2. Introduction to Safety Issues at the Weizmann Institute

2.1 Environment, Health and Safety Policy

The Weizmann Institute is an internationally acclaimed scientific research center and graduate school, with activities on campus and in the adjacent science park. The campus is situated at the edge of the densely populated City of Rehovot, across from the Faculty of Agriculture - Hebrew University. The Institute also serves as a center for youth science education, and offers recreational, tourism and cultural activities for Weizmann employees, local residents and visitors. Safety issues must take into account the wide range of potential dangers associated with all these activities, and the diverse education and experience of employees and visitors.

The proximity of Rehovot and the congestion inherent to central Israel make it paramount to prevent any release of hazardous materials into the environment. Weizmann students and staff are subject to both Israeli and International Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) guidelines. The Institute, in conjunction with government authorities, is committed to conduct scientific activities in an environmentally sustainable and safe manner. Our EHS program is designed to support the needs of the community in and surrounding the campus, ensure safety of life, and comply with the goals of local and international regulations. Accordingly, the Safety Committee and the Technical Department, along with select scientific researchers and the Ministry of the Environment, have embarked on an ambitious program to research, improve, innovate and implement EHS practices and technologies. The goal is to inspire and educate employees and visitors, and to serve as an international example for a safe and environmentally sustainable scientific research center.

2.1.1 Safety Training and Responsibilities of Staff "Right-to-Know"

The Safety Regulations apply to the following individuals and locations:

• Institute personnel and students, including resident and visiting scientists
• external contractors utilizing or working in Institute facilities for payment, or by any other arrangement
• visitors to all sites operated on behalf of the Institute

The Safety Unit, together with other responsible safety and supervisory personnel, must provide employees and staff, or ensure that visiting staff have received safety training and information in accordance with their potential exposure to hazards. The Safety Unit retains full records of all training sessions, including the names of participants, date of training, topics covered, and the program facilitators.

It is the responsibility of all personnel to attend appropriate safety training sessions, consider safety aspects of their work and request specific EHS guidance or training, and apply to the General Safety Officer for permission to work with any hazardous materials or techniques. Permission will be granted provided safety concerns are addressed satisfactorily and the research is legally permitted at the Institute. For example, special permits must be obtained and conditions met for working with biohazards or highly toxic chemicals.

2.1.2 Safety Regulations for Contractors, or Institute Laboratories Operated by Outside Agencies or Personnel

Agencies operating within the limits of the Institute, for payment or otherwise, are subject to all the safety rules and regulations required by law and the Institute. The Safety Unit and the General Safety Officer are responsible for maintaining a satisfactory safety level for contractors, and for operation of laboratories or other facilities hired by outside agencies.

Every agreement drawn up with an external agency must include a written assurance that its personnel will operate safely as defined by law and Institute regulations. The outside agency is responsible for any damages or expenses incurred from any accident resulting from its operations. No agreement will be made with an external agency to operate within the Institute grounds without the joint written approval of the safety aspects of the proposed project by the Safety Unit acting in conjunction with the General Safety Officer. The agreement will include a clause in writing asserting that a breach of these regulations by the agency may lead to immediate cancellation of the work agreement.

Privileged information in a project cannot excuse performance of unsafe work, or endangering laboratory personnel or surroundings. Responsibility for the results of any life-safety or property-threatening incident occurring in the work area of an external agency operating within the Institute, for payment or otherwise, will devolve fully to the agency. The Safety Unit Department will investigate the accident and report as required by law.

2.1.3 Safety Regulations for Visitors and Personal Guests

Visitors are barred from laboratories without permission of the laboratory directors. Unaccompanied children (under 16 years) are not permitted in the Institute (excepting the residential and recreational areas). There are five categories of visitors at the Weizmann Institute:

1. Official guests of the institute
   The Institute is responsible for informing and guiding visitors safely.
2. Personal guests under the supervision of host employees
   Host employees have full responsibility for family members or other personal guests. Such guests may not wander about freely in Institute laboratories and facilities. Employees are requested to limit these visits strictly, to ensure the well-being of their guests.
3. Tours and other prearranged groups including children
   Tours are permitted only if led and supervised by an approved Institute guide. The tour organizers are responsible for safety.
4. Visitors or participants in activities at the Recreation Center, public halls for concerts or seminars, or Youth Activities department (young@science)
   Visitors will receive, together with their admission ticket or invitation, notice that the Institute's other facilities and buildings are out-of-bounds.
5. Visitors to the grounds or Weizmann House
   Visitors will be informed at the entrance gate of the areas to which they are restricted, and that Institute facilities and buildings are out-of-bounds to visitors (see campus map). Institute guards are posted to ensure compliance.

