From:
Jessica Martin <jessica.a.martin**At_Symbol_Here**UCONN.EDU>
Subject:
Re: [DCHAS-L] How is chemical security managed at your institution?
Date:
Dec 13, 2022 16:16 UTC
Reply-To:
ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU>
Message-ID:
<118FBCBD-48A5-44EE-B12A-C9722B75A2AB**At_Symbol_Here**uconn.edu>
In-Reply-To:
<CA+KeQVt0Ne73YeH93LpVV2wuG-QTSrz6C95O18Oj9RY72ampGg**At_Symbol_Here**mail.gmail.com>
I attended a small PUI for my undergrad. Anyone could essentially walk onto campus, into our labs, and access all sorts of stuff (instruments, chemicals) without any person or any security feature stopping them. I had several friends who were not in any way affiliated with the college inadvertently test this by wandering around trying to find me when I invited them to campus for various things. The fact that very few people even knew where our tiny PUI was located probably functioned as our best security feature.
Best,
Jessica A. Martin, Ph.D.
NSF Graduate Research Fellow (2018-2021)
Joint Safety Team, Founding Member (2018-2021)
Pinkhassik Group, Department of Chemistry (2016-2021)
University of Connecticut
323-327-3974
jessica.a.martin**At_Symbol_Here**uconn.edu
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicaannemartin/
ACS CHAS PEER-LED WORKSHOPS
The Workshop ACS CHAS Empowering Academic Researchers to Strengthen Safety Culture is being held next on March 5, 2023!
Follow this link for more information and to register: https://LSTWorkshopMarch2023.eventbrite.com
The Workshop ACS CHAS RAMP in the Research Lab is being held next on April 13, 2023!
Follow this link for more information and to register: https://RAMPintheResearchLabApril2023.eventbrite.com
On Dec 13, 2022, at 9:59 AM, Monique Wilhelm <biocmst**At_Symbol_Here**GMAIL.COM> wrote:
*Message sent from a system outside of UConn.*
Security of chemicals at a small PUI was very easy to manage. I do not think it is the same at larger R1s.
>After reading this paper, do you think your campus has it nailed? Is there room for improvement? Or do you have virtually no chemical security whatsoever? I’m curious how big of an issue this is on campuses around the US.
My experience is that the answer to this question depends on who you ask. Animal care research facilities tend to be quite secure (with the caveat below). But when I have brought this issue up with researchers about specific chemicals they have on hand, I received
blank stares. I have also heard from people who think routinely think about security issues (i.e. campus police and the FBI) that have been left aghast that they have been able to casually go into in chemical laboratories and handle chemicals without being
challenged.
Caveat: People may remember that part of the anthrax event after 9/11 included a laboratory situation at the University of Connecticut that highlights the challenge of lab security:
https://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-xpm-2001-12-01-0112011029-story.html
Sandia Labs has been on the forefront thinking about this issue, but I believe that they have received more interest outside the US than domestically on this topic.
- Ralph
Ralph Stuart, CIH, CCHO
ralph**At_Symbol_Here**rstuartcih.org
---
For more information about the DCHAS-L e-mail list, contact the Divisional membership chair at
membership**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org
Follow us on Twitter @acsdchas
--- For more information about the DCHAS-L e-mail list, contact the Divisional membership chair at
membership**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org Follow us on Twitter @acsdchas
