2 of 20

CIHWM Town Hall

Chemical Inventory & Hazardous Waste Management

Thurs, Oct 3, 2024

3 of 20

The University of Alberta respectfully acknowledges that we are located on Treaty 6 territory, a traditional gathering place for diverse Indigenous peoples including the Cree, Blackfoot, Métis, Nakota Sioux, Iroquois, Dene, Ojibway/ Saulteaux/Anishinaabe, Inuit, and many others whose histories, languages, and cultures continue to influence our vibrant community.

4 of 20

Town Hall Agenda

Housekeeping
Introductions
Culture of care
Pilot project lessons learned
Timeline
How to access software
Break
Demo and Open forum

Note: Recording in progress

Please feel free to ask questions in person, in the chat or after recording has stopped. Thanks!

5 of 20

Housekeeping

Washrooms

Down the hall, left-hand side (near kitchen area)

Muster point:

To the right of the stairs at the main entrance

Microphones:

Push the “speaking” button in the middle of the console
Red light indicates that the microphone is on

For online attendees:

Change to spotlight view
Select “Three Dots” > Select Change Layout > Select Spotlight

6 of 20

Introductions

Name	Title/Department
Michelle Rooker	Director, HSE
Greg Hodgson	Manager, Environment and Support Services, HSE
Kseniya Revunova	Acting Manager, Inspections & Technical Services, HSE
Mohammed Hussain	Chemical Inventory Technician, HSE
Anamar Jaramillo Valverde	Chemical Inventory Technician, HSE
Thi Lai To	Chemical Inventory Technician, HSE
Lauren Dombroski	Chemical Inventory Technician, HSE
Tashie Macapagal	Project Manager, IST PMO
Slava Francis	Senior OCM Specialist, IST PMO

7 of 20

Culture of Care

A Culture of Care: Safety Action Plan

Goal: to empower U of A employees to own their safety performance and that of others so everyone can go home safely each day

Implementation of a mandatory campus-wide inventory and waste management system allows for proper management of hazardous materials at UofA to ensure safety of the University community

8 of 20

Pilot Project Summary

Since the Summer Town Hall:

Transitioned 36 PIs to Chemical Inventory Module
Visited approximately 100 rooms to set-up, train, and label inventory
Rename system to UALabSync (from EHSA)
Streamlined transition process
Developed training program and reference material

9 of 20

Pilot Project: The Process

Orientation (~10-15 min):
Initial walkthrough to familiarize technician personnel with lab layout and safety protocols
Answer and document questions related to the pilot project
Barcode Physical Inventory
Convert current inventory management methods to software import template
Place physical barcodes onto chemicals in lab and scan into the upload template
Upload Inventory into UALabSync
PI is set up with an account and up-to-date inventory data is uploaded and tied to their permit

Schedule training session for lab users

(virtual or in-person, 30-45 mins + documentation)

10 of 20

Pilot Project: Software Overview

PI/Lab Worker Perspective Overview

Lab workers tied to PI’s inventory through a permit (ie. permit = inventory)

Workers can be attached to multiple PIs, PIs can have multiple permits (Chem, Bio, Rad), and permits link locations/labs
PIs & Lab Managers will be able to add and remove lab workers and rooms from their inventory

Control over who can view/access their inventory
Department or Campus-level shared chemical inventory

(can opt. in/out at lab’s discretion, per chemical basis)

As a Chem User you will be able to:

Manage the inventory
Submit waste requests

We will be providing documentation on the software to guide users through the system

11 of 20

Pilot Project: Lessons Learned

The focus will be on commercial stock chemicals containers

Not experimental products, aliquots and working solutions

What fields should be required when importing/tracking chemicals?

Accurate name, quantity, location, and dates

How to handle chemicals ordered in large qualities and have high turnover rates?

(eg. refrigerated media solutions, service lab spaces, etc.)

1 barcode representing ‘X’ amount of containers of ‘Y’ chemical

Looked at on a case by case basis

�

12 of 20

Pilot Project: Lessons Learned

Cryogenic barcodes will be provided at request for labs to barcode freezer inventory at their own discretion

Going forward, barcode freezer-bound chemical before placing into freezer for best label adhesion

Labs will have the ability to print their own barcode labels through the software in AVERY format*

�

13 of 20

How Can You Prepare?

Setting your lab up in the inventory module can be self-guided or with HSE assistance (sign up via Google Calendar)
Inspecting your inventory, discarding items that are no longer needed by your research group or are showing signs of damage/decay

A lean, accurate inventory is much easier to manage moving forward

Reviewing current inventory system to ensure that the inventory is accurate and matches what is on the shelves
Barcoding current chemical inventory and importing updated inventory data into the software system

If already using barcodes

14 of 20

Smoothing the Transition

What Labs Can Do Beforehand

After signing up, have a copy of your current inventory management method ready to send in spreadsheet format

We typically request your inventory a week in advance of your first booking time to ensure continuity

Ensure all of your lab spaces with chemical inventory are in ARISE

For labs using CHEMATIX Inventory, let us know the name of your lab as it appears in the software, and whether the PI information is up to date

If possible, we ask to have a small mobile cart and/or bench space allotted for our technicians during booked time slots

Use to set up equipment, barcode and process chemical inventory

15 of 20

Inventory Inspection: What Should be Disposed?

Expired chemicals
Chemicals with damaged containers and caps, signs of improper seal, damaged labels
Multiples of the same chemical?

Pick the best one to keep
Discard the rest

Items that are no longer needed for current projects or in the foreseeable future

16 of 20

Timeline 2024 - 2025

Fall 2024

Aug 2024: Pilot project complete
Sept 2024: Launch new website hub for info and training
Sept 2024: Inventory module roll-out begins and can be completed with assistance from HSE (book through Google Calendar) or self-directed
Dec 2024: All Chematix inventory users must be transferred over to the new system

Fall 2025

Sept - Dec 2025: All inventory and waste must transition to UALabSync. This will be mandatory for all University of Alberta laboratories and regulated through compliance inspections

Spring - Summer 2025

June 2025: Waste must be transitioned to UALabSync from Chematix (licences expire). Date will be communicated and labs trained in advance
Continue transitioning labs to UALabSync

Winter 2025

Mar 2025: HSE assistance will be available for labs (book through Google Calendar)
New Hazardous Waste Management course available
Continue transitioning labs to new system
Likely transition majority of labs to submitting waste through UALabSync

17 of 20

How to Access Software

The chemical inventory and hazardous waste software can be accessed through https://ualberta.hpahost.com/ehsa/ by using your CCID and password to log in
HSE is currently working with labs to add PIs, permits and workers into the software

Already set up?	Not set up yet?
For labs that are already set up, please see the How To: Register Workers for details on adding individuals to your lab You can log in at any time and create a “waste user” profile. However, until your lab is set up in the software, you may not be able to access the functionality	Go to system web, log in If your lab has not been set up, contact HSE at hse.info@ualberta.ca to receive permission to access system

18 of 20

Break

8 minutes

19 of 20

Live Demo

20 of 20

Thank you!

Questions, comments or concerns?

Visit us on the new CIHWM webpage