2.1.4 Smoking and Food Policy

Regulations on smoking were enacted by the Ministry of Health. Smoking is not allowed in public places, such as lecture halls and food services areas, and is permitted only in designated areas.

Eating, drinking and smoking are strictly forbidden in any laboratory. There are designated (signs) areas for such activities in the vicinity of the laboratories.

2.1.5 Special Consideration for Persons in a High-Health Risk Category

Persons receiving medical or radiation treatment, or under medical supervision, must consult the Industrial-Hygiene/Medical Doctor at the Institute. Pregnant women are advised not to engage in work involving obvious hazards, especially radioactive (Regulations for Females Working with Ionizing Radiation, 1978 and 1979 - Amendment, 5/2/1979) or bio-hazards; this applies particularly to the first three months of pregnancy.

Persons in a high-risk category are forbidden entry to the laboratory and to the Animal Breeding Center at Safety Levels 2 and 3. Entry or work in the laboratory is determined by the Team Director, with the approval of the Laboratory Director.

2.1.6 Safety Authorization for Research, Construction and other Projects

The Weizmann Institute has established several advisory and regulatory committees to review laboratory protocols and approve the use of hazardous materials or practices on-site. Any proposed research involving the use of hazardous or potentially hazardous materials or practices must first be submitted to the Director of the Safety Unit.

2.1.7 Injury Prevention Program

The Weizmann Institute incorporates the basic principals of the Injury Prevention Program (California OSHA, Section 3203). The Safety Unit works closely with local EHS persons in Israel and abroad to stay abreast of new developments in personnel and engineering protective measures and practices. Aspects of the training program are discussed in Section 2.1.1, and additional EHS matters are communicated through safety authorities or other means. Employees are required and encouraged to contact the Safety Unit regarding any potential hazard or suspected work-related illness or injury. The safety program is designed to prevent or minimize accidents or injuries, and to learn from any incidents at our or other institutes.

The organization of the Safety Unit is presented in Section 2.2. The General Safety Officer identifies hazardous or potential hazardous situations, takes the necessary steps to eliminate or prevent them, and annually presents a written work-program to promote safety in the departments, including statistical information on work accidents and safety mishaps. The reports are reviewed by the Safety Unit Director and Safety Committee, and recommendations are implemented by the General Safety Officer with the support of the Institute.

2.1.8 Accident Response and Investigation

These regulations deal with treatment of work accidents, with or without casualties, based on actual events, the casualties incurred and the administrative questions. Emergency Response procedures are provided in Section 1.

Any accident or injury must be reported to the Safety Unit as soon as possible.

Dial Ext. 3844 or for an emergency Ext. 2999.

After an accident without personal injury, the Department Head completes items 1 and 2 of the Work Accident Report (Appendix A), and within 24 hours of the occurrence of the accident sends two copies of the form to the General Safety Officer. In case of property damage resulting from the accident, the Department Head informs the Finance Department in writing, to enable presentation of a demand for damages to the Institute's insurance company, through the Financial Administrator (Ext. 3929).

An injured person should receive first-aid from the nearest qualified person. Medical details are provided in Section 3. For minor accidents, the injured person should be accompanied by a departmental colleague to the nearest medical clinic. After treatment, the patient should ask for and be provided with an Acknowledgment of Receipt of First-Aid form (Form No. 250, obtained from the Safety Office), to be submitted to the National Insurance Plan through the Personnel Department.

For more serious injuries, the injured person should be accompanied to the Kaplan Hospital's Emergency Department for treatment. A colleague should remain until the doctor treats the casualty and determines whether he or she should be released or hospitalized, and whether further assistance is needed from the colleague. The incident must be reported as soon as possible to the Department Head, but in no case later than 24 hours after its occurrence. The Department Head will notify the Safety Unit and the injured person's family, and the Safety Unit will inform the Personnel Department of the occurrence. Form No. 250 should subsequently be obtained from the Weizmann Medical Clinic, completed at the hospital, and submitted as before.

