msepostdoc-list MSE Safety & Equipment Newsletter for December 2023

Fri Dec 8 12:26:47 EST 2023

To view this newsletter on the web, visit: https://engineering.purdue.edu/MSE/research/newsletter/safety-equipment-newsletter
To view this as a PDF (intranet), visit: https://engineering.purdue.edu/Intranet/Groups/Schools/MSE/Facilities/SafetyNewsletters/December-2023.pdf

MSE Safety & Equipment Newsletter for December 2023

**** Important Upcoming Dates ****

  *   December 15: The last day that MSE 499 and MSE 430 students are permitted to work in the labs, until spring semester resumes on January 8, 2024.
  *   December 22 through January 1: Winter Recess – administrative, faculty, and technical staff will not be available. MSE personnel should exercise additional caution and use the buddy system for lab activities that need to take place during this time period.
  *   Upcoming Trainings (Optional):
     *   CPR Training<https://www.eventreg.purdue.edu/training/courselisting.aspx?1=%20&master_id=5819%20&course_area=ETD%20&course_number=261%20&course_subtitle=ILT>: Jan 2, Feb 6, Mar 6, May 7, all 9am-12pm
     *   Verbal De-escalation training<https://www.purdue.edu/ehps/police/community-services/outreach-programs/verbal-de-escalation.php>: Jan 23, 1:30-3:30 pm; Jan 26, 9:30-11:30 am; Jan 31, 1:30-3:30 pm.
**** New MSE Technical Staff Member: Mr. Sam Schmidt ****
Sam Schmidt is MSE’s new Instructional and Research Support Engineer, serving as the instrument and technical specialist for our materials characterization equipment. In addition, Sam will support and instruct in the use of laboratory tools used in research by graduate students, undergraduates, and faculty and provide instructional and operational support services for course delivery, assisting students with projects as appropriate.  Sam comes to us with degrees from two of our peer Big 10 Materials Engineering programs, earning his Masters in MSE at Michigan State University, and his MSE Bachelor’s with a Chemistry Minor from the University of Illinois.  Sam’s office is ARMS 2207 – drop by and say Hello! (schmidsd at purdue.edu<mailto:schmidsd at purdue.edu>; 765-49-49718)

**** Results from the OSHA Building Inspection ****
In October, Purdue Environmental Health and Safety (EHS; formerly known as REM) administered the annual OSHA Building Inspection of ARMS. Action Items were emailed to ARMS Lab Supervisors by Casey in November and were all resolved by December 7th. The top 3 violations were:

  1.  Unlabeled Containers: All containers need appropriate labels that indicate their contents, even “water”. In particular, waste containers should be labeled using the orange Hazardous Waste Disposal Tags and include the following information: PI name, chemical names (written out; no acronyms or chemical formulas), volume percents, and an indication of hazards at bottom of label.
  2.  Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): It is important that all PPE be kept clean and properly maintained. If lab coats are intended to be reused, do not store them atop one another, on seats/chairs, or in any other manner where cross contamination may occur.
  3.  Power Strips and Extension cords: Extension cords should not be used as permanent wiring. Muli-outlet “power strips” also need to have 15-amp over-current protection (typically, these are the power strips with an “on/off” button). Household-use extension cords are not permitted due to the potential for overload.
**** Preparing for the Spring ISP Inspection ****
As part of our Integrated Safety Plan<https://www.purdue.edu/ehps/rem/isp/index.html> (ISP) lab certification with Purdue EHS, each year we conduct a guided “self-audit” of the safety training procedures, hazards, and hygiene of all lab spaces that MSE personnel utilize at Purdue using this Self-Audit Checklist<https://www.purdue.edu/ehps/rem/documents/forms/ispcheck.pdf>. After our self-audit checklists are submitted, EHS staff will inspect select lab spaces in each building. To prepare for these self-audits and inspections, please be proactive in identifying and abating (fixing) any lingering lab safety and hygiene issues in the lab space where you most frequently work. And, if you are so inclined, you/your lab can complete & submit the Self-Audit Checklist anytime between now and January 31. This could be a fun Finals Week group activity?! The indemnification timeline is as follows:

