Kristi (and all the other interested parties),

 

We have a few resources. In terms of chemical safety, our Chemical Hygiene Plan covers PI responsibilities in section 1.4.A. A broader guide to PI safety responsibilities is our Faculty Safety Handbook.

 

Additionally, over the past few years we’ve established a process where EHS reaches out to new PIs before they arrive to send them some resources, request some information (research focus, anticipated primary hazards, etc.), and asking to meet with them (I believe we’ve had a pretty high response rate, but the areas I cover haven’t had a lot of new PIs so I don’t have firm numbers off the top of my head). That meeting typically includes our Director of Research Safety and representatives from any Research Safety technical groups appropriate (i.e., Laboratory Chemical and Physical Safety, Health Physics, and Biosafety and Biosecurity) for the lab’s anticipated hazards. During the meeting we introduce ourselves, learn more about the lab’s research, inform them of the services EHS provides, answer any questions they have, and determine what action items there are for them to get their research started efficiently, safely, and in compliance with all applicable regulations. Again, I haven’t had the opportunity to do many of these meetings, but my impression has been that new PIs who have undergone this process have been more comfortable and confident in reaching out to EHS.

 

If you have any questions, please feel free to get in touch; I’m happy to either answer them or connect you with someone who can.

 

Sincerely,

 

Jack Reidy (he/him)

Research Safety Specialist, Assistant Chemical Hygiene Officer

Environmental Health & Safety

Stanford University

484 Oak Road, Stanford, CA, 94305

Tel: (650) 497-7614

 

 

 

 

Hi All,

 

For those of you at academic institutions, I wonder if anyone has a presentation/training, etc. they might be willing to share that dives into PI roles and responsibilities beyond that which is typically provided by research compliance offices at most places.  I’m thinking of something that would join all of those typical aspects of responsibility with those of safety and liability as well.  Thank you in advance for anything you might be willing to share and please feel free to contact me offline if you prefer.

 

All the best,

 

Kristi

 

Kristi Ohr, Ph.D.  (pronouns: she/her)
Assistant Director, Academic Safety

Environmental Health and Safety
UMass Amherst
40 Campus Center Way
Draper Hall
Amherst, MA 01003
Office: 413-545-5117

Cell: 413-800-4408

kohr**At_Symbol_Here**ehs.umass.edu

www.ehs.umass.edu

 

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