Health and Safety Committee Minutes
October 29, 2013
2:00 p.m. – 2014 MC
Health and Safety Committee Minutes
October 29, 2013
2:00 pm – 2014 MC
In Attendance:
Civil & Environmental Engineering / Mgr., Civil & Environmental Labs / Stanley ConleyCivil & Environmental Engineering / Environmental Labs Technician / Marie Tudoret Chow
Electronics / Professor / Jacques Albert
Mechanical Aerospace Engineering / Assistant Professor / Cynthia Cruickshank
Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering / Professor / John Hayes
Systems Computer Engineering / Associate Professor / Samuel Ajila
School of Industrial Design / Departmental Administrator / Diane Smyth
Azrieli School of Architecture & Urbanism / Assistant Professor / Johan Voordouw
Azrieli School of Architecture & Urbanism / Shop Technician / Robert Wood
Office of the Dean / Senior Computer Consultant / Warren Hik
Office of the Dean / Administrative Officer / Susan Murat
Observers:
Environmental Health and Safety / Manager, University Operations Safety / David HuntEnvironmental Health and Safety / Manager, Laboratory and Academic Program Safety / Tina Preseau
Regrets:
Electronics / Technical Officer / Rob van DusenSchool of Information Technology / Assistant Professor / Christopher Smelser
School of Industrial Design / Chief Technician / Walter Zanetti
Absent:
Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering / Mechanical Workshop Technologist / Alex ProcterSystems & Computer Engineering / Lab Support Manager / Danny Lemay
School of Information Technology / Network Administrator / Christopher Clarke
1. Agenda and Minutes
1.1 Call for Agenda items:
i. Two items added: 6.1 Laser Safety Training
6.2 Suitability of lab inspection checklist for workshops
1.2 Approval of Agenda – Approved
1.3 Approval of 21-March-2013 Minutes – Approved with heading date correction.
2. Building inspections:
2.1 2013-14 Building Inspection Schedule was distributed. New committee members have been partnered with more experienced committee members and Tina Preseau of EHS volunteered to join committee members in the building lab inspections as an EHS resource.
2.2 Completed inspections are to be submitted to Susan Murat who will forward to Environmental Health and Safety as a resource for future Joint Health and Safety Committee building inspections.
2.3 Susan Murat to distribute inspection templates to new committee members.
3. EHS Fire Warden / Building Evacuations
3.1 No FED evacuation drills or fire drills have occurred to date this academic year. Susan Murat to distribute updated Safe Destination Sites per Fire Safety that include the Fire Dep’t Response sites to committee and FED fire wardens to ensure faculty-wide awareness of where to go in the event of an evacuation.
4. Upcoming EHS training:
Tina Preseau noted that in addition to the upcoming training identified in Carleton Central, two additional courses are being scheduled: Biosafety on November 13, 2013 and Lab Safety in December 2013. Please watch Carleton Central’s listings or contact Tina directly regarding these last two training courses.
Considerable discussion took place regarding appropriate training for lab personnel, graduate students and undergraduate students that is mandatory and/or recommended prior to working in our labs. Descriptions follow of the individual training courses (as per EHS’s website) but all FED faculty, staff and students should at a minimum undergo the Laboratory Safety Training.
The training for supervisors is for those employees who have charge of a workplace or authority over a worker. Individual laboratory practices will determine if a graduate student operating as a teaching assistant/research assistant is in fact, in charge of the labs and has authority over a worker. An undergraduate student does not meet the definition of a worker for the purposes of Occupational Health and Safety Legislation. All training is encouraged but all faculty and staff are advised to contact EHS for clarification on training requirements.
Laboratory Safety Training
This 3 hourtraining course will provide general information regarding the health and safety practices and considerations required for working in a laboratory environment. Topics covered include worker and supervisor responsibilities, control measures to avoid exposures to chemical and physical hazards, procedures and personal protective equipment.
Who should attend?
This course is mandatory for all persons working in a laboratory environment.
Health and Safety for Laboratory Supervisors Training
Supervisors have certain responsibilities regarding health and safety in the workplace. A supervisor, as defined by the Occupational Health and Safety Act, is a person who has charge of a workplace or authority over a worker. In a laboratory environment, supervision is critical due to the increased risks caused by physical, biological and chemical hazards.
