Most authorized users, permit holders, and radiation workers eventually will be involved in an inspection by the Ohio Department of Health (ODH), the next routine inspection expected sometime during the third or fourth quarter, 2021. To try to determine the status of regulatory compliance, inspectors review records and observe and communicate with laboratory personnel. Environmental Health and Safety provides training and guidance to build consistency and confidence in radioactive material (RAM) users, including performing audits and surveys to ensure laboratories are using RAM safely while indirectly helping to prepare workers for ODH inspections.
Ancillalry staff (housekeeping, maintenance, security, environmental services, facilities management, and emergency response personnel) should receive instruction before working in or visiting an area where entry is controlled because of the presence of radiation, such as research laboratories and patient care areas. Regulations require the extent of instruction be appropriate for the potential radiation safety issues in the area. Departments may request training on an "as needed" basis from Radiation Safety .
Radioactive Material Use Area Entry
All areas that are approved to contain Radioactive Material (RAM)...
What is your official job title at EHS and a general description of your job duties?
As a Medical Health Physics Technician, my main job includes coordinating the dosimetry program for all of The Ohio State University. I work with department badge coordinators to ensure that radiation workers are monitored for radiation exposure. My goal is to ensure that personal radiation exposure is “as low as reasonably achievable” and stays within allowable limits. Along with being Dosimetry Coordinator, my job duties also include assisting in approving radioactive material orders and delivering radioactive materials to laboratories, assisting in organizing...
Each year, EHS conducts a laboratory safety site visit of all campus research laboratories using hazardous chemicals and biological materials. The site visit focuses on appropriate facilities, protocols that minimize risks, and properly trained competent personnel. Achieving compliance is not a matter of chance but a matter of choice!
EHS would like to congratulate the following Principal Investigators and their laboratory staff for making the July - December 2020 Laboratory Safety Dean’s List, with no items of concern noted during the initial annual site visit. Thank you for your continued commitment to making Ohio State a safe...
What is your official job title at EHS and a general description of your job duties?
My official title is Director of Biosecurity, and my working title is Institutional Biosafety Officer. I am responsible for directing the university's Biosafety Program that includes advising the university on policy and programs necessary to ensure the control of biological agents to protect faculty, staff, students, the university, and the environment. I consult with the university on hazards and compliance assurance associated with biological agents, potentially infectious materials, recombinant DNA, and other possible hazards in academic and research environments....
It seems that everywhere you go on the Ohio State Columbus campus you see and read signs that warn about a variety of hazards. Just as warning signs vary on topics, so do their colors. Students, faculty, and staff may find the color variations of these signs confusing at times. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has recommendations for the color and wording of signs contained in Standard #1910.145 . Here are OSHA’s recommendations for the color of signs:
Red = Danger. OSHA recommends danger signs or tags be red or predominantly red, with lettering or...
Overexertion and repetitive stress are the second leading cause of on-the-job injuries and accidents, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Whether you are returning to work after not being as active as usual or an essential worker who is working overtime, you can strain yourself from pushing your body too hard. This can happen by lifting, pushing, or pulling something too heavy for you. Overexertion can lead to a “musculoskeletal disorder,” with symptoms including swelling, numbness, stiffness, chronic pain, or the permanent loss of mobility in muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints. These injuries can lead to debilitating pain,...
Each year, EHS conducts a laboratory safety site visit of all campus research laboratories using hazardous chemicals and biological materials. The site visit focuses on appropriate facilities, protocols that minimize risks, and properly trained competent personnel. Achieving compliance is not a matter of chance but a matter of choice!
EHS would like to congratulate the following Principal Investigators and their laboratory staff for making the January - June 2020 Laboratory Safety Dean’s List, with no items of concern noted during the initial annual site visit. Thank you for your continued commitment to making Ohio State a safe...
What is your official job title at EHS and a general description of your job duties?
My official job title is OSHA Program Specialist, responsible for overseeing OSHA programs. This includes but is not limited to the Hearing Conservation and the Respiratory Protection Programs. I also have been tasked as the liaison for University Health Services to help ensure that employees covered under OSHA programs are in compliance with their required medical surveillance.
How long have you been with EHS?
I began working for Ohio State in early February 2020. It has been...
Ladders are used widely at The Ohio State University by all sorts of employees and vary in sizes, shapes and styles. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 43% of fatal falls involve the use of a ladder.
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), falls from portable ladders (step, straight, combination, extension) are one of the leading causes of occupational fatalities and injuries. With these alarming statistics in mind, safety cannot be ignored while on a ladder.
OSHA has published the following safety tips for using and working with ladders:
