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Adult learning is many things besides workplace training – here's an overview and preview of future columns from an expert in it and one of our Advisory Board members.

I've been asked to write an on-going, quarterly column on adult learning for Safety Smart On-line. As this is my inaugural column, I thought I'd write about what I'll be writing about in future columns. Does that make sense? Let's try this again. Put another way, in this column, I'll discuss an overview of various aspects of adult learning that we'll explore in future columns. Hmm. You know, I think I like the first version better.

If I have to sum up adult learning in one catchphrase, it's this – put the learner first. If you do that, the rest tends to fall into place.

Adult learning can be a lot of different things. It can be environmental, health, and safety (EHS) training in the workplace (which I'm guessing most of you do), but it can also be such endeavors as:

• Adult primary education (reading, writing, literacy, math, etc.)
• English as a second language (ESL)
• Getting one's General Education Degree (GED – an alternative to getting your High School diploma here in the United States)
• Continuing professional development (for engineers, doctors, lawyers, etc. I purposefully am omitting the vast panoply of EHS certifications because I can't possibly list them all, and if I only name a few as examples, those of you with other credentials will "let me know" I omitted yours. Don't get me wrong; I'd love to hear from you readers, just not solely because I happened to not list your credential in an example of adult learning alternatives. Now where was I – oh yes, …)
• Trade skills (David Lee Roth training to become an emergency medical technician [EMT])
• Adults learning how to swim for the first time (I used to be a lifeguard and water safety instructor decades ago – ah, sweet youth!)
• Adults learning (or in my case re-learning) another language – Est ce que vous parlez le Francais?
• Graduate students taking elective courses (in Health, Safety, and Security or Risk Assessment and Management) toward their Master's degrees (I teach college part-time)
• Many other examples – the list goes on and on.

Each of the above is indeed an example of adult learning – and in each case, the various principles or tenets of adult learning apply. When I teach my fellow trainers in train-the-trainer classes (on adult learning in general, not on a specific subject like fork truck train-the-trainer), I like to describe these aspects as the "training cycle." They are:

1. A training needs assessment (TNA – what are the person's needs that can be addressed by training)
2. Learning objectives ("At the end of the course, the student will be able to…")
3. Training design and development (what approaches and/or methods will you use and including your lesson plans)
4. Training delivery (be it classroom or on-line training)
5. Training validation (perhaps including tests)
6. Training evaluation (those ubiquitous forms)
7. Improvements for the next time (and there's always a "next time" in training)

There are undoubtedly other adult learning principles (I like to call them ALPs – we all have mountains to climb, but boy, what a view from the top!) including self-directedness, of an immediate need, applicability, flexibility, involvement in the design, participation in class discussions, sharing one's expertise, dyads, triads, and small group work to name a few. We'll certainly need to explore these as well in future columns.

Well, that's probably enough for now. I've given you some information to think about and a preview of columns to come.

I would probably be remiss if I were not to mention the father of adult education Malcolm Knowles. If you are not familiar with Malcolm Knowles or his teachings and writings, I highly encourage you to do so. You can find much about him by merely putting his name into your favorite search engine.

So, until my next column – good day and good training!

Next: How Well Do You Know the Father of Adult Learning?

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The work world and global marketplace are quickly becoming more and more multi-cultural. In these settings and with these groups of trainees, culturally appropriate training (CAT) can and should be followed to ensure that the training is well-received and does not "backfire" due to cultural differences. Training development and delivery need to incorporate certain principles of CAT and avoid other inappropriate methods. In this paper, we will examine these including:

• Using language as an ice-breaker
• Learning objectives (for the original presentation as well as this paper)
• Adult learning principles (ALPs – as a "given")
• Diversity training (as a "given")
• Various definitions of "culture"
• Elements of culture
• Examples of culture
• CAT and its definition
• Valuable traits for CAT trainers
• How to prepare for CAT
• Involving others in CAT
• Do's and don'ts for CAT
• Culturally inappropriate training (CIT)
• Great quote on "culture"

Using language as an ice-breakerHere is an excellent way to open a training session on CAT – the word "greetings" in 22 other languages (with each one's country, location, or people): Aloha! (Hawaiian), Bonjour! (French), Buenos Dias! (Spanish), Buon Giorno! (Italian), G'day! (Aussie), Geia sou! (Greek), Guten tag! (German), Hello! (Icelandic), Keshi! (Zuni), Konnichi Wa! (Japanese), Kwai! (Abenaki), Nabat! (Somali), Namaskar! (Hindi), Ni Hao! (Mandarin), Oki! (Blackfoot), Pryvit! (Ukrainian), Rozhbash! (Kurdi), Salaam! (Arabic/Farsi), Shalom! (Hebrew), Tan Kahk! (Passamaquoddy Tribe), Yokwe! (Marshallese), and Zhivjo! (Slovenian)! Learning objectivesThe learning objectives (for the original presentation as well as this paper) were or are as follows:

• Describe the basic principles of good training/adult learning
• Define "culture" and "culturally appropriate training" ("CAT")
• Describe what research should take place before CAT
• Explain the importance of involving the "persons of culture" in CAT
• Explain the use of CAT surveys
• Approach trainees just before their CAT course
• List three each do's and don'ts of culturally appropriate training
• Explain the pitfalls of culturally inappropriate training (CIT)
• Develop culturally appropriate training

Good training and adult learning principles (ALPs)If we're going to engage in CAT or any training for that matter, it should be a "given" that it will be good training, and we will use good adult learning principles (ALPs). Good training is good training no matter what type it is – EHS, CAT, OJT, or any other. These ALPs include (but are by no means limited to) the following:

• Self-directed: Adult learners are very self-directed.
• Immediate need or nature: Adult learners prefer their training to be about things of an immediate nature or need.
• Directly applicable: The topic and materials should be directly applicable to them.
• Involved in setting the agenda: Adult learners prefer to be directly involved in setting the agenda.
• Draw on their experiences: Adult learners like to draw on their work and life experiences.
• Solve problems: Adult learners are problem-solvers.
• Flexibility in discussions: Adult learners prefer that the discussions and trainer are flexible to accommodate their self-directedness.
• Participation: Adult learners like to participate in the training – often a lot!

Diversity trainingSimilarly to the given of good training and ALPs above, it is another "given" that CAT should include but be more than diversity training. Good diversity training typically might include the following elements:

• We're all different…yet we're all the same
• We have different values…but we should value our differences
• We should embrace diversity… and be aware of various legal issues such as discrimination.

What is "culture"?If we wish to understand CAT better, first, we must understand "culture" better? So, what exactly is "culture"? Here are some good questions to help us better understand this:

• What is your definition of "culture"?
• What is the dictionary definition of "culture"?
• What is or are your culture(s) – how do you self-identify with your own culture
• What are some types and examples of culture(s)?
• What is your definition of "culture"?

Before we look at others' definitions of "culture," take a minute to consider and/or formulate your definition of culture. What exactly is culture? What are some examples of culture? Got it all set? Excellent! Let's take a look at some others now. What is a good dictionary type definition of "culture"?Rather than an actual dictionary definition, let's look at a couple of textbook definitions. Both of these are from Associate Professor, Ifte Choudhury, at Texas A&M University (TAMU). Professor Choudhury defines "culture" as: "Culture refers to the cumulative deposit of knowledge, experience, beliefs, values, attitudes, meanings, hierarchies, religion, notions of time, roles, spatial relations, concepts of the universe, and material objects and possessions acquired by a group of people in the course of generations through individual and group striving." Certainly a comprehensive definition, albeit hardly a good "working" one that we can easily get our arms (or brains) around. Fortunately, he also has a good working definition. "A culture is a way of life of a group of people--the behaviors, beliefs, values, and symbols that they accept, generally without thinking about them, and that are passed along by communication and imitation from one generation to the next." A much simpler one that likely works in most situations. Well, now that we have adequately defined culture, let's look at some examples of it. What is or are your culture(s)? How do you self-identify your own culture(s)? What types, elements, and/or examples do you use for yourself? Types and examples of culture

There are both obvious and not-so-obvious types or elements of culture. Some typically obvious culture types include the following list:

• Ethnicity
• Native country
• Language
• Race or Creed
• Color
• Religion
• Gender
• Sexual orientation
• Age

Some not so obvious culture types include the following:

• Locale (e.g., Texas culture, West coast culture, etc.)
• Disability (e.g., "Deaf culture")
• Politics (e.g., Conservative, Liberal, Green, etc.)
• Eating (e.g., vegan, etc.)
• Consumerism (e.g., "got to have it now" culture)
• Hobbies/Activities (e.g., Model railroaders)
• Profession (e.g., Safety culture?)
• Education (e.g., College degree, various colleges, etc.)

Author's cultural self-images As you read this paper, you have little way of knowing my cultures unless you know me. If you're going to ask other persons to share information about their culture types, you must be prepared to share your culture types. In that spirit and as an example, here are my obvious culture types or examples:

• White
• Middle-aged
• Male
• Baby Boomer
• Health-conscious
• IH/EHS

Culturally Appropriate Training (CAT)Now that we've examined culture let's turn our attention and focus to CAT. We will discuss the following questions and their answers (of course).

• CAT - what is it?
• What are some valuable traits to have if doing CAT?
• How do you prepare for CAT?
• How do you involve others in CAT?
• What are the dos and don'ts of CAT?
• If there is CAT, is there also Culturally Inappropriate Training (CIT)?
• Do you have any remaining questions regarding CAT?

CAT – what is it? So, finally, we get to our discussion about CAT itself – but what exactly is CAT? Here are some good, "working" definitions of CAT. The first is from Australia and is regarding their Aboriginal persons, whereas the others are from the National Library of Medicine (NLM). CAT is…

• "…developed and delivered in a way that takes account of a learner's cultural background and needs." – Australian National Training Authority (ANTA)
• "…based in the traditional and cultural values of (Aboriginal) people." – NLM.
• "…adapted and presented in a way which is both understandable and respectful of cultural diversity." – NLM.

What are some valuable traits to have? If you are going to develop and/or deliver CAT, here are some valuable traits to have. These come from Terence Brake of Transnational Management Associates, Ltd. (TMA) at www.tmaworld.com.

• Adaptability
• Cooperation
• Curiosity and…Learning
• Empathy
• Friendliness
• Objectivity
• Patience
• "Perspectiveness"
• Resilience
• Self-Awareness

How do you prepare for CAT?Finally, getting prepared to develop and/or deliver some CAT – how should you prepare for it? Here are some ways to start.

• Learn – as much as you can about their culture
• Ask – permission/if ok to do CAT
• Buy-in – get it from respected members (e.g., tribal elders)
• Survey – both the trainees and stakeholders
• Involve – the persons of culture
• Embrace – their culture (as appropriate)
• Empathy – "Walk a mile in their shoes"

Involving others – how do you do it? Clearly, the most important aspect of CAT is the involvement of the cultural group or individuals. Here are some ways to go about it.

• Get buy-in from respected members of their culture (e.g., tribal elders).
• Have them help develop various training approaches and methods.
• Have them deliver the training as co-trainers or as the sole trainers (without you).
• Use surveys of both the trainees and stakeholders.
• Approach trainees just before class. At the least, you can do this, but not as a substitute for any of the above.

What are the "dos" of CAT? Obviously, there things that a trainer can and should do when doing CAT. Here's a list of some common ones.

• Be prepared
• Involve them
• Show respect
• Learn their culture
• It their way
• Give them ownership of it
• Your research/HW
• Ask questions

What are the "don'ts" of CAT? Where there are do's, it follows there are also don'ts – and there are. As is typical, the don'ts are even more important than the dos. Just think, when things go badly, they often go very badly. Here are some don'ts that you want to avoid. Don't…

• Use clichés!
• Be condescending!
• Make jokes!
• Do it your way!
• Use pop culture references!
• Assume!
• Pretend to be "them"!
• Give up!

