Laboratory Safety
Laboratory safety is crucial to prevent accidents, protect health and ensure a safe working environment. By following standard operating procedures (SOPs), wearing appropriate protective gear and maintaining good chemical hygiene, you can minimize risks and promote a culture of safety in our labs.
Standard Operating Procedure Summary
- Plan your work, including reading the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for all chemicals you will use
- Dress appropriately for the lab; no shorts, capris, high-heels, open-toed/heeled shoes or sandals; confine long hair and loose clothing
- Wear appropriate PPE (chemical splash goggles, gloves, lab coats, aprons)
- Use chemicals in a chemical fume hood or with adequate ventilation
- Practice good chemical hygiene:
- Don't eat, drink, chew gum or tobacco, smoke or apply cosmetics in the lab
- Don't smell, inhale or taste laboratory chemicals
- Don't use mouth suction to fill a pipette or siphon
- Wash hands and any exposed skin with soap and water before leaving the lab
- Handle needles, syringes and other sharps (including broken glass) carefully. Dispose of all sharps in an appropriate sharps container
- Don't dispose of chemicals down the drain. See hazardous waste procedures.
- Secure compressed gas cylinders at all times; cap if the regulator is removed or not in use
- Know emergency procedures
- Practice good housekeeping; keep work areas clean and uncluttered, label containers, don't block exits and emergency wash areas, don't work with hazardous chemicals alone and attend to accidents and spills promptly, completing a chemical spill report.
Resources
- Particularly Hazardous Substances: learn the Universities of Wisconsin's policies regarding particularly hazardous substances.
- Labels: outlines the specific labels for materials with chemical hazards.
- Lab Safety Inspection Checklist (docx): use this checklist to ensure you're being safe while using labs on campus.
- UW-Green Bay Chemical Hygiene Plan (pdf): explains UW-Green Bay's policy regarding chemicals.
- OSHA lab safety guidance: as the organization that ensures safe working conditions for all workers, OSHA defines safety guidance for people working in labs.
Training
Laboratory safety training is required for any person (student, faculty, staff, student employee or outside party) who uses a UW–Green Bay laboratory. There are two training options:
Laboratory Safety
If you'll be working in a lab on the UW-Green Bay campus, you'll need to complete this lab safety course.
Laboratory Safety Course (Chemistry 207)
This safety course is available for all students and offered in both the fall and spring semesters.
Ask an Expert
Meet Scott Piontek, Environmental Health, Safety & Emergency Manager. If you have any questions or safety concerns, he can help.