ATSC Department Safety Program

As dictated by both the state and federal governments, ATSC must comply with laboratory safety regulations. These regulations are designed to minimize hazards in the ATSC on- and off-campus laboratories. Details about the University-wide program can be found at the Safety Office website.

The ATSC Safety Coordinator will work with the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences (CEPS) Facility Manager, Joe Rovani (307-766-6170), to develop and maintain a safety program for ATSC. The ATSC coordinator, in conjunction with the UW Safety Office, will inspect laboratories for compliance with ATSC’s safety program.

The Building Emergency Action Plan (BEAP) for the CEPS Building can be accessed here. It outlines the procedure to follow if you encounter an emergency situation anywhere within the building (suspicious odors, spills, smoke, etc.), and includes emergency contacts for different floors and labs throughout the building. 

From the BEAP:

Reporting an Emergency:

1. To report all emergencies, employees should call 911. State your name, your location, and the nature of the call. Speak slowly and clearly. Wait for the dispatcher to hang up first. On occasion, the dispatcher may need additional information or may provide you with additional instructions. Make this call from a safe location.
2. In case of a fire, activate the nearest fire alarm pull station, and/or make a telephone call to 911. The building alarm alerts all building occupants of the need for evacuation, and sends a signal to the UW Police Dispatch Center and/or to the Laramie Fire Department that there is an alarm condition in the building. Key emergency telephone numbers are listed in BEAP Appendix B of this BEAP.
3. It may be necessary to activate additional fire alarm pull stations, (or verbally announce the alarm), if people are still in the building and the alarm has stopped sounding, or if the alarm does not sound. This should be done while exiting the building.
4. Any pertinent fire or rescue information should be conveyed to 911.

After calling 911, they will alert campus police and any other emergency personnel required.

General Lab Safety Training 

All ATSC personnel (faculty, staff, students), regardless of whether they work in one of the on-campus laboratories, will be required to complete the general lab safety series offered by the UW Safety Office - Laboratory Safety Series courses. This is a three-part series, please complete (1) New Employee Safety Orientation, (2) Regulated Waste Management, and (3) Chemical Hygiene & GHS/OSHA. Once completed, please notify the ATSC Safety Coordinator so that it can be recorded.

Radiation and X-Ray Safety

All faculty, staff, and students who will be working with an instrument containing a radioactive source or one that emits radiation (e.g., X-ray) must complete the relevant safety course offered by the UW Safety Office - registration for both the Radiation Safety course and the X-Ray Safety course is available here or through the Learning module under your HCM account. Please contact the ATSC Safety Committee radiation safety representative concerning any purchases or disposal of radioactive materials, or if you have any questions or concerns regarding the proper use or handling of radioactive materials. If purchasing a radioactive source or an instrument that emits radiation, the University Radiation Safety Committee must be informed prior to purchase and receiving of the source/instrument for proper permitting and approval. 

For more information, please see the University Radioactive Materials Safety Plan or the University X-Ray Safety Plan. Other links and documents related to radiation and x-ray safety can be found on the University website here.

Laser Safety

All faculty, staff, and students who will be working with an instrument containing a class 3B or class 4 laser (including those with a laser that is fully enclosed during operation but is accessible for repairs, etc) must complete the University’s Laser Safety course offered by the UW Safety Office - registration for the course is available here or through the Learning module under your HCM account. Please contact the ATSC Safety Committee laser safety representative with any questions or concerns.

For more information, please see the University Laser Safety Plan. Other links and documents related to laser safety can be found on the University website here.

Lab Inspections

A good way to keep your lab safe for yourself and others is to perform periodic inspections of the lab and safety equipment within the lab. Procedures and forms for inspections can be found below.

Weekly Emergency Eyewash testing: procedure 

Quarterly Self-inspection of Laboratory Hazards:

Lab Safety Self-Survey

Fire and Life Safety Inspection Checklist (it is good to be aware of the basic fire safety guidelines in this checklist, however it is ultimately the responsibility of the UW Safety Office to do the full, detailed inspection)

Quarterly Emergency Shower testing - performed by the UW Safety Office. (Please do not attempt to test your emergency shower unless you have the proper training and equipment to do so.)

If you have a safety concern regarding one of the department labs or within the ATSC department in general, please either reach out to the ATSC Safety Coordinator directly or submit a safety report through the following form (with the option to make your report anonymously):

This form can also be used to report safety concerns regarding the Flight Center.

Yes! There is one located outside of the department break room (EN 6052) across from Charlotte’s office.