EHS Performance Highlights - Environment, Health and Safety

Biological Safety

Trained 1,086 researchers in basic principles of conducting research at BSL-2, such as proper technique and waste handling and trained 191 researchers in enhanced BSL-2 procedures.
Certified 437 campus biological safety cabinets ensuring safety of product, personnel and environmental protection.
Reviewed and approved 502 Laboratory Safety Plans’ Schedule F (Biological Hazards).
Reviewed and approved 223 Laboratory Safety Plans’ Schedule G (Recombinant or Synthetic DNA).

Trained 1,971 new laboratory employees on Laboratory Environment through online self-study.
Reviewed 663 new and/or updated laboratory safety plans and reviewed deficiencies with principal investigators and safety supervisors, ensuring compliance with the University’s Chemical Hygiene Plan.
Inspected 1,103 chemical fume hoods and submitted 50 Facilities Services repair requests for fume hoods.
Uploaded 413 chemical inventories into online system and reviewed 380 annual inventory updates as part of Chemical Hygiene Plan compliance.

Trained 1,971 employees on Managing Laboratory Generated Hazardous Waste through orientation safety online training.
Conducted 11,427 waste pickups of 51,534 kg of hazardous waste and 40,152 kg of non-hazardous solid waste from University generators.
Shipped 114,424 kg of waste from the UNC-CH TSDF to an offsite vendor TSDF for treatment and disposal.
Aided with controlled substances drug disposal on campus which included 17 visits by DHHS Drug Control Unit for 28 lab visits/inspections.

Trained 1,226 students and staff on fire safety and fire extinguisher use.
Provided fire safety coverage to seven home football games, 15 home men’s basketball games and the men’s basketball national semifinal and championship game events at the Smith Center.
Inspected 7,000 campus fire extinguishers.
Investigated and documented 231 false fire alarms during calendar year 2017, a decrease of 2% from 2016.

Trained 586 Maintenance, Housekeeping, and Design and Construction Services employees in asbestos awareness through online and in-class training.
Coordinated mobile hearing tests for 227 employees enrolled in the Hearing Conservation Program, saving $5.5K for the tested departments.
Trained 514 employees enrolled in the Hearing Conservation Program on Occupational Noise Safety through in-class and online training
Trained 269 employees from Facilities Services, Energy Services and UNC-CH Police on confined space via in-class and online training.

Administered radiation safety training courses to 2,082 persons and non-ionizing radiation safety training to 631 persons.
Provided 593 collaborative laboratory inspections.
Inspected and tested 206 X-ray tubes.
Hosted eight Nuclear Medicine Technology students for two-week rotations through radiation safety as part of the NMT didactic program.

Provided occupational health medical services for 4,284 employees.
Fit-tested and provided consultative services for 555 individuals under the University’s Respiratory Protection program.
Reviewed 1,107 IACUC Animal Handler Symptom reviews.
Precepted senior nursing student from the Accelerated BSN program.

Trained/Number of Employees: Respiratory Protection/1,323; EHS Office, Clinic, IMAC, SS, Student Affairs/4,516; Joint Commission/4,233; Clinical Tuberculosis Infection Control/6,425; Clinical Bloodborne Pathogens/6,205; Ergonomic Self-Evaluations/ 44.
Processed and managed 492 workers’ compensation claims with medical treatment, return to work, hearings/mediations and monthly expenditures.
Conducted on-site inspections of 164 Hazards Management Plan (HMP) for numerous campus units and entered HMPs for work unit in the on-line HMP system.
Investigated 77 incidents on campus for falls, equipment, PPE, materials handling, strains and stuck in/between objects.