8-Hour PDS - Developing Risk Maturity through an awareness of the Social Psychology of Risk (SPoR)

7/18/2026 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Presenter: Linda Hamilton

The Social Psychology of Risk (SPoR) focuses attention on not only the objective and tangible risks that can lead to poor safety outcomes but also the psychological and social psychological risks that represent organizational cultures. We will think together about how the language of an organization can be an indicator of its safety culture and how mindsets determine cultural trajectories. The concepts of workspace, headspace, and groupspace will be introduced and explored for their potential to inform judgements and decision making related to risk.

8-Hour PDS - Mastering Laboratory Ventilation Safety From Design to Safe Use

7/18/2026 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Presenter: Chip Albright

How do we ensure our labs stay safe as research evolves, buildings age, and new technologies emerge? This full-day professional development session provides a comprehensive exploration of laboratory ventilation safety, equipping participants with both the technical knowledge and leadership strategies needed to manage and improve fume hood safety on campus. Drawing on over 45 years of experience in fume hood innovation, I will guide attendees through an integrated journey from design to safe use of laboratory ventilation systems.

In the morning, we will focus on the engineering aspects: the fundamentals of lab HVAC systems and fume hood design. Participants will review key standards (such as OSHA’s Laboratory Standard, ANSI/AIHA Z9.5 for lab ventilation, and ASHRAE 110 for hood performance testing) that inform how labs are built and maintained for safety. We’ll discuss how to apply these principles when designing or renovating lab spaces  and considering energy-efficiency measures without compromising safety. 
We will also examine the emergence of high-performance “smart” fume hoods and controls that adapt to changing conditions to maintain containment. 

In the afternoon, the session shifts to operations, testing, and culture. Attendees will delve into effective methods for commissioning and routinely verifying fume hood performance (with demonstrations of containment testing techniques, airflow monitoring, and other validation tools). Just as importantly, we will address the human factors: how to train scientists and students to use hoods properly, how to establish a safety culture where ventilation issues are promptly reported and corrected, and how to communicate technical ventilation concepts to non-technical stakeholders (like faculty or capital planning committees) in order to gain support for safety improvements. Interactive breakout exercises will allow participants to troubleshoot real-world scenarios – for example, diagnosing the cause of a fume hood’s poor performance or developing a response plan after a ventilation-related incident – and to develop action plans for improving their own institution’s lab ventilation safety programs.

By the end of this intensive workshop, participants will have a 360-degree understanding of laboratory ventilation safety. They will be empowered not only to identify and fix technical issues in hoods and HVAC systems, but also to champion holistic improvements – bridging gaps between EHS, facilities management, and lab personnel. Ultimately, attendees will be equipped to ensure that front-line safety equipment like fume hoods truly functions as the last line of defense against laboratory accidents, creating safer labs and a stronger culture of safety on campus.

4-Hour PDS - Building the Dream Team - Vital Partnerships and Strategic Planning for EHS

7/18/2026 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Presenter: Amy Orders

In today’s rapidly evolving higher education landscape, Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) teams cannot successfully  operate in isolation. Complex challenges—ranging from regulatory compliance, emergency preparedness, organizational resilience, and employee well‑being—require integrated strategies supported by cross‑disciplinary expertise. This presentation brings together a multidisciplinary team of leaders from risk management, insurance, police, emergency management, and EHS to demonstrate how high‑functioning partnerships can elevate an organization’s safety culture, reduce operational risk, and strengthen strategic planning.  

Through real‑world examples, participants will learn how collaborative teams break down silos, leverage shared data, align priorities, and build a unified risk and safety strategy. Presenters will highlight how to establish trust across departments, create predictable communication pathways, and embed joint decision‑making into everyday operations, especially during times when interpersonal communication and organizational pressures can strain relationships.
Participants will leave with a practical framework (from exercises and take away examples) for building their own “Dream Team” of internal and external partners—one capable of anticipating needs, responding collaboratively to campus needs, and designing proactive strategies that improve resilience across the organization.

4-Hour PDS - Mitigating Risks: A Practical Guide to High Activity Radioactive Sources & Alternative Technologies

7/18/2026 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Presenter: Jacob Kamen

This four-hour learning session is for all CSHEMA members interested in understanding and mitigating the risk of high activity radioactive sources, aligning with the U.S. national security strategy to eliminate radiological risks. High-activity radioactive sources are used in hospitals, research institutions, and on academic campuses for peaceful purposes. This course will review the dual-use nature of these materials, the risk they pose to public health and safety, and current federal programs that support the transition to safer, and more secure radiation technologies. This course will explore key regulatory guidelines, highlight case studies of institutions who have successfully eliminated radiological risks, and explore federal incentives available to institutions that are looking to switch to a more secure radiation modality. Crucially, participants will have a better understanding of insurance and liability coverage for on-campus radioactive sources and identify critical safety and security measures, emphasizing the importance of an integrated approach.

This course will also cover U.S. government (DOE/NNSA/ORS) programs that incentivize and facilitate replacement with safer alternative technologies. This session will outline conditions and pathways for eligible institutions to transition to more secure alternative radiation technologies. It will detail general disposal methods through government-supported initiatives like the Cesium Irradiator Replacement Project (CIRP) and Off-site Source Recovery Program (OSRP), highlighting substantial financial benefits, including the government's 50% cost-sharing for switching to X-ray irradiators and total cost of cesium disposal. Attendees will gain insight into these incentive programs, general radiological security best practices, and the government's significant achievements in irradiator disposal.

