The Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Department at Georgia Tech develops programs and provides oversight, consultation, training, and other specialized services to assist the Tech community in meeting its public health, occupational and research safety, environmental protection, and compliance responsibilities. Housed within the Infrastructure and Sustainability unit, EHS consists of more than 30 dedicated professionals focused on ensuring safety across various domains, including biological, environmental, fire, general campus, hazardous waste, laboratory and chemical, and radiation safety. 

The department was recently recognized nationally by the Campus Safety, Health, and Environmental Management Association (CSHEMA) with four Institutional Awards for 2025, marking the second consecutive year the department has received top honors. This year’s awards highlight innovative programs in makerspace safety, chemical inventory reconciliation, team-based safety culture, and respiratory protection tailored to lab environments. 

In total, Georgia Tech EHS has now received seven CSHEMA awards in two years, showcasing the team’s commitment to building a proactive, collaborative safety culture through strategic communication, innovation, and continuous improvement. 

EHS Associate Vice President Jerel Harris said, “We’re proud to receive these recognitions from CSHEMA for the second year in a row. While the EHS team has worked hard to develop tools, resources, and programs that support a proactive safety culture, these achievements are only possible because of the strong commitment from our campus partners. Ultimately, safety compliance is their responsibility, and we’re grateful for the collaboration that makes Georgia Tech a leader in this space.” 

Georgia Tech EHS received the following awards: 

• Comprehensive EHS Marketing and Communications Program Award for The Makers’ Protection Initiative 

• Marketing Campaign Award for The Chemical Reconciliation Campaign 

• Innovation Award for Safety Culture for The General Safety Team Initiatives 

• Innovation Award for Process Improvement for the Respiratory Protection Program and The Makers’ Protection Program