There are various other ones that are specific to various cultures (e.g., Latino, Chinese, Native Tribes, etc.). Is there "Culturally Inappropriate Training" (CIT)? So, if there is culturally appropriate training (CAT), is there also the reciprocal – culturally inappropriate training (CIT)? Sure, of course, there is – but let's hope that collectively none of us ever experience it – either giving or receiving. There are a couple of general points to consider. It is absolutely more important what not to do! Review the don'ts listed above. Then review them again. Consider if there are any other don'ts you can think of. Then be sure to avoid them at all costs – which brings us to the second point. It only takes one innocent faux pas to undo much goodwill. It takes a lot of hard work, patience, etc., to develop trust with others of a different cultural group. But all it takes is one relatively innocent slip of the tongue, physical slight, etc., to lose that hard-earned trust. Try not to do so. My own mistake – a case study Many years ago, I was doing some Asbestos Supervisor training for a Native Tribe. We had worked most of the day building a polyethylene sheeting containment and decontamination facility. We had worked outside in the sun in July – it was hot – especially in the poly containment. Everyone was hot and tired. We went inside, where it was a bit cooler (but no A/C), to do our hands-on session on donning PPE, including disposable suits. Despite XL suits, they did not fit everyone. A taller student was having some trouble donning his suit. To try to encourage him, I made an unfortunate reference to trying to also help my young son. Immediately he got mad, pushed me aside, and stormed out. You see, Natives were often treated as and compared to children—clearly not my intent, but a huge gaffe never-the-less. We took a break, of course. I found my contact person and explained my mistake, and took responsibility for it. The next day back in the classroom, I explained and apologized to the entire class and specifically to the student offended by my remark. I shared with them my own experiences of being taunted as a child for being Jewish. Having something of a common bond helped get past our differences. To this day, I still provide their refresher training each year. A great quote on culture It's always nice to have something profound to say at the close of an article or training – CAT or otherwise. So here's a great quote from someone else on culture (and by extension on CAT). See if you can guess who said the following. "If we are to achieve a richer culture, rich in contrasting values, we must recognize the whole gamut of human potentialities, and so weave a less arbitrary social fabric, one in which each diverse human gift will find a fitting place." Are you able to guess who said it? Here are some hints if you need them:

• A woman said it.
• She studied many different cultural groups.
• She was an author – her first major work was "Coming of Age in Samoa."
• She was not only an anthropologist but also a cultural anthropologist.
• She was an expert on culture (of course) and quite likely CAT, too.
• She lived from 1901 to 1978

Did you figure it out – I hope so! It was an anthropologist, author, and culture expert… Margaret Mead (of course – who else could it be?)Any remaining questions? Hopefully, this has helped give you a foundation in CAT. There is always more we could discuss, but this will have to be it for now. However, if you, the reader, have any other questions, please feel free to contact me at the contact information below. Thanks, and good training!

Next: How Well Do You Know the Father of Andragogy?

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* Bored Student (What did you think it meant?!)Page 2 of 2Keep it "on-time"! Everyone's time is important. If the meeting doesn't start and end on-time, people won't want to attend or will be late. Respect their time, and they'll (hopefully) respect yours (by paying attention). Keep it "short"! The longer the meeting lasts, the less effective it becomes. People have short attention spans. Remember the "KISS" method – keep it short and simple (yes, there is another version, but we're being polite here). Keep it "focused"! Don't ramble. Stay "on message." Let's face it – you're lucky if the workers pay attention to what you're saying. So say what matters most – the message. Keep it "topical"! Make sure that the topics are directly applicable to the daily/weekly operations/tasks. Make sure that the meeting relates to the job and what's going on. Adult learners of all stripes need to have their training apply to their work – and I mean directly applicable. Make sure that your lesson or example is on the same tools, same tasks, sites, jobs, and situations. Get the idea? Keep it "timely"! Ensure that you're covering only things that are happening (or are about to or just did happen). Adults don't want training if it does not matter. Remember that it must directly apply? Boy, I hope so – it was number 4 above. This is the corollary to it – adult learners need to have their training be of an immediate need, not for future needs. Keep it "fresh"! Don't do the same stuff repeatedly. Cover new items or in new ways. Do you know the cliché that "doing the same thing over and over but expecting different results is an example of insanity"? So, you can't do the same training over and over and expect different safety results. Otherwise, trainees tune you out. Keep it "organized"! Be prepared, just like the Boy Scout motto. Don't leave it to the last minute, or people will pick up on that, and it will lose its perceived value. Don't "wing it," or your trainees might "take wing" and fly away. Again, it comes down to respect – respect for them for you and the subject matter – their safety and health. Disorganized = disrespect. Unprepared? Just don't do it!Keep it "open"! Be "open" to attendees' input before, during, and after the meeting. Adults like to contribute when/where it matters. Adult learners want to be directly involved with setting the agenda – so let them! When they're involved (in training), they're engaged in it! And that's what you want. Before training, they can help you craft the important message(s). During the training, they can help with the validation of the hazards and solutions. After the training, they're the ones that always want to discuss something with you about the training. Ready for another cliché? Minds are like parachutes – they only work when they're open.

Keep it "flexible"! Be flexible enough to allow for attendees to ask questions. This gets right back to "keep it open." If the group suddenly wants to change the topic and it's a relevant topic to site safety and health – go for it! Again, they're engaged in the training, and that's what you want. To do otherwise (not to address relevant sincere questions) is to risk alienating trainees, shutting down discussions, giving them a distaste for the training and health and safety, and flies in the face of sound adult learning principles. (Do you need any more reasons?)Keep it "diverse"! People will get tired of the regularity. Change something about the meeting so people will look forward to it. Change the venue, change the setup, change the topic, change the trainer, change the teaching method, change the message, heck change the whole blessed thing (I bet you thought I'd say the whole enchilada or the whole nine yards, didn't you?). "Variety is the spice of life," so why not make it the spice of training, too!Keep it "safe and healthy"! Don't engage in any unsafe or unhealthy behaviors during the meeting. You'll at best be sending a mixed message; more likely, you will lose any respect for the training and could get hurt or ill. My Dad used to tell me, "Do as I say, not as I do." You know what? I did as he did. We learn by watching others. How about a great quote? "Your actions thunder so loudly; I can hardly hear what you're saying." Henry David Thoreau. Keep it "lively"! Make it exciting. Don't be a "talking head" – do something. Demonstrate safe behavior, get them involved and moving. Adults learn best when doing things. They also will pay better attention if there's a "show" – so give them one. A good trainer is 1/3 teacher, 1/3 coach or counselor, and 1/3 entertainer. You know what they say, "The show must go on!" Keep it "well-fed"! Let's make it a "baker's dozen." People love to be fed. Consider bringing or providing some refreshments. Good food = good training! I hate it when I get to a class, and the client has not provided the obligatory coffee and donuts for the students (or maybe something healthy like yogurts, fresh fruit, and whole-grain bagels)!

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Does your organization have a Hazard Communication program? Sure you do. What about an emergency action or response plan? “Of course,” you say. A lockout/tag-out program? Most likely. Other health and safety programs and plans? I bet you answered “yes” to all four questions. (By the way, those were all rhetorical questions, so don’t answer out loud, or people around you will begin to wonder.)

Now then, what about a written EHS training program? Now I bet you answered “no” – and that’s unfortunate. It’s unfortunate because, as with the written plans you said you have, you should also have a written EHS training plan. Without a written plan on EHS training, how will you know that the training is correct, consistent, well developed, delivered, and effective? Most likely, you won’t or don’t know. In the book “Alice in Wonderland,” the Cheshire Cat asked Alice (when she said she didn’t know where she was going, just that she was in a hurry), “If you don’t know where you’re going, how will you know when you get there?” How willyou know when your organization gets “there” in training?

You probably won’t know – that’s where an EHS training plan comes in.

So if you’re going to develop an EHS Training Plan or Program, wouldn’t you likely (or like to) use an existing standard that has been well developed, is credible, and well-accepted?

“Sure I would,” you say (to yourself – the folks nearby think you’re working too hard and have lost touch with reality when you talk to yourself aloud). Well, you’ll be glad to know that there is an EHS Training Standard – it is ANSI Z490.1 - Criteria for Accepted Practices in Safety, Health, and Environmental Training. This standard has been accepted since 2000 and is a comprehensive standard for any EHS training.

Even if you don’t think that you need an EHS Training Program, you still do EHS training, don’t you?

Hello? Still there? That’s good. I thought you’d left when I didn’t hear you answer. Anyway, as I was saying, you do EHS training – and probably a lot of it. Haz com, LOTO, BBPs, noise/hearing conservation, HAZWOPER, PRCSs, fire, EAP, ERP, ad nauseam, it seems like the list and the training goes on and on and on….

Where was I? Oh yes, EHS training. Well, OSHA lists the required training topics, but they don’t tell you how to do the activity. That’s where the Z490 standard comes in. It goes into detail on all manner of training issues and guidelines – from development to delivery to evaluation and documentation – “it’s in there!” (sounds like a spaghetti sauce ad – sorry, no “product placements” here – you’ll have to figure out which sauce uses that as its tag-line).

Are you looking for a “best practice” in EHS training or an “accepted practice”? Want your HazCom training to be “effective training” as OSHA requires, and any good trainer, of course, wants that. Were you looking for standardized methods for evaluation and documentation? You guessed it – Z490 has got it (you’re so smart!).

“What’s in it?” you say. Funny you should ask – let’s take a look at its overall content. (Again, stop asking out loud – or is it the voices in my head?)

The standard has two columns – the left one gives “Standard Requirements” and the right one gives “Explanatory Information,” which helps clarify the standard requirements. The standard contains seven sections, three annexes, and two checklists. They are as follows:

• Section 1 – Scope, purpose, and application
• Section 2 – Definition
• Section 3 – Training Program Administration and Management
• Section 4 – Training Development
• Section 5 – Training Delivery
• Section 6 – Training Evaluation
• Section 7 – Documentation and Record-Keeping
• Annex A – References
• Annex B – Training Course Development Guidelines
• Annex C – Training Delivery
• Appendix C – Safety, Health, and Environmental Trainer’s Checklist and

Day of Training Checklist

Let’s take a brief look at each one of the above, shall we? (Don’t answer – you know why).

Section 1 – Scope, Purpose, and Application: Pretty obvious, this section gives the range of applicability and where to use the standard (any EHS training, but again, it makes for an excellent benchmark for any training – not just EHS. “Z490 – it’s not just for EHS training anymore!” Another great advertising tag-line, don’t you think? Don’t bother answering).

Section 2 – Definitions: Everything from “certificate” to “trainer” is defined in this section.

Section 3 – Training Program Administration and Management: This section goes into great detail on responsibility and accountability for the training program and discusses appropriate resources and evaluation as well.

Section 4 – Training Development: One of the more significant areas of the standard, this section discusses needs assessments, learning objectives, course design, and training methods in much detail. All of the components that make up and go into effective training development.

Section 5 – Training Delivery: Another extensive section, this one, of course, discusses trainer criteria, subject matter expertise, continuing ed., management of the class, planning and preparation, delivery skills, and even adult learning principles (yay!).

Section 6 – Training Evaluation: The most extensive section (believe it or not) is very comprehensive. It covers the evaluation of the trainee (and their new skills), the training (and its effectiveness), and the trainer (and their impression on the trainees).

Section 7 – Documentation and Record-Keeping: This section obviously discusses what records to keep (a lot) and how to document them (paper copies, electronically, etc.).

Annex A – References: This “informative” annex gives a wide range of training references from ISO, ANSI, NIOSH, OSHA, IACET, and ASTD for use and, well, your reference (of course).

Annex B – Training Course Development Guidelines: This additional “informative” annex goes into great detail for several pages on course development and expands upon section 4 quite a bit.

Annex C – Training Delivery: Of course this “informative” annex does likewise for section 5 by detailing what makes for an effective trainer.

Appendix C – Safety, Health, and Environmental Trainer’s Checklist: A vast “trainer’s checklist” is included as part of annex C – much detail.

