EHS Program Fosters Safe, Efficient Operations

You might call IITRI's Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Program the white blood cells of the operation. Its main function is to identify hazards and keep them from harming IITRI's people, facilities and the environment. Like the body's own defenders, IITRI's EHS program runs in the background, invisibly, allowing daily operations to proceed without a hitch.

As IITRI's Environmental Health and Safety Officer, Gregory Kolar, M.S., C.I.H (Certified Industrial Hygienist), manages the EHS program. "My role is to ensure that studies and daily operations at IITRI are conducted safely," Mr. Kolar says. "By upholding this commitment, we minimize costs to the company resulting from injuries or damages, and we allow our staff to stay focused on delivering high quality services to the customer in a timely and cost-effective manner."

	"After a study protocol is developed, we evaluate 'What are we going to do, what are the potential risks or exposures, and how do we need to protect against them?' We have to be flexible, and so do our procedures." Gregory Kolar, M.S., C.I.H Environmental Health and Safety Officer

EHS Program Ensures Safety Compliance

IITRI is subject to the safety and health regulations of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) and the Department of Transportation (DOT).

One function of IITRI's EHS program is to interpret the regulations, establish programs, develop standard written procedures and provide guidance for compliance.

For instance, Mr. Kolar says, "OSHA will tell you to do it, but they don't always tell you how to do it. The onus is on the company to identify its hazards and then protect its people from them. That's where our experience and knowledge come into play."

Program Serves as Technical Resource

A second function of the EHS program is to serve as a technical resource on a case by case basis by instructing staff on what protective equipment and safety measures to use with different materials and procedures.

As a contract research organization, IITRI's projects constantly change, introducing a wide variety of potentially hazardous materials and procedures. Our goal is to identify and control potential hazards for each study before it begins.

"We assess each project," Mr. Kolar says. "After a study protocol is developed, we evaluate 'What are we going to do, what are the potential risks or exposures, and how do we need to protect against them?' We have to be flexible, and so do our procedures."

Risks and Safeguards Assessed per Project

Standards such as the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard, Laboratory Safety Standard and Personal Protective Equipment Standard require IITRI to evaluate chemicals and hazards in the workplace, label materials, identify and control exposures, and train employees.

Study directors meet these requirements by completing a hazard assessment - a written evaluation of potential risks and how they will be controlled - for each project. The EHS program provides technical support for completing the assessments and reviews them. Employees assigned to the project then meet to review the information. The end result is an effective tool to address our compliance requirements.

Safety Maintained through Group Effort

In a successful organization like IITRI, management and employees embrace the fundamental concepts of safety in the workplace and play an active role in shaping them. This teamwork creates a proactive program and fosters a positive culture.

Two valuable in-house tools are the Safety Committee, which monitors and evaluates general safety issues for the facility, and the Radiation Safety Committee, which oversees the safe use, handling and storage of radioactive materials. Both organizations are employee driven. Volunteers from various departments give their time and take ownership of issues to ensure a safe facility. Members communicate information and assist with program implementation. Other employees volunteer as evacuation coordinators or assist with staff training.

With the cooperation of the department heads and staff, the assessment of risks and safeguards is a matter of course at IITRI. "EHS programs are integrated into daily management and should seem transparent," Mr. Kolar says. With the safety of the facility ensured, IITRI can focus on its primary objective of providing research services that meet our customers' needs.