Good afternoon Karen:

 

In the K-12 world, I am preparing my safety training for next week.  The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) states in its position paper Safety and School Science Instruction

 

http://www.nsta.org/about/positions/safety.aspx

 

“School districts, as employers, have the legal responsibility to conduct districtwide science safety training for all K–12 teachers of science upon their initial assignments to classrooms, labs, or storerooms where hazardous chemicals are present and prior to assignments involving new exposure situations. In addition, training should occur on an annual basis so teachers can review, discuss, and update the safety program; share experiences and better professional practices; and receive legal updates and other information related to science instruction and safety.

 

 

Our school district (~ 18,000 K-12 students, ~ 80 secondary science teachers) has made this training mandatory for all science teachers since 2007.  Our training has always included the following:

 

·        The OSHA laboratory standard and Duty of Care

·        Training on specific hazards (chemical, biological, physical) and review of the Chemical Hygiene Plan

·        Review of GHS (with links to more extensive GHS training.  Original GHS came in 2013.)

·        Required engineering controls, administrative controls, personal protective equipment

·        Safety Data Sheets

·        Extensive Q and A time

 

And most recently, annual fire extinguisher training.  Our public safety officer is also a fire marshal, so the fire extinguisher training is a freebie.

 

We spend a minimum of 30 minutes (not including the fire extinguisher training).  Some years it takes longer (one year, we basically conducted a book study of the CHP for three hours).

 

 

 

 

 

I’ve been doing my annual review of the regulations and I wanted to poll the audience here, particularly academic institutions, to see how often you require lab safety training?  Both Haz Com and the Lab Standard require it when you start and when new hazards are introduced, but have no requirement for refresher training.  Most of the other clients who use the management software we are moving to keep to that and only require it once.  I’m hoping to get a larger sample size by asking here.

 

Thank you,

 

Karalyn (Karen) Humphrey, Ph.D

 

Laboratory Safety Program Manager

& Radiation Safety Officer

Department of Environmental, Health & Safety

Baylor University

 

Office: Draper 244.10

Phone:  254-710-2002

 

 

"… our job in safety is to make the task happen, SAFELY; not to interfere with the work…” Neal Langerman

 

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