A committee of faculty and staff is working with Safety and Risk Services to implement an ordering and inventory program for chemicals. The committee is now in the process of drafting a chemical hygiene policy for the university. They are also assisting Safety and Risk Services in compiling compliance reports for local, state and federal agencies that monitor chemicals.

As part of an overall effort to increase monitoring of chemicals and chemical reporting to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), several departments have volunteered for a pilot program to use a new software product called Enterprise Reagent Management (ERM) to track their chemical inventories. The Office of the Medical Investigator, College of Fine Arts, Chemical and Nuclear Engineering, Earth and Planetary Sciences, UNM Housing, Valencia Campus, Chemistry and Health Sciences Center Molecular Biology have signed up to use the software that allows them to purchase chemicals cooperatively, and an easier way to maintain their chemical inventories.

“Our pilot program participants have found ERM to be very user friendly and effective in maintaining their inventories," Environmental Health & Safety Tech 3 Michael McKinstry said. " With the support of the Chemical & Laboratory Committee, UNM will be able to consolidate chemical procedures and policy."

SRS offers departments that want to become involved in using the software program free training in the program, inventory of chemicals, and an amnesty day in which SRS will pick up for free any expired chemicals that need proper disposal from any of the pilot program participants.

Chemical & Laboratory Committee Members  

Sharon Boyd, Chemistry
Richard Holder, Chemistry
John Cox, Biology
David Hansen, Biology
Ali Abdulmehdi, Earth and Planetary Sciences
Asmerom Yemane, Earth and Planetary Sciences
Gary G. Harrison, Physics and Astronomy
James Thomas, Physics and Astronomy
Carla Domenici, Safety and Risk Services
Mary Vosevich, Physical Plant
Kathy Guimond, UNM Police
Matthew Gallegos, Office of the Vice President for Research and Economic Development
Steve Graves, Chemical & Nuclear Engineering
Geoff Courtin, Chemical & Nuclear Engineering – Co-Chair
Michael Dougher, Office of the Vice President for Research
John Wood, Mechanical Engineering – Chair
Chris Vallejos, Institutional Support Services – Co-Chair
Wynn Goering, Branch Affairs
Rick Bradely, Center for High Technology Materials
Ali Padilla, College of Fine Arts
Bobby Ortiz – alternate for Chemistry
Victor Polyak – alternate for Earth & Planetary Sciences