I’m forwarding a message from another listserve….

 

Mark your calendars for April 2nd 1pm ET for a blockbuster webinar co-sponsored by CSHEMA and NACUBO entitled "Lab Accidents in the News: Institutional and Individual Risks, Roles and Responsibilities."  It will be a 90 minute program that includes our Robin Izzo as moderator and speaker and Bob Emery along with Dr. Dominck Casadonte (chem professor) at TTU and environmental attorney Dave Monz. The registration fee is $189.

 

You can register at: http://www.nacubo.org/Distance_Learning/Lab_Accidents_in_the_News_Institutional_and_Individual_Risks_Roles_and_Responsibilities.html

 

I believe you will also be able to register through the CSHEMA web site (www.cshema.org); however, the information has not yet been posted as of this morning.

 

See more information below.

 

Peter

 

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Date:  April 2

Time: 1:00 pm ET

Session Title:  Lab Accidents in the News: Institutional and Individual Risks, Roles and Responsibilities  

Session Description/Overview:

Within the past few years there have been several high profile incidents in college and university laboratories across the country, resulting in death, serious injury, and major property damage.  These incidents captured the attention of the press, the public, regulatory agencies and, for the first time, the US Chemical Safety Board (CSB).   And for the first time, a university and a principal investigator were charged with criminal offenses related to a fatal laboratory accident.

Universities are developing a reputation of being lax and inattentive when it comes to laboratory safety, with the press describing an “epidemic” of serious safety issues and allegations of incident rates much higher than general industry. As a result, many universities are engaging in dialog about how to improve their safety culture.  Faculty members are now looking at their responsibilities as laboratory supervisors in a new light.  The safety culture in academia is often one of tension between the research goals of the laboratory workers and the need for safe and compliant behavior. Faculty face numerous challenges in maintaining a positive safety culture, documenting procedures and training, supervising students, post-docs and staff, and meeting their responsibilities as teachers, advisors and researchers.

This increased awareness of laboratory incidents is leading regulatory agencies, insurers, and others to take a closer look at the issues around the safety culture in academic laboratories and associated risks.

This joint NACUBO (link) and CSHEMA (link) webcast will present a summary of recent lab-related incidents, including those at UCLA and Texas Tech University.  We will provide an overview of the CSB findings and recommendations and what they mean to our institutions from the standpoint of safety, management and liability. 

 

Learning Objectives/What you will learn:

In this webinar, you will learn:

·         Common themes among the high-profile academic laboratory incidents, including recommendations by the US Chemical Safety Board

·         Laboratory liability – regulatory, civil and criminal charges

·         Laboratory management and safety culture challenges faced by faculty and academic administrators, and ideas for improvements

·         Ideas for raising safety culture awareness of faculty and administrators on your campus

Audience/Who Should Participate:

·         EHS directors, managers, and lab safety staff

·         Risk managers

·         Department chairs and faculty with labs

·         General counsel

·         Senior administrators

·         Research integrity and compliance staff

·         Business officers (CFO, Controller)

Speakers/Meet the Presenters:

·         Robin Izzo, Associate Director, Environmental Health and Safety, Princeton University

·         Dr. Dominick Casadonte, Chemistry Professor and former Chemistry Chair, Texas Tech

·         David Monz, environmental attorney, Updike, Kelly and Spellacy   

•        Dr. Bob Emery, Vice President for Environmental Health and Safety and Risk Management and Associate Professor, University of Texas Health Science Center,  Houston