Appendix C – Day of Training Checklist: Last but not least, a “Day of Training Checklist” covering everything from training location and the A/V through the trainer’s image to thanking the class.

Wow! So as you can see, there is a ton of very good, helpful information and guidance in the standard.

Still not sure what to do? You can get the standard from ASSE at www.asse.org. Take a look at it – it’ll help your organization’s EHS training program. Perhaps you even noticed that it’s really about any training or adult learning, so you should be able to incorporate other training (e.g., human resources, quality, etc.) into your program or plan as well as your EHS training (everything from asbestos to zero energy state training).

What? Are you still not sure you’ll be able to come up with an EHS Training Program or Plan? Well, there also is an implementation guide that you can get to supplement the standard (it doesn’t replace it – you still need the standard – it’s more of an adjunct to it). You can also get the “Accepted EHS Training Practices – An Implementation Guide” Implementing the ANSI/ASSE Z490.1: Criteria for Accepted Practices in EHS Training. Available through Business & Legal Reports at www.blr.com (ISBN 1--30-8).

Now stop talking to yourself, go get the standard, and develop your EHS Training Program or Plan!

Training in general and safety, health, and environmental (SHE) training, in particular, is often thought of as boring by the students. Furthermore, most trainers are continually looking for ways to improve their training. Training is best when the trainees are actively engaged in the training. Consequently, many trainers choose structured "training games" as a method or approach to facilitate trainee participation and increase training perception as fun. This article (and the original conference presentation) is designed to provide trainers with various "training games" for their use in their training courses. Each "training game" is listed and discussed, including design hints, "how to play," usage suggestions, pros and cons, and both high and low-tech options are given (where applicable). So, without further ado – on to the games!Jeopardy! Jeopardy! is perhaps the most common training game used by trainers. Maybe this is because it seems to be naturally well-suited to be adapted for training purposes. Think about it – there are categories with five "answers" in each, most (but not all) persons know the basic rules, it is easily adaptable, and it lends itself to quick, spirited play. It works well as a review, especially at the end of the course before a post-test. Take critical points and divide them into categories (categories can be broad or encompass more than one area to make it easy to do). Develop an "answer" (e.g., "This is the most frequently used training game") and its respective question (e.g., "What is Jeopardy!?"). For high-tech versions, use Excel to make the "game board." Make large cells with the category names at the top and the "answers" below. Type each in and then highlight it in black – no one can read it. When it needs to be revealed, block it and "de-highlight" it! Be sure to type and print out a summary sheet of answers and questions for the game "host." For a low-tech version, use Post-It notes. Write the categories on them as well as the point amounts. Then write your answers and questions on the backside of each Post-It. There are also several commercially available Jeopardy! games that can be adapted.Some general tips for ease of use and play are as follows (some of these apply to many training games): Create "teams" of multiple players to get everyone involved. Give them (or have them choose) creative team names. Use kids' "squeaky" toys instead of "lockout" buzzers. Call yourself "Alex Tyvek" for fun. Decide ahead if they have to say "What is…?" or not. Give everyone a prize (not just the "winners"). Family Feud!Family Feud is another "spirited" and fun game. It is better suited for "teams" rather than single players. Again, one can use (large) kid's pop-up (or other) toys as the buzzers; for high-tech versions, use overhead transparencies or Word, PowerPoint, or Excel for the "board." For low-tech versions, use an easel and pad as the board. Either way, the answers must be covered somehow. With the computer version, do the highlighting in black (as discussed above). For the low-tech versions, a paper will need to be secured over the answers – either by using Post-Its on the overhead transparencies or large pieces taped over answers written ahead on the easel pad. It should go without saying that it's best not to embody former host Richard Dawson by greeting each female "contestant" with a kiss!Teams are necessary for Family Feud – usually four or five persons on each of two teams. Develop key points and use a "survey type" question to lend itself to a list of "common answers." Decide which are the top answers and assign point values accordingly. An example might be, "We surveyed 100 trainers and asked them to name a type of test question". Multiple choice would likely be number one with the most points assigned, followed by true-false, matching, fill-in-the-blank, and short answer in that order. The team or "family" heads meet in front, shake hands, and try to be first to answer. If they get the number one answer, the team chooses to play or pass. Otherwise, the other team gets a guess to see if they get a higher answer and the right to choose to play or pass. Continue with several rounds.Family Feud is better for easier concepts and for lists of multiple possibilities. Each round can take a while, so it can be a longer game. Hollywood SquaresHollywood Squares is a great game that involves the whole group – no matter how big it is! Just like with the game show, it basically is tic-tac-toe. Get two contestants from the group – one is "O" and one is "X." Make a page with a big, bold "O" on one side and an "X" on the other side. Make copies and distribute them to all in the group. Take a couple of rolls of crepe paper (or flagging tape, colored rope, etc.) and divide them into the requisite 9-squared tic-tac-toe board with approximately equal numbers of trainees in each "square." The two contestants take turns choosing a "square," which will be a group of trainees usually. Ask the "square" to answer a question and decide as a group, then ask the competitor if s/he agrees or disagrees with the square's answer. If correct, they get the square; if not, their competitor does – except for the win, which the competitor must get for themselves. Remind the trainees in the "squares" that they can "bluff" and should try to have some fun with it. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?Obviously, this game needs some adapting. One can make the "player" into a team (or keep as just one trainee), and the others in the course and classroom can be the "lifelines," etc. It's important to directly involve as many of the students as possible for it to be a useful learning experience for all. As usual, develop the key points from the training. Next, arrange them from easiest to hardest concepts. Come up with four possible answers (as with a multiple-choice question – one correct and three incorrect ones). For a high-tech version, put them into a Word document with the answers typed out and highlighted in black (to be revealed). Keep a list of all questions and answers to use and refer to during play. For a low-tech version, use overheads (that are covered by a sheet of paper, or put it on an easel pad (again, covered with paper for the reveal). The game takes a while, and typically there is only one player, so it cuts down on active participation. To this end, encourage a "team" rather than a single-player and allow for more than three uses of help (i.e., "phone a friend," "poll the group," and "eliminate two answers").Wheel of FortuneAnother obvious game well suited to adapting in training, although obviously Wheel of Fortune is the kids' game "Hangman" with better props and prizes. One can choose a "letter-turner" (Vanna) to help (choosing a man can make it very funny). Have it spell out a key point which can be a phrase (as opposed to just one word). This will make it more of a challenge. The high-tech version can be easily done in word as described above, and the low-tech version with large, single-sheet letters covered with colored pages. As far as "spinning the wheel," one can use a board game wheel or make one if desired. Otherwise, a simpler way is to make up points, prizes, "bankrupt, etc. (like in the game show), put them on folded pieces of paper, and throw them into a (hard) hat for drawing out by the players. Training CharadesTraining charades can be lots of fun and some just plain silliness (a nice ice breaker and/or stress reliever). What's really nice is that it gets students up and physically active (and so it is especially great for the afternoon). Similar to the "parlor-game" version of charades, two (or more) teams are chosen. Instead of each team coming up with the charades, the trainer should do so. Various training lesson key points are written down on slips of paper that can be drawn out of a hat by a trainee/team member. The trainee has to pantomime (or silently act out) this key part of the lesson (e.g., fit-testing a respirator). Their team has to guess the answer. The two (or more) teams can also give each other the clues to demonstrate if the trainer has confidence in their ability to do so. Pictionary or "Win, Lose or Draw!"The basic premise of this game is to draw a concept or thing – sort of charades on paper. The trainer writes out a bunch of key points on lips of paper for each side to have to draw. Teams are made up, and one player/trainee has to try to draw the hazard, personal protective equipment, emergency response, etc. The team has a finite time period during which to guess the answer. It can be done on a dry erase board, but if done on an easel/paper pad, then the trainer can post the drawings for all to enjoy the "artistic renditions." It can be lots of fun, as most folks are not really artistic, especially under pressure. This one is also physical and gets people up, so it is nice for the afternoon, as a break from "brain-work," as an ice-breaker," and/or as reinforcement of the lesson, of course. Blind Man's BluffThe training version is not exactly like the kid's game. In this version, one person is blindfolded, and their team tries to help them perform something physical (e.g., disassembling and reassembling a respirator) but only with verbal help. It's an effective training tool for communication and teamwork. The advantage is it can be as short or long as the trainer (and trainees') wishes. Clue or Who Done It?This game is played like a murder mystery; only in this game, they're investigating an accident scene. It can be done in at least two different ways. One way is to play it like in the board game Clue, in which the trainer creates a "board" (on paper, a dry erase board, on a computer program) and create a "facility" with rooms, persons, tools, etc. Cards representing these things are also made (and dealt out to all players/trainees). They take turns guessing who done it like in the board game. The second option is to create a scenario that is an "accident." The trainer creates characters and the situations and hands out roles to trainees as appropriate. With a bit of guidance, the trainees in their roles are directed to try to solve the accident. This option obviously allows for much greater group interaction and active learning. There are lots of ways to go with this one – be creative in the "setup." BaseballTeams are chosen, and either a physical diamond in the room or a "virtual" one on a board can be used. The trainer will need to have quite a few questions at the ready for this game. Players get on base by answering the questions correctly. Each question can indicate how many bases it is worth. Three strikes (wrong answers) make an out. Close answers are balls. Correct answers are hits, but the other team can get the player out by answering a related question. Three outs, of course, per side of the inning, and the other team is up. There are so many ways of both having fun with this game and making it more like a real game of Baseball. For instance, play the national anthem, have uniforms, wear ball caps, take a 7th inning stretch, serve ballpark hotdogs, peanuts, and Cracker Jacks, sing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game," take the game outside in good weather, etc. Play ball!FootballSimilar to Baseball with a setup and basic construct similar to the actual game. Again, the trainer will need lots of questions. The questions can indicate how many yards each is worth. The trainer will need special questions for kick-offs and punts with yards depending on answers. This can be a multi-part question or one with many answers. The more the team gets right, the further the run back is worth in yards. Teams progress with yards by answering questions correctly and get stopped with incorrect ones. Interceptions and fumbles happen when the other team answers the question correctly. Four in a row is the first down, and that team continues, otherwise play turns to the opposing team. It's best to set up a "virtual field" so everyone can see where the teams are, etc.There are so many ways of both having fun with this game and making it more like a real game of football. For instance do a coin toss, have a half-time "show" (as a good break), take the game outside in good weather, have a two-minute warning, etc. 20 QuestionsThis is the game that always starts "Animal, mineral, or vegetable?". Although that query isn't used, teams (or "panels" like in the game shows of old – think of "What's My Line?") ask yes or no questions. They have to guess the "course aspect" (perhaps "safety don'ts") in 20 questions (or fewer). The trainer can be the host and can have a trainee play the contestant, with several others being panel members. One can also try it less formally with the class taking turns asking the questions. For a little high-tech addition, type in the questions (and answers) as they are asked so all can see what has been asked thus far and keep track better.To make it more like the old game shows, have the numbers 1-20 on paper or in word, etc. If the group is mostly Baby Boomers, put the numbers on large cards (8-inches square or so) punched through two wires, and "flip" them over as each question is asked. They'll get a kick out of it. ConcentrationThis is the one where one has to find pairs of matching items (undercards usually). Many people have likely played this with their kids, but there was a game show based on it. The matched pairs can be such things as a regulation and a requirement of it, a hazard and control, PPE and its limitation, etc. The nice thing about this one is you can give the same decks of cards to several pairs of students, or they can be divided into (small) teams (of a few students in each) as a low-tech version, for a high-tech version put the grid of squares into Excel. Type each one in and highlight it in black (as discussed above). Do the reveal by blocking it and undoing the highlighting. It can be lots of fun, albeit frustrating at times, so beware of trainees who don't do well with memorization and special relationships. The obvious way around this is to make it a team event, so no one trainee stands out, and all get involved. Whose Line Is It Anyway?Whose Line Is It Anyway? is pretty much a role-playing challenge. I know what you're thinking – it's not a "game." Well, role-playing can be a game if presented that way (also, it does have the word "playing" in its name). Make the contest into which team or group can do the funniest role play. As the trainer, develop some scenarios that lend themselves to comedy – less serious is generally easier for people to do – drama is more of a challenge. Write out the scenario, roles, or whatever, and let them go for it! TelephoneThis is the kid's game where one person whispers to the next, who whispers to the next, and so on to the last one. Then what was said first is compared to what was heard last. Obviously, this is most useful for training on communication and similar issues. As the trainer, be sure to instruct the players to repeat what they heard, not necessarily what they know it to have been. Two teams can "compete" to see which one gets the final safety message the closest to the original one said.Hot PotatoThis is the kid's game where you pass around an object like it's a hot potato (really quickly), trying not to be the one caught or stuck with it. Use a soft or squishy ball or bean bag. Have the trainees throw it back and forth, and when caught, they have to give an example of whatever the lesson is about. If they cannot think of one, they drop out, and play continues until just the winner is left. It's good for reinforcing a list of key points that was just reviewed or discussed. It's especially fun and great to incorporate some physicality into the class. Musical Hot PotatoThis time the trainees get in a circle and begin to toss the hot potato to each other while music is playing. When the music stops, whoever has the hot potato has to answer a question. If they get it wrong, review the correct answer, and they leave the circle. This continues with harder and harder (more obscure questions) until the last person remains and wins the game. The music adds another sense and dimension and can actually help with the learning. Brain Teasers/RiddlesThese are often pictograms with words and/or symbols that make up a well-known word or phrase. Great for reinvigorating folks and getting their creative, brain juices cooking (what an awful metaphor!). It can be done as individual players or as teams. Be sure to include the answers on the back (for them and for you!). Riddles are more typically a word puzzle or "poser" (one that makes you think or scratch your head). These can be especially useful to reinforce group process (i.e., team play) and working things out together. Crossword PuzzlesThese are pretty much self-explanatory. You can create your own, or there are software programs that will create the actual puzzle grid for you (and are very easy to use). Crosswords are great when you want individual games or as a "take away" for after class. For a high-tech version, use Excel and create a grid of squares (hint – use the "W" to set the width, then "eyeball" the height). Start to put in the words that link. Blacken the non-letter squares and add the little numbers as superscript. Next, use either Excel or Word for the "Across" and "Down" clues. JumblesThis is yet another word puzzle-type game. Jumbles are the puzzle where the letters are there but are in the wrong order – basically an anagram – they're mixed up. It, too, can be done with single players or as teams. It is great for term recognition. Either just the mixed-up letters can be written, or a clue can also be used. The high-tech version is to use the word and to blacken out the answers with black highlighting. The low-tech version is to use large pieces of paper, of course, and then rearrange them accordingly. This can be especially helpful for introducing new terms that may be a bit foreign – it really emphasizes them. Word SearchesWord Searches are those grids with all of the letters, and you have to find the hidden words. It's an obvious inclusion after the previous two entries. It is very much like Crosswords above in the puzzle construction. Use Excel or graph paper to design it. An easier version is to just list the hidden words, whereas a more challenging version is instead of listing a hidden word, one can list the hidden word's meaning. It gives it more of a Crossword "feel" to it but with many more terms. Create Your Own Game!One of the best games I've played was a board game we created in grad-school for the "Group Process" class. It was fun to design and to play. We got an "A" on it, too. It can be done as a group in class – especially if the course goes on more than one day or they have a break with time to work on it. Provide supplies such as 3x5 note cards, large easel paper, markers/crayons, small toys for "players," etc. Tell them that above all to have fun!