  *   January 31: Self-Audit Checklists must be submitted to the MSE Safety Committee for review and corrections, if needed.
  *   March 1: Self-Audit Checklists are submitted to Purdue EHS and select labs are inspected. A list of Items of Concern is created for each lab space and sent to the MSE lab supervisors for correction (abatement).
  *   April 15: Abatement reports are submitted to Purdue EHS for final review and certification.
Hard copies of the Self-Audit Checklist, associated instructions, and the lab master list are available outside of Prof. Erk’s office (ARMS 2315). Please watch for future announcements from Casey about this important process.
**** Safety Best-Practice: Secondary Containment for Chemicals & Waste ****
Secondary containment is a control measure, placed or built around an accumulation container or tank, to prevent its contents from leaving the area in the event of a spill or leak. These are typically shallow plastic trays or bins. Secondary containers are also a great way to separate and organize your stored chemicals in a clear way. See example below of secondary containers used for chemical storage in ARMS. The following two Purdue-approved vendors have a variety of cost-effective containers:

  *   US Plastic Corp: https://www.usplastic.com/<https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.usplastic.com%2F&data=05%7C01%7Cmsepostdoc-list%40ecn.purdue.edu%7Cd2395de6994548a2a9e708dbf812db86%7C4130bd397c53419cb1e58758d6d63f21%7C0%7C0%7C638376532153369296%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=Mq47xIw9PQ1lcn6W5X0Nf5r1IfEt8nT%2BxoxwQmznycs%3D&reserved=0>
  *   Cary Corporation: https://www.thecarycompany.com/<https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thecarycompany.com%2F&data=05%7C01%7Cmsepostdoc-list%40ecn.purdue.edu%7Cd2395de6994548a2a9e708dbf812db86%7C4130bd397c53419cb1e58758d6d63f21%7C0%7C0%7C638376532153369296%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=eIdEQJInoj4Ss%2BVvqc3pIaGdSxwezLeOgVVzaEcZJ%2Fo%3D&reserved=0>
[cid:image001.jpg at 01DA2934.EA649730]
Image: Secondary containers for storage of liquid chemicals in ARMS B214.

**** ARMS 2130/2132/2136 First Friday Clean-Ups ****
The MSE Safety Committee in consultation with Purdue EHS now facilitates monthly clean-up sessions for the Sample Prep / Polishing / Microscopy lab spaces in ARMS (ARMS 2136, 2132, and 2130).  These clean-up sessions are in response to lab user feedback from our recent safety survey (“the labs are dirty and disorganized”) as well as to the growing number of safety infractions and near-misses that have occurred over the past year in these spaces.  As you all know first-hand, it is so much easier, safer, and more fun to complete your research activities in a clean, well-organized lab space. *** All active lab users of these spaces are required to help with 2 clean-up sessions per year, which take place on the first Friday of every month from 3-4 pm. Each session will involve 5-7 lab users as well as Casey Peters. Checklists are utilized for each lab space to streamline the workflow. The next cleaning session will be Friday, February 2nd. To sign-up for this session or any future session, please click here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0849A5A72BA7FCC43-arms#/<https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.signupgenius.com%2Fgo%2F10C0849A5A72BA7FCC43-arms%23%2F&data=05%7C01%7Cmsepostdoc-list%40ecn.purdue.edu%7Cd2395de6994548a2a9e708dbf812db86%7C4130bd397c53419cb1e58758d6d63f21%7C0%7C0%7C638376532153369296%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=%2BsToMgnN2FFG7rrW1smHHW5HbkXsV5fUnYebqDfnR4M%3D&reserved=0>

*** And let’s not forget about personal health and safety... ***
The end of the semester brings excitement for winter recess and the new year mixed with the stress and gloom of less daylight and more deadlines. Here is a collection of links which may be helpful:

