedes emergency egress from
doors in case of a fire or other emergency evacuation incident. Luckily there was
not a fire in this immediate area and evacuation was not impeded.
Fire code does not permit outdoor accumulations of ANY combustible materials
outside of a properly designed, noncombustible dumpster or other refuse container.
This includes trash, cardboard, scrap wood, pallets, excess shipping containers, etc.
If there are such items in your dock area or in proximity to the building, contact
Landscape Services through the Facilities Service Desk (402-472-1550 or
servicedesk@unl.edu) and request pickup of the material(s).
Resources:
 Fire Safety – General Prevention and Extinguishers SOP
http://ehs.unl.edu/sop/s-fire_safety.pdf
3. Elements of Creating Safety Cultures in Academic Institutions
#12: Publish/Widely & Share Case Studies
As you may recall from previous issues of the EHS listserv, there has been a great
deal of national attention given to the topic of laboratory safety in higher education
following investigations of serious incidents at UCLA and Texas Tech. As a result,
the American Chemical Society (ACS) recently issued a report, Creating Safety
Cultures in Academic Institutions. While this report focuses on laboratory safety,
its content is applicable to all campus settings.
This report contained seventeen specific recommendations for creating vibrant,
strong safety cultures in academic institutions. Each of these recommendations will
be highlighted individually and presented as a series in the EHS listserv. The twelfth
recommendation in the ACS report is:
Publish or share the stories of incidents and lessons learned (case
studies) to your institution’s Web site, a public Web site, or an
appropriate journal where students and colleagues from other
institutions may also use these as case studies for learning more
about safety.
EHS strives to disseminate information to assist in sharing of lessons learned
from incidents at this institution as well as other colleges at universities. The
EHS listserv is one tool that is used to share recent audit findings, near-miss
incident reports, and injury/illness information. Regular reports are also sent
to safety committees. It is hoped that persons receiving this information will
reflect on possible similar situations that may exist in their reporting units and
take action to abate unresolved hazards or reduce associated risk.
You can assist in this process by:
 Reporting and encouraging your colleagues to report “near
misses/close calls” through the EHS Near Miss/Close Call Reporting
System!
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Reporting and encouraging your colleagues to report “student (nonemployee)” injury incidents through the EHS Student Injury/Illness
Reporter!
Visiting with your department/area safety committee about ways to
disseminate the anonymous “near miss” and other injury incident and
safety audit findings department-wide.
Sharing information with students. Documenting and sharing incidents
and lessons learned throughout the undergraduate and graduate
learning experience provides an opportunity to capture the interest and
imagination of students while forcing them to think about how safety
measures could have prevented or minimized these incidents.
Discussing with your department the possibility of including injury,
near-miss, and safety audit information as a regular part of department
seminars, perhaps as a “five-minute” opening topic.
Encouraging your co-workers to subscribe to the EHS Listserv if they
do not already receive this monthly email.
Engaging personnel at all levels in incident investigation/review will help foster within
a department the proper attitude toward safety as reflected in the “Safety Ethic,”
espoused by the Safety Culture Task Force of the ACS Committee on Chemical
Safety:
 Value safety: Safety is an integral part of what one does, its automatic, and
it does not change its priorities. It is never questioned and never
compromised.
 Work safely: One continues to learn about safety, learns to recognize
hazards, assesses the risks of hazards, manages the risk of hazards, and
prepares to handle emergencies.
 Prevent at-risk behavior: One does not cut corners or bypass safety
measures in the laboratory (or other work environment) and shares this
information with others, as needed.
 Promote safety: One encourages and acknowledges others in working
safely.
 Accept responsibility for safety: One takes steps to work safely, setting a
positive example for others, and being accountable for safety.
Resources:
 Creating Safety Cultures in Academic Institutions
http://portal.acs.org/portal/PublicWebSite/about/governance/committees/chemica
lsafety/CNBP_029720
 EHS Student Injury/Illness Reporter!
https://scsapps.unl.edu/studentinjuryillnessReporter/
 EHS Near Miss/Close Call Reporter!
https://scsapps.unl.edu/EHSNearMissReporter/
4.
DOT/IATA Designated Shippers
In accordance with both Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations and
International Air Transport Association (IATA) standards, all “hazmat employees”
must have current (within the past 3 years) documented training. A “hazmat
employee” is anyone engaged in any pre-transport or transport function of
hazardous materials/dangerous goods, such as: packaging; labeling; signing
transportation documentation; loading or unloading; transporting in commerce.
Stockroom personnel, secretaries, researchers and others who only sign for
incoming shipments of hazardous materials are NOT “hazmat employees” and
therefore are not subject to training requirements. In order to maintain this
exclusion, these individuals must abide by the following requirements:
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Do not perform any function related to shipment of a dangerous
good/hazardous material in commerce (e.g., signing of transport papers,
placarding, labeling, packaging, etc.); and
Do not perform any unloading functions for or with the delivering entity.
Hazmat employees must receive initial instructor-led training BEFORE conducting
any transportation-related function. EHS offers regular DOT/IATA training sessions
for infectious substances, biological substances and patient (animal or human)
specimens, and dry ice. Recurrent training can be achieved by completing the
appropriate EHS web-based training module.
Employees who successfully complete the EHS DOT/IATA training program will be
listed as “designated/qualified shippers.” Employees who have completed training
through other programs can be listed as “designated shippers” after providing
sufficient documentation of training and a demonstration of competency to the EHS
office.
