The U.S. Department of Transportation (US DOT) requires you be trained and certified before shipping hazardous materials. Even if someone else handles your shipment for you, you are responsible for packaging and labeling hazardous materials correctly, and providing the required documentation. Fines for non-compliance and potential legal action can occur if you are found to have willfully ignored hazardous materials shipping regulations.
Notes:
The Chemical Exchange program allows MyChem users to share unused chemical inventory to save money and reduce waste.
The Chemical Exchange allows you to search for available chemicals or chemical products in MyChem inventories, and save money and reduce waste. You can flag chemicals in your own inventory to share with others at the University. Hundreds of chemicals are waiting to be exchanged.
How to use the chemical exchange:
The UW is committed to providing a safe and healthy work environment for all employees, students and visitors. Individuals who work with or near hazardous substances need to be aware of the identity, potential physical and health hazards, and the safe work practices that can minimize exposure. To assure individual health and safety, and meet regulatory requirements, the UW developed the Chemical Hazard Communication (HazCom) Program to address how to classify chemical hazards, and communicate the hazards and safeguards required to protect individuals from exposure to those hazards.
Be prepared with proper training, cleanup supplies and personal protective equipment to manage spills easily and safely.
If you work with chemicals, you will probably have a chemical spill at some point. Your safety, and the safety of others, depends on your assessment and response.
To assess whether you and your fellow researchers are prepared to manage a chemical spill, consider these questions:
UW personnel who use chemicals or chemical-containing products at any UW owned or leased facility are required to maintain chemical inventories in MyChem, the UW’s chemical tracking system.
Updated April 12, 2024
Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) is responsible for the collection of hazardous chemical waste for the University, including all campuses and off-site locations.
There is no charge for hazardous chemical waste collection, except for unknown chemicals and unstable peroxide forming chemicals.
Refer to the Sample Request for a New Chemical Waste Routine as a guide when completing a a Request New Chemical Waste Routine form.
University supervisors submit a Respirator Request Form to EH&S, when respiratory hazards are first identified, when processes change that may impact respiratory hazards, and annually thereafter.
Review and implement these guidelines in your laboratory if you work with biotoxins.
Use the Biological Toxin Checklist to ensure compliance and safe work practices for research involving biotoxins. EH&S is available to assist you.
