Texas Tech University

safe Science Series

A new initiative of EHS is to provide informal education sessions on a variety of academic safety topics. The Safe-Science Series began in fall 2018. Faculty, staff and students are welcome to attend the series. EHS has also partnered with our scientific vendors to bring industry safety specialist speakers to campus including one of the nation's seven centrifuge safety specialists!

Fall 2022

Water and pH Lunch n Learn

Tuesday, September12-1PM Lunch and Learn 

Experimental Sciences Building II, Room 406

Register

Biosafety Cabinets Lunch n Learn

Wednesday, October 5th 12-1PM 

Experimental Sciences Building II, Room 406

Learn Biosafety cabinet basics, usage principles, and maintenance to make your research flow in the right direction.

Register

UltraLow Lunch n Learn

Wednesday, November 9th 12-1PM

Experimental Sciences Building II, Room 406

Discuss maintenance of ultra-low storage including -80 freezers and dewars and learn how to make your research investments last.

Register

Past Safe-Science Series 

CO2 Incubators 

Join ThermoFisher's Craig Jarvis as we discuss the ins and outs of CO2 incubator use, applicable precautions and maintenance routines to keep your incubator tip-top. 

Taking the Sting Out of Your WASP

Does your work area need a safety plan? ...or maybe it's been a few years since you took a look at it. In either case, EHS invites you to our inaugural Safe-Science Series where we'll address the components of a Work Area Safety Plan or W.A.S.P. (formerly Lab Safety Plan) and the resources available to you to build an effective plan.

Not sure if your work area needs a plan? The University Chemical Hygiene Plan requires that any areas on-campus or off-campus in which TTU faculty, students, or staff work with chemical, biological or physical hazards have a WASP. These areas include, but are not limited to, laboratories, studios, shops, field sites and classrooms.

 
WASP workshop slide

BSCs, fume hoods, and glove boxes - Oh my!

In this session, we'll be discussing engineering controls. Selecting containment equipment with the proper features for your procedures is vital to protecting lab personnel and your research. EHS is here to help you make sure you select the right tool for the job and know how to use it properly. This session is for if you have containment equipment in your lab or are looking to procure equipment.

 
Engineering control typesEngineering control definitionMatching activity during engineering control workshopEngineering control workshop attendees

Spinning Safely - A Centrifuge Workshop

The third segment of the Safe-Science Series brought guest speaker Rob Brown, one of the nation's seven centrifuge safety specialists from Thermo Fisher to Texas Tech. Spinning Safely is a centrifuge workshop that will teach you the forces involved in centrifugation, the danger signs before there is an incident, the consequences of centrifugation gone wrong and how to care for your centrifuge to make your investment last.

Centrifuge types

Dressing for Success! - PPE Selection, Use and Disposal

In the 4th segment of the EHS Safe-Science Series, Kimberly Clark representative, Rob Alspaugh, will be discussing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) selection and use. The adage "dress for the job you want, not the job you have" is often shared as advice for job seekers and a growing body of research suggests that what you wear can affect your performance. This affect doesn't magically stop at the threshold of your lab, studio or shop.

There is more to PPE than basic nitrile gloves, safety glasses and a lab coat. Dressing for success in your work area is critical to your safety. Your PPE is the last line of defense protecting you from the hazards you encounter in your work area; using it appropriately or inappropriately can be a matter of life and death. BONUS: Wearing your PPE may actually improve focus and foster safer behaviors! If you work in or supervise a work area where PPE is needed to protect you from chemical/physical/biological hazards, this session is for you. Join us as we discuss the selection, use and disposal of common PPE. This workshop was facilitated by VWR.

 
PPE workshop attendeesKimberly-Clark representative Rob Alspaugh speaking to workshop attendeesSlide from PPE presentation by Kimberly-ClarkSlide from PPE presentation by Kimberly-Clark