EHS
Clemson University's Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) department has the responsibility of providing overall guidance to the education departments in areas concerning safety. EHS provides manuals and plans that meet governmental guidelines for research universities in the area of safety, hazardous waste management, chemical inventories and storage, related training, safety inspections, etc. EHS is the department that collects and disposes of hazardous waste. You can find more information on the EHS website. Contact information for each area of safety is provided.
ChBE
Dr. Bud Rice (656-5428, Budrice@ces.clemson.edu, 128 Earle) is the ChBE Faculty Safety Coordinator. Dr. Rice can help you with any question you may have about safety, safety procedures, or your safety-related responsibilities in the lab.
The Safety Technician is Bill Coburn (656-2056, wcoburn@clemson.edu, G14 Earle). Bill maintains the safety training file, will assist you in finding required training and can answer most safety-related questions. He can also help you with labeling issues or hazardous waste pick-up issues, but he can not store hazardous waste. He also supervises the Chemical Storage Sheds, maintains the Hazardous Chemical Inventories, tests the Eyewash/Safety Shower stations, and is responsible for the placement and inspection of fire extinguishers. He is also responsible for moving compressed gas cylinders as needed if you need help.
The person ultimately responsible for safety in the lab is the professor in charge of the operations of the lab. This faculty member may be called the PI (Principal Investigator), Advisor, or Supervisor. The reason for this is that the PI should be the most familiar with and has the most control over, lab operations. The PI decides if additional safety training is required for some hazardous operations.
Sometimes due to necessity, the PI will assign a designate, or a representative, for them in the lab. Usually, these designates are post-docs or senior researchers that are very familiar with the day to day lab operations and safety requirements and procedures. All safety-related questions can and usually should be addressed by the PI or designate first.
As a worker in the lab, you are responsible for getting the proper safety training, for following established safety procedures, and for calling to attention any violations or neglect of safety procedures you may find.