Laboratory & Research Safety
About the program
Laboratory / Research Safety incorporates the safety guidelines for hazards found in the laboratory setting including; chemical safety, radiation safety, biological safety, field research safety, and general safety. Maintaining laboratory safety guidelines and rules will promote a safe and healthy environment for faculty and students to expand research ideas, develop new techniques, and master their subject matter.
Programs and Services
What are my responsibilities?
Review the Laboratory Safety Rules (size 8.5 x 11 or 11x17). Researchers can refer to the Guide to Health Safety and Environmental Responsibilities and use the follow the five safety system to develop safe reliable experiments. Principal Investigators (PIs) and/or Supervisors can review the list of Supervisor / PI responsibilities.
Labeling Chemical Container Guidance
Commercially available labels (Lab Safety & Supply)
Example using an Abbreviation List (ONLY possible for labs with a Chemical Hygiene Plan)
Safety Tips
Personal Protective Equipment
Glove Use
Optical Density (OD) Calculator
Selecting Eyewear for short pulse lasers
Reliability of Laser Safety Eye Wear in The Femtosecond Regime
Reference: Lenne, Fiedler, & Spielmann. (2004). Optical Society of America, 12:7.
Practicing Safe Science
Howard Hughes Medical Institute Office of Labortaory Safety created and distributed safety awareness videos which are now on-line:
Practicing Safe Science Part 1
Practicing Safe Science Part 2
Practicing Safe Science Part 3
Safe Use of Laboratory Fume Hood Videos
Labconco Fume Hood Airflow & Operation
UC Berkely Proper Use of Fume Hood
Ergonomics
Laboratory work is inherent to some form of a hazard whether biological, chemical, or radioactive. However there is another hazard that is quite often overlooked in a laboratory setting, ergonomics. The body can be strained after looking through the microscope or a fatigued hand may slow the pipetting process. For more information, refer to the ergonomics in laboratory information for researchers at UCR.
Common Chemicals and their Hazards
Chemicals in the laboratory are hazardous and understanding the hazard(s) associated with a specific chemical will provide the user the knowledge to use the chemical appropriately. Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) are often the first place to obtain hazard information on a chemical. In order to make the process more universal to the laboratory setting instead of industrial setting the American Chemical Society created the Chemistry Laboratory Information Profiles (CLIPs). Chemical users can check the profile of common laboratory chemicals and their hazards.
Hydrogen Fluoride (HF) Exposure Information
Tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH)
Integrated Safety and Environmental Management (ISEM)
Follow the Five
Step 1. Define the scope of the experiment.
Step 2. Identify the hazards involved in the experiment.
Step 3. Develop controls to reduce the hazards.
Step 4. Perform the experiment within the developed controls.
Step 5. Provide feedback and note what controls are successful and which one were not.
Learn more about ISEM.
National Academy of Sciences
Prudent Practices in the Laboratory Handling and Disposal of Chemicals
Green Chemistry 
12 Principles of Green Chemistry (EPA)
Sustainable Chemistry Hierarchy
Growing the Green Economy through Green Chemistry and Design for the Environment
Incorporating Green Chemistry in the Classroom by James Hutchinson at the University of Oregon
Interesting Information
Sigma-Aldrich's Interactive Periodic Table
University of Nottingham Periodic Table of Videos
The Elements by Theodore Gray and Nick Mann
The Periodic Table of Radioactive Isotopes
Interactive Chart of the Nuclides
Lessons Learned (University of Arizona)
The Periodic Table of Rejected Elements (Chemistry Humor)
Field Safety Sites:
- UC Traveler Insurance Coverage
- UCSF Business Travel
- UCSF Global Health Sciences Research
- UC Berkeley Field Safety
- UCSB Field Safety
- NIOSH outdoor workers page: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/outdoor/
- Brian’s “Safety Notes” at ANR http://safety.ucanr.org/.
- Weather: http://weather.gov/safety.html (includes hazard outlooks)
- USGS:
Signs and Labels
Cornell University Laboratory Safety Signs and Labels
For more information
Laboratory Standard
Occupational Exposures to Hazardous Chemicals in the Laboratory
(29 CFR 1910.1450, CCR Title 8, Article 110, Section 5191)
Hazard Communication Standard
29 CFR 1910.1200, CCR Title 8, Article 109, Section 5194)
Bloodborne Pathogens Standard
29 CFR 1910.1030, CCR Title 8, Article 109, Section 5193)
Center for Laboratory Safety
University of California
Safe Handling of Hazardous Drugs for Veterinary Healthcare Workers
UC Campus Lab Safety Connections:
