Chemical Safety Committee

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Chemical Safety Committee (CSC) is a committee comprised of faculty and staff who support, promote and critically evaluate University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee’s chemical safety policies, practices, and controls intended to protect health, safety and the environment at UWM.

This committee was established to better address chemical safety at UWM and satisfies a portion of UWM’s University Workplace Safety Policy (S73), which calls for the establishment of a campus-wide health and safety committee.  The committee can be contacted via email at uwm-chemsafety@uwm.edu

Current Membership

Chair:

Elizabeth Liedhegner, Ph.D., Dept. of Biomedical Sciences, College of Health Sciences

Appointed Members:

Alexander Arnold, Ph.D., Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry, College of Letters & Science

Nathan Salowitz, Ph.D. Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Science

Kristin Schneider, Senior Instructional Specialist, College of General Studies

Timothy Wahl, Associate Researcher, School of Freshwater Sciences, Great Lakes Research Institute

PJ Egan, CHMM, Senior Waste Management Specialist, University Safety & Assurances

Jennifer Herriges, Laboratory Safety Coordinator, University Safety & Assurances

Rick Koehler, Shops Supervisor, Dept. of Facility Services

Jamie Kuenzi, Lieutenant, University Police

Zack Steuerwald, MBA, Environmental Health and Safety Director, University Safety & Assurances

Meeting Schedule: 

The Committee will meet no less than four times per year.  A monthly meeting schedule is established, but is dependent on sufficient agenda items.  Meeting schedule link.

Meeting Minutes:

March 10, 2021

January 13, 2021

December 9, 2020

September 9, 2020

May 13, 2020

February 12, 2020

November 13, 2019

July 10, 2019
February 13, 2019
November 14, 2018
October 10, 2018
August 15, 2018
July 18, 2018
February 14, 2018
December 13, 2017
November 8, 2017
September 13, 2017

July 12, 2017

Committee Charge

MISSION:
The Chemical Safety Committee (CSC) will support, promote and critically evaluate University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee’s chemical safety policies, practices, and controls intended to protect health, safety and the environment at UWM. As it fulfils its charge, the CSC will:

  • Develop, review, and approve campus policies on issues related to the purchase, use, storage, and disposal of chemicals. Review compliance with campus policies and recommend methods to promote compliance. Review a chemical use authorization process to ensure that all labs using higher hazard chemicals develop standard operating procedures that describe how to safely handle them.
  • Oversee the development and maintenance of written chemical safety control plans that minimize exposures for all affected personnel with the use of proper engineering controls, work practices, and recommending updates to the plans, as necessary.
  • Give advice and counsel to the campus community concerning safe use and management of chemicals and compliance with safety and environmental regulations to support and achieve excellence in chemical safety. This may include identifying areas of concern and/or critical needs (e.g., training, equipment) and investigating chemical safety incidents on campus in order to help prevent accidents in the future.
  • Monitor disposal costs, methods of disposal and the funding process for these activities.
  • Periodically review chemical safety and environmental protection issues in University Safety and Assurances (US&A) publications and on its web site, including reviews of the campus Chemical Hygiene Plan and Hazard Communication Plan.
  • Serve as a forum to review laboratory practices and procedures to ensure that these are compatible for the protection of the environment. Promote methods and procedures to minimize production of hazardous waste and prevent pollution from research, maintenance, teaching and other university activities.
  • Provide a forum for the campus community to raise concerns regarding the safe use, handling, and disposal of chemicals and assist in the resolution of disputes regarding chemical safety issues. Provide a similar forum for issues related to environmental compliance. Make specific actionable recommendations to any and all members of the university community as needed.

MEMBERSHIP AND MEETINGS:

Membership on the committee will be requested from the Deans of Letters and Science, Engineering, Health Sciences, School of Freshwater Sciences, the Campus Police Chief and Facility Services.  US&A will provide the administrative support to the CSC in its activities.

The Committee will meet no less than four times per year.  All matters requiring a vote by the Chemical Safety Committee will require a simple majority quorum. Members will be present to have a vote, no e-mailed votes.  Remote attendance via phone or video (i.e., FaceTime, Skype) is allowed.

Resources

Highly Hazardous Chemical Categories Reviewed by CSC
Highly Hazardous Chemical Purchasing Process Flow Chart