Faculty of Science
Safety Committee Meeting
August 28, 2014
10:30 AM
TASC2 9705
Meeting Minutes – Final
Present:
Managers:
K. MacFarlane (co-chair), B. Medford, M. Szczepina, R. Holland
Workers:
A. Schumacher, C. Balicki, J. Rickers-Haunerland, K. Myrtle, N. Dobson, P. Saunders (co-chair)
Resource:
K. Scheel, M. Neudorf
Regrets:
J. Anthony, M. Plotnikoff, R. Arnold, V. Truong
Recording Secretary:
L. Lin
1. Approval of Agenda
a. N. Dobson / C. Balicki
2. Approval of the Minutes of the Previous Meeting
a. N. Dobson / M. Szczepina
3. Central University Safety Committee Report (M. Szczepina)
Issues discussed at August 2014 meeting:
a. Action items from the Previous Meeting
i. In response to reports that some faculty members were not evacuating their classes during fire alarms, M. Myles reported that a document has been created titled SFU Faculty Emergency Information. The document describes faculty responsibilities as per SFU General Policy 17 and will be included in new faculty orientation packages. The responsibilities include providing training for those who work with them and to evacuate during a fire alarm. M. Myles will also distribute this document at the SFU Graduate Student Orientation session (Friday August 29). D. Grund suggested the document be sent to DAs for distribution to sessional instructors.
ii. Non-smoking decals for sidewalks. M. Neudorf reported that the smoking policy working group will have its first meeting on September 25, 2014.
iii. A. Carchesio stated that incident reports from pets on campus will be brought forward.
iv. J. Glazier reported on traffic calming measures. SFU Traffic Safety is scheduling a meeting with Translink representatives to review bus loop safety. SFU parking services is investigating C Lot pedestrian crossing and ways to make motorists aware of where to expect pedestrians. Campus security has performed speed watching in C Lot. 82% of vehicles are travelling over the 15 km/h speed limit. 54% of these vehicles are travelling at least 10 km/h above this limit and 7% are travelling at least 20 km/h above this limit. The use of speed bumps, speed humps and surface rumble strips can hamper snow-clearing vehicles. Grooves or cuts to the pavement can also cause hydroplaning during rain and/or pose freezing hazards (ice) where water has accumulated. D. Grund mentioned the 15 km/h speed limit is not posted in C Lot. J. Glazier will discuss with M. Spencer and report back.
v. A. Carchesio reminded people to summarize AED locations and to forward the information to her.
vi. M. Skura has finalized the Workplace Bullying & Harassment Program document that incorporated feedback she received. Changes to finalized document include: 1) Safety & Risk Services creating a respectful workplace policy; 2) more neutral language; 3) one document now replaces three documents; 4) employees have the right to request employee group representation in the investigation; 5) punitive measures may be taken if the complaint is substantiated; 6) an external investigator may be brought in cases that are sensitive or complex and 7) training information. Reports will be tracked to enable statistics collection. Very close to having a Workplace Bullying and Harassment online training module ready. This training will be mandatory for all SFU employees.
b. Biosafety Committee (M. Neudorf)
i. Feedback to the Public Health Agency of Canada on the Human Pathogen and Toxins Act is due on September 4, 2014. The Biosafety Committee will be sending comments to the appropriate contacts.
c. Emergency Planner (M. Myles)
i. ShakeOut BC will occur on Thursday October 16, 2014 at 10:16 am. Province-wide earthquake drill. SFU will participate.
ii. M. Myles and D. Akerstrom are available to do presentations in your work area and walk through the drill.
iii. Report and presentation on information learned from visit to University of Canterbury (Christchurch, NZ) will be ready for the week of ShakeOut BC. Report will include personal preparedness, office safety, and earthquake aftermaths.
iv. M. Szczepina requested that M. Myles and D. Akerstrom do a presentation in a chemistry undergraduate lab where there could be 160 students at any one time.
d. Health & Counselling Services (B. Chick)
i. Nothing to report.
e. Environmental Health & Research Safety (M. Skura)
i. D. Hengelmolen retired. Ergonomics questions can be directed to C. Peltier. Fire safety questions can be directed to D. Akerstrom.
ii. SFU EHRS Lab Safety training will occur the week of September 15, 2014. Registration is now open.
iii. EHRS is doing an indoor air quality assessment of Louis Riel House. A consultant has been hired to look for signs of water ingress.
f. Personal Security (J. Glazier)
i. Please contact Julie Glazier if your area would like a presentation on personal / office security. There is also an opportunity to include D. Diamond (Student Services) in the discussion and to widen the scope to include how to handle students exhibiting concerning behaviour.
