Biological Safety FAQ's
Who is required to attend bloodborne pathogen training?
Do I have to attend Bloodborne Pathogen Training if I have already attended a seminar offered by the VA?
Do Bench tops need to be decontaminated if bench coats are used?
Does lab equipment need to be decontaminated prior to disposal, repair or servicing?
Biomedical Waste FAQ's
Where can I get needleboxes?
My autoclave room in the medical school is out of the small and large cardboard boxes and bags. What should I do?
The aluminum cart in my autoclave room in the medical school is overflowing with waste. What should I do?
What do I use the red buckets for in the medical school?
Chemical Safety FAQ's
Who is required to attend Chemical Safety training?
Can chemical containers be stored on shelves above a bench?
Can chemicals of different hazard classes be stored within the same cabinet?
Can chemicals with high toxicity be used on the open bench?
Is there a limit on the quantity of chemicals which can be stored in the laboratory at one time?
Where can I obtain a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)?
What are some alternative methods to chromic acid for cleaning glassware?
Hazardous Waste FAQ's
What do I do with empty chemical containers?
Where do I get waste tags?
Where do I get blue secondary containment trays for segregating hazardous waste containers?
What do I do with a broken thermometer?
Does EHS supply containers to collect hazardous waste?
I have chemicals that I can't use and they have never been opened and are not expired. Can anyone use them?
Radiation Safety FAQ's
Who is required to attend Radiation Safety training?
What are the commonly used radioactive materials at Yale?
Can I work with radiation producing equipment or radioactive material if I am pregnant?
Generally, yes. The vast majority of work performed at Yale with radioactive materials can continue without modification during
pregnancy.
Once a person officially informs her employer in writing of her pregnancy, new dose limits apply. A person can obtain a second film
badge from Radiation Safety. This second badge is worn at the waist to monitor the exposure to the unborn child.
Regulations require that the dose for the 9 months of pregnancy must not exceed 500 mRem. Radiation Safety personnel can review
your prior exposure history and your current projects that involve the use of radioactive materials or radiation producing equipment.
This will provide an estimate of the likely exposure that my be received during the duration of pregnancy.
This review may also result in suggestions to further reduce your exposure to radiation. Because the fetus is sensitive to radioiodine, the RSS may suggest that you not perform iodinations during your pregnancy. Because of the increase sensitivity of the fetus, the RSS may suggest you limit your use of some very large sealed sources of radioactive material. In 1996 and 1997, no worker at Yale received a whole body dose in excess of 100 mRem.