Physics at Virginia
Environmental Health and Safety Policies
- Training: All Research Labs, Teaching Labs, and other Technical Facilities need to provide appropriate training for new personnel. Particular attention should be given to safety and procedures for handling Regulated Hazardous Materials (RHM). Lab Directors and Managers (e.g., PI's, Shop Foreman, Teaching Lab Manager) are responsible for ensuring that this training is delivered in a timely manner and that it is appropriate to the particulars of the Lab or Facility. At a minimum, this training should include a review of relevant University Policy (http://ehs.virginia.edu/ehs/ehs.polproc.html) published by the Office of Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S).
- Annual Retraining: All personnel who use RHM (Regulated Hazardous Materials) must receive annual retraining. Currently, that retraining is delivered by EH&S via their web site (http://ehs.virginia.edu/ehs/).
- Student RHM Disposition: As a requirement for graduation, all students must properly dispose of or completely label any Regulated Hazardous Materials (RHM) that they have generated and their advisor must provide a written affirmation to that effect.
- Flammables Storage Lockers: It is recommended that storage lockers containing flammable materials be clearly labeled.
- Emergency Contact List: All Research Labs, Teaching Labs, and other Technical Facilities need to have a list of emergency contacts (including work and home phone numbers) clearly posted on or beside the door.
- Machine Shop Training: Machine Shop personnel will teach a course stressing safe use of the equipment in the Student Shop. All personnel who wish to use the Student Shop must take the Student Shop Course or provide documentation that they have had equivalent training. The Machine Shop Foreman has the final say in who may use the Student Shop and may revoke that privilege at any time for any unsafe or inappropriate use of the facility.
- "Buddy System": No one should perform any operation alone where a credible risk of debilitating personal injury exists. This includes common laboratory hazards such as working on energized power supplies or mixing dangerous chemicals.
- Optical Tables: The Department will pay to have riggers move large optical tables between rooms.
For more information, please contact the Physics Department’s Director of Laboratories, Rick Marshall, at (434)924-3080, in room 103B, or at rmm5a@Virginia.EDU.