The General Safety Officer will review the accident and append comments to the report. The General Safety Officer maintains a logbook precisely detailing any safety incidents, and actions taken in response. In any case of safety mishap, the General Safety Officer will order an investigation, enter the findings in the logbook and inform the requisite authorities. The incident is then reported to the Personnel Department, which files a report with the National Insurance Institute, the Weizmann Institute insurance company and the Ministry of Labor.

2.1.9 Hazardous Waste Policy

All hazardous waste is collected, packaged and disposed of in accordance with regulations of the Ministries of Environment, Energy and Health. Sharp items are first repackaged in durable containers. Details for hazardous waste collection in laboratories are provided in Section 4.5. Biological wastes are disinfected (chemically or autoclaved) whenever feasible. Chemical wastes are bulk or lab-packed, and stored in the Institute's Hazardous Chemical Waste Area for transport to the National Hazardous Waste Disposal Site at Ramat Hovav. Radioactive wastes are specially packaged and stored in the Institute's Radioactive Waste Area, and collected by designated persons from the Israel Atomic Energy Commission, for transport to the national radioactive waste disposal site at Dimona.

2.1.10 Transportation of Hazardous Materials

Permission to order, transport or receive hazardous chemicals must be obtained from the General Safety Officer. The Chemical Storage Department will not order any chemicals without authorization. The General Safety Officer will confer with the Safety Unit Director, Department Heads or other experts to ensure that this is the required material (cannot be suitably substituted) and that it will be handled (transport, transfer, storage, use and disposal) in an approved manner. All paperwork must be handled correctly, and a Materials Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) or equivalent document must accompany any hazardous materials delivered, and must be available for review.

2.1.11 Safe Driving and Parking

Vehicles should be driven in accordance with safe driving regulations and practices, and should be parked in accordance with Institute signs, taking care not to block any entrances or routes. Many Institute roads are narrow, and it is imperative to leave sufficient space for emergency vehicles to pass.

2.1.12 High-School Student's Activity in Research Laboratories

The participation of high-school students in research conducted within the framework of projects such as final high-school exams, youth science camps, etc., as well as other activities in the Institute's research laboratories, requires supervision and follow-up from the safety and legal aspects.

Any high-school student who wishes to work in an Institute laboratory should be registered with Zemed and provide a Confirmation of registration.

2.2 Institute Safety Authorities (Duties and Areas of Responsibility)

The Safety Committee and its Chairman are appointed by the President from Institute scientific and technical personnel. Its responsibilities are defined by law and by labor regulations. The Chairman is responsible for holding regular meetings for deliberations on improving safety in the Institute, and for presenting Committee meeting reports in accordance with the law. The Chairman will ensure the appointment of a substitute in the case of his/her absence, who will be a member of the Committee.

The Safety Unit supervises safety arrangements and regulations in the Institute, the provision of safety equipment, instruction in its use, performance of safety surveys and repair to damage in laboratories and Institute sites, and deals with current safety problems and accidents. The Safety Unit is located in a prefabricated concrete extension to the Wolfson Building (ext. 3988, 3651 - see campus map). The Unit is on call during and outside work hours. The Director of the Safety Unit is an Institute scientist appointed by the President, and is responsible for unit operations.

The Institute General Safety Officer, presently also the Poison Monitor (ext. 3988, 3844), and the Radiation Safety Officer (ext. 2810) administer safety at the Institute, under the supervision of the Safety Director. All Institute safety officials are appointed and authorized in accordance with the law. Further professional development is encouraged by participation in supplementary training courses and by reading studying safety literature. The Safety Unit administers through Safety and Radiation Inspectors, Department Safety Wardens and internal and external consultants.

2.2.1 Director of the Safety Unit (Scientific Advisor), Safety Committee

The Director is responsible for all Institute budgetary matters related to safety (chemical, physical, radioactive and biological). The Director works closely with the General Safety Officer on proposal evaluation and safety planning, reports to the Safety Committee, maintains contact with safety authorities within and outside the bounds of the Institute, and oversees safety publications and safety courses organized within the framework of the Graduate School. The Safety Director insures that a replacement from a member of the Institute's scientific staff is available.

