The University Laboratory Safety Committee (ULSC) at The Ohio State University recognized the eighth annual winners of the “Excellence in Safety” Award. The award, in three categories, recognizes a university faculty or staff member (Individual Award), an undergraduate or graduate student (Student Award) and a laboratory research group (Group Award) who has made 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.
Individual Award – Ryan Petitti
Ryan Petitti is the director of lab services for the Center for Design and Manufacturing Excellence (CDME). The following was stated in his nomination letter:
Over the last year Ryan has demonstrated exceptional leadership in fostering a culture of safety within CDME’s laboratory spaces, benefitting faculty, staff and students. His proactive approach to laboratory safety, innovative training initiatives, and strong collaborations with Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) and the College of Engineering make him highly deserving of this recognition.
Student Award – Jocelyn Elgin
Jocelyn Elgin is the safety officer for the Wu Laboratory in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. The following was stated in her nomination letter:
Jocelyn is one of the best laboratory safety officers in the department and is a role model for safety in our department. One of the best characteristics in a lab safety officer is having someone that feels comfortable asking questions. Jocelyn is very comfortable asking safety questions and wanting to understand why things are a certain way in safety. Jocelyn is an excellent safety champion and is an asset to her lab and to safety at Ohio State.
Group Award – The Scarlet Consulting Group
The Scarlet Consulting Group is a student led group dedicated to identifying ergonomic hazards in hospital settings and proposing safer alternatives to prevent injuries from heavy wheeled carts. The group also focuses on high-risk emergency procedures involving molten metal, developing OSHA-aligned solutions to reduce employee exposure and improve response protocols. The following was stated in their nomination letter:
The group demonstrates a proactive, data-driven approach to safety, combining ergonomic analysis, regulatory research, and practical implementation strategies. Its consistent focus on injury prevention and process improvement reflects a strong commitment to fostering a positive safety culture. Scarlet Consulting Group represents the best of student leadership in safety and is highly deserving of this recognition.