The establishment of a separate accounting line for environmental, health and safety related purchases is essential. This allows you to clearly track monies expended for this purpose.

No matter how prepared new researchers think they are for the hazards they’re going to encounter in the lab, it’s pretty likely they’re eventually going to have some type of mishap that reminds them that firsthand experience has no substitute.

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.”

Laboratory managers agree that getting scientists to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) in the laboratory is a daily struggle. After repeated violations for which the use of threats was ineffective, I decided a more creative approach was in order.

Excerpt taken from John K. Borchardt’s article, Proper Disposal or Reuse of Old Laboratory Chemicals, Lab Manager Magazine May 2011 issue. Having periodic cleanup days during which old chemical samples and unused/nonfunctional equipment is

Staff reductions can result in severe challenges to proper chemical waste disposal management. In some recent cases, entire large facilities have been closed.

The use of warning signs to designate particular hazards is not just a good idea. It’s the law.

Laboratories frequently accumulate bottles of old chemicals, often toxic or hazardous, that are no longer used. Laboratory managers can use several strategies to properly reuse or dispose of these chemicals.