Finally, the course will highlight case studies directly from institutions that have successfully transitioned to more safe, secure, and efficient technologies. These case studies will provide invaluable insights into how such transitions alleviate burdens of complying with 10 CFR Part 37 regulations (security, FBI background checks, etc.) and share crucial lessons learned. This session will equip you with knowledge and practical steps to enhance campus safety, reduce regulatory burdens, and leverage significant cost-saving opportunities.

4-Hour PDS - Beyond Compliance: Designing Engaging and Accessible eLearning

7/19/2026 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Presenter: Alisha Diego Klatt

This workshop is designed for trainers, subject matter experts (SMEs), EHS leaders, and others responsible for developing or overseeing self-guided eLearning courses. The session emphasizes moving beyond compliance-driven training to create learning experiences that are engaging, accessible, and impactful. Participants will examine best practices for identifying training needs, defining learning outcomes, and collaborating across roles to design well-structured courses. The workshop shows how adult learning principles—such as relevance, prior knowledge, and problem-solving—can be applied through scenarios and case studies to improve engagement, risk awareness, and decision-making.

Through examples and demonstrations, presenters will illustrate how Articulate Storyline and Articulate Rise support interactive and accessible eLearning design, including closed captioning, alternate text, and logical navigation. The session also highlights practical ways AI tools can assist with scripting and content development. Participants will take part in guided discussions and breakout activities focused on design decisions and real-world application. The workshop concludes with key takeaways and resources to support continued development of learner-centered eLearning.

4-Hour PDS - Lab Safety 101 and 102: Building a Resilient Academic Lab Safety Program

7/19/2026 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Presenter: Larry Mendoza

This session will explore the foundations of building a strong safety culture, with an emphasis on soft skill development, effective communication, and establishing trust within the research community. Participants will gain practical strategies for fostering collaboration and forming high-performing safety teams.

The session will also cover key elements of laboratory safety, including best practices for conducting inspections, understanding their limitations, and performing effective risk assessments. In addition, attendees will learn how to properly evaluate and apply engineering controls to enhance safety outcomes.

4-Hour PDS - Preparing for the worst day of a career; Critical Incident Response and Functional Family Reunification and Assistance Center (FRAC) mini

7/19/2026 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Presenter: Dennis Terpin

Are you ready for the worst day of your campus career?

Critical incidents can affect all sizes of campuses. Active shooter hoaxes have forced lockdowns, evacuations, and response by large-scale police deployments. In some cases, these advanced style police activities have paralyzed entire campuses, costing hundreds of thousands of dollars, lost class hours, jepotizing research projects and shaking trust in the in-campus safety systems. Emergency Management has been seen as “security” or “safety,” with little or incorrect training and in many cases campus security and EHSO have little Emergency Management practical skills. When in fact it is Emergency Management a discipline built around mitigation, preparedness, planning, response, and recovery. This misunderstanding has serious consequences. If an incident is real, are you prepared for the first 60 minutes of a campus emergency?

It was a normal day on campus until the flooding began. The College of Pharmacy is on fire, a tornado strikes the campus, calls overload the emergency call center while shots can be heard in the background. The unthinkable has happened. Additional calls indicate multiple students, facility and staff are injured or missing. 

A Functional Family Reunification and Assistance Center (FRAC/FRC/FAC) mini exercise simulates a mass casualty event (any event, such as a natural disaster, terrorist attack, or major accident, which generates a number of victims and severity of injuries that overwhelms resources). Who is responsible for coordinating services? Has your plan been tested. 
Join me as we conduct a no-fault, Functional Family Reunification and Assistance Center (FRAC) mini exercise.

4-Hour PDS - Using Real Leading Indicators to Demonstrate the Value of EHS

7/19/2026 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Presenter: Kathy Malone

The difference between Lagging Indicators and Real Leading Indicators RLI’s is that Real Leading Indicators can change the future. They require ACTION, not passive counting.

Since the actions taken around Real Leading Indicators can reduce the number and severity of future incidents, they can be used to make an oblique calculation of EHS value.

An estimate of the potential value of your Real Leading Indicator program to your EHS system can be done by using those templates, cross referencing them to the number of Real Leading Indicator RLI actions/mitigations taken, then (optionally) multiplying by a factor for the likelihood of a repeat incidents.

If Safety activities can be split into Reactive, Administrative, and Proactive, just tracking the percent of time spent on Proactive activities compared to the sum of Reactive and Administrative is an illuminating metric.

Cross reference it to the reduction in incidents as Proactive/Real Leading Indicator RLI activities are ramped up, and potentially see the value of your EHS program skyrocket.

In this workshop, we will conduct the following activities:
• Define the difference between Lagging Indicators and Real Leading Indicators
• Have attendees share what their most significant Real Leading Indicators are
• Brainstorm options for a process to assess the likelihood (risk) that a particular hazard will turn into an incident across other locations within attendee’s facilities that have a similar hazard (location, amount, type of use, type of user, etc.) . Compare the ability of the electronic EHS systems in use by the attendees to provide the necessary data to perform this assessment
• Compare the ability of the electronic EHS systems in use by the attendees to track the results of the previous activity and to prioritize followup
• Compare templates for calculating the cost of an incident
• Plug Real Leading Indicator activities into the cost templates and sum the outcome
• Brainstorm Action Plans for implementation at their facility among the attendees

We will also anonymously have attendees estimate the percentage of their and their staff’s time spent on Reactive, Administrative, and Proactive activities and will share the result.