Involve every staff member in some aspect of the safety program and give each a specific responsibility. There's a tendency to think that if someone is appointed safety coordinator, they have to do all the work for the rest of us. False! A coordinator is just that. He or she is not a "parent." Each person needs to be responsible for safety in general and for a specific part of the program in particular. Here's a list of a number of different specific assignments:
- Bottle gas cylinders
- Chemical inventory
- Highly toxic compounds
- Heavy metals
- Emergency response
- Pyrophorics
- Reference materials
- Oxidizers
- Alcohol inventory
- Acids and bases
- Fire equipment
- Refrigerators
- Flammables storage
- Showers and eye washes
- Specimen storage
- Electrical hazards
- Accident records
- In-service training
Get the idea? Everyone has a job to do. Everyone participates. Take turns doing a monthly lab inspection. Take turns presenting a 5-10 minute safety topic at department meetings.
Lab Safety Management Certificate
The Lab Safety Management certificate is more than training—it’s a professional advantage.
Gain critical skills and IACET-approved CEUs that make a measurable difference.
The best safety programs are the ones that get everyone most involved.
