Chemical Health & Safety

ABOUT US: CHEMICAL HEALTH AND SAFETY

The Chemical Health and Safety Section has a dual role: first, it serves the University in general as the source for chemical and hazardous waste removal, storage, and disposal; second, it offers, primarily the research community, a consultative resource for health and safety issues from a chemical and laboratory perspective. In both roles, Chemical Health & Safety staff are tasked with promoting University compliance with applicable OSHA, EPA, Connecticut DEP, DoT, and other employee/environmental safety regulations. The Chemical Health and Safety section provides this support and these services to a broad range of faculty and staff working in a variety of settings, including Facilities Operations, Researchers, food service, custodial services, farm services, Public Safety, and office and administrative areas. Chemical Health and Safety develops policies and procedures, conducts training, responds to chemically-related incidents, and performs laboratory inspections, hazardous waste audits, and accident/spill investigations. Issues that are commonly referred to Chemical Health and Safety include: hazard characterization; hazard assessment; waste determination; indoor air quality; reproductive hazards in the lab; lab design and set-up; engineering control evaluation (fume hoods); and personal protective equipment selection.

Staff:

Stefan Wawzyniecki, Manager 486-1110

• OSHA Lab Standard, general safety questions in laboratory settings.
• specialty areas: lab ventilation, exposure monitoring, hazardous waste issues

Denis Shannon, Health and Safety Specialist 486-3115

• Hazardous waste determinations, chemical recycling, Universal wastes, Connecticut Regulated wastes

Brent Lewchik, Health and Safety Specialist 486-4927

• Chemical Waste pick-up coordinator, fume hood evaluations, laboratory inspections

Mich Colgan, Health and Safety Specialist 486-2691

• Chemical Waste pick-ups, lab safety training, fume hood evaluations, lab inspections