Link to site visit report - Network for Earthquake Engineering ...

Area Reviews1. Environmental, Health and Safety (EH&S)GOAL: Comply with all university, government, and/or awardee required environmental, safety, andhealth standards, regulations, and monitoring requirements, including maintaining safety equipment andweb-posted safety plans that equipment site staff and users must follow. Users of the NEES mobile fieldequipment are responsible for obtaining permits required by the field site and for ensuring that theirproject complies with all environmental regulations at the test location.1.1 Safety PolicyThe NEES@UIUC Safety Policy includes notification, PPE requirements, and a corrective actionrequirement. It does not address regular inspections. It has been updated in the previous 12 months. It isposted on the website.1.2 Safety IncidentsNo incidents were recorded in the last 12 months. It is a concern that the lab is used as athoroughfare for students during the day. Though there have been no incidents. NEES@UIUC tries tomitigate safety risks during major operations such as the movement of specimens and LBCBs. Doors areblocked and access to the work area is controlled during these activities.1.3 Safety OfficerThe NEES@UIUC lab safety officer is Michael Johnson. The last official safety inspection wasconducted in 2008. The site responded to the 2008 report and corrective actions were implemented.However, no formal safety inspection has been conducted in the past 4 years. The site mentioned thatthey conduct monthly walk-throughs, but there is no documentation to support this claim.1.4 User Safety Training and PoliciesNEES@UIUC uses a training sign-off for all users and students. Records of this training arekept. There are no official training materials. All training is hands-on. Thus, the content of the trainingcould not be assessed. Additionally, while the site provided a university liability waiver, there is noformal process for users to sign these liability waivers.1.5 Environmental RegulationsThe site has an SPCC plan. All oils are secondarily contained. All MSDS’s are on file andavailable. The site has not had any environmental incidents in the last 12 months.1.6 Emergency PreparednessThe site follows university policies for emergency preparedness. Policies for emergencypreparedness are in the appendix of the NEES@UIUC safety manual.1.7 Physical SecurityAfter hours, access to the building is controlled by keycard access. It is a concern that the lab isused as a thoroughfare for students during the day. Though there have been no incidents.9