Safety Requirements Letter

From:  Tim Mulcahy, Vice President for Research

            Frank Cerra, Senior Vice President for Health Sciences

Re: Completion of training and medical requirements in fulfillment of federal policy.

We need your help to ensure that all lab personnel are complying with existing laboratory health and safety requirements. Please take a moment to review the information below and share it with faculty, staff, and students working in your labs.

• Containers of chemicals must be labeled with the identity of the chemical, including information such as the concentration (e.g. 0.5N hydrochloric acid or 70% ethanol).  Staff or outside emergency responders must be able to recognize potential hazards or refer to a Material Safety Data Sheet based on a container’s label.

• Compressed gas cylinders must be secured at all times in an upright position to a wall or bench to avoid injury to personnel or damage to equipment and facilities. A compressed gas cylinder can become an uncontrolled projectile if it falls and the valve is damaged.

• Personal protective equipment (PPE) such as respirators, eye or hearing protection, and gloves must be worn by personnel where posted in animal care and use areas or in research laboratories as indicated in animal use and IBC  protocols. Principal Investigators and Research Safety Officers must make sure that staff who work with animals are enrolled in ROHP and that any who have respiratory or allergy symptoms contact ROHP for an evaluation of animal exposure issues. Where PPE is required to minimize exposure to animal allergen hazards from contact with animals, animal dander, urine or to aerosolized particulates associated with animal care or research, the hazard must be documented through a risk assessment and followed with medical evaluation, hazard communication to staff, and training on use of PPE. 

If you have any questions or concerns about this information, please contact Ross Janssen, Director of the University’s Office of Occupational Health and Safety.  Ross can be reached at 612-626-5844 or janss006@umn.edu.