Lab Safety Awareness Week does not arrive with the same urgency as an inspection or an incident response. Observed February 9–13, 2026, the week creates space to reflect on how safety functions in day-to-day lab work, beyond written procedures and formal training.
Viewed through that lens, Lab Safety Awareness Week becomes less about launching new initiatives and more about taking stock. In laboratories where safety conversations, reviews, and recognition already happen regularly, the week tends to reinforce existing practices. When safety only comes into focus once a year, however, it can expose gaps in its consistent prioritization.
“Lab Safety Awareness Week should be celebrating the things the lab does on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis,” said Scott Hanton, editorial director of Lab Manager, who brings more than 30 years of experience as a research chemist and lab manager. “If the lab team recognizes their different safety achievements and celebrates the things they regularly talk about and review, then the week highlights a strong safety culture. If this week is the only time that safety is prioritized, then it illuminates holes in the safety culture.”
How visibility shapes lab safety culture
In many laboratories, safety programs are well documented and supported by training. What varies is how visible safety expectations are for the people doing the work—and how connected staff feel to one another’s responsibilities.
Lab safety culture is shaped by what people see and experience daily. When safety is visible in conversations, shared learning, and recognition, it reinforces alignment across teams. When it fades into the background, it becomes easier for risks to go unnoticed or unaddressed.
“A key aspect of a strong safety culture is the concept that we all share a mutual responsibility to keep everyone safe,” Hanton said. “To do that, everyone needs insight into the work of others in the lab, so that they can offer ideas to keep their teammates safe.”
Why participation sustains laboratory safety leadership
Participation is a defining feature of effective laboratory safety leadership. Strong safety cultures depend on whether staff feel comfortable engaging—asking questions, sharing observations, and contributing to safety discussions without fear of blame.
That participation builds trust over time. When teams believe their colleagues are making thoughtful decisions about hazards and risks, safety becomes a collective effort rather than an individual burden.
“Staff need to trust that their colleagues are making good decisions regarding the hazards and risks of their work,” Hanton said. “Celebrating and learning together helps reinforce the mutual responsibilities of lab safety.”
What labs should carry forward after Lab Safety Awareness Week
The long-term value of Lab Safety Awareness Week depends on what happens after the calendar moves on. Awareness alone does not change behavior. What matters is whether the conversations and visibility created during the week continue to show up in everyday lab operations.
For some labs, the week confirms that safety is already embedded in daily practice. For others, it raises a more difficult question: why does heightened attention to safety feel temporary rather than constant?
“Safety awareness should be an everyday occurrence in labs,” Hanton said. “A key learning might be around any additional awareness that was highlighted during the week, and why that level of priority and interest in safety only happens once a year, instead of every day.”
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Another way to frame that takeaway, he added, is to view safety as an ongoing team effort. “Safety Awareness Week involves everyone in the lab as a celebration of the lab’s safety program and culture,” Hanton said. “Lab safety is a team sport. Carry the broad involvement in lab safety throughout the year. Everyone has a responsibility to help make the lab safer.”
Continuing the conversation beyond Lab Safety Awareness Week
Lab Safety Awareness Week shines a light on the habits and conversations that support strong, resilient labs. The momentum from the week can continue at Lab Manager’s Safety Digital Summit, scheduled for March 10–11, 2026, which will focus on building safety leadership and connecting safety priorities to everyday lab work. Ongoing perspectives are also available through Lab Manager’s Safety First Webinar Series, supporting continued learning throughout the year.