g. Radiation Safety (K. Scheel)
i. SFU Radiation Safety training will take place September 22, 2014 to September 26, 2014.
ii. SFU Laser Safety training will take place on October 10, 2014 and SFU X-Ray Safety training will take place on October 7, 2014.
h. Risk Management & Insurance (S. Caine)
i. Vehicle Use and Insurance Guidelines document is up on the Risk Management website.
ii. Changes include: only drivers with an “N” (Class 7 Novice License) or full license should be driving SFU vehicles; at-fault accidents while driving an SFU vehicle may affect the driver’s private insurance rates and drivers must match vehicle use with appropriate tires.
i. Campus Security (J. Glazier)
i. Campus Security is participating in various orientation activities for students to educate students about SFU’s Safe Walk program, emergency Code Blue Phones, motorist assistance and the Zone Liaison Program.
j. Round Table
i. B-J. Kelly announced that a working group for field work safety will meet in Fall 2014.
ii. H. Blakemore asked where contractors and temporary student staff receive safety training. M. Skura answered that all contractors receive SFU EHRS safety training. In cases where temporary student staff cannot attend EHRS Safety training, supervisors are responsible for handling job specific safety training.
4. Incident reports
a. Science Stores – 4L glass bottle
· There was a manufacturing flaw in bottle. When staff member lifted the bottle using the glass ring on the top of the bottle, the bottle initially lifted out of the box, but then the bottom and top of the bottle separated and the bottom fell back into the box spilling dichlormethane onto the floor and into the box.
· A review of the clean-up procedure was undertaken. The staff took appropriate steps to clean up the solvent spill, but possibilities for improved procedures are being investigated. The list of stock chemicals in Science Stores is being examined to see if the list can be distilled down to a manageable number of clean-up categories. It would be useful to have a spill kit for each category so there is no confusion about what should be used.
b. NMR quench
· K. MacFarlane will send corrected wording for the Incident Detail Summary field to A. Carchesio (EHRS) to remove the word “subliming.”
c. Animal Care
· C. Peltier is investigating why a cart was being used on the stairs.
5. Inspection Reports
a. Animal Care
· Has submitted an inspection summary.
b. CHEM
· Has submitted an inspection summary.
· TASC2 gas cylinders: there is only a single strap restraint for most of the gas cylinders. Once Facilities has finished summer work, double restraints will be installed.
· C. Mocock made a template that allows tracking of individuals who have received training and what kind of training. Contact M. Szczepina for a copy if interested.
· Recommend that if a room doesn’t have chemical hazards (i.e., food prep room), hazard sign holder be left blank.
· A question was raised about seismic restraints for large equipment, cabinets, ovens, etc. Suggest getting in contact with Machine Shop.
· In light of the recent NMR quench incident, suggest that users be educated on how to recognize a quench and what should be done.
· Signage is needed for neutron generator area to outline meaning of status lights on interlock system. K. Scheel states that this is in progress.
· Three labs had air and vacuum hoses not clamped or wired. PIs have been asked to check their labs for proper hose wiring.
· The Surrey campus BISC and CHEM labs will be inspected tomorrow (Aug. 29).
· General areas in CHEM to be inspected at the end of the year.
· Next laboratory inspections will take place in May 2015.
c. Next year: return inspection checklists to PIs as soon as possible after inspections and give PIs only two weeks to remedy any issues identified during the laboratory inspections.
6. Continuing Issues
a. Pregnant Lab Workers
· K. Scheel and M. Neudorf to compose a short write-up on guidelines for pregnant lab workers for the web. Draft to be sent to committee for review.
· M. Szczepina has compiled a list of chemicals within the CHEM 281/286 lab in preparation for a concerned student who will be starting class in Spring 2015.
· WorkSafe BC states when requested by a pregnant worker or by a worker intending to conceive a child, the employer must make counselling available with respect to the reproductive hazards associated with exposure to ionizing radiation.
b. July 20 Power Outage
· M. Myles to talk to Security about the issues that occurred, including the notification system.
7. Roundtable
a. A. Schumacher
· Several hot plates, from the General Chemistry Teaching Laboratory, that were identified as needing repair were sent to the Electronic Shop.
b. Earthquake Readiness
· P. Saunders suggested that adding earthquake preparedness items to the safety inspection checklists should be considered. K. MacFarlane to investigate the feasibility of doing so.
· N. Dobson suggested that M. Myles be invited to the SSB to speak about this in advance of the ShakeOut event.
· Suggestion was made that child-proof latches for chemical storage cabinets could be an option for cabinets that are lacking lips on shelves and where there are concerns about doors flying open in an earthquake.
8. Motion to Adjourn
a. M. Szczepina / B. Medford
b. Adjourned: 11:45 am