Environmental Health & Safety
Laboratory Re-inspection FAQs
- What is a lab re-inspection?
A re-inspection is an unannounced walkthrough of lab spaces where high hazard deficiencies were found during a scheduled lab inspection.
- What is an inspection deficiency?
An inspection deficiency refers to an item on the lab safety inspection checklist that does not meet current federal, state, local and University of Rochester requirements.
- What is a high hazard inspection deficiency?
A high hazard inspection deficiency refers to a deficiency that is likely to cause harm to lab employees or to others in close proximity to it.
- How will I know what a high hazard deficiency is?
EHS utilizes risk ranking to identify all of the high hazard deficiencies and will provide these rankings to each lab. The high hazard deficiencies will be clearly communicated to laboratory staff during the scheduled lab safety inspection and will be documented on the inspection reports. Inspectors will provide guidance on how to remedy/correct the high hazard deficiencies found.
- How long do I have to correct my high hazard lab deficiency?
As stated on the lab safety inspection reports, laboratories have 7 days to correct inspection deficiencies.
- What can I do if the high hazard deficiency is not within my control to correct?
EHS realizes that some deficiencies need to be corrected by outside contractors/Facilities and will assist lab personnel with scheduling work orders with these groups.
- Does this mean that all of the areas of the lab will be re-inspected?
No, only those areas where high hazard deficiencies were found will be re-inspected. However if EHS sees any new deficiencies, those will be documented and will need to be corrected.
- Why is EHS re-inspecting labs?
High hazard deficiencies are likely to cause harm to lab employees. To prevent this from occurring, EHS is revisiting the labs where these deficiencies were found. Over the years, EHS lab inspectors have found that some areas have repeat deficiencies year after year. Therefore, this is an effort to ensure that these deficiencies are corrected in a timely manner.
- When will this process of re-inspecting labs start?
The new re-inspection process will begin in July of 2018 and will be an ongoing inspection process for the laboratories.
- Will EHS re-inspect my area that was found to have a high hazard deficiency even if I have corrected the finding and have documented this in Chematix?
Yes, EHS will still verify that the high hazard deficiency was corrected through a site visit.
- What happens if EHS comes to re-inspect the area(s) and the deficiencies have not been corrected?
Since keeping lab members safe is our priority, we will notify the lab’s principal investigator and the chair of the department of non-compliance. If there is no response from these groups, the Dean may be contacted.
- Will I receive another lab inspection report after the re-inspection?
Yes, your EHS inspector will send you a very short inspection report for the area that was re-inspected.
QUESTIONS or COMMENTS?
Contact EH&S at (585) 275-3241 or e-mail EH&S Questions.
This page last updated 6/27/2018. Disclaimer.
