Laboratory safety plays an important role in your work, research, and education. Following proper laboratory safety procedures will reduce the risk of illness or injury and allow for compliance with regulatory agencies. The term is rather broad, encompassing all aspects of compliance, ranging from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) worker standards to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations for handling hazardous waste. At Hunter, lab safety is an ongoing effort which begins with mandatory Hazard Communication and/or Laboratory Safety Standard training.

Fire Safety

• Be sure that your laboratory is equipped with fire extinguishers.
• Know the evacuation routes, and practice evacuation procedures.
• Do not let combustible materials accumulate in your lab.
• Do not store flammable substances in non-explosion proof refrigerators.
• Avoid storing flammable substances in your laboratory.
• Have emergency numbers posted near your lab telephone.

Personal Protection

• Use engineering controls, such as fume hoods and biosafety cabinets, to minimize exposure.
• Ensure that your fume hood is functioning properly before using it.
• Make sure that the personal protective equipment you are using is substantial to shield the exposures of hazards encountered in your lab.

Safety Equipment

• Safety showers and eyewashes should be tagged and tested regularly by the Facilities Department.
• Access to safety showers and eyewashes must be unobstructed at all times.

Safety & Hygiene

• Do not eat, drink or store food in laboratory work areas, only in designated areas.
• Never store food or drinks in chemical/biomedical refrigerators.
  
• Do not wear shorts or open shoes in your lab.
• Do not wear gloves outside the laboratory work area.

Care & Use of Drains

• Never dispose of chemicals by pouring them down the drain.
• Occasionally allow your floor, bench, hood, and sink drains to fill with water. This practice maintains proper functioning of drain traps and prevents odors from getting into your laboratory.

Chemical Storage

• Maintain a current inventory of the chemicals in your lab.
• Keep all chemical stock to a minimum. As a general rule, no more than one week’s supply of carcinogens and other highly toxic materials should be stored in the laboratory.
• Store stock chemicals according to their hazard class and compatibility.
• Do not store chemicals in alphabetical orders unless chemical compatibility is ensured.
• Store chemicals according to their compatibility and avoid storing chemicals, especially corrosive liquids, above eye level.
• Do not store chemicals next to or above sinks. Keep all containers, especially those that are not in use, closed.
• Remove chemical containers that are leaking, degrading, rusting, or expired.

Chemical Waste

• Designate an area of your lab for chemical waste, and label it the Hazardous Waste Accumulation Area (HWAA).
• Place waste containers in a secondary containment spill-tray.
  
• Separate all incompatible wastes.
• Label every waste container with a sticker that include the words "Hazardous Waste", the name of the chemical (no chemical formulas), and your lab number.
• Record as much information as possible on the hazardous waste label.
• Keep containers closed and away from sinks at all times.

Housekeeping & Laboratory Spills

• Keep your lab clean!
  
• Do not use laboratory aisles or fume hoods to store chemicals.
• Remove all tripping hazards from the floor.
• Know the location of the spill control kit for your floor/laboratory, and clean all spills immediately.
• Make sure the appropriate spill kits are available for hazardous substances encountered in your lab.
• Remember that custodians are not allowed to clean chemical or biomedical spills.

Lecture Bottles & Compressed Gases

• Keep all compressed gas cylinders upright and secured.
• Do not accept gas cylinders which have an expired hydrostatic pressure test date on it.

Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)

• Maintain an MSDS file for the chemicals that you use in your lab, and make your employees aware of its location.
• Check out the MSDS links at the EHS website.

Equipment Disposal

• Call the Facilities Department for removal and disposal of large equipment and furniture.
• Make sure that those items are not contaminated.

Lab Permits

• At a minimum, one person in your lab must obtain the FDNY laboratory operator Certificate of Fitness.
• Keep your laboratory and personal permits up to date.