Research & Lab Safety

Why should labs have a standard operating procedure (SOP) for a chemical when the manufacturer safety data sheet (SDS) is available?

Both documents are “required” in the lab but offer different types of important information about a chemical. SDSs can be a good source of information when assessing risks associated with the storage, use, and transport of a chemical or product, whereas an SOP gives the researcher detailed lab-specific information for handling of a chemical at every stage of its presence in the lab.

EH&S has developed a new online Formaldehyde Safety Training module to help principal investigators (PIs), lab managers, researchers and others meet the federal and WA State Formaldehyde worker safety standards for this widely used chemical. The target audience for this training is laboratory and research personnel, including those who work in research, clinical

Effective January 18, 2017, the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) placed a ban on powdered patient examination gloves, powdered surgical gloves, and also on powder for lubricating a surgeon’s gloves. The FDA ban also applies to veterinary use such as veterinary clinical care and animal surgery centers.

Part of keeping your laboratory safe is ensuring it is prepared for an earthquake or other natural disaster. Here are some best practices for protecting yourself and others in this potential scenario.

Protect Your Exit Way
Tall or heavy equipment near your laboratory exit could tip over and block it during an earthquake, so take action now to prevent this:

EH&S collaborated with the Materials Science & Engineering Department to develop a short video about the UW’s chemical waste management process.

Watch the video to get your common waste management questions answered and learn more about properly labeling, storing, and managing hazardous chemical waste. 

The UW is a major research and teaching institution, and safety in our laboratories is very important to all of us. If you work in a lab, you can protect yourself and others from exposure to hazardous materials through the use of chemical fume hoods; safe work practices and training; and appropriate laboratory attire and personal protective equipment (PPE).