More than 500,000 workers are employed in laboratories in the U.S. The laboratory environment can be a hazardous place to work. Laboratory workers are exposed to numerous potential hazards including chemical, biological, physical and radioactive hazards, as well as musculoskeletal stresses. Laboratory safety is governed by numerous local, state and federal regulations. Over the years, OSHA has promulgated rules and published guidance to make laboratories increasingly safe for personnel. This publication is intended for supervisors, principal investigators and managers who have the primary responsibility for maintaining laboratories under their supervision as safe, healthy places to work and for ensuring that applicable health, safety and environmental regulations are followed. There are several primary OSHA standards that apply to laboratories and these are discussed below. There are also other OSHA standards that apply to various aspects of laboratory activities and these are referred to in this publication. The Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories standard (29 CFR 1910.1450) was created specifically for non-production laboratories. Additional OSHA standards provide rules that protect workers, including those that who in laboratories, from chemical hazards as well as biological, physical and safety hazards. For those hazards that are not covered by a specific OSHA standard, OSHA often provides guidance on protecting workers from these hazards. This publication is designed to make employers aware of the OSHA standards as well as OSHA guidance that is available to protect workers from the diverse hazards encountered in laboratories. The extent of detail on specific hazards provided in this publication is dependent on the nature of each hazard and its importance in a laboratory setting.

Safety is a word that has many connotations, of risk ofa possible accident that is acceptable conjuring up different meanings to different to one person· may not be acceptable to an people. What is safety? A scientist views safety other. This may be one reason why skydiving as a consideration in the design of an exper and mountain climbing are sports that are not iment. A manufacturing plant engineer looks as popular as are, say, boating or skiing. on safety as one of the necessary factors in But even activities that have high levels of developing a manufacturing process. A legis potential risk can be engaged in safely. How lator is likely to see safety as an important part can we minimize risks so that they decrease of an environmental law. A governmental ad to acceptable levels? We can do this by iden ministrator may consider various safety issues tifying sources of hazards and by assessing the when reviewing the environmental conse risks of accidents inherent to these hazards. quences of a proposed project. An attorney Most hazards that are faced in the laboratory may base a negligence suit on safety defects.

Recent serious and sometimes fatal accidents in chemical research laboratories at United States universities have driven government agencies, professional societies, industries, and universities themselves to examine the culture of safety in research laboratories. These incidents have triggered a broader discussion of how serious incidents can be prevented in the future and how best to train researchers and emergency personnel to respond appropriately when incidents do occur. As the priority placed on safety increases, many institutions have expressed a desire to go beyond simple compliance with regulations to work toward fostering a strong, positive safety culture: affirming a constant commitment to safety throughout their institutions, while integrating safety as an essential element in the daily work of laboratory researchers. Safe Science takes on this challenge. This report examines the culture of safety in research institutions and makes recommendations for university leadership, laboratory researchers, and environmental health and safety professionals to support safety as a core value of their institutions. The report discusses ways to fulfill that commitment through prioritizing funding for safety equipment and training, as well as making safety an ongoing operational priority. A strong, positive safety culture arises not because of a set of rules but because of a constant commitment to safety throughout an organization. Such a culture supports the free exchange of safety information, emphasizes learning and improvement, and assigns greater importance to solving problems than to placing blame. High importance is assigned to safety at all times, not just when it is convenient or does not threaten personal or institutional productivity goals. Safe Science will be a guide to make the changes needed at all levels to protect students, researchers, and staff.

This volume updates and combines two National Academy Press bestsellers--Prudent Practices for Handling Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories and Prudent Practices for Disposal of Chemicals from Laboratories--which have served for more than a decade as leading sources of chemical safety guidelines for the laboratory. Developed by experts from academia and industry, with specialties in such areas as chemical sciences, pollution prevention, and laboratory safety, Prudent Practices for Safety in Laboratories provides step-by-step planning procedures for handling, storage, and disposal of chemicals. The volume explores the current culture of laboratory safety and provides an updated guide to federal regulations. Organized around a recommended workflow protocol for experiments, the book offers prudent practices designed to promote safety and it includes practical information on assessing hazards, managing chemicals, disposing of wastes, and more. Prudent Practices for Safety in Laboratories is essential reading for people working with laboratory chemicals: research chemists, technicians, safety officers, chemistry educators, and students.

Prudent Practices in the Laboratory-the book that has served for decades as the standard for chemical laboratory safety practice-now features updates and new topics. This revised edition has an expanded chapter on chemical management and delves into new areas, such as nanotechnology, laboratory security, and emergency planning. Developed by experts from academia and industry, with specialties in such areas as chemical sciences, pollution prevention, and laboratory safety, Prudent Practices in the Laboratory provides guidance on planning procedures for the handling, storage, and disposal of chemicals. The book offers prudent practices designed to promote safety and includes practical information on assessing hazards, managing chemicals, disposing of wastes, and more. Prudent Practices in the Laboratory will continue to serve as the leading source of chemical safety guidelines for people working with laboratory chemicals: research chemists, technicians, safety officers, educators, and students.

The U.S. Department of State charged the Academies with the task of producing a protocol for development of standard operating procedures (SOPs) that would serve as a complement to the Chemical Laboratory Safety and Security: A Guide to Prudent Chemical Management and be included with the other materials in the 2010 toolkit. To accomplish this task, a committee with experience and knowledge in good chemical safety and security practices in academic and industrial laboratories with awareness of international standards and regulations was formed. The hope is that this toolkit expansion product will enhance the use of the previous reference book and the accompanying toolkit, especially in developing countries where safety resources are scarce and experience of operators and end-users may be limited.

This Fourth Edition of the CRC Handbook of Laboratory Safety expands and updates the discussions found in the previous editions. The latest technologies and issues are incorporated to keep managers and laboratory personnel up-to-date on programs to meet the needs of new regulations.Every attempt has been made to ensure that the current edition is as up-to-date as possible by continually reviewing current regulatory standards. Every article has been revised to reflect the newest changes. Topics may be similar but the content may have changed significantly. The wealth of information easily accessible in this new edition continues to make the CRC Handbook of Laboratory Safety an essential reference tool.