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Department of Chemistry

Safety Page

The Department of Chemistry at Villanova University is committed to developing and providing a culture of safety for our students, faculty, and staff. It is the Department’s belief that safety is at the core of everything we do in the laboratory and our everyday lives. To create this culture it is important to understand and being aware of the many hazards we face and to follow the standard safety practices.

To celebrate and emphasize the importance of laboratory safety at Villanova University the Department of Chemistry’s Committee on Safety and Sustainability will be hosting a Lab Safety Poster Contest.  Individual and group posters will be accepted. Prizes will be awarded to the top 3 posters.

Using the supplied template the poster must include:

  • A description of a laboratory incident that occurred because of a laboratory hazard specific to a research or instructional lab at Villanova (the incident did not have to occur at Villanova)
  • Showcase the laboratory techniques and safeguards available in Villanova laboratories which prevent such an incident here.
  • Conclude with lessons learned and/or suggestions toward continuing safe lab practices.

All submission must be in emailed to Dr. Matt O’Reilly (matthew.oreilly@villanova.edu) by April 12th, 2021

Please contact Eydiejo Kurchan (Eydiejo.kurchan@villanova.edu) if you need ideas for lab incidents or visit the following websites:

https://www.csb.gov/laboratory-safety/

https://ehs.utexas.edu/programs/labsafety/incidents-lessons-learned.php

http://dchas.org/2020/01/07/laboratory-lessons-learned/

Posters will be on display on the Department of Chemistry safety webpage and will be voted on by members of the Villanova community. Prizes will be awarded to 1st, 2nd and 3rd place entries; in addition, we will print the top three for display in relevant departments.

CHP

The Chemical Hygiene Plan or CHP, is an organization’s set of standard operating procedures for working safety in the laboratory.  This document is where we codify the basic set of lab safety rules, along with our department specific policies and procedures when it comes to issues such as chemical spills, handling and collection of chemical waste, and SOPs for handling Particularly Hazardous Substances (Toxic reagents, etc.).

 

 

Safety Resources

The Lab Safety Institute

The following seminars are part of the Department of Chemistry Safety Seminar Series, you will be prompted to enter your Villanova Username and Password in order to view these videos.

Spotlights on safety:

Spotlight on Safety: Gloves

Spotlight on Safety: Lab Attire- Cover your feet AND ankles

Graduate student Orlena Roe has created these images for the Department of Chemistry.  Please feel free to use in your course and share with your students

Chemical Transport Poster

Working Alone Poster

Fire Safety in the Lab Poster- 1

Fire Safety in the Lab Poster- 2

Phone Use in the Lab Poster

Chemical Security Poster

Seminars:

1.  Academic and EMT Response to Lab Emergencies.

handout

2.  You’re Grounded! Everything you wanted to know about electrical safety but were afraid to ask.

slides

3.  Gloves and fume hood demo.

4. What do Chemists have to do with Health and Safety? And EPA Story

1.  Sustainability Initiatives

2.  Is your waste going to the correct place?

The Laboratory Safety Committee reviews incidents and near misses on a monthly basis.  Please click the link below to review.

1.  March 2020

Report a Safety Concern

Villanova Chemistry at a Glance:

Degrees Offered: B.S., M.S.
Full Time Faculty: 27
Undergraduate Majors: 150
Graduate Students: 25 full-time, 35 part-time
Building: Mendel Science Center houses research and instructional facilities for 6 scientific departments, including 17 chemistry research labs, as well as an array of modern instrumentation

Program Offerings

Undergraduate Offerings
B.S. in Chemistry
B.S. in Chemistry, Biochemistry option
B.S. in Biochemistry
Minor in Chemistry
Combined B.S./M.S. in Chemistry

Graduate Offerings
M.S. in Chemistry

Important Emergency Contacts

-Public Safety Emergency – 610-519-4444

-Public Safety Non Emergency – 610-519-6979 (Option #1)

-Environmental Health & Safety – 610-519-6895

-Department Safety Officer 610-519-7481