A clear, concise safety policy is the cornerstone of a good safety program.

OSHA specifies in 29 CFR 1910 that first aid kits need to be specified by the consulting physician

Appropriate eye protection is defined by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Z-87.1 standard.

The only good way to prepare for an emergency situation is to think through how you should respond and then practice doing it correctly.

This simple idea preceded by 15 years the requirements of the OSHA Lab Standard for "Standard Operating Procedures," "Control Measures," and "Special Provisions for Working with Particularly Hazardous Substances." Today it's not just a good idea, it's the law!

Chemicals should be labelled to show material, nature and degree of hazard, appropriate precautions, and person responsible for the container

Employers are responsible for ensuring that personal protective equipment (PPE) is available. 

Fire extinguishers need to be appropriate to the type of fire.

The National Safety Council reports that about 1,000 people are electrocuted each year in the United States. In 2005, a biology professor at Cleveland State University died as the result of an electrical shock in the lab.

Standard refrigerators should not be used for storage of flammable or reactive chemicals.

This is one of the most common OSHA violations. Whenever a pulley/belt assembly is within reach, there needs to be an enclosure to prevent fingers, hair, or clothing from being caught.

Store acids and bases separately. Store fuels and oxidizers separately.

Prohibiting the storage of food in chemical refrigerators is another one of the basic rules of good practice.

For too many years at academic institutions and some companies, health, safety, and the environment have been something extra. It's time that they become part of the process.