Next: 10 Reasons to Digitize & Centralize Laboratory EHS Data

Well, good playing and good training! Now go have some fun!"Recent Blog Posts""

eLabNext - The Next Big Step in Life Science Lab Automation

Ten years ago, two PhD students at the University of Groningen in The Netherlands realized that they needed software to make their life science lab work faster and more efficiently and that together they had the IT skills and the experience of biological research to develop the software themselves. Their software worked very well and kept getting better. They called it 'eLABJournal' and soon founded the company, Bio-ITech, to bring it to market. Bio-ITech is now popular with thousands of scientists around the world.

In 2017, Eppendorf, a leading life science company headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, bought a majority stake in Bio-ITech and helped us establish another office in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to serve the North American market. It has been a wild and exciting ride, and the growing team has been running hard to keep up.

Our first challenge was confusion between the company name of Bio-ITech and the very strong product names built on the 'eLab' root—eLabJournal, eLabInventory, and eLabProtocols. Most organic search traffic used “eLab” among the search terms. 'eLab' was critical to the company’s identity, not just the products. We needed to clarify and strengthen the brands, which led to the rebranding of the business!

In April 2021, we will begin doing business as 'eLabNext'. Many people know us as 'eLab', and our products harmonize completely: eLabJournal, eLabInventory, and eLabProtocols.
'Next' stands for innovation and the coming generations of products. Along with the new naming goes a resonant new brand identity, including a common hexagonal icon for all the products, with unique identifiers for each product in particular. The hexagonal icon shape is familiar to the eLabNext logo and each product logo, attesting to the interoperability of all our products. In contrast, the conspicuous circles and links in the eLabNext logo confirm that the system operates in a secure network, assuring users: Your data is safe and secure with us.

The new brand architecture is future-proof and embodies the foundation for future growth. The brand hierarchy is simple and flexible, allowing us to improve our products, develop new products and add-ons, and create new integrations, all under the eLabNext umbrella, which will expand with the company's growth.

Over time, we developed several standalone websites to introduce the company and describe the products. That wasn't very clear, and we needed to develop a single, concerted new website, enabled and enlivened by the rebranding. We hired an expert in life science marketing to work with us on the brand strategy and the new website. Together, we analyzed the life science laboratory markets and listened to our customers—and our customer account managers—about their needs, experiences, and ideas for our products and services and how we communicate.

The new eLabNext website and mobile apps will launch our future brand architecture, enhanced by a vital, resonant brand identity. eLabNext users will have simple, seamless, safe, and secure access from any device to any authorized lab and project. It will also provide a focused but comprehensive trove of information and assistance on all aspects of life science lab digitization, from product help and implementation advice to videos, webinars, white papers, case studies, and journal articles.

Choosing the right research space for your growing startup is essential. Not only does it affect your day-to-day operations, but also your ability to grow your business, meet deadlines, use resources efficiently, and ultimately make more money.

With that in mind, it can be tempting to lease a space that has everything your future business could ever want. However, this can lead to paying for space or amenities you don’t need and will never use.

At the same time, you don’t want to lease a space that’s too small or restrictive to accommodate current or short-term research needs. Relocating a lab is a major undertaking, so naturally you don’t want to choose a space you’ll outgrow in less than a year or two.

Nobody makes the wrong decision on purpose, but there’s a lot to think about – especially if you’ve never done this before. We spoke with Corey Martin, founder and CEO of Spotlight Safety Inc., to find out which questions you need to ask before you sign on the dotted line. Here are five of the most important:

1. Who “owns” the wastewater permit?
2. What are the ventilation specifications?
3. What is the control area breakdown?
4. Is additional space available on the first floor for waste or flammable storage if needed?
5. What are the expectations for lab decommissioning or decontamination upon move out?

Of course, there are more than five things you’ll need to consider before signing a lease for a laboratory or research facility. Corey and Matt took a deeper dive into twenty additional details during a recent video conversation.

Listen in and see what other questions made the list.

1. Who “owns” the wastewater permit?

Wastewater permitting should be your first major consideration. There are two basic options: look for a space where the landlord already holds the essential permits or apply for your own. Each approach has its pros and cons, so being aware of these differences is the first step to selecting the right space.

As with any permit, the wastewater permitting process involves a lot of red tape. The requirements can be quite difficult to understand, and getting a permit can take anywhere from three to six months (or more).

If you’re within six months of your target move date, or money is less of a concern than time and energy, Corey recommends looking for a space where the landlord already holds the appropriate wastewater permit. Otherwise, you run the risk of your operational start date being delayed while you wait for the relevant groups to process your request.

The biggest downside to these move-in ready spaces is that they tend to be more expensive than one where you hold the permits yourself. As we said before, permitting is a lengthy process – so naturally you’ll pay more to rent a space where it’s already been done for you.

Despite the higher cost, choosing a space that’s already permitted can save you a lot of time and headaches. If you’re too busy to dig in and figure it out yourself (and you can afford it), this type of lab space is a great consideration.

One thing to keep in mind if you’re leasing a pre-permitted space is that you’ll still need to provide the landlord with the necessary information to update their existing permit. Your new landlord may need details about your chemical inventory or waste generation projections, for example, so be prepared to have these ready. If you bring in a new chemical hazard, your landlord may need to be updated periodically so they can add it to their permit for review.

Conversely, if you have more than six months to prepare for the move, you’ll have more flexibility in choosing a space where you need to obtain your own wastewater permit. Tenants who want to stretch their dollars and don’t mind putting in the extra legwork can potentially save money by going this route.

Of course, there’s plenty that can go awry. Since permitting requirements can come from the state, county, municipality, or town, permitting processes vary widely from one location to another. Time frames can be unpredictable, paperwork delays are common, and potential updates or retrofits to the existing wastewater system can be costly. Especially if this is your first time applying for a wastewater permit, it’s a good idea to seek out the advice of someone who’s already been there and knows the ropes.

2. What are the ventilation specifications?

Proper ventilation is a critical engineering control in the laboratory environment and is a crucial element of ensuring the laboratory safety of your researchers and minimizing exposure to harmful chemicals. How much ventilation you’ll need will depend largely on what you’re planning to do in the space, particularly how many fume hoods you anticipate installing.

To make matters more complicated, there’s no universal standard for laboratory ventilation. ASHRAE, OSHA, and the NFPA each offer their own guidance on accepted minimum air change rates based on the hazards present. Additionally, Biosafety Level 2 (BSL-2) and higher labs have specific requirements for air changes, airflow, and recirculation. Unless you’re quite familiar with these standards, you may want to consult with an expert to make sure the space meets your requirements.

Looking for a location that was initially designed as lab space will help you avoid a number of difficult-to-uncover issues that may pop up down the line. Today, a growing number of office spaces are being converted into labs. This can mean that the landlord is inexperienced with lab design and management, introducing problems that could place an unexpected limit on your future lab operations.

Even if your landlord does grant you permission to add more fume hoods, these must be connected to the existing building HVAC system. If the existing air handlers and ductwork cannot support the additional fume hoods or “make-up air” requirements, you may be forced to move or pay for additional HVAC capacity, retrofitting, or remodeling. It’s enough to make any wallet shudder.

Don't want safety to get in the way of progress? Take a look at some other lab safety concerns for your growing science startup.

3. What is the control area breakdown?

Storage space matters, and that includes flammable materials. You’ll want to make sure whichever space you choose has enough storage space for flammable chemicals and waste. Though this may feel like a problem for tomorrow, it can be a serious limitation on future growth within the space, and one that may not be cheap or easy to overcome.

Building control area limits are based on building design and construction, vertical location in the building (which floor you’re on), fire protection systems (e.g., sprinkler systems), the quantity and type of chemicals you’re using, and how you store the materials (e.g., in rated storage cabinets). Notably, building control area limits get more restrictive as you go up in floors, so the higher you go, the less capacity you’ll be allotted for flammable materials (both stock chemicals and flammable hazardous waste storage).

If you know your operations will require large quantities of flammable chemicals or will produce a lot of flammable waste, it’s wise to look for space on a lower floor (typically on the first three floors). A medicinal chemistry lab that uses HPLCs every day, for example, will likely want to be on one of those premium bottom floor spaces.

Read more about how quickly the effects of flammable waste can stack up.

Because of the control area restrictions on higher floors, lower levels are often in greater demand by rapidly growing companies or those with chemistry-heavy operations. This can lead to more competition for lower level spaces, and thus may require more lead time when looking for space and/or promote somewhat higher rent costs. However, these additional considerations are well worth the flexibility and potential cost savings on the operations sides. For example, being able to order larger bulk purchases of flammable chemicals or scheduling less frequent waste pickups.

