Safety Information

Certain safety procedures are REQUIRED on campus

A database of all employees and the safety training they have received will be initiated and maintained by the safety office.
Each lab must develop and display a safety poster that is pertinent to that lab.
Each lab must conduct a simulated spill once a year to practice spill response procedures.
Each of these activities will be documented.

University Hazardous Waste Policy

The University has a hazardous waste policy that will improve compliance with the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and other U.S. Acts that serve to protect the environment. The policy expects faculty and staff to strictly follow the regulations put in place by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Kansas Department of Environmental Health & Safety (KDHE). The department or college that permits the improper disposal of chemicals or chemical products will be held liable for any fees or penalties imposed by the EPA or KDHE. Furthermore, College Environmental Health & Safety Committees formed within each college are expected to include RCRA inspections as part of their responsibilities.

PPM Chapter 3745, Hazardous Waste Management has been issued. The chapter can be located at http://www.k-state.edu/policies/ppm/3745.html

Questions on this policy are to be directed to the Department of Environmental Health and Safety, telephone number (785)532- 5856.

Departmental Safety Forms

The following are available as pdf files:

Safety practices - Departmental policy on good lab practices waste review checklist
Hazardous Waste Review Checklist and guidelines Safety Orientation Checklist
New Employee Safety Orientation Checklist
Spill Drill Worksheet - to be used for yearly practices
Go to the Environmental Health and Safety Webpages for additional information, MSDS sheets, and to request pick-up of chemical waste: http://www.k-state.edu/safety/

Proper Pipette Disposal

There is a wrong and a right way to dispose of your pipette tips. Here are the guidelines for the proper procedure:

Make sure the solvent is not on the P-list. You can find the P-list in Appendix A of the Kansas Hazardous Waste Generator Handbook at https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/4882/Hazardous-Waste-Generator-Handbook-PDF.
Empty any liquid from the tips into your hazardous waste container as you normally do.
If the solvent is not on the P-list, seal the empty tips in a zip-lock bag. Do NOT label the bag.
Throw the bag in the ordinary trash.
Do NOT save the bags of tips in the fume hood or anywhere else in the lab.
If the solvent is on the P-list, the procedure will be different.
Anyone using P-listed chemicals should contact either the safety coordinator* or Public Safety for waste handling instructions.

*John Gamble, CSP Health, Safety, and Environmental Coordinator K-State Research & Extension. Gamble’s office is located at the Kansas Department of Agriculture. He can be reached at jhgamble@ksu.edu or 713-835-0431.

Radiation Safety Training

Other Important Resources

Environmental Health and Safety Training - The K-State Department of Environmental Health and Safety has assembled a library of computer-based safety training modules to help our employees perform their work safely. Training powerpoints with certification at the end are available here.
Biosafety Committee (IBC) Training - In addition, the University Research Compliance Office (URCO) also has online trainings available for research on human subjects, laboratory animal care and use, or use of recombinant DNA or biohazardous materials. You can access the online training here (please follow directions provided).
The department maintains a description of Good Laboratory Safety Practices and offers a New Employee Safety Orientation Checklist which should be used by all faculty and other employees
If you need advice or information on shipping 'hazardous materials', please consult https://www.k-state.edu/safety/environmental/shipping-receiving/ or contact the Department of Environmental Health and Safety (532-5856) regarding the rules.