Safety

Safety Training

  • All researchers working in the shared laboratories are required to pass Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) training for “Laboratory Safety and Hazardous Waste Generation.”  This training is renewed annually.
  • Researchers working in microbiology laboratories or with microbes must complete the “General Biosafety Training” and “Autoclave Use Training”.  The General Biosafety training is renewed every three years and the Autoclave Use training is completed one time only. 
  • “Shipping Biological Materials” training is also required if shipping biological samples/materials. This training is renewed every three years.
  • Researchers operating Gas Chromatography - Electron Capture Detectors (GC-ECD) are required to pass “Radiation Safety for Sealed Sources.”  This training is renewed every three years.
  • All researchers working in the main campus lab, ECSL 1B11 must take the “Radiation Safety for Unsealed Sources.”  This training is renewed every three years.
  • Researchers must also pass EH&S and shared laboratory training specific to their research being conducted (i.e. Acid Bath Use, Chemical Spill Kits Use, etc.). A list of possible EH&S trainings and other safety information can be found .

 

Personal Protective Equipment and Laboratory Safety

  • Personal protective equipment (PPE) must be worn at all times in the laboratory. Mandatory PPE includes safety glasses, lab coat, long pants, and closed toed shoes. 
  • Gloves designed to protect researchers from specific chemical hazards or samples are required when handling hazardous materials. 
  • All waste must be disposed of in accordance with EH&S regulations. If researchers are unsure of where to dispose of waste, they may speak to the Laboratory Manager or Instrumentation Laboratory Coordinator. 
  • Researchers must meet with the Laboratory Manager when working with highly toxic and/or combustible chemicals and gases to plan the safety aspects of the research before it is started.  If researchers have any questions or are unsure about the safety of an experiment, contact the Laboratory Manager.
  • No food or drink is allowed in the shared laboratory. Food and drink must be kept in shared offices or hallways before entering the laboratories.
  • Researchers planning on working after regular hours should make sure that they are not alone, that someone close by knows that they are around and that they check in with the other person regularly. 
  • More detailed laboratory use and safety information are found in the “Laboratory Expectations and Use” document that students received when they started in the laboratory, in the Environmental Engineering Laboratory Safety section (link?) and the General Laboratory Safety Guidelines from EH&S (https://ehs.colorado.edu/resources/laboratory-safety-guidelines/).

In case of Emergency or large chemical spill call:

Environmental Health & Safety (Campus Hours): (303) 492-6025 

For emergency: call 9-1-1 from any campus phone or 303-492-6666