Position Summary

This position directs a comprehensive research safety and compliance program to minimize chemical, physical, radiological, and biological hazards for over 1600 wet labs and 4000 researchers on the UIC campus. The position serves as the Institutional Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) for the University. Advises Deans, Department Heads, Directors, and Principal Investigators (Pl) on the status of research safety compliance for their units. Creates necessary procedures, policies, and guidance documents.

In addition, the Associate Director oversees the following non-research safety programs: Asbestos and Lead, Hazardous Communication, Machine Shop Safety, Art Studio Safety, Personal Protective Equipment, and Silica Compliance. Advises Facilities Management and Utilities and Energy Services on Asbestos, Lead and Silica Safety, as well as chemical safety. This entails prescribing necessarypersonal protective equipment, compliance tools, and work practices.

This position is responsible forensuring University compliance with all applicable Federal, State and Localenvironmental, health and safety regulations promulgated by the Department ofLabor, Department of Transportation, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, IllinoisEmergency Management Agency, and the Environmental Protection Agency pertinentto the program areas listed above. Coordinate and liaison with Federal, State,and City agencies regarding these programs and emergency preparedness withUIC's research laboratories and all operations with lead, silica, and asbestos.

This position is also responsible for managing the database technology used for a wide range of the University's research and safety compliance data.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Oversee the laboratory safety program which involves the inspection of1600 laboratory spaces, the resolution of safety and compliance issuesidentified during the inspection process and conduct statistical analyses toidentify high priority compliance risks.Responsible for the laboratory safety plan, online and classroom laboratory safety training. Responsiblefor ensuring campus-wide compliance with the OSHA Laboratory Standard.
• Review all requests by researchers to use radioactive materials and ensure all necessary safeguards are in place. Approve the purchase of all radioactive isotopes and receive all radioactive isotopes for the campus, maintaining an accurate inventory at all times. Verify contamination surveys are completed as required by the license and that no contamination exists in laboratories. Issue radiation dosimeters to those researchers who work with radioactive materials. Monitor the radiation dose received by these individuals, making sure radiation doses are “As Low as Reasonabally Achievable.” Investigate any doses that are higher than expected.
• Manage the safe disposal of radioactive waste for the campus in accordance with all regulations. Oversee waste that is decaying in storage at UIC as well as long lived isotopes that must be disposed via an approved vendor.
• Serve as UIC’s Radiation Safety Officer (RSO), overseeing the compliance program for research analytical x-ray machines, non-medical x-ray machines, and non-medical lasers. Ensure all of these devices are registered with EHSO and IEMA, inspected and calibrated as required, and all users receive the appropriate training.
• Implement the BioRaft research safety database to increase efficiency in radiation safety operations, hazardous waste, and training compliance.
• Supervise technical research safety and administrative support staff.
• Ensure safety training compliance for numerous EHSO compliance programs by managing training compliance data, ensuring its validity, and improving its training communication operations.
• Direct the UIC asbestos program which entails creating and maintaining a campus-wide asbestos inventory, providing oversight for all projects on campus which have the potential to disturb asbestos, providing training to all employees who have direct contact with asbestos, responding to employee asbestos concerns, conducting asbestos surveillance inspections, and performing bulk sampling and air monitoring. Responsible for the management of an extensive set of critical asbestos records requiring continuous updating to reflect changes in asbestos inventories at UIC.
• Direct the UIC Silica and Lead safety program, which provides oversight for all projects on campus which have the potential to disturb silica; provide training to all employees who have direct contact with silica; respond to employee silica concerns; conduct silica surveillance inspections; and perform sampling and air monitoring.
• Responsible for the EHS database management system, which houses the university data on environmental health and safety compliance. Ensure all regulatory documents and records are maintained and retained as prescribed by regulatory agencies.
• Responsible for the identification of OSHA regulated substances, carcinogens, and emerging technology that require industrial hygiene sampling in laboratories. Direct exposure assessments and process safety reviews to determine if industrial hygiene monitoring is required and execute the appropriate industrial hygiene monitoring strategy. Oversee the hazard communication program, along with associated training, and documentation.
• Oversee the machine shop, 3D-printers, and art studio safety program which involves the inspection of machine shops, fabrication research areas, art studios which present significant chemical hazards and other occupational safety hazards.
• Participate on the EHSO Management Team. Perform other related duties and participate in special projects as assigned.