Persons who do not have current training qualifications can arrange for packaging
and shipment of dangerous goods through UNL’s Mail and Distribution Office. Some
departments have trained employees who prepare shipments of dangerous goods
for departmental faculty and staff.
Arrangements can be made for training on all types of dangerous goods/hazardous
materials by contacting Anthony Lloyd, Senior Environmental Specialist
(402-472-4942 or alloyd4@unl.edu).
Resources:
 Shipping SOPs http://ehs.unl.edu/sop/shipping
 Web-based DOT/IATA Recurrent Training (Shipping Dangerous Goods)
http://ehs.unl.edu/onlinetraining
 Dry Ice (only)
 Biological Substances, Category B or Patient Specimens with or without
Dry Ice (online soon)
 Infectious Substances, Category A (online soon)
5. Hoists and Cranes
EHS recently updated the Hoists and Cranes Safe Operating Procedure (SOP).
This SOP applies to stationary hoists and cranes used by UNL personnel. The
information provided is based on Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA), American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and other applicable
standards. The fundamental aspects of crane and hoist safety are reviewed,
specifically related to the following categories:
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Appropriate equipment selection and installation;
Regular inspection to ensure good condition of the crane/hoist and
accessories;
Operator training, and;
Adherence to safe operating procedures.
Cranes, hoists, and all ancillary equipment (e.g., hooks, slings, etc.) must meet
ASME/ANSI (American National Standards Institute) design and installation
standards and have sufficient rated capacity for the intended load. Cranes, hoists,
and all ancillary equipment must be maintained in accordance with manufacturer
recommendations. Defective or damaged components must be removed from
service. Replacement of defective or damaged components, rather than repair, is
often advised. Annual inspections are conducted by qualified outside contractors
and are coordinated through UNL Building Systems Maintenance (BSM).
All operators must be appropriately trained in the use, controls, limitations,
inspection, proper rigging/loading, maintenance, and site operating
conditions/characteristics of the specific crane or hoist that they are assigned to use.
Operational considerations are found within the SOP. If you have not already done
so, notify BSM if there is a hoist or crane in your area to ensure that it is included in
the annual inspection inventory.
Resources:
 Hoists and Cranes SOP
http://ehs.unl.edu/sop/s-hoist_crane.pdf
6. Reminder - Used Oil and Fuel Filter Management
The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ) recently conducted a
hazardous waste management compliance inspection of UNL’s East Campus
operations. One item of focus during the inspection was management of used oil
filters. UNL’s management practices were deemed in compliance. Nevertheless,
this is a good opportunity to remind the campus community that all used oil and fuel
filters should be “bagged and tagged” for collection by EHS. Do not discard these
items as ordinary refuse, even if you have punctured and hot-drained the filters.
Resources:
 EHS SOP, Used Motor Oil and filter Management and Disposal
http://ehs.unl.edu/sop/s-used_oil_filter_disposal.pdf
7. New Resource and Revised EHS Safe Operating Procedures
A Building Emergency Action Plan template is now available on the UNL
Emergency Planning and Preparedness web site. This template complements the
existing Business Continuity Planning template.
While the Building Emergency Action Plan template may not apply directly to
every building, it will provide assistance for basic emergency planning efforts and
includes suggestions such as:
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Designate building and/or floor coordinators to assist in evacuation.
Identify personnel that might need assistance in the event of a building
evacuation.
Define assembly areas in the event of an evacuation.
Document building emergency warning systems, e.g. voice warning, alarms,
etc.
Identify secure areas and hazardous locations within the building.
The template is in PDF format, but can be provided in Word format upon request to
Mark Robertson, UNL Emergency Preparedness Coordinator
(preparedness@unl.edu). Koan Nissen, UNLPD Community Service Officer
(knissen2@unl.edu) or Mark Robertson are available to provide consultation to
those working on completion of the new Building Emergency Action Plan
template. Mark requests that completed plans, whether using the UNLPD template
or another format, be sent by email to him as part of the overall university
preparedness planning.
All emergency plans should be reviewed at least annually and updated to reflect
changes in operations and personnel. One suggestion is for the BMR, safety
committee chair, or department chair/director to calendar a reminder to review all
contingency and emergency plans so this task does not get “lost.”
 Building Emergency Action Plan (Template)
http://emergency.unl.edu/Building%20Emergency%20Action%20Plan%20Templ
ate.pdf
 Emergency Planning and Preparedness web site: Have a Plan
http://emergency.unl.edu/departments
Revised EHS Safe Operating Procedures include the following:
 Laboratory Hood/Cabinet Identification and Use http://ehs.unl.edu/sop/slab_hood_use.pdf
Updated to include information about the UNL controllers for fume hoods and
general laboratory ventilation
 Laboratory Decommissioning http://ehs.unl.edu/sop/s-lab_decom.pdf
Updated with further details to assist with this process and use the SOP as a
checklist, including references relevant related SOPs.
 Preparing a Laboratory Biosafety Manual http://ehs.unl.edu/sop/s-biopreparing_biosafety_manual.pdf
Clarified instructions for completing the checklist in Appendix A and a link to the
Virtual Manual Profile page was added.
Remember...SAFETY IS AN ATTITUDE!
Environmental Health and Safety
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
3630 East Campus Loop
Lincoln, NE 68583-0824
(402) 472-4925
http://ehs.unl.edu