The mission of the Division of Environmental Health & Safety is to provide comprehensive environmental health and safety services for the University community by developing and administering effective policies, programs and procedures that prevent personal injuries and maintain regulatory compliance in the areas of biological, chemical, occupational, and radiation safety, thereby supporting the UConn’s mission of teaching, research, and public service.

Our office is a resource of highly trained and certified safety professionals who serve the UConn community. We strive to promote and maintain a safe and healthful campus and work environment by ensuring the highest level of environmental health and safety services for UConn’s faculty, staff, students, and visitors.  We achieve this by providing comprehensive safety training; assessing workplace risks; managing hazardous materials and regulated waste; providing consultative services; and performing workplace inspections, audits and accident investigations. EHS provides these services in partnership with faculty, staff and students in its commitment to keep you safe.  We ask you to share this commitment.  Contact us for your health and safety training, information, regulated waste collection, consultation or other needs.

We are here to help! You can contact any of my team members by visiting our Contacts page. You can also contact me directly, and I’d be happy to assist you.

Biological Health and Safety

The Biological Health and Safety Programs have two areas of focus: Biological Safety and Public Health. The aim of biological safety (biosafety) staff is to recognize and evaluate the occupational and laboratory risks associated with the use, storage or disposal of biological agents such as bacteria, viruses and fungi. The biosafety programs are designed to introduce and/or recommend procedures, practices, equipment and/or facility design that promotes contamination control, agent containment and/or risk reduction and to help assure University compliance with OSHA, CDC/HHS, NIH/HHS, DPH, FDA, DEP/EPA, USDA/APHIS, DOD, DOC, DOT and USPS regulations. The Public Health programs are designed to facilitate protection of the public health of the University community and visitors from environmental hazards (biological, chemical, radioactive and physical) associated with food and water and general hygiene by assuring the appropriate DEP, OSHA, Department of Consumer Protection (DCP), FDA, Public Health code and University policy regulations are followed.

 

Chemical Health and Safety

The Chemical Health and Safety Section has a dual role: first, it serves the University in general as the source for chemical, biological and hazardous waste removal, storage, and disposal; second, it offers, primarily the research community, a consultative resource for health and safety issues from a chemical and laboratory perspective. In both roles, Chemical Health & Safety staff are tasked with promoting University compliance with applicable OSHA, EPA, Connecticut DEP, DoT, and other employee/environmental safety regulations. The Chemical Health and Safety section provides this support and these services to a broad range of faculty and staff working in a variety of settings, including Facilities Operations, Researchers, food service, custodial services, farm services, Public Safety, and office and administrative areas. Chemical Health and Safety develops policies and procedures, conducts training, responds to chemically-related incidents, and performs laboratory inspections, hazardous waste audits, and accident/spill investigations. Issues that are commonly referred to Chemical Health and Safety include: hazard characterization; hazard assessment; waste determination; indoor air quality; reproductive hazards in the lab; lab design and set-up; engineering control evaluation (fume hoods); and personal protective equipment selection.

 

Occupational Health and Safety

The Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Section’s role is to promote and protect the health and safety of University employees, and to promote University compliance with applicable OSHA, EPA, CT DPH, and other worker safety regulations. The OHS section provides services covering a broad range of worker safety issues that affect the health and well-being of University faculty and staff working in a variety of settings, including the maintenance and construction trades, technical fields, food service, custodial services, farm services, protective services, and office and administrative areas. The OHS section develops policies and programs, conducts training, responds to complaints and referrals, and performs workplace consultations, audits, and accident investigations. Health and safety issues covered by the section include: asbestos, lead, non-laboratory chemical use and handling, electrical safety, personal protective equipment, respiratory protection, industrial vehicle safety, noise exposure, machinery and equipment safety, trenching and excavations, ergonomics, and indoor air quality.

 

Radiation Safety

Radiation Safety is responsible for ensuring a safe environment for all personnel, students, and members of the public at UConn with regard to radiation from radioactive material, analytical x-ray equipment, and lasers used in laboratory research applications. Individuals that work in a radioactive material laboratory whether a user or non-user, utilize analytical x-ray equipment, or work with or in a laser laboratory must complete required training. Radiation Safety staff will inspect these areas routinely and monitor as needed to ensure laboratory worker safety and that exposures are within the regulatory guidelines and are as low as reasonably achievable. Radioactive materials are regulated under the auspices of the federal license issued by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to UConn through the Radiation Safety Committee (RSC) and require pre-authorization by the RSC. Analytical x-ray equipment is regulated by the Connecticut State DEEP and is required to be registered with the State through the Radiation Safety Office prior to use or acquisition. Lasers are regulated by OSHA and are required to be used in accordance with the ANSI Z136.1 standard for the safe use of lasers. Laser researchers are required to register Class 3B and 4 lasers with Radiation Safety and submit Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to Radiation Safety for pre-approval and ensure proper safety controls are in place. Radiation Safety must be contacted prior to any work with or acquisition of equipment involving radioactive materials, analytical x-ray equipment, and lasers.