If, however, flammable storage is not much of a concern (looking at you, chemistry-light cell and tissue culture labs), you could find yourself with more available space options and thus more negotiating power. You may be able to consider space on a higher floor, and even get a great view out of the deal to boot.

You’ll also want to pay attention to how many tenants are on your floor. Each additional tenant will take away from that floor or control area’s total flammable storage allotment. While you might start out enough space initially, that can shrink if other tenants move in or if your operational requirements expand beyond your initial projections. Depending on your specific situation, you may want to speak to your legal team about making sure your allotment is protected in your lease contract. At the very least, knowing ahead of time that your available flammable waste storage may shrink can prevent painful downsizing in the future.

4. Is additional space available on the first floor for supplies, flammable storage, or waste if needed?

Labs are a lot like gasses – they expand to fill the space they occupy. Extra unused storage could instead hold additional stocks of disposables for those times when your supplier is a few weeks late with your conical tubes.

There’s also the issue of flammable waste. If you don’t have room to store flammable waste, or if you are restricted by the control area limits mentioned above, you may end up needing to pay for more frequent waste pickups – something that will quickly and painfully burn through your operations budget.

There can be significant cost saving opportunities associated with being able to collect and dispose of flammable waste in larger containers, however these opportunities can be limited by control area restrictions and waste area availability. Similarly, reducing the number of site visits by your hazardous waste contractor can promote cost savings by allowing you to lengthen the time between waste pickups to the maximum interval allowable by your hazardous waste generator status (though pickups at least annually are recommended even for VSQGs).

A growing number of landlords are aware of this issue and may offer small, rated waste storage spaces on the ground floor that have convenient access to the loading dock. This can be extremely useful and can promote further waste management savings by reducing the amount of time the waste contractor is required to be onsite for each pickup. Collectively these elements are worth considering if you are able to find a space that offers extra first floor storage at the right price. Even better if that space is near a loading dock to accommodate overflow waste and pickups.

5. What are the expectations for lab decommissioning or decontamination upon move out?

No matter how carefully you choose your space, eventually the day will come that you’ll need to move out. Things change, and the spacious lab you once rented may be too small to accommodate your new hires as you scale. Or, you might have enough office and bench space, but run into flammable limits or waste storage issues that prevent you from expanding your lab operations. On a less pleasant note, funding may have dried up and it’s time to downsize into a space that’s more affordable.

In any case, moving out can be an expensive and time-consuming process, so you should be sure to go over the expectations for the move out process before you commit to a lease.

If your lease requires “decommissioning”, it refers to the process of formally decontaminating surfaces, removing all hazardous materials, and making the space safe for future use. It also means that you will be responsible for sampling for hazardous chemicals and biologics, which is often associated with a formal report certified by a Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH). These factors can greatly increase the time and cost requirements associated with move out.

This might not seem like a big deal until you get hit with the bill. Corey reports that a full, formal lab decommissioning can take around two to three months and cost several thousand dollars more than a more informal lab decontamination or surrender plan requirement that doesn’t require formal sampling or CIH certification. This doesn’t have to be a deal-breaker, but it is something that you’ll want to consider before signing the lease. And as you’ll see, it’s not all downside.

The flip side is that if you aren’t required to conduct a formal decommissioning, it’s likely that the previous tenant didn't need to either. This may mean that when you move in, you’re inheriting a greater risk of contamination or hard to see liabilities that a formal lab decommissioning is intended to avoid (and that you might have to pay for later).

The last thing you want as a growing company is to assume the responsibility of mistakes made by previous tenants (e.g., mercury in the sink traps). It can be difficult to prove ownership of these mistakes without prior sampling data, and believe us when we say you don’t want to be stuck with the bill of handling the cleanup. It’s an important consideration for an option that may otherwise appear to be all upside.

Final thoughts

Choosing a space for your startup is a big decision, and you don’t want to leave anything to chance. It’s worth taking the extra time up front to make sure you know what you’re getting into and the key pieces of information you need to be aware of. Don’t be afraid to ask a lot of questions and really think ahead about your future needs before you settle on a space.

The questions in this article will give you a good starting point. However, there’s a lot more to think about. Be sure to check out this video conversation between Corey and Matt for 20 additional questions and points you should consider.

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As a startup, leveling up can be exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. You’ll run into new challenges you’ve never encountered before, requirements you may not be aware of, and problems you didn’t anticipate.

The consequences of making a mistake at this stage in the game can range from frustrating to fatal for your business. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that about one in five businesses fails in their first year. Life science startups have it even harder due to the cost and complexity of taking a scientific discovery and turning it into a viable business.

That said, regulatory hurdles and safety issues shouldn’t be the reason you can’t succeed. We spoke with Corey Martin, founder and CEO of Spotlight Safety Inc., to learn more about the most common lab safety challenges and tripping points that startups face.

No matter what stage your company is in — whether you have a product or not — it’s never too early to start thinking about the ways a well-established safety program can help you operate smoothly and avoid stumbling blocks.

Here are our takeaways and seven common challenges to watch out for:

1. Wastewater Regulations and Permitting

Whether you’re looking for a facility to house a new startup or are moving a growing company into a bigger space, wastewater permitting considerations can have dramatic downstream implications.

Before you sign a lease, make sure the property is equipped to handle the volume and makeup of wastewater you’ll be producing and ask whether the landlords or the tenants hold the permit. Selecting laboratory space with a landlord-held wastewater permit may come with a slightly higher cost, but doing so can save significant time, effort, and potential capital expense depending on the situation.

Corey recommends taking the time to estimate what types and volumes of wastewater you expect to produce during the length of your occupancy at the facility (not simply the initial projections). Not all wastewater systems are created equal and new or remodeled systems carry large (and often unexpected) capital expenses when required.

Additionally, which permits you’ll need depends on your activities, projected volumes, and physical location. Each state, county, or even city may have its own permitting requirements and application process. The time it takes to obtain the necessary permits can also vary by location (up to 3-12 months required lead time depending on the system complexity and regulatory body), so it’s best to look into this as early as possible.

Even if state or local permitting requirements aren’t applicable, it’s advisable to reach out to the municipal wastewater facility to establish a relationship and communicate the anticipated wastewater profile.

2. OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen Standard

Bloodborne pathogens are a major concern for research startups that handle human source materials. A needlestick or other unintentional exposure to blood, human cell lines or tissues, or other bodily fluids can put scientists at risk of a serious or life-threatening illness and jeopardize your entire operation.

Combined with proper controls and personal protective equipment (PPE), training can greatly reduce chances of an employee coming into contact with infectious materials.

One of the first things you must do is identify employees who have a potential for occupational exposure. OSHA requires you to provide bloodborne pathogen (BBP) training for all employees with potential for occupational exposure. This is true even if your employees have had prior training or education at a previous employer or institution. Employees must receive this training prior to performing tasks where exposure to bloodborne pathogens could occur, such as handling blood or human cell lines. After that, refresher training is required at least once a year.

In addition, employers must offer a Hepatitis B vaccine to employees within 10 days of starting a job that carries a potential for bloodborne pathogen exposure. If accepted, the vaccination must be provided free of charge to the employee. If the employee has received the vaccine previously, employers must still offer at-risk employees the option to receive a titer and booster, as needed. This offer must be formalized using an HBV vaccination form, sometimes referred to as a declination form, as the employee has the right to refuse vaccination. Employees who decline the vaccination initially can change their minds at any point during employment and may receive the vaccination free of charge as long as the potential for occupational exposure remains.

3. Hazardous Waste Management

Waste disposal is a more complex issue than most startups realize. Biological, chemical, and other hazardous waste materials generated by research activities such as medical waste, chemical waste, sharps, radioactive waste, and broken glassware can be very dangerous to employees and downstream workers if improperly disposed of. Not only that, but it can cost your company thousands of dollars to clean up and dispose of waste that has leaked, spilled, or been improperly mixed, labeled, or otherwise disposed of incorrectly.

The good news is that most waste disposal problems can be greatly diminished or eliminated through proper education and vigilance on the part of everyone in your organization. By training employees on how to properly handle, store, and dispose of chemical and other hazardous waste, you’ll be in a much better position to avoid a costly cleanup, disposal, or worse, an injury!

Taking the time to help your personnel understand why proper waste disposal is so important is a good use of time. Having more personal buy-in for the additional effort required will absolutely help ensure team-wide compliance.

As your company scales, making sure everyone on your team has received training will become a greater challenge. You might consider implementing a system that allows you to track your requirements and document compliance so that managing training is less of a burden.

While it may seem time- or resource-intensive to build a culture of good waste management, doing a little forecasting on the costs of repeated mistakes will quickly show that the upfront investment in education and buy-in will easily pay for itself.

Furthermore, regulatory requirements for hazardous waste management and oversight increase as waste generation volumes increase. Monitoring how much hazardous waste is being generated in a calendar month is a critical component of proper designation of the company’s hazardous waste generator status, and thus disposal and oversight requirements (see Section 7 for more on this).

4. Chemical Purchasing and Inventory Management

When purchasing chemicals for your company, it’s important to understand and plan for the entire lifecycle of those products, because things can get expensive. Fast.

A chemical that costs $50 might not seem like much up front (especially for those enticing bulk purchases), but once that chemical is off the truck, it’s your responsibility to store and dispose of properly. No backsies.

Always take the time to consider the expected rate of use, expiration date, storage requirements, hazard classification, flammable control area limits, and experimental longevity. Avoid bulk purchases of short-lived, high-hazard chemicals or those required for a new set of experimental processes that are provisional in nature.

Storage requirements and chemical classification are critical considerations, and it’s always important to consult the chemical Safety Data Sheet (SDS) before ordering a new chemical.

If special storage is required, such as an explosion proof fridge (for cold storage of volatile solvents), that can carry a major expense and/or delivery and installation time considerations that need to be worked out before placing the order. Additionally, some highly hazardous, reactive, or otherwise unstable chemicals can carry high disposal costs due to the safety and security requirements. Furthermore, it’s important to consider whether the new chemical will require a new, distinct waste stream or whether it can be collected with existing streams.

One way to prevent this uncertainty and possible expense is by keeping a close eye on purchases and proactively seeking as much information as possible when considering new chemical orders or experimental processes. Implementing a robust inventory management system with callouts for hazardous chemical purchases and duplicate orders has the direct benefit of stopping over-purchasing, reducing storage and disposal costs, and improving safety oversight.

5. Peroxide Former Management

Many early-stage R&D laboratory facilities will have peroxide forming chemicals onsite at some point during their research operations. The most common in the biotech and life science research environment tend to include Ethyl Ether, Tetrahydrofuran (THF), and 1,4-Dioxane, though many others exist.

As peroxides form in these chemicals, the material may become shock-sensitive over time if not properly managed, tested, or disposed of. Unexpected explosions really get in the way of conducting research and discovery.

Proper storage and inventory oversight is critical for safe peroxide former management, as exposure to light and oxygen can accelerate the peroxide formation process. Material prone to peroxide formation should be frequently tested or disposed of after a certain period of time (often 12 months from receipt or 6 months from opening). Thus, the danger occurs when these chemicals are purchased and then forgotten in the back of a cabinet, especially if they’re improperly stored.

Even small containers pose a risk if kept well beyond their expiration dates, especially considering their likelihood of being stored with other flammable materials. This particular scenario can amplify the effects of a peroxide detonation, resulting in a far more severe and dangerous explosion.

One way to effectively manage this problem is to avoid ordering more of a chemical than you need and actively labeling and tracking all peroxide formers from receipt through disposal. Proper inventory management and purchasing control will also help you reduce duplicate orders and unnecessary disposal costs.

Chemical inventory management software can help you determine the rate at which you go through peroxide forming chemicals. This can keep you from over-purchasing and having to throw away unused chemicals, or under-purchasing and having to wait for an order to come in.

