On April the 1st the University Chemical Safety Forum (UCSF) celebrated its 29th meeting at the University of Glasgow’s Advanced Research Centre. As a not-for-profit group dedicated to improving chemical safety and risk management, UCSF draws expertise from universities across the UK with delegates attending the meeting from over a dozen institutions. The forum, chaired by Dr. Phil Rodger from the University of Edinburgh, champions a mission to spread best practices in chemical safety, foster communication between subject matter experts and enhance safety skills and competence in higher education.
The meeting brought together chemical safety experts from across the higher education sector to share best practices and knowledge relating to Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations (DSEAR) and Laboratory Fire Safety.
The event consisted of several talks by practitioners, poster presentations, flash talks and a confidential open forum where members could discuss recent incidents to highlight root causes and preventative actions. But first we had a brief overview of the history of UCSF from its beginnings through to the present day, this really illustrated how important UCSF has been to chemical safety practitioners in our sector.
The talks covered topics such as engagement with lab users to ensure DSEAR was implemented, issues to consider when completing hazard classification of areas using DSEAR, how to assess use of hydrogen using DSEAR including release calculations and other risk factors as well as suggested control measures and other factors to consider.Talks by our sponsors Tradebe and Firetrace gave us insights into their interactions with our universities, from unknown gas cylinders through to fire suppression systems for fume cupboards or other high risk fire areas. It was really useful to see how they operate within the university sector and no matter what the challenge, how they are helping us to meet the safety challenges we face in the chemical laboratory.
Over lunch there was the opportunity to talk to those that had prepared posters for the meeting and view their data on topics related to chemical inventory management, using software to help manage high hazard chemicals and induction procedures into lab areas.
The afternoon session included some flash talks by members of the forum to have a quick discussion followed by a talk on fire safety and emergency response preparation, involving mapping hazards out on floorplan documents and using software to enable interrogation of those hazards in the event of fire related emergency. There was discussion about improving uptake of fire extinguisher training and development of fire related resources in the chemistry lab – including short videos to illustrate fire risks in the lab context.
There then followed a talk about fire safety and explosion risks related to a rocket testing facility in Glasgow and how the work to encourage rocket development and propulsion systems in the UK higher education sector has led to a new centre for doctoral training in space propulsion. DSEAR and regulations relating to pressure systems and equipment all have a part to play in ensuring new rockets and associated systems operate safely.
The day concluded with a confidential open-forum where attendees exchanged insights on recent incidents. This highly anticipated session gave everyone a chance to learn from incidents happening in other Universities, perhaps helping to prevent similar incidents closer to home in the future.
Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive, praising the event’s theme, engaging atmosphere and valuable knowledge exchange during the networking sessions and poster presentations. The success of the conference underscores the unwavering dedication to advancing safety and innovation across UK universities, setting the stage for a collaborative approach to driving improvements in safety in the years ahead.
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