Tuesday, September 17, 2024

Panel Discussion: Making the Leap from Bench to EHSR Professional

Environmental Health and Safety Regulatory (EHSR) professional requires a shift in perspective and skillset. Still, it can be a rewarding career move for laboratory professionals seeking to make a broader impact on workplace safety. In this panel discussion, experts will share their journeys from lab-based roles to leadership positions in EHSR. Attendees will learn the key competencies to excel in safety management, including risk assessment, regulatory compliance, and safety culture development. Through real-world case studies and interactive dialogue, panellists will provide actionable insights into successfully pivoting into an EHSR career and use scientific training as a foundation for this crucial role in protecting people and facilities. Whether you are considering a career change or looking to enhance your lab's safety protocols, this session will provide you with the knowledge and tools to leap.

Learning objectives:

• Leverage scientific expertise for EHSR success 

• Master risk assessment and mitigation 

• Understand compliance and safety regulations 

• Lead and promote a proactive safety culture 

• Navigate the transition to EHSR roles effectively

Presenters: Aparupa Sengupta, Kate O'Brien, Lakshmi Attigala, Christopher Kolodziej
11:00 am-12:00 pm EDT

Optimizing Lab Safety: Best Practices for Managing Hazardous Chemicals

This presentation focuses on enhancing safety practices in laboratory environments, particularly when handling hazardous chemicals. The agenda includes an overview of OSHA's Lab Standards, identifying safety needs across different lab processes, and discussing best practices like the 5S Plus methodology. Key points include the importance of appointing a Chemical Hygiene Officer, developing a comprehensive Chemical Hygiene Plan, and ensuring proper procurement, storage, labeling, and disposal of chemicals. The presentation also highlights the need for custom safety solutions tailored to specific lab environments, using Brady's products as examples of tools that can support lab safety.

Tune in for this webinar for a comprehensive review of basic Lean and organizational safety practices to minimize risk and comply with OSHA's laboratory standard.

Presenters: Alexis Landfried, Matthew Hughes, and Brittney Waclawski
Brady Corporation
12:30-1:30 pm EDT

The Legal Aspects of Lab Safety

Ensuring compliance with lab safety protocols is critical not only for the well-being of employees but also for protecting an organization from legal liabilities. Lab managers and leadership must be aware of the intricacies of negligence and liability, because a robust understanding of safety measures can significantly reduce the risk of accidents, injuries, and costly lawsuits. This webinar focuses on the issue of negligence, liability, and how having a better understanding of lab safety protocols leads to fewer accidents, injuries, and lawsuits. You will learn about the four factors that a plaintiff’s attorney has to prove for someone to be found negligent and liable for damages. 

We’ll consider three types of negligence: malfeasance, misfeasance, and nonfeasance by studying examples from actual cases. In addition, we’ll discuss the responsibilities of the organization, the supervisors, and the employees. We will consider how to avoid being sued and the importance and meaning of “Ricky Ricardo documents.” 

The speaker will also provide plenty of examples from 40 years of being an expert witness assisting both plaintiffs’ and defendants’ attorneys. As he says, “When asked if I’ve ever testified in court, I say there’s good news and bad news. The bad news is that I’ve never testified in court. However, the good news is that I’ve never testified in court. When I’m done, no one wants to go to court!” 

Key learning objectives: 

• Understand the types of negligence and how negligence is proven 

• Learn your important responsibilities and how to avoid lawsuits 

• Discover the answers to the four critical questions that reduce liability

Presenter: James Kaufman
The Laboratory Safety Institute
2:00-3:00 pm EDT