As a growing startup, it may be difficult to predict how much of a particular chemical you will use. That’s why it’s so important to have an airtight system for monitoring your chemical inventory. When you know how long it is from a chemical being received to being disposed of (which any good chemical inventory system should be able to do for you), you can tell how quickly you’re going through your stock.

Any company that uses peroxide formers must have a way to keep track of when chemicals were purchased, opened, and when they expire. These programs would also greatly benefit from an active gatekeeping system for all incoming chemicals upon receipt.

When peroxide formers reach their expiration date, make sure they are disposed of immediately through the proper waste collection process. And, should you find a peroxide former that is past its expiration date, address it immediately and with caution. Most waste transporters have experienced technicians who can be called upon for evaluation, mitigation, and disposal support, as needed.

Ignoring the problem will only make it worse and more expensive. We’ll say it again, because it is such a common and costly occurrence: ignoring the problem will only make it worse and more expensive.

6. Flammable Storage and Control Area Limits

An unexpected fire or explosion in your lab is one of the worst scenarios imaginable and can lead to costly equipment and facility damage, operational downtime, and employee exposure or injury. These risks are manageable, but only if you keep a close watch on flammable material use and storage — including both stock chemicals and flammable waste.

Flammable solvent use and waste generation is a very common element of laboratory research and can become a major safety concern if not properly managed. For example, mass spectrometers and HPLCs both use large volumes of reagent materials and can quickly generate significant amounts of flammable waste during regular use.

When you’re trying to anticipate how much flammable inventory “budget” each of these instruments will require, Corey recommends using an initial ballpark estimate of about 10-15 gallons of waste per calendar month, depending on the frequency of use.

As with most things, preparation is key. It’s wise to have a plan in place for dealing with flammable waste before you start generating it. What activities might result in flammable waste? How will you store the waste? Will special containers be needed? What local, state, or federal regulations apply? Does your facility control area design, flammable permit limit, and hazardous waste generator status allow for the anticipated increase in reagent chemicals and hazardous waste volume as you add new processes or equipment.

Perhaps most importantly, do you know all of the questions you need to be asking about your current and future flammable storage needs as you grow?

7. Hazardous Waste Generator Status - The Switch from VSQG to SQG

The switch between VSQG and SQG status trips up a lot of growing startups. To understand why, we need to rewind a bit.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classifies hazardous waste generators into three distinct categories based on the amount of waste they produce or manage: Very Small Quantity Generator (VSQG), Small Quantity Generator (SQG), and Large Quantity Generator (LQG).

The amount of waste you generate in a single calendar month determines your generator status, and thus what level of hazardous waste requirements you must follow.

In the early stages of your startup, you'll likely be classified as a VSQG. However, as the pace of research increases, you may find that you're generating more hazardous waste per month. At a certain point, you will likely need to start closely monitoring your monthly hazardous waste generation volumes and consider updating your waste generator status as you approach the status thresholds.

VSQGs are allowed to generate up to 220 pounds (roughly 27 liquid gallons) of hazardous waste per calendar month, with the important exception of not being able to generate any “acutely hazardous waste”. Any acutely hazardous waste generation, requires either SQG or LQG status with the threshold being 2.2 pounds.

One of the advantages to being designated as a VSQG for a startup laboratory is that you have more flexibility in scheduling waste pickups, as there are no time limits associated with waste accumulation. Conversely, SQGs and LQGs are required to dispose of waste accumulated in their Main Accumulation Area (MAA) within 180 or 90 days, respectively.

The general management requirements for proper accumulation, labeling, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste is consistent across all generator levels, but the formal requirements for documentation, training, and oversight increase as the status increases. As your company grows and waste volumes increase, you will need to assess your waste storage area design and volume limits, waste area checklist documentation, training requirements, and emergency planning.

Notably, how you collect and dispose of hazardous waste has a large impact on waste disposal costs. While some waste streams have very specific volume or container type limitations, others (such as common flammable solvent waste) may have more flexible collection and disposal options that could drastically decrease the cost per unit volume. As a result, having proactive conversations with a consultant or waste transporter, as well as focusing on waste minimization efforts, can go a long way toward reducing the overall cost of research operations.

8. Signing a New Lease

Moving into a new space is an exciting prospect, but it's also riddled with details and "unknown unknowns" that can throttle your startup's growth. In many cases, you only learn about these stumbling blocks after you've already committed and can't back out.

Sometimes, you even learn about them at the moment you're about to leave, when you suddenly get faced with a $15k bill for a certified decommission. Or, you may learn about the issues when your hazardous waste disposal bill spikes up because you're scheduling more frequent pickups.

Ultimately, many of these questions and considerations are specific to your own startup's work, your plans for growth, and the resources and timeline you have available to you.

We've found the best way to anticipate as much as possible is to hear about some common issues that many startups face, and then use those as a jumping-off point to kick that imagination into full gear. What will your work look like 1 year, 5 years, 10 years down the line?

Read: 5 Questions Your Growing Science Startup Should Ask Before Signing a LeaseWatch: 20 Things to Ask a Landlord Before Signing a Lease for your Science Startup

Does your startup face any of these challenges?

No matter what stage your company is in — whether you have a product or not — it’s never too early to start thinking about the ways safety can help you operate smoothly, or cause stumbling block after stumbling block.

It’ll be a lot easier to grow your business when you have the right systems in place from the start rather than putting out fires as they pop up. This will allow you and your personnel to focus on the science and not get distracted by regulatory or permitting problems.

If you’re facing any of the challenges we described above and want ideas on how to address them, check out our lab safety resources page, contact our team, or reach out to Corey directly.

"""popular_all_time

Connect your labels to your Electronic Lab Notebook. The hassle-free solution to print labels directly from the sample database in your Electronic Lab Notebook (ELN) with the free FLUICS Print Add-on for eLabJournal. Truly plug & play: Connect the printer, install the Add-on and start printing from eLabJournal.

The Power of eLabJournal

Bioscientists love the capability of documenting all the details of the experiments they perform, including the procedures, protocols, settings, results, and observations in the Electronic Lab Notebook (ELN) module of eLabJournal, while storing and accessing their samples with its Sample Tracking module. It automates many of the processes, reduces the possibility of error, and greatly increases productivity.

Barcoding Samples Inevitable

Before the samples, contained in small tubes, can be stored at sub-Antarctic temperatures in cryogenic freezers they obviously need to be labeled. With all that digital information in the eLabJournal’s ELN and Sample Tracking modules, it was obvious that writing labels by hand would be error-prone, inefficient, and make no sense at all. Barcoded labels would make labeling and retrieving the tubes foolproof and fast.

But Setting Up Printers Was a Pain in the Neck

Label printers have been available, but it was technical, difficult, and time-consuming to interface them with the eLabJournal system. Labels to fit cryogenic sample tubes had to be a precisely particular size, and have the rare physical characteristics to resist smudging and remain strongly adhesive for long periods of time at minus 80 degrees Celsius, as well as in liquid nitrogen. And they had to fit in human readable print as well as the QR code. Setting up such printers could and has been done, but it was all a pain in the neck.

FLUICS Print Now Offers Reliable Label Printing in Seconds

All of the problems have been solved by FLUICS CONNECT, a startup company out of the Technical University Munich, and their specialized Online Label Printing system. It uses robust, bright yellow labels sized perfectly for bio lab sample tubes and offers two standard label layouts with both machine-readable QR codes and human-readable text. The FLUICS CONNECT Online Printer and the Bio-ITech eLabJournal system have been designed and configured to work in harmony every time. Plug the printer into your eLabJournal system, select the Fluics Print configuration, and you are off and running, able to print labels immediately without another thought. Printing perfect labels is fast, easy, and completely reliable. What a relief!

< Back to overview

Over the last few weeks, many research organizations have asked staff to work from home to prevent the spread of infection.

This has been a stressful transition for many people. Working from home is not only mentally taxing, it also presents a number of new challenges to actually completing your work (especially if you are in a position like EHS, where much of your work may be tied to physically interacting with research and physical spaces).

On a more positive note, these changes have highlighted opportunities for organizations to adapt the way they work and offer more flexible arrangements over the long haul.

Whether you need to work from home temporarily during an emergency, while recovering from an illness, or as part of a permanent assignment, it’s important to ensure that you and your team have the tools in place to do your jobs fully without sacrificing quality or productivity.

Today, we’ll share a few of the ways SciShield can support EHS and leadership in sustainably working remotely.

Stay connected to the data

In SciShield, you can access all of your safety and compliance information remotely. You can view and analyze real-time information about your researchers, labs, and equipment securely from your laptop or tablet, so you never have to run back to the office to retrieve a binder or reference a chart.

Communicate with your team

You can also use SciShield to stay in contact with research, facilities, and maintenance personnel (and students, if you’re a college or university). Logically, when everyone is working from home, remote communication tools like email are used more frequently.

Without SciShield, when you use regular email, important messages can easily get lost in an overflowing inbox. Additionally, maintaining proper lists of individuals based on their roles and lab association becomes more important and more difficult.

With SciShield’s Smart Mailer tool, targeted email communications based on live-updated filters can be sent both to a standard inbox and a central high-visibility location on each user’s home page. Thanks to Smart Mailer, you can spend your energy working to help people stay safe instead of trying to keep up with the administrative burden of email management.

Answer questions quickly with ObServ

ObServ is a new feature in SciShield that is nearing deployment. For personnel still on-site, it is critical that they become an extension of the safety team. Making sure they can quickly communicate observations and things that “just don’t look right” is an integral aspect of top-notch risk mitigation and fast response times.

With the ObServ feature, anyone can serve the community by sharing safety observations with EHS and even snapping a quick picture. When risks are present, time is of the essence and it is everyone’s responsibility to raise a flag if they “see something, to say something.” Allow your boots on the ground personnel to shine the light on key areas of risk, even when you are not there.

Coordinate hazardous waste pickups

While we haven’t quite got the Hazardous Waste Removing AI Robot Module up and running, we’re glad to say that all other parts of the process can be completed remotely.

Requests for hazardous waste pickups can be submitted, reviewed, and received remotely within SciShield. After the request is in, the individual responsible for pickup will receive the detailed request, complete the pickup, and either mark it as done or notify you of any issues.

Keep tabs on hazards

Who is handling hazardous chemicals? Which researchers are in contact with animals? SciShield’s Lab Safety Profiler gives you a bird’s eye view of each researcher and each laboratory’s activities and hazards. With SciShield, you can also drill down to find individuals or groups based on important hazards (like working with coronavirus-infected cell lines).

For remote EHS staff, this can be a huge help in driving communication, providing centralize software training, and assigning appropriate PPE. Many of our customers have even used this feature to identify labs that might be able to donate COVID-19 related supplies and PPE, or determine which labs have glycerol stocks that can be used to create hand sanitizer.

Coordinate an emergency response

SciShield’s Lab Safety Profiler can also be useful in the event of an emergency like a fire or chemical spill. Even if you’re not on site, you can quickly communicate with first responders about what’s happening on site and in specific areas.

In a first response, minutes matter. Often, first responders will not enter a building or space until they are confident they know what hazards are present. If you ever find yourself in a situation where you have to support a first response, the last thing you want to be doing is scrambling or waiting for data to be gathered.

Deliver training online

SciShield allows you to offer both end-to-end online training and in-person trainings. Even for online training, SciShield can...

• Identify individuals who need training
• Assign targeted training based on hazards
• Send automated reminders
• Allow users to take training remotely
• Embed quizzes into training courses for knowledge retention
• Provide certificates of training completion
• Automatically remind users when renewal training is required

That means EHS can keep learning going while labs are closed, and researchers can complete their training requirements whenever and wherever they want. In times like this, many researchers want to get their training completed so they can get it off their plate and focus on research when they return to the lab.

Leverage self inspections

Self inspections are fast, effective, and don’t require EHS personnel to go on site. Using SciShield, one or more lab representatives can conduct the inspection on their smartphone or tablet. This allows EHS to empower researchers to think about the risks and potential hazards around them. Then, EHS can communicate around corrective actions and close out inspections digitally. It’s a win-win for everyone.

