Promoting a Culture of Safety
The safe conduct of teaching and research is the College of Engineering's highest priority. Each year there are a number of incidents on our campus, in our laboratories, in our shows and in our offices that result in personal injury, property damage or that trigger emergency responses, including evacuations. We have been fortunate that none of these incidents have caused serious injury or property damage, the the potential is omnipresent. Our research and teaching utilize highly toxic, flammable and explosive solids, liquids and gases, high-energy reactions and processes, complex equipment and human subjects.
The College has a strong safety and health program that includes the development and use of Safety Data Sheets (SDS), chemical hygiene plans (CHPs), standard operating procedures (SOPs), safety training for all laboratory and classroom activities, reporting of all incidents and active College and department safety committees that investigate all incidents and advise the administration o about safety policy and management issues. We also have strong support from the University of Michigan Division of Public Safety and Security, DPSS, and University of Michigan Division of Environmental Health and Safety, EHS.
Unfortunately there have been several high visibility safety incidents at other universities that have resulting in injuries and deaths of faculty and students The resulted in a report the Chemical Safety Board:
https://www.csb.gov/laboratory-safety/
A report by the National Research Council: Safe Science: Promoting a Culture of Safety in Academic Chemical Research (2014) that reinforces the need for ongoing efforts to maintain a safe culture and environment for laboratory safety and teaching:
www.nap.edu/catalog/18706/safe-science-promoting-a-culture-of-safety-in-academic-chemical
and attached below.
University of Michigan President Mark S. Schlissel issued a statement (4/20/2015) that reinforces the university of Michigan's commitment to the safe conduct of all aspects of research and teaching (see attachment below).
