As dictated by both the state and federal governments, ATSC must comply with laboratory safety regulations. The regulations are designed to minimize hazards in the ATSC on-campus laboratories. The University-wide program is explained 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 will inspect laboratories for compliance with ATSC’s safety program.

The Emergency Action Plan for the Engineering 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. If it is a dire emergency, please do not hesitate to call 9-1-1.

The ATSC Department Safety Committee

Name	Role	Responsibilities	Contact Info
Anna Robertson	Safety Committee Chair, Representative for Research Scientist group	ATSC Safety Coordinator, Radiation safety	arober29@uwyo.edu EN 6014 | (307) 766-2180
Matt Burkhart	Liaison with aviation safety committee	Laser safety, external facilities (Elk Mtn, Balloon Shack, WAQAML)	monoski@uwyo.edu EN 6066 | (307) 766-4150
Austin Morgan	Representative for RETSG	Electrical safety, technician labs, eye washes, SDS, liaison to physical plant for labs, waste disposal through RMMC	amorga13@uwyo.edu EN 6074E | (307) 766-3245
Dana Caulton	Representative for department faculty	Working research labs and field research (including maintaining field research calendar and deployment safety meetings)	dcaulton@uwyo.edu EN 6062 | (307) 766-5363
Victoria Wright	Representative for graduate students	Lab items and training for students, liaison with students	vwright5@uwyo.edu EN 6046
Ryan Kondratieff	Representative for Flight Center Machine Shop	Manufacturing-related items and hangar garage bays	rkondrat@uwyo.edu Flight Center | (307) 766-2435

Safety Trainings

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 University’s Radiation 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 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

Weekly Emergency Eyewash testing: procedure

Quarterly Emergency Shower testing - performed by the UW Safety Office

Qaurterly Self-inspection of Laboratory Hazards:

Lab Safety Self-Survey

Fire and Life Safety Inspection Checklist

Reporting a Safety Concern

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.

General Department Safety Items and Locations

Basics

• Wear safety glasses when working in the laboratories, or as directed by the PI of the lab.
• Do not bring food or beverages into the laboratories. 
• If power goes out, leave the building. Close the fume hood and door to your lab prior to leaving (if able and if safe to do so). The fume hood functionality becomes limited with a power outage and thus no longer meets safety regulations.
• If an emergency occurs, call 9-1-1, or call the Physical Plant Service Desk 307-766-6225. Calls to 307-766-6225 are picked up by Physical Plant Operations (normal business hours), or by the Central Energy Plant (after hours).

 

Safety Data Sheets

An important aspect of the ATSC’s safety program is the information in Safety Data Sheets (SDS). The SDS information is currently in a binder in Room 6031 (on the shelves next to the door to the student computer lab). 

Our collection of SDS is in the process of being upgraded, after which, each lab in the department will have its own binder of relevant information.

If you purchase a chemical, an SDS should accompany your purchase. A copy of the SDS needs to be put into the SDS file and the chemical also needs to be entered into the ATSC chemical database.  Please forward the SDS information to Austin Morgan (amorga13@uwyo.edu; 307-766-3245).

First aid kits. One is on the shelf near the fume hood in the Keck Lab (Room 6008), another is at the north end of a lab bench in Room 6002.

Protective gear. (i.e., safety glasses, lab coats, ear protection, and respirators) for ATSC personnel handling hazardous materials.  Some protective gear is stored in the closet in Student Research Lab A (Room 6012); laboratories have safety glasses.  

Safety showers: Atmospheric Chemistry Lab (EN 6036), Keck Lab (EN 6008), Air Quality Lab (EN 6015), old Dark Room (EN 6061). 

Eye washes: Atmospheric Chemistry Lab (EN 6036), Keck Lab (EN 6008), Air Quality Lab (EN 6015), old Dark Room (EN 6061, next to sink), Engineering Support Group area (EN 6074; to the left of sink), and Engineering Support Group area (Room 6074A; south wall).

Absorbent. for cleaning up chemical spills: Two locations: 1) Room 6012 (above the sink), and 2) In the green cabinet on the north side of hallway outside Room 6012.

Automated External Defibrillator (AED). Located outside of the department break room (EN 6052) across from Charlotte’s office.

Safety Data Sheets. (SDS) kept in three-ring binders in the Atmospheric Science Library (Room 6031 – on bookshelf adjacent to door to student computer lab). 

Locations for chemical storage:

Dry chemicals - cabinet against the east wall in Room 6036, cabinet against the south wall in Room 6008

Solvents - under the fume hood in Rooms EN 6008, EN 6015, EN 6036

Storage containers for liquid chemical waste are in the fume hood in the Keck Lab (Room 6008).

A container for disposing of damaged glassware (i.e., sharps). The sharps container is located to the left of the sink in the Atmospheric Chemistry Lab (Room 6036).