Responsibilities of ChE Group Safety Officers

This document should be used in conjunction with the “Guidelines for safety training of new researchers in ChE labs” document

It is recommended that each faculty member (PI), whether simulation-oriented or experiment-oriented, assigns one (or two, depending on the size of the group) graduate student to be the Safety Officer. The role of said student is to:

  1. Lead by example by engaging in safe practices in the lab.
  2. Act as the liaison between the research group, the Professor, and the ChE Safety Committee, promptly bringing any safety concerns to the attention of the safety committee chair.
  3. Promptly report any near miss or safety incident to the safety committee chair.
  4. Make sure any new policies and recommendations are communicated within the group.
  5. Be the contact person within the research group for new group members to address safety issues.
  6. Manage training for all group members (for more details, please refer to the “Guidelines for safety training of new researchers in ChE labs” document):
    • Ensure that members complete ChE Safety Awareness Training with the chair of the ChE Safety Committee (currently Dr. Gabriela Nagy), annual safety refresher training, and CHP training.
    • Conduct general PPE training for all members and direct members to REM for specialized PPE training (such as respirators, lasers, biohazards, etc.). This training needs to be documented.
    • Ensure that members receive any group-specific training.
    • Ensure that members are aware of the University’s hazardous waste management and disposal guidelines.
  7. Be responsible for maintaining lab records and making sure they are up to date. This includes:
    • General and lab specific safety training, including PPE training, laser training, biohazard training, etc.
    • Chemical Inventory (HCP-4)
    • Employee Exposure Information (HCP-5)
    • Door postings
    • SDS storage (soft or hard copies), using the guidelines developed by REM and the ChE Safety Committee.
    • Hazard Assessment and SOPs
  8. Review, along with 1-2 other group members, any modifications to existing equipment and/or any new experimental setups within the group.
    • Changes should also be reviewed with the PI, and, when deemed necessary by the PI, with the ChE Safety Committee.
    • Any modification that includes changing the existing fittings or utilities in the lab (air, water, ducts, electrical) requires contacting the Building Deputy (Jeff Valley) or the Electronics Shop (Dr. Yury Zvinevich) before proceeding.
  9. Ensure that the eyewash station(s) in the lab are flushed once a week
  10. Perform, with 1-2 group members, quarterly lab inspections in addition to the annual self- audits, as part of Purdue’s Integrated Safety Plan (ISP).