  *   Purdue’s safe walk program<https://www.purdue.edu/ehps/police/community-services/services/safe-walk.php> (24/7 escorts to/from campus buildings): call 765-494-SAFE (7233)
  *   Purdue links to report a safety concern or incident<https://www.purdue.edu/advocacy/students/report.html>, including “Student of Concern” reporting
  *   Office of Graduate Assistance<https://www.purdue.edu/gradschool/student/oga/index.html>, including Ombuds
  *   Purdue’s Mental & Emotional Health<https://www.purdue.edu/advocacy/parents/mentalhealth.html> services
  *   Purdue University Student Health (PUSH<https://www.purdue.edu/push/index.html>) service, including CAPS<https://www.purdue.edu/caps/>
  *   And it’s not too late to get a flu shot<https://www.purdue.edu/hr/CHL/Services/FluShots/index.php> or COVID booster<https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.vaccines.gov%2F&data=05%7C01%7Cmsepostdoc-list%40ecn.purdue.edu%7Cd2395de6994548a2a9e708dbf812db86%7C4130bd397c53419cb1e58758d6d63f21%7C0%7C0%7C638376532153369296%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=fCnbjryXF84kJK5Yjspn9ieL3qwzmgCARaPRjbHAaJ8%3D&reserved=0>.
**** Equipment & Lab Access Reminders ****
If you encounter a piece of broken equipment, or have any questions about a specific piece of equipment, you should contact a member of the MSE Technical Staff:

  *   For sample prep (i.e., saws, grinding wheels) equipment and mechanical testing equipment: Tim VanMeter<mailto:tcvanmet at purdue.edu>
  *   For characterization equipment and iLab: Sam Schmidt
     *   Lab access requests (form<https://engineering.purdue.edu/Intranet/Groups/Schools/MSE/Facilities/LabAccessRequest>)
     *   iLab equipment (link<https://engineering.purdue.edu/MSE/research/facilities/iLab>)
**** Important Links and Contact Information ****

  *   For MSE safety questions, concerns, and lab access issues: mse-safety at purdue.edu<mailto:mse-safety at purdue.edu> or speak directly to MSE Safety Officer Casey<mailto:fiferj at purdue.edu> Peters (ARMS 2200-1)
  *   Equipment/Safety/Consumables Reporting Form<https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpurdue.ca1.qualtrics.com%2Fjfe%2Fform%2FSV_7QcGyO9IVMwWRPD%3F_ga%3D2.245543812.1817797620.1567020868-632661468.1565031036&data=05%7C01%7Cmsepostdoc-list%40ecn.purdue.edu%7Cd2395de6994548a2a9e708dbf812db86%7C4130bd397c53419cb1e58758d6d63f21%7C0%7C0%7C638376532153369296%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=%2BojLZuo5%2FCO5QeEgcZhQggIqYcRFFU8FH48Tw8ncXcc%3D&reserved=0>  (QR Code on MSE lab doors)
  *   Purdue REM Researcher’s Guide<https://www.purdue.edu/ehps/rem/laboratory/researchers.html#cs2>  
  *   ARMS general safety information<https://engineering.purdue.edu/Intranet/Groups/Facilities/ArmstrongHall>  

  *   Purdue Environmental Health & Safety Website<https://www.purdue.edu/ehps/>
  *   Purdue’s Emergency Procedures Guide<https://www.purdue.edu/ehps/emergency-preparedness/emergency-plans/emergency-procedures-guide.php>
  *   Purdue’s Office of Environmental Health and Safety (EHS), formerly known as REM<https://www.purdue.edu/ehps/rem/>
     *   To report an injury to Purdue EHS: link<https://www.purdue.edu/ehps/rem/froi/ai.html>
     *   To report a campus-wide safety concern to Purdue EHS: link<https://www.purdue.edu/ehps/rem/froi/reports.html>
  *   Purdue Police Non-Emergency: (765) 494-8221  
  *   Purdue Fire Non-Emergency: (765) 494-6919  
  *   Purdue REM Non-Emergency: (765) 494-6371  
  *   For all emergencies, dial 911.

Thanks for reading everyone! Good luck on your Final Exams and Projects!

Prof. Erk, Casey Peters, and the MSE Safety Committee

[cid:image004.png at 01DA29D1.CF834040]

Kendra A. Erk
Associate Professor of Materials Engineering
Purdue University
soft-material-mechanics.squarespace.com
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