“Excellence in Safety” Award Winners - 2017

On May 9, the University Laboratory Safety Committee (ULSC) recognized the inaugural winners of the “Excellence in Safety” Award. The awards recognize a university faculty or staff member (Individual Award) and a laboratory research group (Group Award) who have made a considerable contribution to improving laboratory safety on the Ohio State campus. Such contributions can be defined as but are not limited to, actions taken to prevent injury or illness, outstanding response and cooperation given to resolve unsafe conditions, consistent improvement during laboratory inspections, or any other consistent and proactive demonstration of efforts in support of a positive laboratory safety culture.

Award winners were congratulated by ULSC Chair, Rebecca Daskalova, Senior Associate Vice President for Research, Dr. Jan Weisenberger and Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer, Gates Garrity-Rokous.

Congratulations to all of our nominees and award winners! Thank you for making The Ohio State University a safe working and learning environment for everyone!

Faculty/Staff Award - Dr. Susan Welch, a laboratory manager responsible for maintaining five laboratories, from the School of Earth Sciences received the Faculty/Staff Award. Dr. Welch is a member of the school’s Health & Safety Committee and is responsible for training all students, undergraduate and graduate, who work in the laboratories. In addition to providing safety and compliance oversight, Dr. Welch is an enthusiastic cheerleader for student research.

Group Award - The research laboratory of Dr. Umit Ozkan was the recipient of the Group Award. Dr. Ozkan, a faculty member in the College of Engineering, has led the effort to create a culture of safety, both within her laboratory group and the William G. Lowrie Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. Her students take a proactive and involved role in the department’s safety and in their own laboratory space. Laboratory group members conduct regular internal audits and experimental reviews to ensure any possible hazards are identified and steps are taken to improve safety.

In addition to our winners, the following individuals/groups were nominated by their supervisors and/or peers for the 2017 “Excellence in Safety” Award:

• Jeffery Barton (College of Engineering, Gas Turbine Laboratory)
• Tom Huegel (College of Engineering, Engineering Research Operations)
• Dr. Mahmood Khan (College of Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine)
• Dr. Yosra Mohamed (College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, OARDC Food Animal Health)
• Angela Nanes (College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, OARDC Plant Pathology)
• Brent Sullenbarger (College of Nursing)
• Small Animal Imaging Core Facility, Wexner Medical Center
• Dr. Hannah Shafaat’s Research Laboratory (College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry)