Employees who wear a respirator as part of their job duties are required to follow Environmental Health and Safety’s (EHS) respiratory protection program guidelines. Developed in compliance with OSHA rules, the guidelines support a safe working environment while ensuring employees comply with regulations. Annual online training and fit testing for respirator users is provided through EHS. If you are unsure whether a respirator is required, contact EHS for a hazard assessment of your work area.
Please Note: Wexner Medical Center employees should schedule fit testing via MyTools .
Organizing and cleaning should be done regularly, not just when absolutely necessary. The risk of injuries and accidents greatly decreases when performing a regular cleanup.
Poor Housekeeping Results:
Tripping over objects on floors, stairs, and other surfaces Being struck by falling objects due to poorly stacked items Slipping on greasy, wet, or dirty surfaces Cutting or puncturing of skin due to protruding or misplaced objects More fire hazards
Good Housekeeping Results:
Fewer tripping/slipping incidents due to cleaner walking surfaces Better control of tools and materials, including...
Research members of The Ohio State University are invited to join Environmental Health and Safety for its virtual spring Lab Manager Q&A session on May 17, 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. , to discuss proper waste labeling and storage, EHS Online updates, radiation labeled equipment disposals, satellite housing, AHSP use, ducted biosafety cabinets, workday for radiation and relocation procedures for laboratories and more. Lab managers can meet their safety representative, ask questions and learn about regulatory updates. Contact Eric Petz for the link to the Teams meeting.
Your safety is our top priority. Students, faculty, staff, visitors and patients are encouraged to report conditions that they believe could have resulted in more serious consequences so proper actions can be implemented to prevent future injuries or property damage. A recent example of a Good Catch is listed below.
Incident Title – Active Gas Line in Scheduled Building Demolition
Incident Type – Unsafe Act or Behavior
Incident Summary – A demolition was scheduled for a building on campus when it was discovered that natural gas lines were still active leading from the gas...
Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) assists the university community in providing and maintaining a safe and healthy work environment for students, faculty, staff, contractors and visitors. EHS also works to protect the local community and environment from potential hazards on campus and instills safety, health and environmental stewardship in the work they perform. The office is responsible for facilitating health and safety compliance at all Ohio State campuses, extension offices, hospital complexes and ambulatory facilities throughout the state of Ohio.
The majority of EHS activities are conducted on a calendar year basis to conform with...
A chemical fume hood is type of local ventilation device designed to limit exposure to hazardous or toxic fumes, vapors, or dusts. There are different types of chemical fume hoods with certain rules that should be followed.
SASH HEIGHT
Keep the sash opened no further than 16-17 inches above the air foil. Typically, there is an arrow indicating where the sash should be opened to when working in the fume hood.
PROPER USAGE
Never store equipment or materials permanently in a hood. Do not place items that block the baffles....
Portable space heaters can pose a fire safety hazard. Using unapproved or unsafe space heaters or using them in an inappropriate or unsafe manner presents a fire risk. Although they are nice to have for extra warmth, they can cause burns and fires if not used properly. To ensure safety of life and property, all visitors, students, faculty, and staff are required to comply with the following requirements of the OSU Fire and Life Safety Compliance Guide in accordance with the Fire and Life Safety Policy.
Hazards exist in every workplace. Know the basics of how to protect yourself from all types of health and safety risks. In this edition of the Environmental Health & Safety brief, learn why it’s important to always wear your Personal Protective Equipment.
What is your official job title at EHS and a general description of your job duties?
I am a hazardous waste specialist, supporting all Ohio State operations by assisting with the removal of hazardous, biological, chemical, and universal waste from research labs, office buildings, maintenance areas, and more. Our group helps ensure the safe and compliant transportation and disposal of all these materials once operations and researchers no longer can use them. Once I have picked up the waste, I determine how to safely store the material and work with a disposal vendor to ensure it is packaged...