Self inspections in SciShield can be assigned based on hazards. This means that you can locate groups and spaces you may not have been previously aware of that need inspecting. You have the ability to set checklists and corrective actions for each finding, and you can view a log of inspections to easily review findings.

Your next steps

Whether you’re working from home or in the office, SciShield helps you stay sane and keep your researchers safe. Our team is happy to answer any questions you might have about using SciShield for remote work, or help you troubleshoot any problems you or your team may be experiencing with working remotely.

To learn more, contact us here.

"""Recent Blog Posts""popular_all_time

As the novel coronavirus outbreak grows, many EHS teams are closing down non-essential labs and working from home to reduce the spread of infection. At the same time, these EHS teams are also preparing to support some essential scientists to ramp up research related to COVID-19.

Across the world, SciShield is supporting EHS teams as they adjust to these new demands.

Below, we outline a few big ways that our software provides solutions for critical needs that may otherwise be stumbling blocks for you and your team. Looking forward, you can expect these needs will remain or increase in importance as the research and safety communities expand their digital footprint.

Communicate emergency information with Smart Mailer

Have confidence in reaching the right people

With SciShield’s Smart Mailer, EHS departments can share vital information with the correct staff. You can send mass communications with updates about space closures, remote work and travel policies, and supplementary resources to your entire user base. Or, you can send targeted communications to specific labs that are shutting down to figure out what needs to get done and ensure those actions get completed.

To illustrate, many of our customers are actively using SciShield to identify specific types of PPE across their organizations. They then use Smart Mailer to communicate and coordinate collecting it for donations to support the COVID-19 response in their healthcare communities.

Provide standardized instructions

When preparing research spaces for Emergency Shutdown, you must ensure that everyone working in that lab knows the procedures and how to document their actions. Working from home doesn’t mean much if you’re constantly being dragged in to check on an incubator that’s dry and alarming because someone forgot to properly shut it down.

On the flip side, being able to confidently contact personnel that are still hard at work in labs is a must. This can be for policy updates, to share information, or even to send them a thank you message for their efforts.

Answer questions quickly with ObServ

ObServ is a new feature in SciShield that is nearing deployment. For personnel still on-site, it is critical that they become an extension of the safety team. Making sure they can quickly communicate observations and things that “just don’t look right” is an integral aspect of top-notch risk mitigation and fast response times.

With the ObServ feature, anyone can serve the community by sharing safety observations with EHS and even snapping a quick picture. When risks are present, time is of the essence and it is everyone’s responsibility to raise a flag if they “see something, to say something.” Allow your boots on the ground personnel to shine the light on key areas of risk, even when you are not there.

Ensure personnel are trained for new & novel hazards

As labs ramp up research related to COVID-19, scientists will need additional training for the new hazards they encounter. People who are working on developing vaccines, studying potential treatments, and creating disinfectants and protective equipment also need to be protected themselves.

With SciShield, both EHS staff and lab users can update job activities to reflect new responsibilities and hazards. Training rules can be created so that individuals with certain job activities are automatically assigned specific training courses. This improves thoroughness of training coverage and takes a big administrative task right off your plate.

On the flip side, scientists who have to shelve their experiments can make the most of their downtime by getting ahead on training. SciShield’s training lets you assign, deliver, and quiz training content online, meaning any researcher with a laptop or mobile phone can stay current while they’re away from the lab.

Shut down labs

Help staff properly document and shut down equipment

SciShield enables EHS staff to coordinate lab closings without having to go on site. During an extended shutdown, freezers may need to be defrosted or completely shut down, water baths emptied and unplugged, and incubators properly powered down. You can use the Equipment in SciShield to identify the exact location of equipment that needs to be hibernated and with Smart Mailer, contact the right people to do it.

Identify, dispose of, and store dangerous materials

Chemicals and radioactive materials also need to be stored or disposed of properly. For example, peroxide formers that are nearing their expiration date will need to be identified and dealt with (nobody wants to return to a cabinet full of unstable explosives).

Similarly, hazardous chemicals that could be misused by bad actors — such as the DHS’ Chemicals of Interest (COI) — can’t be left unsecured. EHS staff can use SciShield’s ChemTracker or Hazard Profiler to identify labs that have these substances and make sure they’re properly addressed before the lab is shut down.

Other responsibilities include discarding or freezing samples and arranging for cultures and animals to be fed and checked on. Self-inspections, which can be performed and logged in SciShield, ensure all of these activities get completed before an Emergency Shutdown is complete.

Keep labs running safely

Oversee IBC approvals and amendments

EHS teams can also use SciShield to sustainably oversee essential labs that remain open during the stay-home period. With digital IBC and Biosafety registrations, personnel can review and approve protocols remotely. At least for the time being, the NIH has even approved Tele- and Video-conferencing for IBC meetings. This enables organizations to fast-track critical research related to COVID-19 without compromising the personal safety of individuals.

Biosafety officers can also use SciShield’s Material Data reports to see who’s using specific agents (even if they’re not fully submitted yet). This helps ensure everyone working with a particular agent such as coronavirus has gone through the proper approvals and minimizes surprises down the line.

Empower staff with safety data

SciShield also offers a suite of useful tools to empower researchers. For example, the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) Search gives researchers a convenient way to find and view safety information about the possibly new chemicals they’re working with.

Managing lab safety during COVID-19 — and beyond

Deploying SciShield for the novel coronavirus outbreak can help keep people safe and ensure research continuity during a crisis. What’s more, SciShield can benefit your organization for years to come as you create a sustainable and digital safety and risk management platform.

In our next article, we’ll look at some of the ways SciShield can help EHS teams and leadership work from home successfully and sustainably, no matter the reason. Stay tuned!

"popular_past_month

Disclaimer: Sorry, farmers. This article is not about revenue protection as it applies to insurance for crops, but rather it is about revenue protection as a general business operations concept.

Revenue is the lifeblood of a business. Without it, organizations can't cover expenses, generate profits, keep people employed, and grow.

So if the ability to generate revenue is disrupted by an unexpected event — such as losing a key employee, or a hazmat response that shuts down a wing of laboratories — it can jeopardize an organization’s chances to continue operating in the long run.

Of course, there are many risks that pose threats to your revenue — some more obvious than others. That’s where revenue protection comes in. In this article, we’ll outline a simple definition of revenue protection, and show you how your EHS department can increase its value while playing a crucial role in guarding against revenue loss.

What is revenue protection?

Revenue protection is a business strategy with the goal of ensuring that expected revenue is generated and not lost. It’s a way of guarding against risks such as property damage, loss of operating capacity, damage to capital equipment, downtime of key assets, or any other disruptions to revenue-generating operations.

Unlike, say, human resources or accounting, revenue protection isn’t a single role in your organization. Revenue protection tactics can include security guards, cybersecurity specialists, auditors, billing and account managers, PR professionals, — anyone who is involved in identifying and addressing potential threats to your organization’s revenue stream.

Is environmental, health, and safety (EHS) part of revenue protection?

It sure is. EHS is an important part of revenue protection – and is often right on the front lines.

As we said before, revenue protection comes from a diverse range of roles in your organization — and EHS is no exception.

Work-related injuries and illnesses can prevent key employees from performing their jobs, resulting in lost revenue and costly medical expenses for your company. Companies lose millions of dollars each year due to injuries. (In 2017 the cost of U.S. workers’ lost productivity is estimated at $50.7 billion, according to the National Safety Council).

In research environments, revenue protection often comes in the form of maintaining consistent operations. A serious chemical spill, for example, is an event that can affect your revenue by...

• Subjecting your organization to fines and penalties.
• Incurring legal fees.
• Creating negative press that hurts your reputation, leading to reduced business.
• Slowing down production or R&D by taking research wings or equipment out of use while they are cleaned or repaired.

By investing in EHS, companies can prevent these types of situations from occurring in the first place. If they do occur, EHS can ensure that harm is minimized, and that operations can resume as quickly as possible with the least amount of disruption.

EHS members often scramble to find the information they need to protect people, assets, and property. It's clear that this kind of struggle is antithetical to supporting revenue protection. If EHS has easy and immediate access to digitized, real time, accurate information, they will be far better equipped to protect your organization.

Now, let’s look at some specific ways your EHS program can support your revenue protection efforts.

How EHS supports revenue protection

Training

One way your EHS department can help protect against loss of revenue is by developing and implementing effective training programs. Training helps researchers do their jobs safely and avoid costly mistakes. Not only that, but training can improve productivity to ensure researchers are performing at their peak. Improper training and record management can also lead to costly fines.

Equipment Management

Losing access to a big piece of equipment or a specialized research zone for a length of time can set your projects back for months or even years. Effective equipment management ensures that assets are inspected, serviced, and maintained regularly to keep them in good working order. It also ensures that researchers get the appropriate training for the research equipment they use so that they can work safely and follow proper operating protocols.

Improving First Response

While it’s an uncommon occurrence, a first response can result in significant costs both upfront and in lost access to research areas and equipment. During a first response, minutes matter, and every minute has a dollar amount tied to it. A short delay can lead to a greatly worsened outcome, so the more quickly your EHS team can act and provide necessary information to first responders, the more the impact will be mitigated. In the case of a fire or high-risk chemical incident, first responders are often instructed to review the hazards and materials present before entering the building or space.

Loss Controls

Revenue protection goes hand in hand with loss control. While loss control is aimed at minimizing the potential for costly insurance claims, it is certainly a part of revenue protection. A loss can be an extremely disruptive event, which can challenge revenue-generating activities to continue without interruption. Both are important aspects of an effective risk management program.

Final thoughts

Staying profitable isn’t just about finding ways to earn revenue. It’s equally important to make sure that you protect your existing revenue from the unexpected and get the most productivity out of your people. There are many ways to do this, but getting full value from your EHS department is a good place to start.

One way to start building a revenue protection strategy is to work with your EHS department to determine your potential risks and opportunities. A small-time investment today can help protect the future and the sustainability of your organization for years to come.

"Recent Articles""popular_all_time

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcOvoosP4NUThe episode of eLabJournal​ on CNBC‘s AdvancementsTV w/ Ted Danson discusses the importance of data integrity,​ data security​ & ease of use within the research​ communities through all biotech​ industries.< Back to overview

Barcodes, QR codes, and RFID tags might seem similar, but they're not interchangeable. While all three are tools that can help you tag and track chemical containers, each is designed to work differently.

Before you can decide which labeling system is right for your chemical inventory management, you'll need to understand the different types of tracking tags, what information they contain, and the strengths and limitations of each one.

We worked with our Manager of Chemical Solutions, Sarina Schwartz-Hinds, to develop this guide so that you can get to know the various available labeling systems.

Why Should You Consider Chemical Labeling?

A single research laboratory can have hundreds of bottles, vials, and tubs of chemicals on hand. For each container, you need to track the identity of the chemicals, amount present, associated hazards, as well as where it’s located and to whom it belongs.

In addition, each new container needs to be logged in your chemical inventory when it’s purchased and tracked when it’s disposed of. That’s a lot of information! And as we all know, the devil is in the details — the one thing that gets missed somehow always ends up being the most important.

The most thorough solution is to place stickers or tags (in the form of barcodes, QR codes, or RFID tags) on your chemical containers when they enter your facility. But how do you decide which tool to use? Let’s break it down.

Barcodes

As the name suggests, barcodes are a series of black lines (or “bars”) that represent a string of numbers (a “code”). Barcodes are also known as Universal Product Codes (UPC).

When you scan a barcode, the scanner translates the sequence of bars into a string of numbers. These numbers correspond to a specific record in a database that contains information about the associated record.

Barcodes can be used to label virtually anything — including chemical containers. They’re inexpensive to create and print. Since most barcode scanners are just point-and-click devices, they require virtually no training. Today, there are even apps available that allow you to use your mobile phone or tablet as a barcode scanner.

However, there are some downsides to barcodes. The biggest is that each container has to be scanned individually, which can be time-consuming if you need to inventory a large number of containers in a short time (this challenge is the same for QR codes).

