Safety @UVA Chemical Engineering

Composed of faculty and graduate students, the Department of Chemical Engineering Safety & Security Committee acts as a steward for laboratory safety activities within the department.

Report a Near Miss or Incident

In Case of Emergency:

In the event of a chemical exposure or injury, the injured person must seek medical attention in one of the following places (depending on the severity of the exposure and your physical location):

If you are:

Faculty, staff, students paid through University Payroll:
  • UVA Academic: UVA-WorkMed 1910 Arlington Blvd (434) 243-0075
  • UVA Medical Center: UVA Employee Health 1222 Jefferson Park Ave (434) 924-2013
All other Students:
  • UVA Academic: Student Health 400 Brandon Ave
    • (434) 924-5363
    • (434)297-4261 (after hours)
  • UVA Medical Center: Student Health 400 Brandon Ave
    • (434) 924-5363
    • (434)297-4261 (after hours)
  • UVA Student and Employee Health Wise Clinic (276) 376-3475 (276) 376-3475
Visiting scientists and scholars, interns, volunteers:
  • UVA Academic: UVA-WorkMed 1910 Arlington Blvd (434) 243-0075
  • UVA Medical Center: UVA Employee Health 1222 Jefferson Park Ave (434) 924-2013
If after hours or high degree of injury:
  • UVA or closest Emergency Room, or Urgent Care facility
  • UVA Health System Emergency Room (434) 924-2231 Lee Street, Charlottesville
  • Martha Jefferson Emergency Room (434) 654-7150 500 Martha Jefferson Drive, Charlottesville
  • 911 (if injured person cannot move or be moved)

Reporting of Incidents, Injuries, Chemical Exposures and Near Misses

To achieve a safe workplace both within our laboratories and office space takes everyone’s involvement. The motto, ‘If you see something, say something’, is important to help identify and resolve potential safety situations before they get worse. When in doubt, it is better to stop, re- assess, and ask someone.

All chemical exposures, injuries, and incidents (no matter how small) and near misses with the potential to cause harm or damage, should be promptly reported to the faculty or supervisor in charge of the lab / area, followed up with notification via email or phone call to the Safety Committee or the Department Chair, which are listed below.

In case of potential or actual chemical exposure, EHS must also be notified.

All students conducting research in the Department of Chemical Engineering at UVA are required to read, understand, and follow the practices outlined in the Department of Chemical Engineering Safety Manual (PDF VERSION).

Laboratories within the Department of Chemical Engineering at UVA use this laboratory inspection form to conduct regular safety inspections of laboratory spaces.

Laboratory Inspection Form

The Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Virginia is cognisant of safety hazards present in our laboratories. We emphasize the development of a strong safety culture, and we have implemented initiatives including walk through safety inspections by the departmental Safety Committee and coordination with Environmental Health and Safety at the University of Virginia (annual seminars, online training modules, and annual inspections).

The Chemical Engineering DuPont Student Safety Award recognizes student commitment to maintaining a safe laboratory environment.

This annual student award recognizes and incentivizes efforts to make safety-related improvements or changes to laboratory practices. The goal of this award is to encourage proactive safety measures and to prevent unsafe practices or conditions before they arise. Ideally, award winners will have developed a new best practice (perhaps as a result of a near-miss) or will have reported a safety improvement, and these best practices and improvements will be shared to support our collective effort to promote safe laboratory working practices.

Award Applications

Applications are made via an email to the Safety Committee. A short template for the submission is available, and applications may contain supporting information (e.g., pictures or video). Applications should address the following:

  • Describe the proactive safety measures implemented by the nominee. How did they implement the changes and what challenges were overcome?
  • Describe the impact of the nominee’s contribution. What was visibly different? How many people were impacted or potentially impacted?
  • What was the period of time over which the impact was noted?

Eligibility 

Any graduate or undergraduate student in the Department of Chemical Engineering may apply for the Chemical Engineering DuPont Student Safety Award.

Award Amount

The award amount is $1,000.

Award Selection

Award submissions will be reviewed and winners selected by the Safety Committee of the Department of Chemical Engineering during the spring semester. The submission deadline may vary from year to year but is generally in March.

Award Winner Announcement

The award winner(s) will be announced during the annual spring department award ceremony. If the student will be on Grounds during the following fall semester, they will be invited to present their safety initiative during the annual fall safety seminar, which typically is held during the first week of the fall semester. If the student is not available, the Safety Committee will present the winning safety initiative(s).

University of Virginia Environmental Health and Safety

The EHS office at UVA handles University-wide safety training, laboratory waste collection, and other safety information-related responsibilities.

EHS @ UVA

Laboratory Coat Laundry Details
Laboratory Coat Cleaning Form

Contact Information