“Promoting a Culture of Safety” is the theme of a half-day laboratory safety summit hosted by UO Safety and Risk Services.

The free March 14 event will be an opportunity for lab managers, principal investigators, safety contacts and other researchers to learn more about safety culture and improve productivity, personal safety and quality of research.

The summit will also feature a detailed discussion of some of the lessons learned from a lethal lab accident at the University of California, Los Angeles, including the importance of simple measures such as adequate student training and oversight.

“Safety is a shared responsibility that’s integral to our success as a research university,” said David Conover, vice president for research and innovation. “We are committed to making all of our labs safe, healthy places to work, and we strive to make continuous improvements by identifying lessons learned and using them to inform our evaluation of future hazards.”

The event, which runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Ford Alumni Center’s Giustina Ballroom, includes a number of valuable sessions. Featured speakers and their topics include:

• Kevin Reed, vice president and general counsel; general counsel's experience with the 2009 UCLA laboratory fatality.
• Cass Moseley, senior associate vice president for research; safety culture as a focal point with Association of Public and Land-grant University vice presidents of research.
• Steve Stuckmeyer, environmental health safety director; welcome.
• Josep Pedrola, university fire marshal; fire safety.
• Andre Le Duc, associate vice president for safety and risk services/administrative services and chief resilience officer; active management of risk and safety.
• Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration; perspectives on safety in the laboratory environment.
• State Accident Insurance Fund, the UO’s worker compensation insurer; safety as a value.

More details are available on the event registration page. Registration is requested. Lunch will be provided.