This 3 hour training course will provide laboratory supervisors with information about their responsibilities under the Occupational Health and Safety Act of Ontario and the University’s Occupational Health and Safety Management System. It will also provide general information regarding the health and safety practices and considerations required for working in a laboratory environment.
Who should attend?
This training course is mandatory for all supervisors in a laboratory environment at Carleton University.
Health and Safety for Supervisors Training
Supervisors have certain responsibilities regarding health and safety in the workplace. A supervisor, as defined by the Occupational Health and Safety Act, is a person who has charge of a workplace or authority over a worker.
This training course will provide supervisors with information about their responsibilities under the Occupational Health and Safety Act of Ontario and the University’s Health and Safety Management System. It will also provide general information regarding the health and safety practices and considerations required for working in a laboratory environment.
Who should attend?
This training course is mandatory for all supervisors at Carleton University.
4.2 Susan Murat to contact Faculty Associate Chairs – Graduate Studies as a reminder of required training for graduate students working in Faculty labs and for feedback on status of completed training. If required, Faculty-specific training will be scheduled with EHS.
4.3 David Hunt noted recently introduced and upcoming training requirements for FED committee members to complete as directed by the Ministry of Labour’s Occupational Health and Safety Act: provincial legislation:
i. The Harassment and Workplace Violence online Training The Harassment and Workplace Violence online Training The Harassment and Workplace Violence online Training The Harassment and Workplace Violence online TrainingThe Harassment and Workplace Violence Training - online training available via Carleton Central.
ii. TheTHeHealth and Safety Training/Occupational health and safety awareness for workers and supervisors. This requirement is expected to become mandatory effective 01-Jan-2014. Details regarding compliance will follow in the new year.
4.4 David Hunt solicited participation from FED faculty and staff in the development of a comprehensive workshop training module (and program) that will be of value to FED, STC, FMP and the theatre that accurately addresses the hazards in these units’ spaces. This workshop will be similar to lab safety training module but will be more applicable to workers and students in workshops. The workshop will include some overlap with the lab training aqs it pertains to chemical labeling, segregation and storage, injury reporting mechanism etc., but it will also include topics such as lifting devices, slings and chain falls, welding operations, machining, power tools (such as table saws, jointers, etc.,) hand tools, pneumatic tools, manlifts. All topics that are specific to the shops that we have on campus will be addressed and therefore the need exists o provided input on specific operations. Susan Murat to forward names to David Hunt for his consideration.
5. Business arising from minutes of previous meetings:
5.1 Chemical Inventory (HECHMET) Project Plan: The expected implementation date for FED is sometime in 2014 as EHS plans to complete Chemistry, Biology and Earth Sciences and other units within the Steacie Building prior to FED being brought online.
6. New business/Agenda items:
6.1 Laser Safety Training: Prof. Albert requested an update on past requests for EHS-provided Laser Safety Training.
Tina Preseau advised that a draft requirements document has been prepared and the definition of requirements and the development of training documentation is underway.
The rapidly increasing need for this training on Campus signals the existing method of delivery is no longer adequate. Historically, Laser Safety Training is the responsibility of the Campus unit that operates the lasers as no Campus personnel was qualified or available to provide training. As a stop-gap solution some years ago, EHS subsidized the laser safety training of a FED grant-funded employee with the understanding that this individual would train other Campus staff as required. The Campus requirement has now exceeded this individual’s capacity.
Prof. Albert noted that Prof. Murugkar (Physics) has an immediate need for training for several people and that he and Prof. Smelser (BIT – Photonics) also required training; Tina Preseau agreed to follow up directly with Prof. Murugkar and to advise committee on how this need will be addressed on a go-forward basis.
6.2 Workshop Safety / Workshop Inspections: Prof. Hayes noted that the lab safety inspection templates are not entirely suitable for workshop inspections and volunteered to modify existing lab safety inspection template to include items more relevant to workshops for circulation to FED Health and Safety committee for feedback. This feedback will also be provided to David Hunt for his consideration in the JHSC’s workshop inspection template as discussed in agenda item 4.4.
Meeting adjourned at 3:00 p.m.
Next meeting: Thursday, January 23, 2014; 2:00 p.m.; 2014 MC.
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