Department of Environmental Health and Safety

General Lab Safety Homepage

General laboratory safety at the University of Vermont is built on the shared responsibility of protecting people, research, and the environment. This page brings together essential guidance, resources, and expectations to support safe work in teaching and research laboratories across campus.

General Lab Safety Practices

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Safety is a core component of laboratory work, not a barrier to it. Every laboratory professional is responsible for conducting research in a manner that protects themselves, their colleagues, and the shared workspace. This requires identifying and understanding all hazards associated with laboratory activities before starting work. A safe campus environment is a right of all employees and all those involved in education and research.

There is no substitute for being prepared. Familiarize yourself with the hazards of the work you are doing, what to do in the case of an emergency, and the controls that you can implement to reduce, or even eliminate risks in your procedures. 

General lab safety practices focus on the day to day actions that reduce risk in laboratory spaces. This includes maintaining good housekeeping, preventing slips and trips, avoiding food and drink in labs, using shared spaces responsibly, and ensuring proper ventilation and storage of materials. You can find guidance on general safety practices in the lab here - General Lab Safety Practices

Lab Safety Supplies

Locations

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Safety lab supplies are available in the following locations on campus. If you find that a specific location is low on a specific item that you need, please fill in the following form - Safety Supplies Request – Fill out form

  • Colchester Research Facility 1st floor - on a shelf inside the mail room
  • Discovery - W210 Chemistry Stockroom (ask Travis Verrett or Ed Curtiss)
  • Given 1st floor - in a box on the table near the mailboxes/mail room
  • Health Sciences Research Facility (HSRF) 2nd floor - across from the 239 electrical room
  • Jeffords 2nd and 3rd floor - in Autoclave Rooms (222 and 316)
  • Marsh Life Sciences basement - Lab & Life Sciences stockroom
  • Rubenstein Laboratory 1st floor - near mailboxes as you enter from loading dock
  • Stafford 3rd floor - North side lounge in metal safety cabinet
  • Terrill - in the 1st Floor Autoclave Room
  • Votey 2nd floor - Room 225B equipment room

Safety Supplies

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The following materials should be available nearby or in the above locations:

  • Green chemical labels (large or small)
  • Orange chemical labels (large or small)
  • Yellow laboratory waste accumulation labels 
  • Laboratory waste tags
  • Eyewash/Shower Flush Logs (2 sided)
  • Laboratory Self-inspection checklists
  • Uncontaminated Lab Waste box labels

Be sure to check out Chemical Waste Disposal to find out more about proper collection, labeling, and storage of laboratory waste chemicals. If you find that a specific location is low on a specific item that you need, please fill in the following form - Safety Supplies Request – Fill out form

Biosafety Supplies

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Biowaste supplies can be found in Firestone 245D and the CRF biowaste storage room. This includes biowaste boxes, red biowaste bags, and biohazard tape. Any kind of tape can be used to seal a full biobox.

* Lab personnel will need CATcard access to Firestone/HSRF room 245C. To get access complete the Biowaste training and submit this: CATcard access form. *

CDC Safety Video Playlist

CDC Safety Video Playlist