Health & Safety
The Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology is committed to providing a safe environment and maintaining a culture that promotes health and safety. Safety is the responsibility of all stakeholders, and we must actively work together to ensure a safe working environment for everyone in the department. The following tools and information are offered to help deliver on this commitment.
For any questions, please contact Terry Chu or any member of the department’s Health and Safety committee.
Department members on the Faculty of Science’s Joint Health and Safety Committee are:
- Jim McNulty
- Julie Gauthier
- Sara Salimi
Members of the department’s Health and Safety committee are:
- Jim McNulty (co-chair)
- Julie Gauthier (co-chair)
- David Emslie
- Sam Sadeghi
- Tanja Petrovic
- Terry Chu
- Sara Salimi
- Nick Hoffman
Meeting agenda and notes from the most recent departmental Health and Safety committee meeting can be found here.
- Tammy Feher, ABB-156, x20874
- Patricia Martin, ABB-222, x26082
- Heather Zelisko, ABB-308, x26038
- Julie Gauthier, ABB-412, x26084
- Terry Chu, ABB-401, x24511
Hazardous chemical waste is picked up every Tuesday by RPR Environmental. Submit a Chemical Waste Disposal Record form to waste@mcmaster.ca by 9AM on Friday to ensure pick up the following Tuesday. Collection containers and labels are available at Lab Stores (ABB-133).
For more information, visit the links below.
Waste at McMaster University
Hazardous waste pick up
General guidelines for spill clean up
Disposal of empty chemical bottles
Biohazardous waste must be segregated and disposed of appropriately.
- Biohazardous waste boxes and plastic bag liners for solid waste are available in Lab Stores (ABB-133)
- Waste boxes must be folded, taped shut, and labelled with the Date, Department, Supervisor/PI, and Lab Location.
- Pickup of biohazardous waste boxes arranged by Research Lab Manager
- Liquid biohazardous waste to be neutralized (bleached) and collected and disposed of as hazardous chemical waste
For more information, visit the links below.
General biohazard waste information from McMaster Biosafety Office
Guidelines for clean up of biohazard waste
Biomedical waste procedures
Biomedical waste supplies and removal process
Chemical Waste Disposal Record
Injury/Incident Report to be completed whenever an injury or incident happens
Designated Substance Report must be completed if designated substances are in the laboratory
Lab Door Information template