2.2.2 General Safety Officer (GSO)

The Institute employee receiving the Ministry of Labor appointment as General Safety Officer is responsible for supervising safety measures at the Institute, as defined by the powers and responsibilities in law and Institute regulations. The General Safety Officer's tasks include initiating and implementing any actions denoted by the Safety Unit Director, assisting in the preparation of the Safety Unit budget, and cooperating with the Safety Unit Committee. The General Safety Officer insures that a replacement from a member of the Institute's scientific staff is available. The General Safety Officer has the following duties and responsibilities:

• Prevention
  • Identifies hazardous situations within Institute units and takes the necessary steps to eliminate or prevent them.
  • Advises and physically assists Institute units to set up safety arrangements and obtain engineered safety equipment and protective clothing.
  • Monitors arrangement and performance of work-related medical tests on general personnel, in accordance with the law.
  • Monitors the removal of chemical wastes and other dangerous agents.
  • Manages the Safety Equipment Stockroom.
  • Supervises maintenance and operations for the chemical-waste storage building.
• Training
  • In coordination with the units concerned, organizes safety training for general personnel and Safety Wardens.
  • Instructs or supervises the instruction of new personnel prior to their commencing work, enabling them to become knowledgeable about the Institute's safety measures and equipment.
  • Provides information on the regulations appertaining to safety and work-hygiene for personnel and students.
  • Initiates the publication of specific safety instructions together with Unit Heads and others concerned.
• Maintenance of safety standards and documentation
  • Insures safety and hygiene instructions are fulfilled, as defined by law and Institute regulations.
  • Maintains contact with safety authorities within and outside the Institute.
  • Presents annually a written work-program to the Safety Committee to promote safety and hygiene in the Institute.
  • Presents reports on safety inspections within the Institute and written recommendations for accident prevention.
• Accident and Emergency response
  • Makes the arrangements necessary for ensuring safety in all circumstances, including times of emergency, in coordination with the military and Civil Defense authorities.
  • Investigate accidents occurring in laboratories and elsewhere, and presents reports of any breach of Institute Safety Regulations, and written recommendations for accident prevention.
  • Prepares a written annual report to the Safety Committee, including statistical information on Institute work accidents and safety mishaps.
  • Appoints a substitute familiar with the emergency regulations who will possess a copy of the file containing the steps to be taken by the Safety Unit during an emergency.

2.2.3 Poison Monitor

The Poison Monitor, under the authorization of the Ministry of the Environment, has the following duties and responsibilities:

• Directs Institute units dealing with poisons (safety measures concerned with their reception, storage, transport use and removal).
• Supervises inspection of poison-storage sites
• Orders the interruption or complete cessation of employment of poisons in any unit where procedures are unsatisfactory.

The present General Safety Officer also serves as the Poison Monitor.

2.2.4 Radiation Safety Officer (RSO)

The Radiation Safety Officer is appointed by the Institute to supervise protective measures against radiation hazards. The Radiation Safety Officer is licensed by the Ministries of Environment and Labor, on behalf of the Weizmann Institute of Science, to deal with radioactive materials and radiation-producing devices. The Radiation Safety Officer reports to the Safety Unit Director, and has the following duties and responsibilities:

• Prevention and training
  • Arranges for the medical examination of personnel working with radioactive substances, accelerators and x-ray machines, in coordination with the Radiation Safety Officer.
  • Assesses and authorizes experiments using radioactive materials and any work involving exposure to radiation.
  • Assists in the development of safety measures for Institute personnel planning to perform experiments in the Central Radioactive Laboratory (class B).
  • Publicizes up-to-date rules for working with radioactive materials, including emergency regulations, and maintenance of work records and equipment, as required by law.
  • Supervises the purchase, distribution, storage, and destruction/removal of radioactive materials.
• Maintenance of safety standards and documentation
  • Authorizes Visiting Scientists to perform radiation experiments.
  • Maintains regular contact with authorities who deal with radiation safety within and outside the Institute.
  • Ensures enforcement of the Safety Regulations and directives, apart from exceptions authorized in writing by the requisite authorities.
  • Initiates the construction, repair and maintenance of facilities necessary for regular operations.
  • Ensures the orderly operation and maximum use of the Institute's Central Radioactive Laboratory (class B).
  • Initiates the purchase/exchange of old and worn equipment, and facilitates continuous operation of unusual processes requiring a class B laboratory.

