CHAS Presents 2005 Annual Awards

The ACS Division of Chemical Health & Safety (CHAS) presented its annual awards at the ACS national meeting in Washington, D.C., in August 2005.

Edward Rau received the Howard Fawcett Chemical Health & Safety Award, which recognizes outstanding contributions to the field of chemical health and safety. In 2001, Rau conceived, developed, organized, and implemented the Mad as a Hatter Campaign for a Mercury-Free National Institutes of Health, the first pollution initiative covering all NIH facilities. He also created a comprehensive website on mercury pollution prevention (orf.od.nih.gov/nomercuryhome.htm) and designed displays, incentives, and educational materials for employees, parents, and children. Rau is a captain in the U.S. Public Health Service, where he is assigned to the Division of Environmental Protection in the Office of Research Facilities at NIH.

Russell W. Phifer, vice president/technical director of WC Environmental, West Chester, Pa., received the Tillmanns-Skolnik Award, which recognizes outstanding long-term service by an individual to CHAS. Phifer has served as chair of ACS's Task Force on Laboratory Environment, Health & Safety. He founded the CHAS Training & Workshops Committee, and he has also served the division as a councilor, alternate councilor, secretary, and chair.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Nevada, Reno, together received the CHAS College & University Health & Safety Award, which recognizes a college or university demonstrating the most comprehensive program of chemical laboratory safety.