Employee Information and Training

One of the major provisions of the Laboratory Standard and the OSHA Injury and Illness Prevention Program is a requirement for employee information and training. An essential component of the CHP is providing information and training to all laboratory workers. Providing information and training ensures laboratory workers are aware of the hazards posed by the chemicals in their work areas, and how they may protect themselves from those hazards.

Employee Information

Laboratory personnel will be informed and provided immediate access to the following documents:

  • Contents and appendices of the "OSHA Lab Standard" (29 CFR 1910.1450);
  • Contents and appendices of the Chemical Hygiene Plan;
  • Mandatory and recommended exposure limits for hazardous chemicals;
  • Hazard Communication Standards;
  • The location and availability of safety reference materials for hazardous chemicals, including SDSs.

Employee and Student Training

All laboratory personnel, employees, and students shall be informed and trained about the hazards in their work areas at the time of initial assignment and prior to work involving new exposure situations. Refresher training will occur annually or as otherwise required.

Information and Training Responsibilities

Laboratory personnel and students must, at a minimum, complete the laboratory safety training provided by RMS. The laboratory safety courses are available on the RMS webpage and other trainings course can be provided upon request by the departments. For information on documentation, see Record Keeping.

The PI or Laboratory Supervisor is responsible for identifying laboratory personnel, employees, and students who require training and ensure that those individuals are trained. The PI and/or Laboratory Supervisor shall also conduct laboratory-specific hazard awareness training for each laboratory employee or student before that individual begins working in the lab. It should be noted that depending on the type of research being conducted and associated hazards, there may be additional training requirements.

The OSHA Lab Standard and University policy require that all laboratory personnel receive laboratory safety training and be informed of the potential health and safety risks that may be present in their workplace.

  • General Lab Safety Training: All lab personnel shall be required to take a general laboratory safety course online before beginning work in the lab and annually thereafter.
  • Laboratory-Specific Training: The PI shall conduct laboratory-specific hazard awareness training for all laboratory personnel before they begin working in the lab. The lab-specific training must cover:
    • An overview of the OSHA Laboratory Standard.
    • The specific chemical and physical hazards in the lab.
    • SOPs, including the measures employees can take to protect themselves from the identified hazards, such as appropriate work practices, engineering controls, and personal protective equipment.
    • The permissible exposure limits for OSHA regulated substances or recommended exposure limits for other hazardous chemicals where there is no applicable OSHA standard.
    • Signs and symptoms associated with exposures to hazardous chemicals used in the laboratory.
    • The location and availability of identified reference materials listing the hazards, safe handling, storage and disposal of hazardous chemicals found in the laboratory including, but not limited to SDS's received from the chemical supplier.

RMS Required Training

If work is done with any chemicals or hazardous materials, the trainings below are required and should be completed annually:

  • Chemical Fume Hood Safety
  • Chemical Lab Safety
  • Hazard Communication Standard Training
  • Hazardous Waste Training
  • If you work with hydrofluoric acid, please take Hydrofluoric Acid Safety
  • If you work with perchloric acid, please take Perchloric Acid Safety
  • If you work with gas cylinders or gases under pressure, please take Gas Cylinder Handling Safety

If work is done with biological materials, recombinant DNA, or toxins requiring a BSL-1 or BSL-2 containment, the trainings below are required:

  • General Biosafety BSL-1 and BSL-2
  • If you work with any animals, please take Animal Biosafety
  • If you perform research with HIV or HBV, use human blood, cadaver, body fluids, human cells, human cell lines, work with patients, or handle patient samples, please take Bloodborne Pathogens. See Bloodborne Pathogen Program.

If you are working with any of these items below, you will also need to take the related training:

If you will be shipping research samples or hazardous materials, please contact the Chemical Hygiene Officer to obtain the DOT General Awareness Training prior to shipping.

Emergency Management and Safety Services also has more courses that are not required to take but can be helpful within the scope of work being performed:

It is required that the PI or Laboratory Supervisor provides laboratory specific training for all specific laboratory protocols and procedures. PIs and Laboratory Supervisors are required to document all training including online training taken by all lab personnel.  Laboratory specific training should be documented using SOPs. As lab personnel are trained on the procedure or use of chemical(s), the SOP should be signed and dated by each individual who has been trained.

Additional Training

Additional trainings and workshops will be offered and will be posted in the RMS Chemical Safety webpage. Workshop resources will be available online after the workshop has concluded and a certificate of attendance will be given for each workshop attended. If there is a specific training that your lab would like, please contact the Chemical Hygiene Officer to further discuss.

Chemical Hygene Plan - Table of Contents