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What Are Some Acceptable Safety Standards in a Science Lab?

Science is an extremely broad subject spanning many different sub-disciplines. The three most prominent are physics, chemistry and biology. Because there are so many different kinds of science experiments that may be conducted, each using a different set of materials and methods, there are many different ways for safety and health to be threatened in a lab setting. There are many organizations dedicated to setting acceptable safety standards.

  1. Organizations

    • Organizations that develop and publish safety standards for labs many be either a branch of the government or a private organization. For example, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is a branch of the United States Department of Labor. The Environmental Protection Agency is a federal agency. On the other hand, Underwriters Laboratories is a private organization. Underwriters Laboratories is an internationally recognized safety science company offering expertise on product safety, environment, life and health, universities and verification services. These organizations all contribute to safety standards for science laboratories.

    Common Standards

    • The first safety standard that should be considered is proper protection. If you are working with materials that are poisonous, corrosive, and radioactive or otherwise threatening to your health and safety, be sure you are wearing the appropriate equipment. These may include gloves, goggles, radiation suits, visors and helmets. Another common standard is to limit the number of people allowed to work in the lab at any given time. This will help increase coordination among workers and avoid careless accidents. All lab workers should be versed in CPR in case of cardiac arrest. In cases where electronics are used, regular inspections by qualified electricians is crucial to upholding health and safety best practices.

    Forms

    • Another common safety measure is to require all laboratory participants to fill out certain forms in the appropriate cases. For example, accident reports detail the events leading up to the accident and ask for measures that will be implemented so as to avoid the accident in the future. Sample release reports are filled out when a sample must leave the lab for some reason. This ensures that proper safety and health precautions are taken given the type of substance in question. Finally, all labs should be equipped with a safety checklist that is carried out each day to ensure all safety measures are being met.

    Chemical Storage

    • Perhaps the most serious and common health and safety risk in science labs is dangerous chemicals. Dangerous chemicals must be properly stored and labeled with clear indications of the type of substance contained therein and the possible health implications of becoming exposed to them.

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