Lab Safety for Undergraduate Students
Teaching Lab Safety
Ensuring student safety in undergraduate teaching laboratories is a critical component of the responsibilities of the Department of Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S). It is very difficult for undergraduate students entering laboratories for the very first time to recognize all the hazards present in a lab and comprehend how to prevent or respond to incidents. EH&S has established a robust safety training program to prepare students to work safely in the laboratory.
Instructors must conduct a documented risk assessment for all instructor performed demonstrations and student conducted experiments using hazardous materials.
Training
Enrolled Students
All students enrolled in academic laboratory courses are required to take the EH&S offered online safety training course Basic Lab Safety for Teaching Lab.
The training covers:
- Recognizing hazards
- Engineering control
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
- Emergency procedures
Students must also receive lab-specific safety training provided by their TA/lab instructor/professor.
Teaching/Research Assistants
TAs/RAs play a very important role in ensuring the safety of students in the teaching laboratories. Often, they are the individuals responsible for managing the labs and generally the first person students go to for assistance. They must be trained in appropriate safety practices.
Online training can be accessed through the Campus Learning System here.
Training topics include:
- Recognizing hazards
- Risk assessment
- Hierarchy of controls (engineering, administrative and PPE)
- Injury prevention
- Emergency procedures and how to get help
- Lab Safety equipment and how to use them
Hands-On Training
Hands-on training is offered at the beginning of the fall semester. EH&S schedules the training with each department that has teaching laboratories. The training will give TAs/RAs the opportunity to practice how to:
- Operate safety shower and eyewash
- Use fire extinguisher
- Evacuation routes and gathering points
- Work in a fume hood
- Managing hazardous waste
Distance Lab Program
All the students taking chemistry lab online are required to take EH&S provided online lab safety training. Training can be accessed here via the Campus Learning System.
Undergraduate Students Working in Research Labs
Students who work or volunteer in research labs with hazardous materials are required to have appropriate training.
Login to the EH&S Training Decision Tree to help determine the EH&S training course(s) you need to complete. Information provided is determined by your Blazer ID. Lab personnel, please see the EH&S Training Chart for help on which training to take.
Visitors and minors
Laboratories planning to have visitors/minors planning to work/visit must follow UAB policy on visitors/minors.
Volunteers will comply with university policy and complete all necessary training for any lab work they will be conducting.
Other Resources
What Training Do I Need?
Training
UAB employees are required to take training to fulfill regulatory requirements and to prove understanding of proper practices. A record of training for each employee is required to be kept on file.
What Training Do I Need?
Login to the EH&S Training Decision Tree to help determine the EH&S training course(s) you need to complete. Information provided is determined by your Blazer ID. Lab personnel, please see the EH&S Training Chart for help on which training to take.
See also the training matrix below.
Please note that the Occupational Medicine Form and the date are listed as a part of this training decision tree. However, because the information is protected by HIPAA, we do not list it here at this time.
If you need more information about your Occupational Medicine Form, please contact EH&S.
Training Matrix
|
If You: |
You Need: |
How Often: |
|---|---|---|
| Are a UAB employee who chooses to ship a package using dry ice | BIO200 - Shipping with Dry Ice | Every 2 years, or if regulations change |
| Are a UAB employee who handles or offers for transport a Biological Substances, Category B substance | BIO201 - Shipping Category B, Infectious Substances | Every 2 years, or if regulations change |
| Are a UAB employee who handles, or offers for transport, a Biological Substances, Category A substance | BIO202 - Shipping Category A, Infectious Substances | Every 2 years, or if regulations change |
| Generate, handle, pack, sign for the pickup of, or operate a transport vehicle for medical waste in research laboratories at UAB | BIO301L – Medical Waste Management for Labs | Every 3 years, or if regulations change |
| Work in a laboratory that uses BSL1 or BSL2 containment, practices, or procedures | BIO303 - Basic Biosafety | Once |
| Use a biosafety cabinet, fume hood, or clean air station, it is recommended | BIO304 - Biosafety Cabinets & Fume Hoods | Once |
| Are involved in research involving recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecules | BIO305: NIH Guidelines for Recombinant and Synthetic Nucleic Acid Molecules | Once |
| Are a UAB employee with the potential for exposure to bloodborne pathogens in your workplace environment | BIO500 - Bloodborne Pathogens | Annually |
| Generate, handle, pack or sign for the pickup of hazardous chemical waste in research laboratories at UAB | CS055 - Hazardous Waste Handling and Packing | Annually |
| Handle, store, pack and/or manifest universal waste | CS056 - Handling, Storing, Packing, & Manifesting Universal Waste | Once |
| Work in a lab that uses chemicals | CS101 - Chemical Safety | Once, annual refresher recommended |
| Use controlled substances in research, teaching, and/or veterinary care at UAB and/or are a PI that will be applying for a Controlled Substance Use Authorization (CSUA) Number | CS245 - Using Controlled Substances in Research, Teaching, and Veterinary Care | Once, or if regulations change |
| Use, store, or disposed of pyrophoric/water reactive chemicals at UAB | CS305 - Working Safely with Pyrophoric Chemicals at UAB | Every 2 years |
| Operate a UAB car or van as part of your regular duties (does not apply to police) | DD101 - Defensive Driving Training | Within 30 days of hire then every 2 years |
| Handle oil products | ES001 - Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasures (SPCC) | Annually |
| Are a building administrator and/or department head, or their designees | GS400 - Building Life Safety | Once |
| Operate or go up in scissor lifts as part of your regular duties | GS600 - Scissor Lift Safety Policy | Once |
| Operate a golf cart | HS001 - UAB Golf/Utility Cart Operation Program | Once |
| Required for all lab personnel, recommended for everyone | HS200 - Hazard Communication | Once |
| Work around nanomaterials | HS250 - Safe Handling of Nanomaterials at UAB | Once |
| Work with or around anything considered a sharp | HS255 - Working Safely with Sharps | Once |
| Would like to participate in an in-depth review of laboratory safety practices, UAB policies and procedures, regulatory compliance, as well as legal and liability issues | LSW2001 - Laboratory Safety Workshop | |
| Strongly recommended for individuals working with or around hazardous materials or substances | OHS101 - Using PPE in the Laboratory | |
| Strongly recommended for all UAB Faculty, Staff, and Students | OHS102 - COVID-19: Methods of Protection During a Pandemic | |
| Handle, use, and/or transport compressed gas cylinders | OHS200 - Managing Compressed Gas Cylinders | |
| Use or handle Radioactive Materials (RM); maintain records associated with RM use, handling, transfer, disposal, storage, etc.; or work in an area that is in very close proximity to spaces where RM are used, handled, received, transferred, disposed of, stored, etc. | RS102 - Radiation Safety Initial Training Sessions | Once, with a refresher every 5 years |
| Work with radioisotopes as a part of your job, or are a Licensee or Alternate | RS103 - Radiation Safety Refresher Course | Every 5 years |
| Wish to become a UAB Radioactive Materials (RM) Licensee who oversees the conduct of RM use, handling, transfer, disposal, storage, etc., under that respective license | RS104 - Radiation Safety Licensure & Management Course | Once |
| If you handle, pack, or manifest radioactive waste materials. | RS105 - Radiation Safety Waste Handling & Packing | Once |
| Work in a lab, maintenance, ARP, UAB Police, environmental services, or groundskeeping | UAB Employee Health | Initially AND every 2 years OR as determined by EH&S Employee Health |