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Two people work in a lab with proper protective gear and white coats on.

Laboratory Safety

WSU Health Sciences Spokane’s Laboratory Safety Program strives to develop a culture of safety that will minimize the risk of injury or illness to laboratory workers by assisting principal investigators and laboratory managers with the development of a comprehensive, specific safety program.

Topics related to laboratory safety include:

WSU’s Laboratory Safety Program strives to develop a culture of safety that will minimize the risk of injury or illness to laboratory workers by assisting principal investigators and laboratory managers with the development of a comprehensive, specific safety program.

Required Training Content

The OSHA Laboratory standard requires that individuals who will be working with chemicals in the laboratory be provided with sufficient training to enable them to conduct their work safely. Training must be provided prior to the time when individuals begin their duties involving chemicals and whenever there is a significant change in the types or quantities of chemicals used. Departments and, ultimately, principal investigators, lab managers or lab supervisors are responsible for ensuring that all individuals working in their laboratories have been adequately trained.

The general training topics required by the Laboratory standard are:

  • Laboratory safety, including the content of the OSHA Laboratory Standard.
  • Hazard communication training
  • Location and availability of the Laboratory Safety and Chemical Hygiene Plan (i.e., Chemical Hygiene Plan).
  • How to read a safety data sheet (SDS), including the location and availability of known reference material on the hazards, safe handling, storage, and disposal of chemicals.
  • Measures that laboratory workers can take to protect themselves from chemical hazards, including control measures, personal protective equipment, standard operating procedures, and emergency procedures.

WAC 296-823-100 requires that employees who may be exposed to blood or other potentially infectious materials that may contain bloodborne pathogens complete bloodborne pathogen training. Examples of bloodborne pathogens are the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B virus.

Resources

Training

Forms

Newsletters

Contacts

Environmental Health & Safety

Jason Sampson
509-335-9564
sampsonj@wsu.edu
– Respiratory program administrator

Laboratory Services
509-358-7621
spok.labservices@wsu.edu

Office of Research

Will Clegern
Interim Director, Research Laboratories
509-368-6750
will.clegern@wsu.edu

Ze Liu
Scientific Assistant
509-368-7633
ze.liu@wsu.edu

Olga Shiva
Scientific Assistant
509-358-7873
olga.shiva@wsu.edu