A common misconception about barcodes for chemical inventory tracking is that you can use the barcode that’s already on the container when you get it. But because the manufacturer’s label corresponds to their inventory, you’ll need to print a new label for your inventory. If you get 4 bottles of sodium azide from one manufacturer, they’ll all have identical barcodes! That’s counterproductive to your container tracking efforts. Fortunately, printing and affixing new labels is fast and easy (though there is more complexity to selecting the right label than you might expect).

Pros and Cons of Chemical Inventory Barcodes

Pros:

• Inexpensive to create and print
• Easy to use
• Time-tested
• If you decide to switch chemical inventory tracking software, barcodes can be easily transferred to the new system

Cons:

• Limited data storage and no special characters
• Each container must be scanned individually

QR codes

A QR code is a two-dimensional barcode that can be read by a smartphone or tablet. QR, or Quick Responsive, codes were first developed in 1994 for the automotive industry. Today, you might see QR codes on concert or sporting event tickets, or on marketing materials like flyers, coupons, and posters. They are also frequently used for chemical inventory tracking.

The information in a QR code is, 99% of the time, a static URL (for example, encoding the string https://www.scishield.com/en/modules/chemtracker but written in symbolic squares). When you scan a QR code with your device's camera, you'll be automatically taken to the specific webpage (URL) that the code instructs. Once a QR code is printed, it will always direct to that specific URL.

This is no different for your chemical inventory system. When you scan the QR code on a container, it will often be set up to take you to a URL specific to that individual container. Generally, you’ll have the page set up to display relevant information about the particular container. As you may already be able to imagine, QR codes can store much more information in a given area than normal linear barcodes.

It is critical to remember that once your label has been printed, the destination URL cannot be changed. So if you ever need to change the URL — for example, during a site redesign or migration to a new software system — you would have to print all new labels and physically replace the old ones for each container in your inventory. That could mean relabeling thousands of containers. From a perspective of future-proofing your chemical inventory, QR codes create a lot of risk for additional, avoidable work and cost.

To illustrate this critical difference, let’s quickly go through the process of migrating a barcode vs a QR code based from an old chemical inventory system to a new one:

Understanding chemical inventory barcode migration:

1. In your old system when a barcode is scanned, the scanner reads a string of charactersExample: .
2. Your system cross-references this string () with your database, which pulls information from or directs you to the associated pageExample: Sodium Azide bottle #46.
3. In your new system, you need to migrate your chemical inventory information (including the data for Sodium Azide bottle #46).
4. When the existing barcode is scanned, it still gives the same string () and your new database can cross-reference it and provide you with information about Sodium Azide bottle #46.
5. Success! You’re all done, and you don’t need to change your labels.

Understanding Chemical Inventory QR code migration:

1. In your old system, when a QR code is scanned, the scanner reads the string of characters
2. Example: https://www.oldsystem.com/SodiumAzide46.
3. You are automatically redirected to the URL where you can view information about the container, or information is pulled from that URL.
4. In your new system, you need to migrate your chemical inventory information (including the data for Sodium Azide bottle #46).Here’s where the problems begin:
5. When the existing QR code is scanned, it still takes you to the www.oldsystem.com address. But you don’t have a contract with your old system – you need to go to www.newsystem.com!
6. The QR code is now effectively useless. It leads to a dead URL. You now need to generate a new QR code for Sodium Azide bottle #46, and then go out and apply it to the correct bottle. You also need to do this for every other container in your chemical inventory.

Pros and Cons of Chemical Inventory QR Codes

Pros:

• Easy to use
• No special scanner required - can use a mobile phone or tablet
• Store large amounts of information

Cons:

• Destination can’t be changed after printing
• Each container must be scanned individually

RFID

RFID stands for radio frequency identification. Unlike barcodes and QR codes, which use graphics to encode information, RFID uses radio waves to transmit information to a specialized electronic reader. You might have seen RFID tags used to tag books at the library, to microchip your pet, or to scan into your office — and of course, for chemical inventories.

As we said before, RFID tags transmit information wirelessly from the tag to the paired reader using radio waves. That means RFID tags don’t have to be scanned individually. They don’t even have to be within line of sight of the reader. As long as the tags are within range — typically between 3 and 100 feet, depending on the type of tag (some can be designed for close proximity of inches) — they will transmit information to the reader.

This has many useful applications for chemical management. Instead of scanning each container individually, you can inventory an entire stockroom just by waving the RFID reader nearby.

Or, you could place a reader in a monitoring station near waste disposal areas. As containers pass by the monitoring station on their way to the disposal bin, the reader will log each chemical being discarded.

This convenience comes with some trade-offs, though. Because they utilize more complex technology, RFID tags and readers cost more than barcodes. And since RFID uses radio waves rather than line-of-sight, readers may pick up undesired chemical labels from areas outside of the desired survey area. RFID systems can also be interrupted by other devices that emit RF signals. While that’s not necessarily a deal-breaker, it’s something to consider when setting up your inventory system and deciding what types of tags and readers to get.

Pros and Cons of Chemical Inventory RFID Tags

Pros:

• Tags don’t need to be scanned individually
• Fastest way to read a large number of containers
• All data is transmitted instantaneously
• Can set up static monitoring stations

Cons:

• Tags and readers are more expensive
• May be affected by interference
• More complex technology means that when something doesn’t work, it may be harder to fix

Final Thoughts

Now that you know the differences between barcodes, QR codes, and RFID tags, you’ll be in a better position to choose the right labeling system for your needs.

Labeling can also be complicated, which we’ll tackle in-depth in a future post. For now we’ll leave you with some food for thought:

• Choosing a labeling system is more complicated than just printing out stickers and affixing them on containers. You’ll need to consider what information you want to store, where the labels will be used, and how you plan to distribute, apply, and use them.
• The laboratory environment presents its own set of unique challenges for labeling. Chemical labels must be rugged enough to withstand abuse from heat, cold, water, and even exposure to corrosive chemicals or strong solvents.
• Some organizations employ a combination of different labeling methods to meet their needs.

SciShield’s chemical inventory barcode system was built by scientists, for scientists. Built with a proprietary chemical database originally developed by Stanford University, ChemTracker utilizes RFID tagging to simplify your chemical inventory management, increase accuracy, and streamline internal processes. Leverage our scalable SaaS solution to meet your unique laboratory needs. Request a consultation with our team to learn more.

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If you want to succeed as a safety leader, it’s not enough to focus solely on logistics and data management – you have to get good at ‘soft skills’ as well.

Soft skills are attributes like communication, teamwork, and problem-solving that enable you to engage with and motivate your researchers to care about safety (they also help in interactions with colleagues and management!).

Without these skills, even the savviest safety professionals will find themselves fighting a losing battle to get their workforce to carry out safety practices.

To help you hone your craft, we’re writing a series of articles each highlighting a different soft skill. Today’s topic is disagreeing.

Talking past one another

Disagreements are normal in any human interaction. We don't always see eye to eye, so we will understandably disagree from time to time. But sometimes, when we think we're disagreeing, we're actually “talking past one another”: a situation where two people talk about different subjects, while believing that they are talking about the same thing.

If you've ever said something like...

• "Why don't you get it?!"
• "You're not even listening to me!"
• "It’s like we’re not speaking the same language!"
• "That's what I've been saying this whole time!"

...then you've had the joy of experiencing this common phenomenon.

Talking past one another can happen with your partner, a coworker, a client, or even the cashier at the grocery store. By understanding why this happens and following a few simple communication tips, you can save yourself (and those around you) a great deal of frustration.

Why does “talking past one another” happen in the first place?

Like most misunderstandings, talking past one another starts with an assumption that you’re both on the same page (another good reason to practice active listening). It’s one reason this tends to happen more frequently in close relationships, like with your partner or a coworker who you see every day.

As humans, we all view issues through the lens of our own experience. Words can easily be misinterpreted through our own personal filters. So it’s no surprise that we sometimes find ourselves nodding along in agreement while talking about completely different subjects.

There are two different types of talking past one another. The first one happens when two people are using the same words, but assigning them a different meaning. In this situation, you start out thinking you’re on the same page, only to find out you’ve been talking about totally different things.

For example, imagine you fell a few days ago in the parking lot and landed on the curb. You think you might have broken or bruised a rib, so you decide to go to the doctor. When he asks what brings you in today, you tell him you’ve been having some chest pain. Suddenly, you find yourself being hooked up to an EKG machine to see if you’re having a heart attack.

In this scenario, you were both talking about “chest pain”, but those words meant something very different to each of you, and there was never a moment to clarify what you both meant. To avoid it, you could have offered more information about what lead to the chest pain, and the doctor could have asked a few more questions about what may be causing it.

The second type of talking past each other happens when we use different words but intend the same meaning. When this happens, you might think you’re disagreeing, but you’re actually saying the same thing.

For example, imagine you're arguing with your partner about money. You think they spend too much money. Your partner insists that you're pinching pennies and being controlling.

You're both so caught up in making your case that you overlook the fact that you both agree you need to get out of debt and start saving for retirement. Here, the issue stems from the “why” of the matter – if you had both taken a step back and made sure to understand why this is an important issue, you could have started working together and agreeing without all the strife.

Talking past one another can be incredibly frustrating. To avoid it, let’s look at some of the ways you can recognize when this is happening.

Signs you may be talking past one another

By knowing the signs of talking past each other, you’ll be in a better position to prevent miscommunication. Some common indicators include:

• The conversation is going in circles
• You’re both repeating yourselves
• Neither party effectively addresses the other side’s issues or point of view
• You’re more focused on getting your point across than understanding the other person
• It seems like you’ve reached a dead end
• You feel unheard or misunderstood

A good indicator that this is happening is if any of the above examples are particularly unexpected. If part of your reaction is due to the fact that you’re surprised there’s a disagreement, chances are, there may not actually be one.

Ok – so how do you prevent this from happening in the first place, and how do you address it when it occurs?

Tips to avoid talking past one another

The best way to stop talking past one another is to prevent it from happening in the first place. Before you launch into a conversation, it’s always good to ask yourself, “How might my conversation partner receive this?” before saying anything.

Don’t take for granted that you’re both on the same page. Instead, consider where misunderstandings might arise and clearly define what you’re talking about. That’s especially important if you’re tackling a sensitive or tense subject, or one where you’ve disagreed in the past.

As soon as you notice that you’re talking past one another, pause and address it immediately. It’s natural to want to avoid dealing with conflict, but doing so will only make things worse. If you let the conversation continue, you’ll only get further off course (and have an even harder time admitting there’s a fundamental misunderstanding when it does come to light).

Similarly, if you notice that other people are talking past one another, there are some steps you can take to get the conversation back on track. By intervening tactfully, you may be able to prevent a full-blown argument.

First, don’t jump into the conversation too quickly. Make sure you’re not in a highly emotional state – this will only escalate the situation (as mentioned above, conversations about EHS money and budgeting can often elicit these strong feelings). Take some time to listen and understand both sides of the conversation before you interject.

Then, ask if you can make an observation. Statements like, “It sounds like you’re both talking about X – is that right?” or “From what I’m hearing, you’re talking about Y, and you’re talking about Z – am I correct there?” can help people feel heard instead of threatened.

Ask questions without judgment to gather information, uncover potential areas of misunderstanding, diffuse defensive emotions, and help both parties find common ground.

One final note: Know when to step in and when to stay out. In the case of a heated argument between two people you oversee, for example, it may be appropriate for you to intervene. If, however, it’s a dispute between your peers, you’ll need to tread more carefully.

Your takeaway

Dealing with disagreement is never easy, but these tips can make it more manageable. Remember:

• Often when we think we’re disagreeing with someone, we’re actually “talking past one another.”
• Instead of making assumptions, listen objectively and try to hear the meaning behind the words. Do your best to be aware of your own subjective filters.
• Disagreements are inevitable, but learning to handle them effectively can enhance your communication skills and strengthen your interpersonal relationships.

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