Environmental Health & Safety

The Office of Environmental Health & Safety provides the campus community, including faculty, staff, students and visitors, with the support, advice and leadership necessary to maintain a safe, healthy, and environmentally responsible campus, while supporting the educational mission of the College.

Environmental Health & Safety provides oversight of College operations to ensure those operations meet health, safety, and environmental standards established by the College and applicable local, state and federal regulations. This is accomplished by developing safety and environmental policies and programs, providing training, conducting inspections, investigating accidents, responding to emergencies, and providing technical assistance to the community.

Resources and information

Laboratory and art safety

The goal of the Laboratory Safety program at Mount Holyoke is to create and maintain a safe and healthful teaching and research environment, teach safe practices, and promote safety awareness so that our students may learn to be responsible, creative, ethical and effective scientists, artists, architects and makers.

Laboratory Safety Officer and Science Center Stockroom

Andrew Rings
Laboratory Safety Officer

Location: Carr G27-North (office G29)
Phone: 413-538-3209
Receiving hours:
Contact the Science Stockroom

Fire and life safety

In accordance with the Fire and Life Safety Policy, the College has developed the following fire and life safety procedures.

Wildlife and pest management

The College has developed procedures for wildlife and pests based on the guidance and requirements of many agencies, including the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MA DPH) and Department of Environmental Protection (MA DEP), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife) and the Town of South Hadley Board of Health.

Mercury disposal on campus

Mercury is a naturally occurring element that can be present in soil, air and water.  Higher levels of mercury in the environment can be attributed to pollution caused by human activities, including fossil fuel combustion, manufacturing, and small-scale gold mining.

Copyright © 2026 Trustees of Mount Holyoke College