New safety program for greenhouses

EH&S regularly looks for avenues to assist its campus partners. A recent effort to initiate a greenhouse safety program is a prime example of how EH&S collaborates with researchers on campus. EH&S discovered that greenhouses (and their research) did not fit well within any of the existing safety programs at ISU, and their unique blend of farm, laboratory, and shop activities required a customized approach. Benchmarking how ISU and other universities across the nation handle greenhouse safety revealed an opportunity for EH&S to innovate. On-campus greenhouses at ISU
occupy about 98,000 square feet in nine locations. These greenhouses are managed by academic departments and overseen by greenhouse managers. They serve various purposes, from simply operating as a conservatory of diverse plants to providing controlled environments for the growth of transgenic research plants.

EH&S developed initial plans after meeting with greenhouse managers to understand the research scope and existing safety efforts. Understanding the research activities in the greenhouses helped EH&S incorporate necessary safety regulations and guidelines into a greenhouse safety checklist, which was shared with greenhouse managers and department chairs. This document was the foundation of the Greenhouse Safety Manual.

Next, EH&S designed a series of in-person greenhouse safety training courses, which approximately 120 greenhouse users attended. The feedback the attendees shared was incorporated into a brand-new online training course. As of January 2024, more than 300 greenhouse users have
completed the Greenhouse Safety Fundamentals training.