FAQs

No, a spill kit (chemical, biological, or radiological) may be shared between an Approval’s laboratories, as long as the laboratories are only separated by a single doorway (i.e. not a hallway). Contact ehs-help@arizona.edu for spill kit requirements or recommendations.

Prospective Approval Holders register their laboratory or set of laboratories  with EHS by completing the New Lab Registration and Assessment.  You will be contacted by EHS within 3 business days after registration submission to schedule an initial visit.

A chemical spill kit is required in every laboratory to prepare for minor chemical spills. In case of a minor chemical spill, every laboratory needs to have the following items available in a consolidated, portable kit:

• Absorbent materials, such as pillows, pads, etc.
• Neutralizing materials (sodium bicarbonate for acids and citric acid for bases)
  • Only required if the laboratory uses or stores corrosives
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as gloves, laboratory coat and splash goggles
• Dustpan and broom to aid in the cleanup of solid spills.

Components of a chemical spill kit must be consolidated within a portable kit, whenever possible. If components must be kept outside the consolidated kit, their location must be detailed in written instructions inside the kit container. Chemical spill kits may be combined with biological spill materials in one consolidated kit.

Hazardous waste includes all biohazardous materials (plates, sharps and sharp-likes, wipes, vials, test tubes, etc.) and anything that is a chemical hazard (liquid, solid, or compress gas). 

Hazardous gases will only be removed if they are lecture bottle sized; for anything larger, please contact UA Cryogenics and Gas at 520-621-2374.

Please submit via the Hazardous Waste (Bio & Chemical) Request Form.

Biohazardous waste must be marked as biohazardous, ideally in a red bag with the biohazard symbol.

Boxes of sharps and sharp-likes must be placed into a bag red for removal--the ideal configuration is to place a red bag in a hard-sided and leakproof container, then seal this and enclose within another red bag.

Contact us for any questions or specific guidance: 520-626-6850. 

Please submit via the Fire Watch/Guard Form.

Please submit via the Pyrotechnics Request Form.

Please submit via the Fire Code Appeal Form.

The use of electric space heaters as a temporary measure is permitted in limited applications. Heaters may not be used in areas where flammable liquids are in use or storage. Space heaters are not allowed in Residence Halls. Only space heaters meeting the following criteria are permitted:

1. The heater must be electrically powered and listed by Underwriters Laboratories (UL) or approved by Factory Mutual (FM). Tags or labels indicating the device has been tested and approved by either of these agencies can be found on the electrical cord or die stamped on the heater itself. Fuel powered (propane, kerosene) space heaters are not permitted.
2. The heater must have a thermostat for heat regulation. The heater's thermostat will sense that the area has reached a certain temperature and reduce heating until the temperature in the area drops (very much like the thermostat in your house). Heaters without this feature (with simple "on/off" or "high/low" switches) continue to heat without any regulation and can easily cause fires.
3. Approved heaters must be fan driven. Space heaters with heated metal coils are not permitted. A guard or screen must cover the heating element.
4. Space heaters must have a tip-over shutdown feature. If the heater is knocked over, the unit must automatically shut off.

Approved space heaters may be used only if the following conditions are met:

1. The heater may only be located on the floor. Heaters located on filing cabinets, tables, desks or equipment are more susceptible to being knocked over, resulting in accidents or fires. Never place anything on top of a space heater.
2. At least 3 feet of clearance must be always maintained around the heater. Combustible materials like paper, plastic, and cloth must be kept away from the heater.
3. Electric cords must be kept out of foot traffic paths to prevent tripping. Electric extension cords are not allowed. Heaters must be plugged directly into a wall receptacle.
4. The heater must be unplugged (not just turned off) any time the room or area being heated is unoccupied, especially at the end of the workday.

Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) reserves the right to inspect and approve or reject any space heater that creates a hazard or is inappropriate to a particular location based on specific circumstances and/or fire safety code requirements. Contact us with questions: ehs-help@arizona.edu. 

Please see the Fleet Safety page for more information on certification requirements. 

Please submit via the Risk Management (University insurance) form.