OSU Botany General Laboratory Safety Training
The following information covers the main laboratory safety topics that are common to most research laboratories in the Botany Department. For complete safety information (including radiation and biological safety policies), see the OSU Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) webpage. Links to selected EHS topics are provided below for convenience. A variety of safety forms are available online in html, pdf, Word, and/or Excel formats.
Faculty must safety-train (this link is just for your information - it is NOT Botany's training module). ALL personnel within 30 days of employment (document all training in the Botany office and send a copy to EHS at 120 Physical Plant Bldg.). Personnel will find most of the general information on this web page, but specifics such as locations of safety items and lab protocols unique to each lab are the responsibility of the individual faculty. Faculty are legally responsible even if they have delegated safety training to another employee (e.g. technician, graduate student or postdoc).
Here is Botany's safety training exam (pdf). You must do one of the following within 30 days of employment:
- Open the file, fill in the form-field answers (use the mouse or Tab from field to field), save the completed file to your hard drive, and print 4 copies: 1 for yourself, 1 for the botany office, 1 for EHS, and 1 for your lab.
- Open the file, fill in the form-field answers (use the mouse or Tab from field to field), save the completed file to your hard drive, and email the file to Paula Shryock.
- Print the file, fill it out by hand, and make 4 copies: 1 for yourself, 1 (original) for the Botany office, 1 for EHS, and 1 for your lab.
You can roughly determine how safe your lab is by viewing the Laboratory Environmental Audit checklist.
Know where to find (should be indicated on your lab's contingency plan) and use these emergency items:
Each lab must have readily available:
chemical inventory list (CIL; available in html, pdf, Word, Excel format) - see example below
- update annually (June 30)
- send copy to Environmental Health & Safety (120 Physical Plant Bldg.)
- indicate that MSDS (see below) are in LSE 022
ALL chemical containers MUST be labeled:
NFPA/HMIS Hazard labels (available in LSE 022) tell you about the hazards associated with a chemical (0 = low risk, 4 = severe risk):
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blue = health (0-4) |
red = flammability (0-4) |
yellow = reactivity (0-4) |
white = specific - some examples: |
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P = polymerizes
ALK = alkali |
or OXY = oxidizer (avoid combustibles)
or COR = corrosive
= carcinogen (cancer-causing)
= biohazard
= radioactive
YOU must request an MSDS (material safety data sheet) from retailer each time you purchase a chemical. All MSDSs for the botany Department are stored prominently in LSE 022 where they are ALWAYS accessible.
- physical & fire/explosion data, NFPA #s
- toxicity
- health effects & first aid
- reactivity, incompatibility, polymerization
- storage & disposal procedures
- conditions to avoid (what NOT to do with this chemical)
- spill & leak procedures
- protective equipment
Handle ALL volatile/toxic chemicals in fume hood, wear goggles, gloves, apron/coat. Note that there is a face shield available in LSE 022.
Common "clean" waste acids/bases may go down drain ONLY after neutralizing to pH 6-8 w/ compatible acid/base (see Chemical Hygiene Plan). Organic solvents, heavy metals, etc. should NEVER be poured down the drain.
store compatible waste solvents, toxics in appropriate small (<4 L), labeled container
An employee exposure report (obtain in LSE 022) must be filed within 24 hours after ANY incident