EHS Assistant (EHSA)


EHS Assistant is the online database of the Office of Environmental Health & Safety that enables researchers to review critical information regarding their permits/laboratories (e.g., audits, inventories, and lab personnel training history) and update as needed. Researchers may also request waste pick-up, respond to safety inspection findings, and request to add research staff through this portal.

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EHSA SOPs

Manage Chemical Inventory

Update your chemical inventory every time chemicals are received or removed from the lab. Review the chemical inventory periodically to ensure accuracy. Consult EHSA SOP Chemical Inventory Management for complete information.

Login
  1. Log into EHSA and click on the Inventory icon.
  2. At Chemical Inventory box, select Manage Chemical Inventory. The chemical inventory for the Principal Investigator will appear in tabular form. If you have access to several research group chemical inventories, select the Principal Investigator from the PI field at the top of the table.
  3. Scroll to see the inventory list at the current page. Move between inventory pages via the arrows at the bottom of the page.
Add New Chemical(s)
  1. Click the +Add button at the top of the page. A pop-up window will then open to search for the chemical from the internal catalog (the catalog has more than 12,000 commonly used chemicals).
  2. Radio button Search by Chemical Description is the default value; Search By Chemical CAS # is an option. Type chemical name or CAS # in the respective box and click Search. NOTE: The Show PI’s Personal Catalog radio button displays chemicals added to the PI’s chemical inventory.
  3. Results of the chemical search will be displayed in the pop-up window. Click Select next to the desired chemical. The chemical will appear on the “Add Chemical Inventory” page with Chemical Information and Hazard Information boxes auto-populated.
    1. If the chemical is not in the catalog, close the pop-up window. The chemical of interest will automatically appear in the Chemical Information box and Not in Catalog radio button will be selected.
  4. Continue to fill in chemical information (e.g., units, quantity); Vendor (optional); Lab/Storage Location; and other information.
  5. You may upload documentation (e.g., SDS, safety card) for the chemical at the SDS Information & Documentation box. You may use the Google Search button to find the appropriate SDS and other pertinent documents and save it to your computer or network directories. Once saved, click the +Add button and then click the “Select Document/File for Upload” button to upload the saved documents.
  6. Click Save when complete to add the chemical to the chemical inventory.
Edit/Remove Existing Chemical(s)
  1. Highlight desired chemical record on main chemical inventory page by clicking anywhere within the record.
  2. Select Edit button at top of page or double-click on desired chemical to edit it.
  3. Make necessary changes to the chemical record and click Save when complete.
  4. To remove an entry, repeat Step 1. Click on Remove button at the top of the page; a pop-up window “Confirm Removal” and an extra column “Select for Removal” (with visible checkboxes) will then appear. NOTE: You may remove one or more chemicals by clicking the associated checkboxes.
  5. At the “Reason for Removal” box, select appropriate answer from the drop-down list. Click Remove to remove the chemicals from inventory.

RAM Inventory

Radioactive materials (RAM) inventory, usage, and disposal are now managed through RSS via the RSS Radiation Module. Authorized Users are required to:

  • Manage their RAM in the RSS Radiation Module.
  • Regularly update their RAM Inventory Usage Record (fillable PDF) and keep a hard copy in their RAM binders.

Those awaiting an RSS account are expected to discontinue entries in EHSA and use the RAM Inventory Usage Record (fillable PDF).

Request Waste Pick-Up and/or Supplies
Consult EHSA SOP Waste Pickup + Supplies for complete information.

  1. Click on Hazardous Waste icon at EHSA home page to reveal cumulative waste requests in chronological order (newest first).
  2. To request supplies ONLY:
    1. Click on Supply Request button at top of page to start a new request.
    2. Enter Building and Lab number in respective fields.
    3. Select quantity per item by entering a value (or scrolling up/down arrows).
    4. Insert instructions (optional) in Comments box (e.g., Provide both adhesive and tie-tag labels).
    5. Click Save to add request and automatically email to EH&S Hazmat.
  3. To request a hazardous waste pickup, click on +Add a Waste Request button.
  4. Ensure information in Waste Profile section is accurate, then proceed to Container 1 section.
  5. Select Waste Type from drop-down list; Select the hazard or hazards associated with the waste by clicking on the hazard from the drop-down list in Hazard(s) field. This will automatically add the hazard to the field. Add as many as needed.
  6. Complete the remaining fields (e.g., Container Type, Container Size).
  7. List the contents of the container in Container Contents section. Click Search to get started. Enter chemical in Chemical Name field and click Search to comb the chemical catalog OR click Browse PI Inventory to locate the chemical.
  8. Enter or adjust percentages of each item by entering values in “% of Content” column.
  9. If you need to log additional waste, click Add Container and follow Steps 5 through 8. Otherwise, click Save to enter waste pick-up request.

Create Lab Door Placard
Follow instructions in the EHSA SOP – Create Placards for Lab Locations to create door sign(s) for your lab(s).

Add Staff Member

  1. Click on Worker Management icon at EHSA home page. A list of staff members attached to the Principal Investigator will be displayed.
  2. Click the +Add button at the top of the page. A Worker Registration page will open with blank fields to populate.
  3. Enter the first few letters of the new staff member’s last name in the Last Name field. A drop-down list of USC employee names will automatically appear. Select the staff member from the list. For quicker results, enter the 10-digit USC ID number in the ID# field to locate the new staff member.
  4. The rest of the fields in the Worker Information box will auto-populate. If the staff member is a volunteer, visiting scholar, or other then fill in the fields manually.
  5. In the Worker Link box, select Permit Number and Worker Type from the respective drop-down lists.
  6. Click Save to add staff member to permit. Staff member will then appear in the Pending Registrations box.

EHSA SOPs