1. Miriam Weil, M.P.H. ScD
Work Environment Policy
University of Massachusetts Lowell

2. Prevalence of Injuries/Death in
Academic Labs
 Laboratory Safety Institute Virtual Memorial Wall lists
five deaths in academic labs since 2001
 CSB investigated academic lab safety – focusing on
an accident at Texas Tech University.
 Recent Accidents were reported at Yale, Boston
College, Missouri State.
Miriam Weil, M.P.H. Sc.D University of
Massachusetts Lowell 2

3. Method: Research and Analysis
Process
Interviews Qualitative
Literature
with Analysis
Review
Stakeholders using NVivo
•Accidents •UCLA •Analyze safety
•Lab Safety •Dartmouth culture elements
•Safety Culture •Northwestern at each institution
•Safety Climate •Create model
Miriam Weil M.P.H., Sc.D. UMASS Lowell
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4. Focus on Three Accidents
•UCLA ‐In January 2009, Lab Tech Sheharbano
'Sheri‘ Sangji, died on after being critically
burned in a UCLA Chemistry Lab.
• Northwestern ‐In December 2010, a post
doctoral student was severely injured when
his experiment exploded in a Northwestern
University Chemistry Lab.
•Dartmouth ‐In 1997, Chemistry Professor
Karen Wetterhahn, died from acute mercury
poisoning after dropping two drops onto her
glove.
Miriam Weil M.P.H., Sc.D. UMASS Lowell
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5. Academic Safety Culture Model
Miriam Weil, M.P.H. University of Massachusetts
Lowell 5

6. Three Critical Values
Management Commitment to
Safety
Communication of Vital Safety
Information
Trust
Miriam Weil M.P.H., Sc.D. UMASS Lowell 6

7. Management Commitment to
Safety
 Most critical value
 Feeds into trust, accountability
 Critical to show support for safety activities
 Unclear support leaves EH&S with weak
authority.
 In academic institutions, there are many levels of
management.
Miriam Weil M.P.H., Sc.D. UMASS Lowell

8. Chemical Safety Board’s
Interpretation of the Reason Swiss
Cheese Model
Miriam Weil, M.P.H. Sc.D University of
Massachusetts Lowell 8

9. Management Assessment
Value
UCLA Northwestern Dartmouth
Summary
Changed
Better, worse, Changed since Better, worse, Changed since Better, worse,
Value since
or same accident or same accident or same
accident
Management Improved Good Good
Commitment YES since NO management YES management
to Safety accident + in place + in place +
Previously lab safety at UCLA
was under the radar. The
The accident at Dartmouth
Chancellor is now supportive
The NU Dean's Office of Arts happened in 1997. Funding
with increase in funding for
and Sciences sponsored the and attention was paid to
creation of Center for Lab
Comments creation of ISIS and the hiring address the cause of that
Safety. Despite budget
of the chemistry safety officer. accident at the time, creating a
constraints, UC System
the management structure of
started lab safety institute and
today.
hiring staff.
Miriam Weil M.P.H., Sc.D. UMASS Lowell 9

10. Procedure 1: Communication
Two forms External and Internal
External- Newsletters, scholarly articles,
conference presentations
Internal - Hazard assessments , chemical handling
and procedures , MSDS, previous experiences
, incident reporting
Miriam Weil M.P.H., Sc.D. UMASS Lowell
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11. Communication Assessment
Procedure
Summary UCLA Northwestern Dartmouth
Changed Changed Better, Changed Better,
Better, worse,
Procedure since since worse, or since worse, or
or same
accident accident same accident same
No -Good
External + Multi-media
program in Award +
Communication
YES
blitz
place
before
winning
YES +
newsletter
accident
ISIS tracks
training and
No upward
Internal inspections.
Communication
YES communication
from students
YES
Wiki site
YES +
proposed. +
In response to the accident, Dartmouth
Only downward and outward Northwestern has quietly publicized the hazards of
communication have been presented the accident for the dimethylmercury and caused a
improved. There is no indication benefit of the chemistry and reexamination of the use and handling of
chemical health and safety
Comments that communication from the it through scholarly articles. Information
students as to near misses, or community and produced an about the accident changed and OSHA
safety concerns are entertained or award winning EHS newsletter. regulatory policy document, public
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addressed in any fashion. opinion, EHS practice outside of the

12. Value 1:Trust
 Critical to safety culture.
 Mutual trust promotes safety.
 Corresponds with open
communication, information sharing,
power sharing.
 Played a role in each accident.
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13. Trust Assessment
Trust Assessment
Value
UCLA Northwestern Dartmouth
Summary
Changed Positive , Changed Positive , Changed Positive ,
Value since Negative since Negative since Negative
accident or neutral accident or neutral accident or neutral
Policy
Unclear. Students Students
Trust NO Students YES interviewed YES interviewed
interviewed feel safe + feel safe +
feel safe.
NU’s mentoring program and Dartmouth mentioned trying
UCLA had mentors within the safety policies to instill a safe environment
some of the labs but it is not implemented in one lab after at the outset of a student’s
Comments
clear that that was a the accident was a great leap career. EHS acts as a
university policy. forward in instituting trust consultant on safety
amongst students. questions.
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14. Safety Culture Evaluation
Management Values Procedures Precipitating
Commitment cause of
to Safety accident
UCLA Improved Improving Improving Internal
Dartmouth Good Good Good External
Northwestern Excellent Excellent Good External
Miriam Weil, M.P.H. Sc.D. University of
Massachusetts Lowell 14

15. Thank you
 Questions?
Contact:
Miriam Weil
miriamweil@verizon.net
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