Health and Safety Area

Officer: Jose Antonio Pérez

On 2021 Corona strike back again in different stages with large peaks of infection. In this context, H&S Area played a fundamental role adapting and developing new ICN2 contingency measures in a fast-moving situation to successfully minimize the spread of the virus inside our premises with the invaluable help of all ICN2 community.

One of the most important challenges acquired regarding to the pandemic is mental wellness at work. 2021 saw a creation of a Psychosocial working group with the aim to work on the psychosocial risk factors, propose solutions and come-up with better strategies to deal with them acting as a channel of communication where people can share their psychosocial work-related causes of distress. In addition, H&S area started to lay the foundations to develop teleworking strategies with particular attention on their risk management.

Regarding to research safety our lab safety program included 16 safety visits to laboratories, 250 corrective actions and 8 risk assessments related to new facilities. It was launched a innovative safety information campaign concerning the use of protection gloves, including thermal and cryogenic renewals as well. During last years over 400 safety courses were completed, and new training actions developed as fire extinction or first aid.

As contributing in nanosafety, in July 2021 the ICN2 took part in a pilot study, which is part of the EU funded NanoExplore Project, to study possible adverse effects of working with nanoparticles. During the week-long campaign, biological samples were collected from ICN2 volunteers as well as environmental data analysing ambient air in the labs. The current first stage of the project is devoted to evaluating which biological markers provide best information about exposure to nanomaterials and ultrafine particles and their adverse health effects in the working environment.