Last Revised: August 07, 2023
Revised 7/2020 (links updated)
The University believes it is prudent to minimize all chemical exposures. It is the University's intention to protect the health and safety of faculty, staff and students by providing guidance regarding the safe handling of chemicals and biological agents that are present in the laboratory.
Principal Investigator involvement is essential to fostering and maintaining a laboratory's safety culture. For ideas on how Principal Investigators can set health and safety expectations with new lab members, see Creating a Culture of Safety in Your Lab.
See other pages concerning research community responsibilities listed in the red sidebar on the left.
Everyone involved in the academic chemical research enterprise -- from researchers and principal investigators to university leadership -- has an important role to play in establishing and promoting a strong, positive safety culture, says a report from the National Research Council. This requires a constant commitment to safety organization-wide and emphasis on identifying and solving problems, rather than merely adhering to a set of rules and assigning blame when those rules are not followed. See what actions you can take to improve the safety in your lab by clicking on one of the links below.