2.2.5 Radiation Safety Inspectors

The Radiation Inspectors are appointed by the Institute to assist the Radiation Officer in maintaining safe practices involving non-ionizing radiation. In practice, they assist both the General Safety Officer and Radiation Officer in inspecting the Institute, ensuring safe practices, and in emergency response (see sections 2.2.2, 2.2.3 and 2.2.4). In addition to general safety issues, the Radiation Inspectors specialize in either radiation, chemical or biological safety (see Section 9).

2.2.6 Director Construction and Physical Plant Maintenance Division

The Director is responsible for EHS issues regarding building, grounds and road planning, construction and maintenance, energy and water efficiency and conservation, general waste collection and disposal, lighting, air and water quality, fire prevention and security. A discussion of the technical and environmental programs and policy is presented in Sections 10 and 11, and further details are available in the "Environmental Programs and Policy" and technical manuals.

2.2.7 Grant and Contract Safety Issues

Frequently, grant organizations request documents demonstrating high EHS standards at the applicant institute. For example, the U.S. Department of Defense asks for a Memorandum of Environmental and Safety Analysis (MESA) report, including support documentation. The situation is complicated, as while the Weizmann Institute has a comprehensive safety program, Israel has its own safety and environment infrastructure and documents which does not exactly match the requirements of foreign regulations and documentation. Candidates must also demonstrate EHS proficiency through the experimental design and training documentation.

The Weizmann Safety Unit offers assistance in preparing experimental designs, and completing EHS aspects of contracts or grant requests requiring information on safety or environmental practices at the Institute or in Israel. Scientists can receive aid in experimental design through their supervisors, Department Heads or the General Safety Officer. Scientists should first contact the Research Grants and Projects Office for general administrative guidance and to obtain appropriate safety documentation. Assistance in completing safety documents is available.

2.2.8 Department Safety Wardens

Safety Wardens are proposed by their Department Heads from responsible and experienced staffs. Every Department Head, in agreement with the Institute's General Safety Officer, will appoint an employee of the Department to serve as Safety Warden and inform the staff accordingly. Newly appointed Wardens receive a letter of appointment, are briefed by the Institute's General Safety Officer verbally or in writing, and participate in periodical EHS refresher courses. They maintain regular contact with the General Safety Officer and with the unit's scientific Safety Warden. Safety Wardens have several duties and responsibilities. They must:

• be aware of, supervise, and take steps to improve the level of EHS in the unit.
• advise the unit on maintaining a satisfactory level of EHS in the unit. Supervise working arrangements. Distribute safety publications.
• provide assistance to the unit director and appointed officers to develop safety awareness and train personnel and students in safety measures, elementary fire-fighting, and observance of regulations.
• conduct unit safety inspection at least once a month and present a monthly written report to the General Safety Officer on the safety level in the unit, with conclusions and recommendations regarding engineering controls, personal protective equipment and EHS practices.
• investigate accidents occurring in the department in cooperation with the General Safety Officer.

2.2.9 Responsibility of Heads of Departments and Units

Unit/Project directors, whether faculty Deans, Department or Unit Heads, will strive to ensure a satisfactory EHS standard, bearing in mind any special needs of the Unit. They are responsible for carrying out the recommendations of the EHS Authorities and for maintaining safety equipment in working order, with the assistance of the Safety Unit and facilities provided by the Safety Wardens and the Fire-Control Officer. The Director and instructors in the Feinberg Graduate School must ensure that personnel and students are aware of the Institute's Safety Regulations controlling their activities.

Each unit director is responsible for seeing that those involved in a particular operation or experiment are aware of potential dangers and relevant safety measures and, as necessary, for issuing supplementary instructions. The unit director will direct the provision of safety equipment wherever his unit operates, as denoted by the Safety Wardens and in response to his/her Unit's requirements.

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