As of this morning, Thursday 30 March, the doors in Helix that give access to the corridors leading to the labs are accessible only with an authorized TU/e card. The staff at Helix was informed of this decision yesterday afternoon by email. ‘The purpose of these additional access restrictions is to prevent unauthorized parties from entering the building,’ it says in a statement issued by the Executive Board.

The implementation of these measures is the direct result of an undercover operation carried out some weeks ago by Cursor, which showed that security in the labs was woefully inadequate. In order to safeguard security, Cursor is very reluctant to publish any details on the exact locations of the labs and the method used to gain access. Nor will we publish a full list of the substances that were found in the various labs. We can however say that this list includes (high risk) substances such as chloroform, hydrogen peroxide, 2-vinylpyridine and glutaraldehyde.

Presence explained

Throughout the stretch of time during which Cursor was able to walk around in the labs, no one in any of the four labs Cursor visited approached us and asked us to explain our presence there. (Refrigerator) cabinets could be opened without any interference whatsoever, and all kinds of substances could be accessed. For safety reasons (certain substances can react merely by being shaken or after exposure to sunlight, ed.), nothing was taken from the labs. But it certainly would have been possible.

TU/e’s ‘Working safely in chemical laboratories’ instruction specifically states that you should address strangers – ‘unauthorized personnel’ – in the lab. In addition, people who want to work in the lab must first complete a lab training. During this training, participants are taught how to work safely and instructed that the lab is accessible exclusively by individuals with the abovementioned knowledge and authorization. This was not checked when Cursor was present at the labs.

TU/e’s ‘Hazardous Substances Policy’ states that people without professional knowledge or permission should not be exposed to hazardous substances. It also states that the Executive Board is responsible for the implementation of this policy, but that it has delegated this responsibility to the department boards.

Safety requirements

It goes without saying that students and scientists are required to comply with certain security regulations when working with hazardous substances. However, the university also needs to consider external risks.

A statement sent by the Executive Board to Cursor and which can be found in full below states that 'policy and proposals have been in the making for some time now that need to lead to structural improvements, ensuring that unauthorized parties will not be allowed access.' According to that statement, this year TU/e will present 'a new policy, among other things, for physical access to terrains, buildings and areas, with the aim of allowing a safe and controlled access for users.'  

Contact requests

Well before it undertook its undercover operation, Cursor invited CE&C’s department board to discuss this matter with the intention of sharing the concerns of an employee, so that the problem could be addressed. Two emails concerning the matter were sent early this year, the second of which clearly stated that it was a matter of security. Both emails remained unanswered. On March 9, Cursor presented the department board with a concept version of this article, with a request for a response to Cursor’s findings.

Measures

Yesterday afternoon, Cursor received the following written response from the Executive Board and the Board of the Department:

‘We had to conclude that the security measures at the lab spaces in Helix do not meet the requirements. Immediate measures are required, which no doubt will cause some inconvenience and will take some getting used to, because they will go into effect immediately. However, we count on your understanding, since security is a priority.

As of Thursday 30 March, 07:00 hrs., the corridors in Helix leading to the labs will be closed down during the day and will be accessible only with an authorised TU/e card. The purpose of this additional access restriction is to prevent unauthorized parties from entering the building’s laboratories.

From now on, students of the departments of Chemical Engineering & Chemistry (CE&C) and Biomedical Engineering (BME) will have access between 07:00 and 18:00 hrs. Staff members of BME who need to be in Helix and all CE&C staff members also have access between 07:00 and 18:00 hrs. Staff members with an evening and/or weekend authorization on their cards, will retain that authorization.

In addition, the unguarded entry via the walkway (which leads to the Matrix building) will be closed down. Access to the building is possible only through the main entrance, which is supervised. When necessary, visitors can collect a card at the reception desk, where they will be registered.

Furthermore, policy and proposals have been in the making for some time now that need to lead to structural improvements, ensuring that unauthorized parties will not be allowed access. This year, TU/e will present a new policy, among other things, for physical access to terrains, buildings and areas, with the aim of allowing a safe and controlled access for users.

The Helix building has an extensive, existing system of facilities that ensures the security of the building with its many laboratories. The corridors leading to the labs are fitted with a door that is locked outside office hours and can only be opened by people with a TU/e card with the proper authorization. During office hours, those doors were open in view of the accessibility of teaching and meeting rooms, which too are located next to those corridors.

Anyone who intends to work in one of the labs in Helix, will be required to attend one or several workplace safety training sessions. People who didn’t receive a safety instruction will be denied access to the labs. We also limit the risk of unwanted visitors through social control. An important rule is that users of the labs need to address unfamiliar visitors. We know from experience that this reduces the risk considerably. Helix has a strong security culture, with a large sense of commitment, as is to be expected from people who work in chemistry. We also have a well-functioning registration and monitoring system (Lab Servant) that enables us to keep track of the chemicals that were ordered and their location. Finally, our own environmental service holds an annual inspection, under supervision of the municipal environmental service.’

Covid-19 and lockdown

When asked why the situation wasn’t addressed much sooner, the Executive Board and the Department Board provided Cursor with the following response:

‘At the end of 2020, we arrived at the conclusion that there is a risk in Helix in connection to access by unauthorized parties, after which the decision was made to tackle this issue. However, this took place at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, when the entire country was under lockdown, including TU/e. As a result, this aspect did not receive the attention it otherwise would have received. We will now, as we have written, once again focus our attention on this matter.’

Cursor also wanted to know why it took the board another three weeks – from the moment the department board was presented with the concept version of this article – before these measures were implemented. That question provided the following response:

‘The decision to limit access during the day affects students and staff members of CE&C and BME in particular, but it also affects other departments that make use of Book my Space rooms, experimental facilities or teaching rooms in Helix. That is why the decision took careful consideration and some time, as well as a well-prepared implementation.’