personal safety

The lab is a high-risk environment with several hazards that are usually not emphasized enough to researchers. There are several precautions that you as a researcher should take at all times to ensure your and everyone else’s safety as minor lapses could have unpleasant repercussions.

Below are some lab safety reminders that apply to all researchers entering or working in a lab:

1. Always wear long pants, closed-toe shoes, and long hair tied back. Avoid loose clothing or jewelry that could get caught in equipment or come in contact with chemicals.

2. Always wear the required personal protective equipment (PPE) including a clean lab coat (fully buttoned), gloves, and safety glasses, to ensure you are protected in the event of an accident. Add additional PPE that might be required for the specific task, e.g. UV face shield, ear plugs, etc.

3. Avoid eating (including chewing gum), drinking, storing food, or applying cosmetics in the laboratory to prevent contamination or accidental ingestion.

4. Familiarize yourself with emergency procedures, evacuation routes, emergency exits, assembly points, location of safety equipment (fire extinguishers, safety showers, eyewash stations, first aid kits), and your emergency contacts.

5. Never block means of egress, evacuation routes, emergency exits, and safety equipment, even momentarily. There must always be a clearance of 1m (3ft) around these.

6. Prioritize laboratory safety (and refresher) training and always follow the latest safety procedures.

7. Familiarize yourself with, understand, and adhere strictly to all experimental protocols and procedures in the lab.

8. Do NOT perform unauthorized experiments.

9. NEVER work alone or unsupervised in a lab. If necessary, use a buddy system or ensure you are checking in with someone (preferably your supervisor) regularly.

10. Never work in a laboratory when you are exhausted or emotionally upset.

11. Never leave experiments unattended unless you have prior approval from your supervisor.

12. Headphones are a hazard to your ears and safety. Minimize use where possible, especially in a laboratory.

13. Use a cart and good ergonomics to transport heavy and bulky items.

14. Do not spend extended hours performing a task that may negatively impact your health. For instance, dissecting for long periods can strain your eyes and back, or working on the microscope for extended periods can lead to fatigue and strain on your eyes. Make time for short breaks when possible.

15. Never leave the lab wearing protective personal equipment.

16. Always wash your hands thoroughly before and after performing experiments, and before leaving the laboratory to prevent contamination as well as to ensure your and everyone else’s safety.

Note: These reminders are not a substitute for your institutional safety procedures or your lab-specific procedures but to provide general safety guidance that might not be available to all researchers worldwide.

Safety Equipment

Personal safety is further emphasized with the presence of numerous safety equipment found throughout the lab. The purpose of safety equipment is to minimize the risks presented by the materials you handle, and experiments you perform, or reduce damage during emergencies. Examples include but are not limited to:

a) personal protective equipment, 

b) fume hoods which protect you from harmful aerosols when dispensing flammable/volatile liquids, 

c) biological safety cabinets which protect you from the biological hazards presented from your work, 

d) chemical storage cabinets,

e) eyewash stations, spill kits, emergency showers, and fire extinguishers, etc.

Proper maintenance and use of these safety equipment is essential to ensure a safe laboratory for all.

Some reminders pertaining to safety equipment are as follows:

1. Always ensure safety equipment are in good condition before using them.

2. Routine maintenance and certification of safety equipment (e.g. fume hoods, biological safety cabinets, autoclaves, emergency showers) is paramount to ensure the safety of users.

3. Use a fume hood when working with flammable, combustible, volatile or harmful substances to minimize the risk of inhalation. This includes β-mercaptoethanol, TRIzol, and glutaraldehyde which are poisons!

4. When working in a fume hood or biological safety cabinet, ensure it is clean and free of clutter. The sash must be at the recommended height, and it must not be used for storage which prevents efficient airflow, negating its function as a safety equipment. Lastly, ALWAYS keep your head outside the hood!

5. This cannot be iterated enough - Do NOT block access to safety equipment such as fire extinguishers, first aid kits and spill kits to ensure easy access to them in an emergency.

Remember, use safety equipment properly so that it protects you!

 Note: These reminders are not a substitute for your institutional safety procedures or your lab-specific procedures but to provide general safety guidance that might not be available to all researchers worldwide.